# Forum Home Renovation Decking  Merbau decking questions - nails/staining & sanding!

## _kelly_

Hi.  I have read through a few posts but being of a feeble mind I really need a bit of one-on-one tutoring  :Tongue:   
I have a merbau deck measuring roughly 11m x 5m. The deck is covered but nonetheless subjected to a fair bit of weather due to our location (just your standard rain, nothing too nasty  :Wink:  ).  I have let it weather due to laziness but that is about to change!  I have promised myself I am going to fix it up after....8 years.  So I need to sand it, clean it & stain it.  No tradie will come near the job as they say it's too small for them.  I am left with having to DIY! eek!  
Questions:
1.  Is it reasonable to expect a person with no previous sanding experience can get the job done and do it well?  Or am I kidding myself?  Me: female, not very muscular, but not a complete idiot either.  No male help around unfortunately. 
2. My deck guy only fixed with staples.  Apart from a handful that have lifted it's all good but should I replace and fix with gal screw/nails?  How do I remove the staples and what nails should I use? Can I rock down to Bunnings tomorrow and expect to find them there?  This is worrying me as I really have no idea  :Yikes2:  
3. Any stains you folk particularly recommend? My guy suggested Intergrain (DWD) but it was also suggested I might be better trying Naturalstain.  I want something easy to apply and long lasting if poss.   
Thanks so much for any help!
kelly

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## john0

hey kelly, first up anything a bloke can do, so can you with the right advice. Now the staples.....thats got me stumped... how you fix a deck with staples i have no idea. unless they are T nails?. first thing i would recommend would be to give your deck a very thorough clean, using a very stiff bristle broom and soapy water, really scrub it hard. try that first and if you still think it needs a sand, we'll talk about that later. as far as stains go, i always recommend sikkens HLS and filter 7. these 2 combined work great together

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## _kelly_

Thanks johnO!  Hmmm....I suppose they could be T nails.  They look just like standard staples but larger to me, lol.  Would you suggest replacing them anyhow?  As I mentioned a few have lifted...otherwise they are all sitting below the surface of the timber (hope that makes sense) so I don't expect it would be problematic for sanding. 
BTW the timber itself is actually in great condition despite my best efforts to ruin it  :Rolleyes:   It has not warped or cracked & the gent who installed it managed to get full lengths so there are no joins where lifting might have been a problem.  It just needs some serious TLC. 
I have washed it twice since installation. It comes up pretty nice but I just never got around to sealing it. The idea of sanding scared me off!  It definitely does need a sand IMO, as it's not smooth; some places being worse than others. What do you reckon...? 
Look forward to getting some more tips off you  :Smilie: 
Cheers.
kelly 
ETA: someone also rec'd Sikkens so I will give it a looksee.  They said it was exxy but if it's a superior product then no matter.  I don't want to stuff around more than I already have on this!

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## john0

I dont suppose theres any chance of a photo of the deck? its hard to make a judgement sometimes just on info alone, however i trust your judgement and if you say they look like staples...they must be, allthough they would have to be some heavy duty (expletive) staples. if you sand the deck you run the risk of takin thr heads off your fixings (whether they be nails/staples whatever) and compromising the hold on your decking. this isnt usually a problem but as you say a few are lifting, so without a visual i would recommend, hiring a drum sander with some medium grit paper, the person you are hiring from should be able to give you all the info on how to use it. before you sand, hit all raised staples/nails back in with a hammer. 
the drum sander wont get into corners, so you will need a smaller sander for these areas. if your still unsure maybe one of the nice guys on these forums closer to melbourne might give ya a hand.  :Wink 1:  
if your still worried about the deck lifting after sanding etc you can re-nail it with basic tools...a hammer, power drill (cordless or otherwise) to pre drill holes and thats it. you think your up to it??

