Decking paint flaking

J

josoap

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Have checked out all info on decking and there is nothing on maintenance and repair. Decking looking very sad after hard winter. Paint/Stain flaking and has disappeared in some areas. Not sure where to start. Any suggestions please.
 
Hi Jo. Is your deck painted, varnished or stained? Sounds like it's varnished. I have a fairly large deck which was stained from day one. I just sweep it well and stain it each year around this time.

If yours is varnished, you won't be able to use stain as the varnish will have sealed it and the wood won't be able to absorb the stain. You'll probably have to do a bit of sanding first. Make sure you use a mask. I'd have a chat with someone in a DIY store or a garden centre before I'd start though, if I were you. Good luck.
 
Hi Lex,
Deck is stained, so some parts of decking looks fine, and some parts looks like paint has disappeared and a some parts flaky.
Would it look dreadful just to do as you say and sweep hard, (thought of getting power washer at it also) and stain again. The thought of sanding, grooved decking it not appealing.
 
Hi Jo. My deck is stained also and it too is quite patchy in places. I usually give these areas a 2nd or 3rd coat when I'm putting it on. Mine doesn't flake though. Could there be small cracks in the timber? It might be layers of the stain lifting.... my stain goes on a bit like paint and, in your case, a layer on top of another layer may have peeled.

I agree with you about sanding being a pain. I think the power washer is a great idea but make sure that you allow it a few days to dry out before you stain it again.
 
Thanks again Lex, just brushed the deck like hell just now and off to buy stain. Will take advice to give bad areas an extra coat, think next year the sanding will have to be done. At least the weather is good for the job.
 
I was in B&Q in Cork this morning, Jo, and they're doing 3 for the price of two on the Sadolin stain that I use on my decking. I think it's around €26 per tin. Cheaper than what I paid last year!
 
Any off the shelf decking stain that is water based is a complete waste of money. It only sits on the deck and eill eventually peel. Strip the deck back to bare wood with a sander and use an oil based stain.

I used Sikkens and out 2 coats base coat and 2 coats of their cetol hls top coat. Its about 60eur for 5 litres. Sounds expensive but price per litre is similar to ronseal rubbish
 
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