Deck Sanding
Deck sanding is a service Atlanta deck doctor has provided since 1998 as part of our wood restoration services.
We created this page to serve as a point of reference for prospective customers, those seeking to learn more about deck sanding. We will cover reasons to sand your deck, benefits, of sanding your deck,dispel any myths and misconceptions regarding deck sanding, as well as provide plenty before & after pictures to illustrate the difference a professional deck sanding job can make. Please bear with us as we add content, as this is the busiest time of year.
Please use the table of contents below to navigate our deck sanding page. Thank you!
Table of Contents
Content coming soon….
Deck Sanding FAQ'S
No, we sand any wooden surface that can be sanded- that isn’t too intricate – e.g. lattice. Flooring, siding, fences, etc can be sanded within reason.
Depends: Pine Decks (especially if not kiln-dried) should weather for three months (at least before sanding). Normally newly milled wood whether cedar, pine, or hardwood for that matter should not need sanding (unless you’d like to remove imperfections, and the like).
Yes, we can sand off any thick elastomer such as deck over, deck correct, or similar (from horizontal surfaces). We do not sand spindles, balusters, nor do we sand lattice as there are too many intricate pockets.
If not prepped properly after sanding you may encounter oil stains not penetrating properly. This is why it is important to hire someone who knows what they’re doing. We have never had issues with stain penetration or unevennes of appearance post-sanding/finishing of decks, etc.
Process to sand a deck floor varies, but usally a deck will need a thorough cleaning prior to sanding. Deck should dry well prior to sanding. Sanding should take 1 full day to 2+ days depending on size of deck. Once sanding is complete, and wood has been brightened – project can move forward to the finishing stage (staining, sealing).
- Your deck will need to be totally cleared of furniture/plants/items prior to sanding date.
- We will need access to a 115 or 220v outlet (dryer outlet). Outlet needed depends on type of sanding performed.
- Once sanded we recommend zero foot traffic until after deck has been finished (stained or sealed) this will minimize soiling/contamination of freshly sanded floor (requiring additional cleaning)
We can handle the rest.
We don’t ask for any money up front, nothing is due until we finish sanding your deck, or outdoor structure, and results are to your complete satisfaction.
Pine decks (which makes up the vast majority of decks in Atlanta, GA) are considered a softwood. Wood expands and contracts with moisture fluctuations . For this reason wood will eventually split and spinter. Unfortunately even if we thoroughly sand your deck and rectify all visible spintering – spintering will return with time. This is something that can be helped by using a solid stain (we recommend using oil based, not water based) The solid stain will ‘tie down all wood’ and will lessen chances of splinters occurring.
We Sand Off As Much Paint Off As Possible. There Are Surfaces Where Our Sanders Cannot Get into Such As:
- Between floor-boards. After sanding you might see a very faint line where the previous paint could not be sanded off. Typically this will not be visible after deck is re-stained.
- Inside knots, again, sander cannot get deep inside wood knots. Re staining deck will hide these remnants.
To sum up- we remove 90 to 99 percent of previous stains, any remnants can be easily covered with new stain/sealer, or even a solid stain.