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## _kelly_

I will try and take a photo today by removing one of the offending 'staples' and post it for you.  I am at a loss, so I readily defer to your better judgement on this one!  :Biggrin:  
I was wondering about the corners. too.....  how to get under the rails etc
Anyway...hopefully with some advice and a bit of intestinal fortitude I can do it! _Finally_! 
Happy Father's Day for all you blokes out there,too BTW  :Wink: 
Cheers.
kelly

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## Bloss

Sikkens now has a specific deck product that will be great if it as good as their others stuff IMO.  :2thumbsup:  
Haven't time now, but if I can add anything useful I'll post later, but this is well within your range of DIY so juts read here and get going on it!  :Smilie:   :2thumbsup:

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## Bloss

A few things - to clean the deck (another member on the site gave this method and I have used it with much success) mix up a solution of 3/4 of a cup napisan or any brand nappy cleaner powder (sodium percarbonate is the active ingredient) and a really good squirt of dishwashing liquid into half a bucket of warm to hot water. Stir until it dissolves. 
Wet down the deck with hose then apply the solution from bucket with a scrubbing broom/ brush. Let it sit for 15 mins on the deck without drying. Go back over it and give a really good scrub again with a bit of the cleaning mix, leave it again for 5 mins then wash it off. 
Normally you'll get a better result pressure washed clean, but you can just hose it off. Sometimes a second clean will bring it up well. You'll need to dry it out with a few sunny days before coating with anything. And if you have plants around the deck just be careful not to get the mix directly on them. The hosing down dilutes it enough, but splashes from the bucket will not be good for you greenery. :2thumbsup:  
As to the deck fasteners _no you do not need to remove and replace all_ IMO. Staples are still used by some quick & dirty deck builders although T-nails more common now. Staples are sometime galvanised, but this is not a good use for them as you are finding out. If the whose deck was loose then you might consider removing or simply re-fixing using more nails or screws, but if it is just few then fix the loose ones only. 
If the sub-deck structure is still solid then the easy things would be simply re-nail using galvanised nails - 50mmx2.8 are probably enough and you should pre-drill each one using a 2.5mm drill. With pre-drilling the nailing is much easier than usual so maybe give that go first. They should be left flush or just slightly punched down. 
But . . . given that you are likely not to have experience nailing you could use screws. Galvanised 45x8 are probably the best, but perhaps coated screws for treated pine (TP) if the deck structure under the merbau is TP. Again you should pre-drill and countersink - you can get a combined drill and countersink bit that will do both jobs at once and you will need a good electric drill (or a reasonable cordless drill with two batteries - such as a Ryobi One + 18v - but plenty of options - around $100-$150 less on special) 
Just go around with some chalk and mark where you need to use some screws to re-fix the loose boards, drill all the holes than put the screwdriver bit into the drill and go around and screw them in - just a fraction below the surface of the wood.  :2thumbsup:  
No real rule about it, but I'd clean first then refix loose boards then a light clean again then oil. 
BTW - stay away from drum sanders as a novice DIYer. I doubt you even need to sand, but if you do after cleaning then a good size sanding block and a quick run over by hand or hire or borrow a random orbital sander. If it really needs heavy sanding then think of paying someone to do it, but get quotes as they might change you mind about whether it really needs it. 
If the deck is really weathered and when you clean it and maybe test a small area and it does not look as nice as you expect you might think of using an opaque deck finish. They are just hard wearing paint, but last well (much less maintenance than oils which have to be re-applied each year or so), come in many colours and are easy to apply. They are mostly acrylic so you need to make the decision before any new oiling - it is an either or choice as the opaque will generally not go onto the oiled surface (there are ways around this, but no need to bore you now). Of course they do not look like the natural wood, but if the deck has gone too silver, grey or even black then they are a good alternative.

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## _kelly_

Thanks for your response!  I have taken a few photos today so I will *attempt* to post them tomorrow (my Photobucket skills are lacking).  I don't believe they are T nails after having had a look at these today; they really do look just like staples!  :Eek:  
Cheers.
kelly  :Smilie:

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## _kelly_

Ok.  Here are a couple of pics of the deck and the 'nails' staples or whatever we want to call them  :Wink:   As you can see the decking has weathered nicely hehe.  There cannot be any tannins left after 8 years!! 
Thoughts?  Should I sand? What to do about these staples thingos. Sorry, I did rotate the first pic in Photobucket but it has come out as a direct link looking like so  :Rolleyes:

