Deck Restoration


What Is Deck Restoration?

At Teak Master, deck restoration simply means applying proven old world craftsman techniques to transform your beautiful and valuable wood deck back to pristine condition. Restoration of a wood deck that has weathered gray or has mold and fungus growth requires a combination of cleaning, sanding, brightening, and sealing. Once the surface has been prepped correctly the protective coating will adhere and penetrate properly. If your wood deck has been previously varnished or has a film forming finish it needs to be stripped and the same procedure applied in order for the new finish to penetrate and perform correctly. Our process for deck refinishing takes no shortcuts and is the long way and the hard way but it is the correct way. Contracting Teak Master to perform your deck restoration project means you are receiving multiple years of experience from a company that does nothing else but beautify and restore exterior wood surfaces.

 

What is the Teak Master Process for Deck Restoration?

  1. If your deck has weathered and turned gray in color, it needs to be cleaned thoroughly to remove dirt and mold embedded in the grain of the wood. The cleaning process begins with a mild surface scrub to remove dirt, oxidation, and mold. It is always best to scrub by hand in order to preserve the softer parts of the wood grain especially with softer woods such as redwood and cedar. If your deck is severely damaged by dirt and mold and layers of oxidation it may require a deep cleaning with a low pressure power washing.

    Once the wood is cleaned and has dried thoroughly it is ready to be sanded. Sanding is the single most important step in deck restoration next to applying the protective coating. Sanding ensures all remaining dirt, oxidation, and mold is removed while ensuring a smooth texture is restored back to the wood. We realize every deck is unique and the top boards have been fastened and spaced differently. If your boards or planks have been spaced closely together or at slightly different heights don’t worry we have the right sanders for the job that will not cut into your deck. We employ the use of drum sanders, orbital floor sanders, and hand sanders when performing all of our deck restoration projects.

    Once the sanding process has been completed we will brighten the wood to promote its natural color. Brightening or as it is sometimes called bleaching also kills and helps prevent mold and fungus from occurring and attacking the wood.

    The final step is applying the finish. It is best to apply protective deck coatings when the wood had dried completely preferably for 24 hours. We make sure to apply all finishes by brush during cool temperatures to allow for maximum penetration and dry time. Most of our finishes are penetrating oil based sealers that come in different colors and require one coat.

  2. If your deck has been varnished or has a deteriorating finish, it needs to be removed so that the new finish will adhere and penetrate correctly. We have several different ways to remove previous finishes when performing deck restoration. Most of the time we employ a technique called grinding which is simply grinding the previous finish off by applying multiple levels of sanding. Grinding is the most safe and environmentally conscious way to perform deck restoration with deteriorating finishes. If the wood deck has multiple layers of varnish or many layers of a film forming finish such as Sikkens Cetol, need to use stripper to retard and remove the previous finish. Teak Master always takes extensive measure to protect all surfaces and foliage when applying removers and strippers. When the previous finish has been removed we than employ all the techniques we previously listed such as sanding cleaning and sealing.

 

Deck Restoration Before & Afters

 

What is Teak Master’s Process for Sealing New Decks?

The damaging effects of weathering will start immediately on a new and unprotected wood deck. To avoid costly deck restoration we recommend sealing your new wood deck immediately after being built. There are many contractors that can build a beautiful wood deck out of an array of wood types including Ipe, Teak, Redwood, Mangaris, Balau, Mahogany, and Cedar. However, it is our experience that most deck contractors only specialize in what they know best; deck building. They do not specialize in protecting and maintaining the wood decks they build for their clients. This is where we come in. Protecting and sealing new wood decks is one of our foremost specialties.

According to your decks wood type, we will recommend the best product to protect and maintain your new wood deck for its entire life. Our goal is to correctly protect your deck from the beginning so that maintaining it is relatively easy. We never recommend the use of varnish or polyurethane because it will eventually yellow and blister and peel. We rarely use film forming products like Sikkens on horizontal surfaces like decks because they are hard to maintain with relative ease and will eventually blister and peel.

We recommend sealing your new wood deck with a deep penetrating oil based product specifically formulated for your decks wood type. Oil based sealers are great for sealing new wood decks because they add natural oils into the wood along with UV and mold protection. Our deck sealers come in different tints and dry matte. The sealers magnify the beautiful grain of the wood and look very natural. We also offer semi-transparent and non-transparent deck finishes upon request.

Our process for sealing new wood decks starts with a mild cleaning and brightening. This step is essential because it removes mill glaze, tannins, and other impurities. When the wood is dry we start sealing. All of our sealers are applied by hand with a brush. We buff out each and every slat to remove excess sealer that has not penetrated. After we have protected your wood deck it can be maintained with relative ease for years to come with our deck maintenance program.

 

Deck Repair

We can fix and replace boards that have become loose or damaged over time. If you have noticed nail pop on your deck, we can countersink the nail and plug the top with wood so you do not see the nail. We can also replace your decks old screws with stainless steel resulting in a more pleasing look and also alleviating rust stains. We are familiar with all types of bottom fastening systems and can repair boards that may have cupped or been placed too close to each other.

 

Deck Maintenance Program

After your wood deck has been restored it needs periodic care to keep it looking its best. We recommend our annual deck maintenance program. When it’s time, we follow up by sending you a reminder to call us and set a date to perform your deck maintenance. We never lock you into pesky and annoying contracts. We start our process by cleaning the wood surface. After the wood is dry, the sealer is ready to be reapplied. It’s that simple. Our goal is to maintain your wood deck with relative ease for its entire life. Most deck maintenances can be performed in just one day.

 

What Areas Do You Service?

We are able to quickly and efficiently perform deck restoration projects throughout all of Southern California. Our experienced and large crew of expert craftsmen is able to address your deck restoration and deck repair needs usually within 24 hours. It is our goal to transform your wood deck back to new condition and maintain it for life. Don’t trust your deck restoration project to just anyone. Our deck restoration services have been sought after from San Francisco to San Diego for over 13 years.

 

How Much Does Deck Restoration Cost?

Our deck restoration quotes begin by setting up a date and time to meet with you and take a look at your deck. After we have seen your deck firsthand we can recommend the best way to restore it. We formulate a custom quote for restoring your deck based on several different factors, square footage, type of wood, if it has weathered gray or has a previous finish, and how the boards are constructed and fastened. After we have addressed these factors we recommend the best way to professionally restore your deck. We walk you through our “plan of attack” and make sure you are completely informed with all our procedures and techniques. We understand that you may not be aware how dramatic our restorations can be, so we provide free restoration samples directly on your deck. Deck restoration is an easy and economical way to add value to your home and beautify the deck you love.

 

Decking Woods We Service

Tags: Deck Refinishing Laguna Beach, Deck Restoration Laguna Beach