Wood

Deck/Painted/Sound & Continuous/To Be Painted

a. Surface Preparation:

NOTE‚ If lead is suspected in the paint, do not attempt to scrape, sand, power wash, use heat gun, etc., which might put lead into the environment, but rather contact a contractor qualified for lead assessment and abatement

• treat any mildew with a 3:1 water:household bleach mixture, leaving it on for 20 minutes and adding more as it dries; wear eye and skin protection; rinse thoroughly
• dull any glossy paint by sanding with fine (#220) grit garnet paper; wear eye protection, dust mask and work gloves
• remove dirt, chalk, etc. by scrubbing with detergent and water (rinse thoroughly) or by careful power washing using plain water;

NOTE: woods that tend to be very soft, such as old and weathered cedar and redwood, can easily be damaged by the high pressure jet of power washing

b. Priming:

• priming helpful but not necessary unless specified by paint manufacturer
• use quality exterior latex or oil-based primer recommended for repaint of deck surfaces
• do not leave a primer unpainted

c. Painting:

• use top quality exterior 100% acrylic latex deck paint if old paint is latex or oil-based and is exhibiting excellent adhesion
• use quality oil-based deck paint if surface has build up of old oil-based paint
• do not apply oil-based paint over latex paint