Use low pressure and sand smooth if nessessary
Hey there, We love doing deck restorations. There are a lot of things to consider when hiring a contractor for your outdoor haven. You want to make sure they know what they are doing. Believe it or not, there are several aspects and variables when doing a restoring your deck. Some of the items you may want to question your potential contractors on are below.
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Powerwashing - Will they be power washing the deck with a wood cleaner to remove mold, mildew, and discoloration prior to treating the surfaces?
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Stripping - Does your deck have an existing coating on it? If it is a solid color, you will most likely have to choose a similar solid color stain. If you would like to change the color, the contractor will have to strip the existing coating prior to applying the final stain. In addition, if they do have to strip the existing, they will have to apply a base to neutralize the stripper.
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Repairs - If there is rotting wood or areas of the deck, it is important that the contractor know what kind of wood it is comprised of so that they can best match your existing surfaces. It could be cedar, pine, redwood, etc.
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Final Stain - There are various types of stains that can be used.
A. Translucent Stain - Clear Finish - It has a 1-2 Year Maintenance Cycle
B. Semi-Transparent Stain - Has some pigment, but will allow you to see the grains of the wood - It has a 2-3 Year Maintenance Cycle (This stain really shouldn’t be used if your deck has an existing solid or semi-solid stain on it)
C. Semi-Solid Stain - This is darker than the semi-transparent and will hide most of the wood grains - This also has a 2-3 Year Maintenance Cycle
D. Solid Stain - Solid stains provide an opaque finish and you will not be able to see any of the original grains. However, solid stains provide the best coverage, hiding, and durability - Solid stains provide a 3-5 Year Maintenance Cycle.
Hope that helps! Feel free to contact us anytime with more questions!
What is deck restoration you may ask?
Deck restoration can include (power washing, stripping and or sanding ,) replacement of damaged or extremely weathered timbers ,decking . Most important is the preparation (Deck must be clean and dry ,)second is the selection of the proper coatings for you usage and weather exposure , . Allow the necessary amount of time to cure before you use the deck ,do not rush it temperature and humidity affect drying times .
We will spray and back brush larger decks to keep cost down and returning the deck back to service faster.
Make sure you ask for references,insurance and licenses from your contractor if any of these items are not available I would highly recommend you walk away. Ask your friends or neighbors for recommendations ask to see some finished or ongoing projects.
The painting/staining process can be very confusing and time consuming but we help alleviate the burden by offering well written and easy to understand contracts, step-by-step walkthroughs of the entire project, and access to our coating selection experts and team leaders that allow us to manage the project from start to finish while offering a worry free coating experience giving you the freedom to go about your daily business.
No two decks are the same ,we recommend you meet with the contractor and go over your options ,we also recommend signing up for yearly maintenance packages which will save you $$ in the long run by washing twice a year and freshing up any weather beaten areas keeping your investment looking fresh year after year instead of having the hassle of re staining every two to four years depending on usage and sun exposure.
most important I would say is ask if the contractor has done similar jobs and if possible take a look at them, every deck is different in terms of what is made of and location, therefore not all decks need the same restoration procedure and besides that, what is the existing coating that needs to be restored or replaced and what is the appropiate coat to be applied.
you should ideally narrow your list to three or four potential deck builders. At this point, you’ll want to contact each of them and ask a few questions, including the following:
How long have you been in the business?
Are you locally licensed?
Are you insured? Can you provide me with the name of your insurance carrier?
Do you offer a warranty on the work?
Do you handle local permitting concerns?
When could you start the project and how long do you think it will take?
Do you always have a supervisor or owner on-site during the work?
How comfortable are you working with the material I choose for my deck's construction?
Can you give me a couple of references that I can contact?Ask them to provide examples of their work. Locations you can visit, recommendations you can talk to.
The clients will tell you the truth on how the contractor was.