How to refinish an unevenly worn deck?

Hi All,

My merabu deck is in need of re-oiling/staining. However some parts of the deck are more worn than others. My question is, do I need to sand/stripe back the whole deck before re-oiling/staining? And if so does it need re-weathering? Or is it fine to simply clean and re stain it.

Any advice on necessary prep to get the best finish would be appreciated.

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Jason

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @sg790. We're so pleased to have you join us. Feel free to post whenever you need a hand or have a project to share with other members.

Do you know what product was used on the deck previously?

I would suggest that because the finish is currently uneven, you are not going to get a great result unless you sand the boards back. While sanding is a reasonable amount of work, the deck will look like new again afterwards. I have a Merbau deck and have sanded it a couple of times to bring it back to new. The first time was documented here - Deck renewal using floor sander.

Here's a comprehensive guide on How to sand a deck from the Bunnings team, which includes a video and a full list of tools and materials. You can see how they achieve a uniform colouring with fresh timber before proceeding.

If you're not keen on sanding, I would highlight recommend trying something like Intergrain UltraPrep Timber Cleaner to strip as much as the previous coating off as possible.

Please let us know if we can assist further.

Jason

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