How to remove paint off timber deck?

lauravdh

I have an undercover deck (about 3x2m) which is currently painted a reddish colour. I want to strip that back and oil it in a light honey colour. I have tried sanding it using an electric hand sander (60 grit) however it’s taking forever - the paint is stubborn and going through many sanding sheets. Would it be possible to remove the paint with paint stripper instead? If so,

would I just need to do a light sand before oiling once I strip the paint? 

EricL

Hello @lauravdh 

Thanks for sharing your question about removing paint on your deck. Small electric hand sanders are great for furniture, but they will struggle when dealing with large sections of wood panelling such as your deck. To properly sand the surface of your deck, I suggest looking at the - For Hire: Orbital Floor Sander - 4hr and For Hire: Floor Edger - 4hr. These machines are designed to handle large timber flooring areas.

Generally speaking, you can use a paint stripper, but because the area is so large it will be very messy, and you'll still end up using a sanding machine to remove the residual paint that will get left behind. So, it would be best to use a purpose-built sanding machine to strip your deck and start fresh. 

Here are some discussions regarding deck restoration:

• Solved: How to restore a worn deck? by @Northerndandy 
   
• Solved: How to restore a deck that has seen better days by @RosemaryK 
   
• How to restore my deck? by @Mads1805 
   
• Hardwood deck restoration by @Dave-1 
   
• How to restore old decking? by @julienf 
   
• How to restore a deck by @Adam_W

Here are some handy step-by-step guides that will help you with your project:

• How to clean a deck
   
• How to sand a deck
   
• Choosing the right finish for your deck
   
• How to oil your deck

If you need further assistance, please let me know.

Eric