Your 7-Step Guide to Refinish a Deck Simply and Efficiently in One Day

Move the grill, patio furniture, kid's toys, and any other items on your deck to the yard or inside. 

If there are plants along the perimeter of your deck, move the ones you can. For items that can't be moved, especially anything alive like plants or flowers, you might consider covering them with a tarp to prevent the power washer from accidentally damaging them later on.

Before staining or sealing any surface, always, always clean it. Adding new paint or stain to a dirty surface will only lock dirt, grime, and other impurities into the wood below, which isn't good for the wood and may result in a refinished deck looking not the way you pictured it.

Rinse your deck gently with a hose, then use an outdoor wood cleaner mixed with water (read the label to find the right ratio) and mop or brush it along the surface of your wood.

Using a power washer to remove the cleaner is recommended, as it'll help blast off any dirt or grime that's really stuck. Just be careful to avoid plants, windows, or siding along the way. Let your deck dry for at least 60 minutes.

By the way: scrubbing and rinsing outdoor living spaces at least once a year is one of several great deck maintenance tips you should try to stick to annually.

Using an electric sander or just sandpaper, smooth out any rough places on handles, rails, or spaces in between boards of your deck.

This is also a good time to look for and remove loose nails, cracks that can be filled with wood filler, and other structural damage that might need to be tackled before you paint or stain your refinished deck.

Several manufacturers make deck stripping solutions, which can be bought at a home improvement store for around $40. Again, mix this with water (following the correct ratio) and apply it as a paste or liquid solution to your deck.

A mop is a fine way to apply deck stripper, but a coarse brush with a long handle might be the better choice. This will help the stripping paste penetrate the wood deeper, helping to lift old grime, stain, or sealant. 

Read the label, but most deck striping agents take three to 24 hours to work. Rinse with a hose thoroughly after that time elapses.

Adding deck brightener after the stripping agent does its job can help revitalize older wood and make it look as new as possible again. It's an encouraged step if you have the time.

The steps are basically the same as above. Mix with water, apply with a coarse brush, then wait the allotted time per instructions. Rinse thoroughly and let dry.

Deck brightening solutions cost about $20. Be sure to match your deck brightener with either water-based or oil-based stain, depending on what you plan to finish the deck with after. Water-based brightener takes three to six hours to dry, whereas oil-based brightener usually takes about 24 hours before you can add stain.

Once your deck is dry, clean, and sanded, add stain, outdoor paint, or sealant depending on preference. A six-inch stain pad with a long handle costs around $15 at home improvement stores and will make your life a lot easier than having to manually paint with a brush.

Let your stain, paint, or sealant dry, per instructions. Touch up any sections with a paintbrush after you've finished. 

If you really want to lock in the color and have the time, adding a second coat of stain can help. 

Once you're satisfied with the look and everything is dry, add your deck items back and enjoy!