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## Bloss

Yep staples alright! Deck doesn't look that bad, but if badly greyed it will be hard to get back to the natural woodgrain timber colour. If the staples are actually sitting up like the one pictured you should just pull the out and replace with nails or screws as I describe above. The others can be punched down using a regular nail punch at either end - a 1mm or 2mm punch. 
Have to say if it were my deck I would not be trying to get back that new timber look - it will end in tears IMO - or at least not look all that great. I'd be looking at the opaque deck finishes - in a timber look-a-like colour or another colour altogether to contrast with the handrail - totally up to you. Then all you need do is as I said - punch down staples, replace loose ones, last quick clean and whack on two coats. :2thumbsup:

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## _kelly_

Almost sounds too easy  :Sneaktongue:  
Thanks a heap for your advice, now I just have to put it in to action!  Will report back on my efforts and hopefully post some nice pics.  Am looking forward to it finally be done!   :Yippee:

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## _kelly_

> Have to say if it were my deck I would not be trying to get back that new timber look - it will end in tears IMO - or at least not look all that great. I'd be looking at the opaque deck finishes - in a timber look-a-like colour or another colour altogether to contrast with the handrail - totally up to you.

  Sorry to come back to you with this OldBoss but what is your opinion on something like Intergrains "Naturalstain" seen HERE?
I was thinking Merbau; looks like a nice rich colour and might make up for what I have lost due to the time past since installation...and my laziness  :Rolleyes:  
Thanks again.
kelly

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## Bloss

The Intergrain products are good IMO - dearer than some, but excellent quality. So if that's the colour you want then go for it. Work out the area to be coated (probably x 3 coats on that deck) add 5% and see how many litres you need based on the coverage rate they claim on the can. Your deck is 11mx5m so 55m2 - they claim 6-12m2 a litre coverage so say 9m2 cover - you will need around 18litres for 3 coats ie: 2 x 10l tins. 
With this stuff it is best to mix cans so the colour is even. This just needs a large clean plastic bucket at least 10l and you just pour & re-pour between the tins and the bucket a few times so they are evenly mixed. Get the place you buy it from to put each tin on their mixer/ shaker machine to be sure that all pigments are evenly mixed. 
Use a 75mm brush or 65mm if you prefer and buy the best you can - the bristles should be long and thick and even along the end. I have been using the synthetic bristled brushes for a while now as I find they flow better and lose fewer bristles in use. Don't forget to have some spare tins or containers around to clean up brushes. 
A painters tip  - do not use the tin the paint came in as your painting pot. Always transfer smaller amounts into a suitable container (I use the large >800gm cans that are used for canned peaches, apricots etc) then replace the lid on the original tin. Several reasons - one the container is easier to manage and to dip the brush into, if you have a spill it will be a smaller amount (so easier to clean and not all you paint on the ground or wherever), the drips and runs that are inevitable are just on a painting container that you can throw away after a few uses, and the original paint remains uncontaminated.  
When you break your painting for lunch or other reason just rollup the brush in plastic wrap and place some more wrap over the paint pot with an elastic band around it. The paint in the small pot will stay OK for a few days like that although the brush is best washed out and placed in solvent (in this case water) at the end of the days work. Do not return unused paint to the original container - it will inevitably be contaminated. If you have some leftover in your working paint pot (and too much to simply dispose of) then store it in a suitable container (screw lid clear plastic jars are good for water based paints - remove labels) and be sure to label it clearly (and store it out of reach of children).  :2thumbsup:

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## _kelly_

> A painters tip  - do not use the tin the paint came in as your painting pot. Always transfer smaller amounts into a suitable container (I use the large >800gm cans that are used for canned peaches, apricots etc) then replace the lid on the original tin. Several reasons - one the container is easier to manage and to dip the brush into, if you have a spill it will be a smaller amount (so easier to clean and not all you paint on the ground or wherever), the drips and runs that are inevitable are just on a painting container that you can throw away after a few uses, and the original paint remains uncontaminated.

