Provided that it’s safe, a simple deck restore can be accomplished in an afternoon. First, you’ll make some adjustments to the boards themselves; then, you’ll strip, sand and treat them.

After you’ve ensured the boards are sturdy enough to continue comprising your deck, you’ll almost definitely want to adjust some of them. That is, straighten out any turned boards and resink or replace any raised nails and screws.

After you pound down old nails that are popping up, break out your nail set or drift punch to fully sink those nails below the surface.

This is the most important part of the project. Once you’re done with this step, you are well on your way to having a fully restored deck.

Once you’ve established that the boards are strong and straight, you’ll want to strip and sand the wood. Get it nice and smooth and bare. Test your work by pouring water on small patches all over the deck. If it soaks in, congratulations; time to powerwash. If it doesn’t, more stripping is needed.

Once the boards are stripped, sanded and clean, you can go ahead and apply a sealer. Painting–before the sealer–is optional. Sometimes the unpainted look is rustic and nice; other times, a coat of paint is preferable.

Badda bing, deck restored.

Again, the first order of business when restoring a deck is always safety. Please make sure your deck is safe to continue using before you restore it. When in doubt, call a professional .

Next, straighten out and reaffix the boards as needed.

Finally, strip, sand, paint and seal. It will need a few days to dry, but a simple deck restore can be done in an afternoon and shouldn’t cost you much at all in materials.