Looks Brand New : Deck Restore FAIL
Today I have a DIY project to show you – it is really BIG! Over the past few weeks I have been busy not only traveling, but working on giving the wood deck in my backyard a very overdue makeover with a product called Deck Restore. One that not only adds color, but also hides all the flaws in the deck’s older wood with a textured finish.
It all sounds good, but sometimes too good to be true. I DO NOT RECOMMEND DOING THIS TO YOUR DECK
UPDATE: Please READ
It has been a little less than a year that I used the Deck Restore 10X on my deck and wrote this post. The finish held up great all winter and into the Spring, but I have been finding patches that are peeling off now that we are in the midst of the hot summer. I have also heard from a few readers telling me that the same happened to their decks. I DO NOT recommend the DECK RESTORE 10X. I do however highly recommend the stain (smooth finish) that I used on the risers of my deck. See photos below. This looks great and adhered beautifully, plus it is much easier and cheaper to use.
Ed built this deck 18 years ago pretty much by himself. At the time we designed it, a backyard pool and concrete patio were not on our radar. We made the deck large since we thought it would be the only thing in the backyard. In hindsight, we would have made it much smaller since every few years, we need to clean or re-stain a part of it to make it look new again. It is always a big job, but one that I reap the rewards for since we do spend lots of time in the backyard.
I had stripped the old finish off years ago and with all the power washing the surface has seen, parts of it have divots and are uneven.
The deck is solid and well constructed since our township required the building inspector come to the house to approve every step as we completed it, but it needed some polish to make it pretty again.
I should have just used solid colored stain to give the wood a new look.
Here is my post about how I used RESTORE on my deck. I am keeping this post up, just to warn others not to use this or deck products like them.
the Restore 10X sounded like a perfect way to give the surface a much better look and finish than stain alone. It is a tough, durable coating that extends the life of wood decks and concrete patios. It is 10x thicker than ordinary paints, creating a solid yet flexible protective barrier from the elements. It also lasts 3 times longer and requires less maintenance than typical desk stain. That sold me…I am all for less maintenance.
I bought a 2 gallon kit at my local True Value Hardware to learn more about it and get me started.
It is really thick textured paint that you can have made into just about any color you desire. I chose the color, Driftwood to match my home’s exterior siding so that the deck looks like an integral part of the house.
The key to the application is in the textured roller.
To update the vertical boards on the deck, I used a sister product to the Restore 10X, I used Restore Solid Acrylic Stain. I needed this since the Restore 10X is only for horizontal surfaces. I had both products mixed the same color.
I was pretty amazed after rolling on one coat, but to apply it properly it takes two coats to get complete coverage. The product is made thick enough to cover the spaces between the boards. When we built the deck we used metal spacers between each board so the spaces are larger than the norm. The paint didn’t cover every gap, but I still love how it made the deck look new.
A huge difference for my huge deck :-)
The hardest part of the job was making sure there was no rain in the forecast, plus the deck gets full sun all day, I had to wait until evening to work on it. Once I had all the supplies set up, applying the paint was easy with a roller on a paint stick.
How to Apply Restore 10X Deck and Concrete Resurfacer and Restore Acrylic Stain
supplies needed:
- Rustoleum Restore 10X Deck and Concrete Resurfacer
- Rust-Oleum Restore Stain
- Wood Deck Cleaner
- Scrub brush to clean deck
- Paint roller frame
- Paint roller extension for scrub brush and paint roller
- Scotch Brand Painter’s Tape
- Bristle paint brush – not the foam type
A few tips:
- Wear old shoes, the paint does splatter
- Easy clean-up of both products with soap and water
- I used two different Restore products – 10X Deck and Concrete Resurfacer and Restore Solid Acrylic Stain
- Watch the video – a link to the site comes in the directions
- Watch the weather. You cannot apply either of the products when the surface is in the sun or if there is a chance of rain in the forecast.
1. Wash deck well with a good deck cleaner to remove previous stains and water repellants. Let dry. Test to make sure water does not bead. If it does, you need to remove it before proceeding.
2. Gather supplies. A large paint stick will make it easier to stir each gallon of paint. My deck is very big and has two levels. I needed 15 gallons.
3. Use painter’s tape around all posts and any areas you don’t want the Restore 10x to splatter on.
4. Applying is easy – roll one area at a time and do not over work.
5. Overlap areas so that you create an even finish.
6. Use a bristle brush to pounce and smooth the paint in hard to reach places.
7. For step/stair risers, I sanded them with 100 grit sandpaper using a hand sanding block to smooth out the previous finish. I then used the bristle brush to apply the Solid Acyclic Stain. I applied 2 coats.
Here you can see the difference between the texture of the Restore 10X and the Restore Solid Acrylic Stain.
All done. It looks so fresh and new that I don’t even want to put the furniture back on. If you have a deck or a concrete patio that needs a makeover this is one ingenious product that can make it look better without too much effort.
Now when I look out any of the windows in the back of my house, I see pretty again and as you know, I like pretty things.
I was one of the bloggers selected by True Value to work on the DIY Squad. I have been compensated for my time commitment to the program as well as my writing about my experience. I have also been compensated for the materials needed for my DIY project. However, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments.