The previous owner of our house in their infinite wisdom (grrr) got a huge deck installed and stained in dark brown.

Now between a wet winter and our dog running over it, it’s an absolute disaster. I’m thinking instead of slapping on one of those ‘no-strip needed’ paints (that has worn away in a year) we should strip it right back and just treat it with something neutral so there’s nothing to peel away.

Can anyone recommend anything that actually works to strip a deck? Unlike say the Ronseal deck stripper which basically does nothing.

For some reason, this post has me thinking about Erika Eleniak’s finest moment…

Pressure washer but it’s got to be a decent one 160bar minimum. Give if a good going over and then retreat. Alternatively you could use one of the coloured non slip stains from cuprinol and cover over what there.

break out the sanders

Stripped my brown one back last summer with a power washer then over coated (twice) with a grey decking stain – it is now brown again, the colour washed away in one winter. Think of it as a labour of love.

Used paramose stripper and wire brush to do mine, back breaking and worked but it’s only available for trade use in industrial installations. I think anything available over the counter is pretty rubbish these days.

Good pressure washer is probably the next best option but it will open the grain up.

We’ve the basic Karcher, not sure if that will strip enough. I hate decks and am so close to just ripping it up and getting slabs laid…