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Hi all,
I thought I'd share my current deck renewal project.
The deck is around 10 years old and was looking pretty shabby. The timber is merbau but I wasn't sure what the original coating put on the deck was - something with a coating that peeled off in parts (as opposed to an oil).
Subsequent oiling never got a brilliant result despite how much I scrubbed and blasted with the pressure cleaner - it was clear that a full sand back to the bare timber was needed.
In preparation for hiring a floor sander I purchased an orbital sander and sanded back all the edges of the deck with 40 grit paper. It's hard work on the hands and knees but I was happy with the initial results, giving me confidence that the deck was going to come up well after the job was complete. Here's a rough example:
I hired a floor sander on Saturday. They are heavy beasts but surprisingly easy to use. It's a job anyone can do - even those with limited skills like me! Again I used 40 grit paper for the first sand, then went over again with an 80 grit. Here's a few sanding progress shots:
Final step in the sanding process was to get the orbital sander out again with the 80 grit paper and tidy up any spots that were a little rough or needed a little more work.
After cleaning up I started oiling the deck. I got one coat on Saturday and one coat on Sunday morning, but with rain forecast for Sunday afternoon/night I couldn't get the third coat done. Hoping to get to it in the next couple of days and will share the results. It looks like it will be a big improvement and well worth doing.
Jason
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Safety update: January 2021
The Bunnings team would like to advise the drum sanders available for hire in Bunnings stores are not suitable for use on decks. For any exterior decking projects, the Orbital sander available for hire is the correct choice as it has a sturdier head which is ideal for decking.
Before sanding your deck, all nails should be checked to make sure they are below the surface of the boards. Any protruding nails should be punched below the deck surface.
The state of your deck's timber is also important to assess. If they are weathered, the edges can start to split. Any boards that are damaged with sharp edges or splinters should be replaced before commencing sanding.
If you need a hand with your deck renewal project, please don't hesitate to ask for assistance. We're here to help.
Hello @jom1
I propose trying two techniques, the first is to tilt the sander when you reach the end of the run before turning the machine off. In this manner the sander will not leave a start/stop mark on the decking panel. The second method is to use a random orbital sander to blend in the section that is standing out.
Once you start to see a uniform finish appear on the surface of your deck then it is a good indicator that it is time to stop. My best advice is to sand it in a back-and-forth direction parallel with the woodgrain.
Here is a handy step-by-step guide: How To Sand A Deck
Let me call on our experienced members @Dave-1, @Nailbag and @AlanM52 for their recommendations.
If you need further assistance, please let us know.
Eric
Good Afternoon @jom1
Both of @EricL 's suggestions will work, I think of it like when you are trying to get a soft edge from nice lawn intro long lawn and you lft the mowers nose up but tipping it back with the handle. Same with the deck sander. I used a hand belt sander (ozito) when I did my 4ish by 4ish meter deck and would take the weight off the sander as I was finsihing a run so it did not etch so hard. I had a small amount of cupping on my boards tho it was high sides and low middle. The belt sander tilted still worked for me 
My issue was that when I installed the deck 13 years ago I countersunk the crews and then leveled the screws at deck height... Not so good later on. Next time I will install the screws so they are just below the timber height.
Dave
