DIY Guide: How to Reseal Your Deck

Resealing your deck is a necessary task at least every other year depending on the weather and the climate where you live. While it is not hard to reseal your deck, it is a time consuming process and you should expect to spend at least a whole day if not a weekend resealing your deck each year or every other year. Rushing the process will not make the deck stay sealed longer and may even result in an improperly sealed deck that requires resealing even more often than every other year.

Materials Needed to Reseal Your Deck

Broom
Paint Roller
Paint Brush
Paint Sprayer (if you have one)
Deck Sealer or Wood Sealer

Steps to Resealing Your Deck

Begin by cleaning your deck off thoroughly before resealing. This may entail a good sweeping with the broom or it could entail a more extensive task such as spraying the deck down, scraping off any excess debris and then sweeping the deck for a final clean up. If you live in humid climates or tropical climates, chances are that you will need to clean the deck with a pressure washer before actually resealing the deck.

Once you have thoroughly cleaned the deck and removed any debris that were on it you are ready to begin the resealing process. Most deck sealers will require two coats for optimal performance and barrier to moisture. Make sure that the deck is completely dry before you begin to apply the wood sealer to the entire deck. A wet deck with sealer applied will not provide the proper protection and could cause your wood decking to rot sooner.

Using a paint brush, begin trimming out the deck the way that you would trim out a home if you were painting. Apply sealer to all edges of the deck including the area around stairs, guard rails, and any additional areas that a paint roller will not be able to reach or get in to. Brush the deck sealer on in a steady and solid coat. Smooth application is the idea to get the deck sealed and looking as good as new.

Once you have used the paint brush to trim out the entire deck area that you could not otherwise reach with a paint roller you are ready to get the major parts of the deck sealed. Using a paint roller and a roller pan, apply a coat of deck sealer to the entire deck area. Make sure that you start at one end of the deck and work your way to the opposite end as you will not be able to walk on the deck for at least 4 hours after you apply the deck sealer. I like to start at the back corner and work my way to the front corner of the deck where I can exit. Make sure you don't trap yourself in an area where there is no way to get off the deck without walking on the already sealed area.

Allow the deck sealer to dry over night and then apply a second coat following the same directions. Begin by trimming out the entire deck first and then use the paint brush roller to apply sealer to the remainder of the deck. Allow the deck to dry again over night before placing any furniture on the surface.

If you have a paint sprayer, most deck sealers can be placed into the sprayer can and sprayed evenly onto the deck surface. This technique will save hours on the sealing time and cut most of the hard labor out of sealing your deck so it may even be worth it to you to purchase a paint sprayer for this project--especially if you plan on living with a deck for a while!