Renovating old deck

[Mamee & Co]

We bought our house a year ago and really need to renovate the old deck. The wood is grey and the surface has splits in places, and not helped by having two terrier pups scratching at it! In the wet it is slightly green. However the base wood is still sound.

What products would you use for renovating this deck and why? I have seen good and bad reviews for almost every product. Cabots Aquadeck and deck clean looked likely, but then I saw some reviews that said it remained sticky! So wondering what the personal experience is from those who have dealt with this is NZ.

Environment is Christchurch Port Hills next to the sea, so relatively dry NZ speaking, but not as lacking in humidity as the plains, temp extremes moderated, but some salt in the air.

Thanks

[GaryTeh]

Hi,

Well your deck sounded exactly like mine when I bought an old house in Fendalton. Tired to water blast and then clean but really the deck was already rotten. In the end, we decided to rip it all out and build a new deck which was probably the best as the original base was also suspect as it was wobbly. I am very happy with the new deck as it was twice larger and with a solid foundation but of course it did cost a lot more but suffice to say that it was worth every penny. Since you are in Christchurch you are more than welcome to see our 'new' deck. Just send me a PM anytime and we can have a cuppa on our deck!

Cheers

[catt]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Bg58...&feature=share

I found this so funny when I first heard it.........please don't be offended its meant as a joke.

[Mamee & Co]

No worries....started this morning on the clean...to much decking to replace so we have to at least try on the renovate, especially as it is one storey high and would require mucho dollars to replace!

Picture attached showing the state after removing furniture and giving a first wash down...power washing was not recommended for a deck with a lack of nourishment like ours....so it is the long slog with scrubbing about to start....

[JandM]

Good luck with that - you'll have body-builder muscles at the end of the job!

That looks like a lovely outlook. Which way do you face?

[Mamee & Co]

The deck there is the east side of the house, the part I am standing on to take the photo is the north side.

[Mamee & Co]

And this is what it looked like from in the house once the second coat was done....now hoping that it doesn't rain for a few hours.

We will probably need a third coat late spring and can then leave for 18 months....just hoping that this is not too patchy when it dries.

Still need to do the kick plate, but given the forecast we wanted to protect the main deck while the wood grain was open after washing, the kick plate is cheap wood put in place to stop puppies escaping!

[GaryTeh]

Wow looks brand new. Good job.

[Mamee & Co]

Thanks Gary, not quite brand new....but as we say in our house "it's not perfect but better than it was." The old staining is still visible, but at least the wood is now mostly protected.

[richak]

Mamee, what products did you use in the end, it looks a fantastic job? Mine needs doing, was thinking of the Cabots Aquadeck too