The first step you should take when stripping a deck is to do a spot test. Which means you can apply the stripper to a small area to see how long it takes for the coating to actually lift off the surface. This will save time in the long run since you will know how long the stripper needs to set in order to remove the coating. Read below for more info on Stripping Your Decking.
Wood Oil Removal
If your deck is covered with a wood oil coating then the best product for removing it would be Aquanett. This product is designed for removing wood oils. Since it is made in a gel formula it is very easy to use. To strip the oils from your deck using Aquanett you will need to apply it then let it set for 5 minutes. After it has set you then scrub the surface. At the same time rinse it with the highest water pressure you possibly can.
Once you have finished removing the coating and stripper you will need to neutralise the wood. This is so that the stripper does not remain active. Aquanett is the best wood oil stripper however, you can also use Prepdeck. Prepdeck is applied the same way but it is a liquid rather than a gel. Therefore, a little more care will need to be taken when applying it.
Stripping Your Decking: Paint and Opaque Removal
If you have paint or an opaque finish on your deck then the product that we recommend to remove the coating is Dilunett. This product is another that is a gel rather than a liquid so it can be handled easily. Another great thing about this product is that it can remove up to 8 layers of paint at one time. You can even leave it on the deck for up to 12 hours if the coating is particularly hard to remove. It will not dry up so you can still remove it easily.
After it has set you can scrub it off, be sure to scrub in the direction of the wood grain. You will need to neutralize the wood after the use of this product. In order to know how long it will take to remove the type of coating you are working with you can test it on a small area. Wait for a while then scrub off part of the area to see if the coating is coming off. If not then give it some more time before trying again.
When you start removing all of the coating be sure to work with areas that are easy for you to manage. Prepdeck is an alternative to Dilunett but does not work as well for removing paints.
Surface Coating
For those who are uncertain about what type of coating they have on their deck Dilunett is a good choice. While it removes paints it can also remove wood oils. So if you are uncertain you can use this product and still remove the surface coating off your deck. If, after 12 hours, the Dilunett has not succeeded in removing the coating then you can try DSP 800 which is a little stronger.
However, DSP 800 is also a little more difficult to use and handle.
We hope the information provided on Stripping Your Decking here has been helpful. If you need anything else, contact Promain‘s technical team.
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