[Shop-talk] Wooden deck restoration paints

[Jim Stone]

Our house (eastern Long Island) has a 12’ x 30’ wooden deck on the back.  It came with the house so we don’t know its age, but it is far from new.  It will need to be replaced eventually, but we’d like to get at least a few more years out of it.  Plus, our 1 year old granddaughter will be walking and crawling on it this summer, so I’d like to do what I can to both preserve the wood and her feet and knees.  I planned on using one of the thick paint products made for this purpose, but most of the reviews on them are pretty lousy.  Rustoleum Restore is probably the worst according to Amazon, Home Depot and Lowe’s customers - possibly the worst I have ever seen for any product.  Other brands like Behr, Olympic and Anvil have generally better reviews, but many, many customers still complain about lifting and peeling within a year of installation.  I know how critical preparation is on a product like this, but virtually all complaints seem to include a statement about having followed the directions exactly.  Still, I’d rather hear that from someone I trust.  Does anyone here have any experience with one of these products? 

Thanks,

Jim