Quick, inexpensive fix to correct weathered,splintering wood on deck

Question

My wooden deck is older, and the wood has started to darken and splinter. Outside of replacing the wood, is there anything I can do for a quick and inexpensive fix?

Sandy Slade · Answer

Hi,, Do you have a jet wash or can you use a neighbour or friends first if not a scrubbing brush and ordinary washing up liquid and bleach. Make sure you rinse it well and when rinsing it does not end up any plants around the area. Hard work but it does make it look better and it is free just time needed. Maybe doing small sections if short of time or someone to help you. And be very careful of splinters. I happen to like a deck area that is not all new and pristine . It blends in to a garden more. Then do you have any free sites by you. You could ask for anyone who has outdoor varnish or decking paint spare. Please let us know how you end up doing it. Good luck.

Cindy Fusco · Answer

Flip the deck slats over . Clean them first . We used a wire brush and small broom but you could wash with a deck cleaner if you prefer. Screw or nail back in to deck frame. the Unexposed wood has never seen the harsh environment and should give you a several more years of wear. Stain and seal with a good deck product. We did this with our 16 year old deck recently. Had to replace some of the boards that were not useable. Iit saved us LOTS of $$$ less than the cost of a full deck replacement.

Lisa Bradley-Schroeck · Answer

Behr Deck Over is a great product. It fills in all those cracked, splintered areas and gives it a nice, rough, nonslip finish. Word of advice, use a primer first made for outdoors and/or weathered wood. Getting ready to do another deck at another house with this.

Bonny Parrish · Answer

We pressure washed our old deck then painted two coats of Cabot's Deck Correct.  Great results!  Covers rough spots and fills in cracks. Goes on like regular paint and clean up is easy.

Cathy T · Answer

Deck over is a great product if the right prep is done. First replace any boards that are really rotten or are at risk of breaking(if any). Then use a deck cleaning product, and rinse thoroughly and allow to dry. Apply 2 coats. I tried a roller but on rough wood, it doesn't get into the cracks, so I brushed on. Allow to dry for at least a day. It dries quickly but the longer you can stay off it the better the bond. 
I did it on my south facing dock on the water.  It gets lots of traffic and lots of weather. 2 years so far and still looks great. Good luck with your project.

William Brower · Answer

Behr deck over is great if you live in the south if you live in the north it will not last thru winter. There is a class action lawsuit against them

Julie Dever · Answer

We started power washing our deck that is over 10 years old and never cleaned before. What a difference. We found that the pressure caused splinters to raise up....will need to sand them before painting or staining.

Cynthia Starnes Griffin · Answer

If your deck boards are screwed in, unscrew and flip them over, then seal well.

Asko, the big Finn · Answer

Asko, the big Finn Bellingham, Washington
I am a (re)tired contractor, who has done many a deck. I have not used my pressure washer for over 15 years (and never will), because it raises the grain (splinters) and damages wood. I use a very stiff push broom and non-toxic deck cleaners, which is a lot faster than pressure washer. It is very important to clean the areas between the boards to prevent rot. I use a long handled hook or a flat scraper with a long handle (I do not need to get on my very old knees hardly at all). Drive down protruding nails or screws. Cracks can be filled with a number of outdoor spackles, wood fillers, caulk or any other product. Here in the Evergreen State (it rains a lot!!), I prefer semi-transparent stain (no paint). Peeling paint can be a humongous head ache!!!
Another trick I used last summer, which turned out great. The home owner stained his deck with solid stain, which started peeling very soon (wet wood). First i scraped off all the loose stuff. I used a sharpened garden hoe. Worked great! Then I rented a 'flat pad' floor sander to get down to bare wood, using my electric pad sander in the corners and along the edges. Cleaned it and stained it with semi-transparent stain.  
Got another similar job for this summer, if it EVER stops raining. For a long lasting job, the wood has to be dry!!

Delores Snellen · Answer

Do NOT use 'Restore' Its like a paint with sand in it suppose to fill in the splinters and cracks. Well it does then it peels off I spent a fortune on doing my deck and now will have to scrape off and sand the deck and redo it.

Kathy Turner · Answer

I used Retore on my 10 year old deck 2 years ago and it still looks great. It filled in all the big cracks on the posts too.

Jeanette Marfield · Answer

I was tired of trying to maintain our deck and needed a quick, inexpensive way to fix it before we had company. After a quick trip to a big box store I covered it in a tan indoor/outdoor carpet. Instantly better and feels so much better to walk on. We didn't even attach it to the deck, the deck furniture holds it in place for us. If I wanted to be really crafty I could tape out a design and paint it but for now, I am content to just relax and enjoy!

Barb · Answer

We used the Behr Deckover product last summer and so far are happy with the results.

Alita Knupp Kiss · Answer

Years ago, our deck was so bad that the kids were getting splinters from it. We have a pool, so they were out on the deck all the time in bare feet. We didn't have the money for a new deck, so my husband pulled up all the decking boards, turned them over and screwed them back in. He scrubs it and uses a deck stain as needed to keep it conditioned. It has lasted many years like this...

Pam · Answer

Carpet is a quick easy fix but you still have the HIDDEN problem. and the carpet will make mold under it when it rains. you need as the other poster said either flip the boards and this time treat or stain them or consider a new flooring .

Ann · Answer

I also  used Restore on my deck. It looks great after  2 years  and since my deck  is  attached  to  my pool, it's  comfortable  on bare  feet

Patricia Price Fox · Answer

Still considering options. Thanks for everyone's advice.

Lisa Bradley-Schroeck · Answer

First year I had to do that too. The primer makes all the difference. 2nd year, both decks look great except for two small spots. I guess when we are working with rough old wood you can only achieve so much. I'm happy with the two that I primered...for now! 🇺🇸

Libbie B · Answer

We just worked on an older deck and we pressure washed it and then flipped any of the boards that were in horrible shape (we had a burn spot from someone placing a portable grill on the deck) once the boards were flipped we restained and sealed. Looks great!

Lindsay Aratari · Answer

Agreed with the above of flipping boards over. I have seen this done and it seems to be a good fix!

SKitch · Answer

The original homeowner put down the biggest deck boards I've ever seen and used nails to put them down. He used so many nails, it's unbelievable! Flipping these boards would have been a lovely and near perfect fix.

Dee · Answer

I would rent a floor sander from Lowes or Home Depot and sand down the boards.

Redcatcec · Answer

If you cant flip the boards, sand them down, a big sander would do the best...more area covered.

Kathy Gunter Law · Answer

Sanding then seal, not quick but least expensive and most effective

Kim |Exquisitely Unremarkable · Answer

Sand and stain is really the best way to do it. Flipping the boards seems to be a popular option, but be prepared for the need to replace a few if they crack or break while you try to remove them.

Quick, inexpensive fix to correct weathered,splintering wood on deck

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Quick, inexpensive fix to correct weathered,splintering wood on deck

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