Stripping my own deck was the worst week I've had in years...

My neighbor kept telling me to just rent a power washer and blast it, but I figured I'd save the $75 and do it by hand with a scraper and some stripper from Home Depot. Three days in, my arms were shot and I'd only gotten through half of a 12x20 foot deck because the old stain was caked on like glue. Then it rained on day four and the stripper washed into my flower beds and killed my wife's hydrangeas... she was not thrilled. Has anyone else had a DIY project backfire this bad because you thought you knew better than the easy way?

2 comments

2 Comments

joseph44821d ago

I rented a power washer for my 12x20 deck after watching a buddy do his in one afternoon. Cost me like $80 for the day, and I was done by lunchtime with zero muscle pain and no dead plants. The trick was using the right tip and keeping it moving so I didn't gouge the wood. My neighbor ended up borrowing it two weeks later for his fence, so we split the cost and it felt like a bargain. Sometimes the easy way is the best way, you know?

the_keith21d ago

Did your buddy mention anything about using a detergent first? My friend tried the same approach on his driveway and ended up having to go over the whole thing twice because the dirt was baked in deep. He said a cheap degreaser spray would've saved him a couple hours of running that wand back and forth.