How to Restore Damaged Redwood Decks
- 1). Inspect the deck thoroughly. Redwood is a tough, durable wood. Often, while the wood may appear gray, worn and faded, the damage may only be to the surface of the wood. However, any boards that are soft, sagging or cracked will need to be removed and replaced.
- 2). Remove and replace severely damaged boards. The difficulty or ease of removing a damaged board depends on how the boards were fastened to the deck. If the boards are screwed in with deck screws, simply unscrew the damaged boards and pull them off. If the boards are nailed down, removal will involve using a pry-bar to lift the damaged wood. Finally, some decks are built so that the boards are fastened from the underside. These can be a challenge to disassemble. With some systems, the entire deck may need to be dismantled in order to remove the damaged boards.
- 3). Clean the deck with wood cleaner. After you've removed and replaced severely damaged boards, use a quality wood cleaning product to remove loose, grayed material from the surface of the wood. Most wood cleaning products are sold in a concentrated form. Follow the manufacturer's instructions regarding the solution to mix for the purpose of removing weather-worn material from the surface of a deck. Apply the cleaner and allow it to sit for 15 to 30 minutes. Then scrub the deck down with a nylon brush. The older, weather-beaten material should lift off. You can repeat the cleaning as necessary, or leave the cleaning product on longer. Just check it every 15 minutes to make sure it isn't removing more material than you want.
- 4). Brighten the wood if necessary. Redwood will often turn dark after you've cleaned it. This is the result of tannins bleeding to the wood's surface. If your deck has turned dark after the cleaning, use a solution of wood brightener to return its natural luster. Wood brightener contains oxalic acid, a mild acid that neutralizes tannins. Follow the manufacturer's instructions regarding dilution and application of wood brightener. Generally you will apply the diluted brightener to the deck surface and let it sit for 15 to 30 minutes. Then rinse thoroughly with water. There is no need to scrub, and in fact scrubbing may lead to more tannin bleed.
- 5). Apply a stain to the deck. After the deck is cleaned and brightened, let it dry for at least 24 hours, then apply a stain and sealer. This will protect the deck from moisture, and harmful ultra-violet (UV) rays from sunlight. Stains come in a variety of different wood tones, from a nearly clear or natural finish to much darker redwood and brown tones. There are specific stains formulated to emulate the natural color of redwood while providing protective pigments that block UV rays. Generally, the darker the stain, the longer it will protect your deck. If longevity is your concern, choose as dark a stain as you can stand.
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