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I agree--the stripper was real fluidic(?) so verticals were a problem, and my brush couldn't hit those tight spots you're talking about so those really just got a dwell and rinse. Going to rent an orbital sander and have at it all Saturday. Quick ?: Could I use an orbital @ 60 grit to prep the surface and to get that old stain off as well, or do these jobs need to be treated separately? Thanks! W

So after a *long* weekend of SW Stripper and Oxalic, I think I've made some real progress getting back to bare wood (which now seems to my untrained eye to be PT pine?). I've attached some pics here (these are the same spots as in post #14 above ) My plan now is to spot strip a few of the more ornery (vertical) patches, sand the fuzzies and use Armstrong Clark semi redwood--hopefully next weekend. Look ready to you??

Post-Woodbrite....

Yes Charlie --I think the floor boards and the rails are different. When I went out to to take a closer look I could see some contrasting drip marks and laps b/w the two. There are cans for every paint job on the property out in the garage except, of course, the deck!! Here are a few more pics--the first four are additional shots of the floor/rails. The next three (next post) are from a stairway that I went ahead and cleaned with percarb (WoodBrite) last night to try and get a better sense of what I was dealing with. W

Thanks all for the replies. Some pictures attached. Any and all input regarding getting it back to bare wood, or the type of stain/wood pictured herein is greatly appreciated. Having read around more I am feeling better about the following plan. PREP 1. Clean (Woodbrite) 2. Scrub and rinse 3. Strip (Defy?) 4. Scrub and rinse 5. Neutralize/Brighten (oxalic) 6. Scrub and rinse 7. Let dry MMI—thanks. I agree with you and I should have been clearer, when I said “the right type of stain” I meant a color that would best highlight the grain. Having read more, I plan to go with Armstrong Clark in sierra redwood—seems like a good fit for my deck (see below--esp. the rails), and for what I am trying to do in terms of color/protection. Jarrod--one of the reasons I decided to DIY is b/c I had trouble finding a local pro who struck me as reputable/knowledgeable. More than one came out to the house offering only Behr, or just a straight pwash by way of prep. They were either unfamiliar or unwilling to work with some of the things I had read about here and elsewhere (higher-end stains….oxybleach…brightener(!) etc), so I decided to research as best I could, and put together a plan for doing it myself. I have the time, enjoy the work, and want very much for this to be done the right way, so I’m reading as much and as asking as many questions as I can. I also understand there may be mixed feelings about helping out DIYers “pro bono”—so I try not to ask too many questions, and to stick with the DIY sections of these boards so as not to intrude. I will say I’m ordering my stain from The Sealer Store-- a product I wouldn’t know about from a vendor I wouldn’t know about, were it nor for this site--by way of saying thank you. W

thanks for the quick and detailed advice. I'm afraid I have more questions!! First, stripping. Is this process as straightforward and quick as cleaning/brightening--i.e. apply, scrub and rinse? Could anyone recommend a product? All I can find around here is the Behr "all purpose" stripper, and I'm leery... Also, it's possible I'm wrong about the wood--it might just be a color application. Is there a way to figure this out, or would I have to strip and scrub it down first to determine the wood, and then purchase the right semi-trans stain? If so, I start to worry about time frames--esp. if I have to order online... Finally, any thoughts on Cabot 1400?

Greetings, Long time lurker, first time poster here, looking for some help on a deck restoration project. I am restoring what I think is a redwood deck off my new home (pictures attached) . After a lot of research here and elsewhere, I’ve come up with the following game plan. 1. Prep with a sodium percarb cleaner (Woodbrite) and rinse (no pwash) 2. Brighten with Oxalic acid (AX98) and rinse (again, no pwash). 3 Let dry 4 Apply stain (oil based semi-trans—VOC complaint ;-(. Seems straightforward enough, but some challenges present themselves: 1. The weather. Where I live it rains. A lot. So much that frankly, I’m not sure I‘ll have a week straight of dry weather where I can do the project. If I were to do steps 1 and 2 only to have it rain before #3 and am I back at #1 all over again? or can I just wipe it down, let it dry and go? 2. Speaking of drying, are there any quick and easy ways to test the moisture level of wood? Obviously a moisture meter would be best, but this is probably a one shot deal for me, so I’d rather no invest in such a specialized piece of equipment. Cabot’s web site had a tip of using a piece of household tape—apply and pull, and if it’s clean you’re good to go, but I had never heard of this. Thoughts? 3. Finally, what are folks position on the new VOC compliant Cabot (#7400 series)? Where I live this is the easiest, and from what I can tell the only legal, oil-based I can get my hands on…. Thanks a lot for any and all advice, and for being willing to help! . WR