As a homeowner with a real wooden deck off of the backside of your home, you will be presented with the need to refinish the deck. This is primarily because the original sealer that was laid down over the stain has become worn and it is likely peeling or it has discolored from heavy exposure from the sun.

If this is the case and you have decided to make plans to refinish, then there are a number of things that you will need to do in order to get things ready for the refinishing. If your deck has gotten to this point you will not be able to simply use a pressure washer and even a strong cleaner to prepare the deck to refinish.

For this type of job, you are going to need to bring in the big guns and use a commercial-grade deck stain remover or stripper. This chemical will actually get down into the sealer, stain, and emulsify the layers of sealer and stain to restore original wood grain and color. After you are done thoroughly removing all of the old stains you will be ready to reapply the desired stain and sealer.

How to properly use a chemical stripper

When you have decided that it is necessary to redo the old finish from the entire deck you will definitely want to use one of the many commercially made chemical strippers in order to completely remove all of the old finish properly. The following is a recommended method for using a deck stain remover.

Steps for using a deck stain remover

Preparation

Gather the needed supplies and tools

1ea. Clean 5-gallon bucket

1ea  Set of protective gear; safety glasses, rubber gloves, and mask

1ea. Stiff brush

1ea. Water Hose

1ea. Paint roller/extension handle

1ea. Paint Stripper (actual amount will depend on the size of the deck)

1ea. Deck Cleaner

1ea. Utility pump sprayer

Getting Started

Step #1 Wet down all of the areas around the deck with the garden to protect it

Step #2 Pour the contents of the bottles of chemical stripper into the bucket

Step #3 Dip the roller into a bucket and completely cover it with the stripper

Step #4 Begin rolling the stripper onto the deck surface, covering the whole deck liberally

Step #5 Let stand for the length of time recommended by the manufacturer on the label

Step #6 User sprayer wet down any areas that may end up drying before the time is up

Step #7 After the specified amount of time, begin scrubbing the deck to loosen the emulsified stain

Step #8 Continue scrubbing until you have completed the entire deck

 Step #9 Rinse down the deck with the garden hose with sprayer

Step #10 Using the utility sprayer with the deck cleaner cover the deck with the cleaner

Step #11 This will both help to neutralize the stripper and brighten the wood after it has been stripped

Step #12 You are ready to apply a new coat of stain and sealer