I've got 1500 square ft. decking on the new home I'm buying and it needs to be restained. I've only restained one deck before and I'm pretty sure I did it wrong, but the home was sold before I could see how it weathered. The deck is about 8 years old. I believe the deck gets a lot of mid-day sun. After watching some youtube videos, they recommend sanding with an orbital sander, each and every board. I'm willing to do that, but this is a very large deck. I know I need to make sure the nails are fully set into the wood before sanding, and there are thousands of them. I'd like to ask you veterans of deck restaining your thoughts on the questions below.
I've attached a picture of the deck.
- How would you recommend I sand, by hand or with a drum sander? The boards are relatively flat, but there are some high and low spots. Should I drum sand level and then use the hand orbital sander for the low spots?
- What is the best stain to use in your opinion, without regard to cost? I want a stain that can stand mid-day sun and will retain its pigment with minimal flaking and peeling. Cost isn't a consideration.
- When is the best season to stain? The deck is in the mountains at 3200 ft. in elevation. Can I stain before the Spring?
I've attached a picture of the deck.