How to sand and oil deck and replace nails with screws?

Benny3

I'd like to fix up the wood deck in my alfresco. When we purchased it, it was clear it was painted as a quick touch-up job. It has also been nailed in. The nails are a pain - have to hit them back in all the time, and some just stay protruding out of the wood and can't be knocked in any further.

I'm keen to strip the paint, replace all the nails with deck screws (big job?!), and oil the deck.

Any suggestions?

JacobZ

Hi @Benny3,

I won't lie to you, it is going to be a lot of work, but ultimately it is manageable if you break it down into steps.

I would start by stripping the deck to remove the bulk of the paint. Use a stripper such as this https://www.bunnings.com.au/intergrain-4l-liquid-8-timber-stripper_p1520503 , following the instructions closely, and ensuring you wear the relevant personal protective equipment such as gloves, long protective clothing, enclosed shoes and a mask. After the stripper has been applied and allowed to sit for the time recommended in the instructions, then you can use a scraper to remove the paint.

After the bulk of the paint has been removed, I'd suggest replacing the nails with screws as there is some potential for damage to the boards which would need to be sanded out. In this situation, you have two main options, removal, or driving the nails through the bottom of the board into the framing. Removing them is a much cleaner option as it will allow you to use those same holes for your screws, but if it is not possible, they can be driven down through the board using a nail punch. If you have access to the underside of the boards, then tapping them up will bring the nails up, you can then tap the timber down so the nail heads are exposed and can then be levered out with a pry bar.

When the new screws are driven in, make sure they sit just below the surface of the boards as you will be sanding next. If needs be, you can use a countersink tool such as this https://www.bunnings.com.au/titan-10g-x-50mm-decking-countersink-tool_p0658851 to ensure they can be driven below the surface.

When the screws are in place, you can use this article on https://www.bunnings.com.au/diy-advice/diy-skills/sanding/how-to-sand-a-deck?srsltid=AfmBOoonAeEZhwu3T-Ggv-aiAtIGbu82nOE5XEjNzhoUR71KZIkioDsh for some guidance on the process. This https://www.bunnings.com.au/for-hire-orbital-floor-sander-24hr_p5470350 will certainly help to speed up the process.

After sanding, check out https://www.bunnings.com.au/diy-advice/building-construction/decking/how-to-oil-your-deck for some guidance when oiling your deck.

Let me know what you think and if you have further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Jacob