0

There is two layers of old paint and the latest one was put on top of the old one without primer. It started chipping in some places and could be removed quite easy without any tools.

With some efforts paint can be removed in many places with putty knife. However in some places it is fairly well attached to the wood and I'm not sure what I can use to remove it. I'm fine doing it slowly on my own pace.

I am hoping that after removing old paint and then applying new primer + paint the deck would survive a few more years.

Photo:

painted wood

Improve this question
4
  • 1
    Those deck boards have dirt, mildew, paint, splits cracks and rust on them. They need replacing. To get another year out of that deck just pressure wash let it dry and paint it. Nothing you do will renew the state of the boards.
    – RMDman
    Commented May 3 at 2:26
  • 1
    Or don't paint it.
    – keshlam
    Commented May 3 at 2:40
  • Everything I've ever heard says that painting a deck is the worst thing you can do for it. You assume it's now protected, so ignore it, but it needs more long-term maintenance than a simple sealer. Plus it tends to be slippery when wet.
    – FreeMan
    Commented May 3 at 11:54
  • I agree, I think wood stain would probably be the best option for a replacement.
    – J. A.
    Commented May 3 at 19:58

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
1

You should be able to pressure wash the rest of that paint off. But some of that wood looks rotted. Is that just a section? I would start by driving the nails / screws below the surface of the wood. Then power washing to see how much comes up. Check the nails / screws again. You can then use a chemical paint stripper. (eco friendly maybe - please) to get the rest up. Keep the stripper on following the instruction and keeping it lightly misted so it does not dry out. Scrape the rest of the paint off. When all the paint is removed follow the stripper's instructions to neutralize the stripper. Put a deck brightener on it if you will stain it.

When wood gets wet (from power washing / paint stripper) it will swell and may lift some of the nails / screws again. If some do lift again you may just want to pull or unscrew them and replace with a longer nail / screw. The reason is after you apply the stripper where the paint did not come up from power washing you will scrap the gooey softened paint and stripper off. You don't want fasteners (nails / screws) in the way of scrapping or have to scrap around them nor on your knees trying to screw in screws or splattering stripper all over yourself trying to hammer in a nail. Please don't forget eye protection throughout the project. You probably have a bunch of latex gloves leftover from Covid - good time to use when applying chemicals. You want to replace those rotted boards and be careful walking on the boards that are obviously rotted. When you drive the fasteners that have lifted and the wood around it crumbles or the fastener goes right through - replace that board. I found a site where a couple has documented their deck project. They have replaced boards, stripped and applied brightener.

Check it out HOW TO STRIP A DECK FOR STAIN

Improve this answer
2
  • Thank you very much!
    – J. A.
    Commented May 3 at 4:09
  • Some of the wood is surely rotten. Would you mind clarifying the part about "driving the nails" and then "check the nail screws again"? Are you suggesting to see how deeply rotten the wood is? Juding on the state of it, in some places paint is not holding up, but in the other wood planks seem to be okay and paint is in fairly decent shape.
    – J. A.
    Commented May 3 at 20:01

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.