Home Improvement Outdoors Decks & Patios

How to Refinish a Wood Deck

By
Bob Formisano
Bob Formisano
Bob Formisano is a licensed architect and builder with nearly 40 years of experience building new homes and restoring older homes. One of his specialties is repairing old systems dating back to the 1920s, including galvanized water pipes, knob-and-tube wiring, and more. His home repair articles for The Spruce span more than 10 years.
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Updated on 06/23/24
Fact checked by
Jillian Dara
Jillian Dara
Fact checked by Jillian Dara

Jillian is a journalist with 10 years of editorial experience in the lifestyle genre. She is a fact-checker for The Spruce.

Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process
Wooden table, chairs and fruit and vegetables in plant pots on patio decking in garden
Brian North / Getty Images
In This Article
Project Overview
  • Working Time: 1 - 2 days
  • Total Time: 2 - 3 days
  • Skill Level: Intermediate
  • Estimated Cost: $80 to $150
  • Yield: Refinish a 200 square-foot wood deck

Refinishing a wood deck not only improves its appearance but extends its life. Given the high cost of building a deck, it's important to preserve it for as long as possible. You can refinish a wood deck in a weekend or two.

Choosing Stains and Sealers

Most products are one-step applications that do two things: stain and protect the wood.

  • Semi-transparent stains: These stains allow the wood grain to be visible through the stain but still add some color to the wood.
  • Opaque stains: These stain products will color the wood, much like a coat of paint, and hide the wood grain.
  • Clear sealers: Clear sealers penetrate and seal the wood but contain no pigments, so they will not substantially change its color. They also provide less UV (sunlight) protection than pigmented deck stains.

All types of stains and sealers are available in water-based and oil-based varieties:

  • Water-based: Water-based coatings are easy to work with, have little odor, and clean up with just soap and water. Water-based exterior stains do not last as long as oil-based products
  • Oil-based: Oil-based stains and sealers penetrate and bond well with the wood fibers. Though more difficult to apply than water-based coatings, they tend to last longer, so fewer re-applications are needed.

Pads vs. Brushes

It's usually best to stain/seal the main deck surface with a paint pad applicator, while paintbrushes are required for detail work.

Use a natural bristle brush with an oil-based product and a synthetic bristle brush with water-based stains. You will likely need a few different brush sizes.

Safety Considerations

Deck stains and sealers are toxic and flammable. Use a NIOSH-approved respirator when applying. Keep heat and flames away from either product. Wear long sleeves and waterproof gloves to avoid skin contact. Dispose of oily rags properly to prevent a fire hazard.

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • Power washer
  • Garden hose and sprayer (optional)
  • Random orbital sander
  • Shop vacuum
  • Paint pad applicator
  • Paintbrushes

Materials

  • Deck cleaner/brightener
  • 60- to 80-grit sandpaper
  • 80- to 100-grit sandpaper
  • Wood stain
  • Clean rags

Instructions

  1. Repair the Deck

    Inspect the deck and look for loose surface boards or structural component problems, including rotting or severely split wood. If you need to replace a damaged or rotten deck board or other components, do this before staining the deck to ensure color consistency. Replace entire deck planks rather than attempting to fix problems with wood putty.

  2. Clean the Deck

    Power wash the deck to thoroughly clean it. Use the lowest pressure that still provides effective cleaning. An alternative is to hose the deck with a garden hose and a strong spray nozzle, then scrub the wood with deck cleaner/brightener, following the manufacturer's instructions.

    • Softwoods: The water pressure for softwoods, such as cedar or pine, should be about 500 pounds per square inch (psi) to 600 psi.
    • Hardwoods: Hardwoods like kempas or walnut can tolerate higher pressures. Even so, do not use pressures higher than 1200 to 1500 psi.

    Warning

    Using too much water-jet pressure, holding the spray nozzle too close, or using the wrong sprayer tip can etch the wood and possibly ruin some deck boards.

  3. Let the Deck Dry

    Make sure the deck remains completely dry for about two days before staining, especially with oil-based stains. Any moisture in the pores of the wood will prevent proper absorption of the stain.

  4. Sand the Deck

    Sand the deck with a random orbital sander, Use 60—or 80-grit sandpaper on the main deck boards and 80—or 100-grit on the handrails. Vacuum all surfaces thoroughly after sanding.

  5. Apply the Stain

    Start with the handrails and work your way down to the deck boards. Use a variety of brush sizes to stain the small areas, such as handrails, balusters, and trim boards, and finish all the brushwork before moving on to the decking surfaces.

    The surface decking boards are best stained with a flat paint-pad applicator. This ensures fast coverage of a large area, helps you easily maintain a wet edge, and results in a nice, even stain application. Apply the stain liberally with the applicator, let the stain soak in for a short time (as recommended by the manufacturer), then wipe up any excess with a rag. Do not leave pools of stain to dry on the surface.

  6. Apply Deck Sealer (Optional)

    If you were using a stain-only product (not a combination stain-sealer), apply a clear coating at the end.

When to Call a Professional

Call a painter or other deck professional for decks with failing coatings that must be stripped. All traces of the old coating must be stripped or sanded away before the new coating can be applied.

FAQ
  • When refinishing a wood deck, is it better to strip or sand it?

    Sanding is usually a better option than stripping when you are refinishing a wood deck. Even thorough stripping will leave some of the old coating behind. Sanding will take down the wood by up to 1/8-inch, removing all of the coating in the process.

  • Is it possible to refinish a wood deck without sanding?

    If your deck is finished with a clear sealer or a transparent or semi-transparent wood stain, you can clean the surface with a wood deck cleaner and avoid substantial sanding. Use an oxygen-based wood cleaner designed to remove mildew stains and graying caused by sun exposure.

  • How much does it cost to refinish a wooden deck?

    It costs around $80 to $150 to refinish a wooden deck if you don't own any of the tools. If you do own tools, you can refinish a 200-square-foot wooden deck for $50 to $75, since that's the cost of one gallon of deck stain-sealer. One gallon covers about 400 square feet of decking. Two coats are recommended.

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Watch Now: How to Properly Pressure-Wash a Wood Deck

Pressure Washer Cleaning a Weathered Deck
BanksPhotos/Getty Images
Staining hardwood patio deck
Chris Bernard/Getty Images
The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

  1. Safety With Oily Rags Wet With Flammable or Combustible Liquids. National Fire Protection Association.