  Wow, I can't believe I actually got something right! (I do this with my interior paint already  :Smilie:  ).  FYI I bought a nail punch today and fixed the staples that were sticking out.  I am checking out an orbital sander tomorrow through Kennards Hire just to see if it looks like I could manage it if need be.  I am hoping to clean the deck on the weekend as good weather is predicted (by Melbourne's standards  :Wink:  ).  
As always you have been very helpful  :Biggrin:  
Thanks!
kelly

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## Bloss

> Wow, I can't believe I actually got something right! (I do this with my interior paint already  ).  FYI I bought a nail punch today and fixed the staples that were sticking out.  I am checking out an orbital sander tomorrow through Kennards Hire just to see if it looks like I could manage it if need be.  I am hoping to clean the deck on the weekend as good weather is predicted (by Melbourne's standards  ).  
> As always you have been very helpful  
> Thanks!
> kelly

  For the price of a hire random orbital sander you could buy a half-sheet Ryobi or Ozito sander that will do the job OK, be easy to use and you will have it for other jobs too. For that deck use and 80 grit paper - if it seems bit to rough go to 120, but I reckon 80 will be the go.  :2thumbsup:

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## _kelly_

I have used one of these in the past and they are very easy to use, I agree.  If you think it will do the job then I am more than happy to defer to your expert opinion.  BTW Any particular reason for those brands? Cheap... or good _and_ cheap?  I will probably stick to Ryobi if only for the fact I have a few tof their products already and they seem reliable.   

> For the price of a hire random orbital sander you could buy a half-sheet Ryobi or Ozito sander that will do the job OK, be easy to use and you will have it for other jobs too. For that deck use and 80 grit paper - if it seems bit to rough go to 120, but I reckon 80 will be the go

  Thanks again!  :Biggrin:

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## Bloss

Pretty much all the brands that are at the DIY end of the market started off and remain as copies of the Ryobi range. Ryobi is still Japanese owned & designed (although Chinese made) and also sells a trade range although others have moved ahead there. So at that DIY level go for price/value - and if you have Ryobi then that's fine to get. 
I still have my original Ryobi 235mm circular saw, a random orbital sander and a planer that I bought in 1976. I have done a huge amount of work with them and they are still in good condition - but you can't expect that now (from any except the most expensive manufacturers eg: Festool).

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## _kelly_

Update: bought myself an orbital sander...as it turns out an Ozito.  Just a little more comfortable to handle than the Ryobi equivalent on offer.  Got it for $49 which - as you suggested- was equivalent to hiring a full size sander for the day from Bunnings.  It wont go to waste and I will be able to use it for other jobs on the odd occassion.  Funnily the guy at Bunnings tried to convince me to hire rather than buy since, he claimed, if the sander dies I wont be able to get a replacement under the warranty.  Huh?  Isn't that what warranties are for!?  :Rolleyes:   Think he was trying it on TBH.  It's not like it's going to be used in a commercial setting which is the only reason I can see for voiding a warranty. As the kids say : whatever!  
Anyways, I feel happy about being able to get stuck in to this project at long last...though, wouldn't you know it it's started raining this arvo so I can't get going on it  :Frown:

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## Larry McCully

Hi Kelly, well it looks like you got a job in front of you. Can i suggest that you look up in the phone book and find a floorsanding supplier. They have high quality sandpaper that may cost a little more , but will cut longer and in the end will be cheaper. The paper that you purchase from hardware stores are only good for light duties. It wears out very quickly and you will end up using a lot more than usual. A good brand to go for is the blue coloured SIA brand. But it is only avail from suppliers. It is a very durable paper that will last heaps longer. i sometimes just use 60grit and that will work just fine on your deck.

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## Bloss

> Funnily the guy at Bunnings tried to convince me to hire rather than buy since, he claimed, if the sander dies I wont be able to get a replacement under the warranty.  Huh?  Isn't that what warranties are for!?   Think he was trying it on TBH.

  As is too common he was blowing it out his nether regions - you have the standard Ozito warranty (which is usually two years) and the statutory one anyway. My experience is that so long as you have the receipt Bunnings simply swap and aren't even too concerned to check whether you have been using it commercially or not (which I don't for the cheap stuff), but a DIYer can often load up the tools and break them more than tradies out of ignorance or simple exuberance. In any case you are clearly doing a normal DIY job. Even so take break every hour or so and let the machine cool down - more if it seems to be getting very hot or smelling (although they sometimes do when new anyway). 
As Larry says if it is convenient go and buy some better paper, but I doubt you'll have too many problems. Even at Bunnings it is cheaper to buy the painters pro paper in long strips and cut to suit your sander though - better quality and cheaper by the roll of 2-3metres or so. Nails or staples will quickly rip up the paper so make sure they are all down. You'll tear a few on deck that size. Move along the grain too with not too much pressure - let the machine and paper do the cutting/sanding not your weight on the machine. You'll quickly see what works best. Oh - and use mask as the dust will be fine and irritating. :2thumbsup:

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## _kelly_

Well I gave it a go using the provided sandpaper (80) and it lasted about 15 minutes before ripping, LOL  :Rolleyes:   
I just wanted to see how it went (and, actually, Bunnings had none in 80 for wood at all so I couldn't do much else!).  It was dead easy but a little time consuming.  For ref the 1m x 1m section took me probably 10-15 minutes which is pretty pathetic but I am just starting off so I hope to improve  :Wink:   
Here's a comparison shot I took from the small section already done using 80 grade sandpaper...can you see any difference  :Biggrin:   It feels smoother but I think I might go for a 60 and test a little.  I will do as recommended and buy a 'roll' and cut to the required length.  Cheers as usual (to you both)!  kelly 
ETA: *should I be looking at getting a more obvious result than that shown below?  Or is this OK and the main result will be seen after cleaning and staining?*   
After:  
Before:

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## Larry McCully

Go for the 60grit, Its a pitty you dont try to get the paper that floorsanders use. Try calling one and see if you can buy a meter or two. The painters paper will lasrt about 1 minute on agressive cutting on the timber. The paintes paper is designed to fine cut and buff at the same time. Floorsanding paper is normall made from silicon carbide and is designed to stay sharp as it wears.

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## Larry McCully

The floor sanding paper has also a thicker backing and wont rip as easly.

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## Bloss

:What he said:   :Arrow Up:  That looks to be doing what it is supposed to - try the 60 and see how you go. Never was going to be a quick job! Hope you sent $13 on a set of kneepads too - worth every cent!  :2thumbsup:

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## _kelly_

Thanks guys!  :2thumbsup:  
Kneepads oldboss? Bah-humbug!  I just sit on my @rse (weird no doubt but, hey, it works for me  :Biggrin:  ).  Seriously though, perhaps I will get some tomorrow while I check out my sandpaper options  :Wink:  
Cheers.
kelly

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## Bloss

> Thanks guys!  
> Kneepads oldboss? Bah-humbug!  I just sit on my @rse (weird no doubt but, hey, it works for me  )

  Ah, but think of splinters "Oh the humanity, the humanity . . ."  :Biggrin:  
I have been using the el cheapo Bunnings ones lately and they have been fine - sufficiently flexible gel with a plastic face (they are often too hard) and a single velcro strap.  :2thumbsup:

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## _kelly_

Larry..I did some Googling and found an old thread on here recommending *Hermes Abrasives* which can be bought on-line from Carroll's Woodcrafting Supplies in Vic for just under $5 per metre.  It seemed to get high praise along with SIA but is, perhaps, easier to get hold of.  Postage is standard Aus Post rates and I'd get it in a few days.   
Any thoughts on this stuff...since the deck I am sanding is quite vast I want to use something a little more durable and this seems OK from what I have read.  I was thinking I'd buy 3 metres and if I had any left over then no matter.  Better than choofing down to Bunnings every 2 seconds!  I have used Norton before and it seems...hmmmm, just OK  :Confused:  
Cheers.
kelly  HERE   

> Hi Kelly, well it looks like you got a job in front of you. Can i suggest that you look up in the phone book and find a floorsanding supplier. They have high quality sandpaper that may cost a little more , but will cut longer and in the end will be cheaper. The paper that you purchase from hardware stores are only good for light duties. It wears out very quickly and you will end up using a lot more than usual. A good brand to go for is the blue coloured SIA brand. But it is only avail from suppliers. It is a very durable paper that will last heaps longer. i sometimes just use 60grit and that will work just fine on your deck.

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## Bloss

Another option is to by some from the hire shop at Bunnings - you will need to cut it to size, but it is heavy duty paper (and dear IMO). I've not used the stuff you found the site for, but it looks to be more suited to fine woodwork - you need floor sanding paper that has the toughness not to tear too much. 
There are some on eBAy too - eg: http://cgi.ebay.com.au/SANDPAPER-25m...QQcmdZViewItem 
But a lot more than you need!

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## _kelly_

Aah, OK.  My mistake! I will check the Bunnings Hire Shop (did this morning but the aforementioned guy only showed me the round stuff for the sander he was trying to convince me to hire).  Thanks again.  I promise this will be the last you hear from me for...well, at least a few weeks!   :Biggrin:  
I will post some pics once I have finished the job just for showing off purposes.  At this point I am anticipating it will take me 2-3 days for sanding given my experience today, lol.  Cleaning adds another day...or two...then waiting for another fine day (Melbourne remember  :Wink:  ) for staining.   
You guys have all been terribly helpful and a wealth of knowledge.  *oldboss*, especially, I really appreciate all your time and going through everything with me step by step. _Really_ appreciated  :Smilie:  
Cheers.
kelly

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## Larry McCully

Kelly, give this company a call and ask them where the local distributer is  to get some of the blue "siaral 2812  60grit" this is the bees knees in paper<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=170 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=small colSpan=2>*sia Abrasives Australia
Pty. Ltd. * 958 Stud Road
P.O. Box 2070
Rowville, Victoria 3178
Australia</TD></TR><TR><TD class=small>Phone:</TD><TD class=small noWrap> +61 3 97534333</TD></TR><TR><TD class=small>Fax:</TD><TD class=small noWrap> +61 3 97533288</TD></TR><TR><TD class=small>E-mail:</TD><TD class=small noWrap> sia.au@sia-abrasives.com</TD></TR><TR><TD class=small>Web:</TD><TD class=small noWrap> www.sia-abrasives.com</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>.

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## _kelly_

Thanks Larry!  :2thumbsup:  
I actually got stuck in today and did half the deck...took me around 2.5 hours which wasn't so bad. Thank God (and oldboss) for kneepads  :Biggrin:   
I  went through a bit of sandpaper as suggested.  Had already bought some cheapie stuff (Trojan) from Bunnings this morning before reading your post, Larry.  Comes in one metre rolls; got 3, used 2 already!  Still interested in some better sandpaper if it does a better job.  And if it makes it easier, well, that's not to be sneezed at either  :Wink:  
Cheers.
kelly

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## Bloss

> Thanks Larry!  
> I actually got stuck in today and did half the deck...took me around 2.5 hours which wasn't so bad. Thank God (and oldboss) for kneepads   
> I  went through a bit of sandpaper as suggested.  Had already bought some cheapie stuff (Trojan) from Bunnings this morning before reading your post, Larry.  Comes in one metre rolls; got 3, used 2 already!  Still interested in some better sandpaper if it does a better job.  And if it makes it easier, well, that's not to be sneezed at either  
> Cheers.
> kelly

  You go girl!!  :2thumbsup:  :Clap2:  :Clapping:  At this rate you can come up and do my new deck!  :2thumbsup:  :Biggrin:

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## Dan574

hi kelly, had the same problem as you a while back.  I had 250m2 of decking around the house, started punching nails but sick of that quickly.  I ended up hiring a 3000psi pressure cleaner, one they use for cleaning bricks.  It worked a charm, took the timber back to new.  I let it dry then oiled.  I have another deck at the moment that Im repairing and I will be using the pressure cleaner again to clean it up.

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## Master Splinter

Here's my tip for better sandpaper - the yellow painter's sandpaper you can get from Bunnies (usually on a roll dispenser - just pull off and cut a length of a few meters). 
It seems to last pretty well and it's much tougher than some of the mystery branded paper that gets sold - the yellow stuff is my default 'this is not going for a piano gloss finish" sandpaper as it's easy to get and reliably aggressive. 
I must say that I would have been strongly tempted to re-nail, even if it was just an excuse to buy a nail gun and small compressor if I didn't already have one!

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## _kelly_

:Rofl:   :Rofl:   

> You go girl!!  At this rate you can come up and do my new deck!

   :Rofl:  :Rofl:  :Rofl:  
...and Dan? Not sure I am allowed to use high pressure cleaners under current water restrictions but I was planning on calling the water company and asking just in case.  I have a Karcher and it's a dream to use - much better than a hose *and*  I think there's a loophole about cleaning your outdoor areas if they pose a hazard so I could try to pass that off as my reason!  SSSSssshhhh it's our little secret  :Cool:

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## Larry McCully

Kelly, i would use a deck cleaning agent and high pressusr first before you go any further , thats if you are considering a cleaning as mentioned in your last post. Clean first than sand.

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## _kelly_

> Kelly, i would use a deck cleaning agent and high pressusr first before you go any further , thats if you are considering a cleaning as mentioned in your last post. Clean first than sand.

   :Eek:  Have I stuffed up and got the instructions around the wrong way!? Oh dear....I thought I had read everything carefully. Obviously not.  Shows my inexperience in this area.  Never mind.  Today I cleaned - *ahem* by _hand_  - the other half of the deck which is subject to a lot more weather and also has the BBQ near it (spills etc).  Tomorrow hoping to sand...if it comes up streets ahead then  I might have to do the other end again. Wasn't able to get through to a person about the Karcher today.   
Well, it's obvious my inattention to detail - and lack of reading/comprehension skills  :Rolleyes:  - has made me some extra work.  Hopefully it doesn't effect the outcome too much.  You live and learn as they say!   
Cheers.

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## _kelly_

A bit of an update.... 
Am still waiting for my local water authority to approve my application for a temporary water exemption so i can use my Karcher to clean up the deck so I have been going a little stir crazy.  Rather than waste my energy I decided to finally paint the deck 'sidings' (did I just make up a name for this?  :Confused:  )....i.e. the boards that enclose the underneath of the deck. 
Since the deck is coming up to 9 years old I guess the wide boards are a bit old fash and in hindsight it would have been nice to get them done in TP decking for a more streamlined look but not much i can do about that now!  
The paint is meant to be blue/grey but probably looks a little more blue than I would have liked...even so, I don't mind it but it's probably not to everyone's taste.  Contrary to the old wives tale, I reckon in this instance blue and green (my grass) do actually look pretty good together  :Biggrin:  
Next time I hope to update with a photo of a 100% finished merbau deck  :Wink:  
Side (part thereof)    
Rear of deck

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## Bloss

Looks great - sets off the cream balustrade nicely.  :2thumbsup: Good citizen of you to seek permission to use the Karcher - few do!  :Smilie:  
As I think I said before if you aren't happy with the way the decking comes up you can always paint them - but _before_ you put any decking oil on. Either a brown pseudo wood colour or that blue or a green or any colour really (dark better).  :2thumbsup:

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## _kelly_

Thanks for your kind words oldboss  :Smilie:  
Resisting the urge to ring the water company and ask them to get going on it for fear they'll bin my application out of spite.  Meanwhile all my neighbours are out there washing their cars & driveways  :Rolleyes:

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## _kelly_

Well...after waiting what seemed like an eternity for the water authority to approve my exemption (they rang yesterday and said "oh you don't actually need to fill in any forms to get approval for maintenance purposes"  :Rolleyes:  ) I was able to clean up the deck today; took me 1.5 hours including a brief stop for a Darrell Lea chocolate covered licorice stick  & can of Coke  :Biggrin:

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## Bloss

Looks good should come up a treat.  :2thumbsup:  Doncha just love how so many bureaucrats can be so cheerful when they tell you something about a month or more later than they could have! As though somehow it's your fault that you tried to do the right thing and didn't know the simple answer that they could have told on the first contact!  arrrghhh!   :Frown:   :Rolleyes:

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