Pool-Side Deck Restored With Board Repairs in Mississauga

The deck: big, grey and a few boards past saving

This ground-level deck in Mississauga runs the length of the house and out toward the pool, under a canopy of mature trees. Shade and tree debris are hard on a deck: the boards had gone silver-grey with green algae in the damp corners, and a handful of them had split or softened enough that they needed to come out rather than be sanded. The frame was sound. The owners wanted it brought back to a warm wood colour for the pool season.

Replacing the failed boards first

Before any sanding we cut out the boards that had rotted or split through and set new pressure-treated boards in their place, fastened to the existing joists. The during photo shows them clearly as the lighter strips among the sanded originals. Doing repairs first means the new boards get sanded and stained with everything else, so they blend in instead of standing out as patches. On a deck restoration this is a normal part of the job — most old decks have a few boards that are done even when the rest is fine.

Sanded to bare wood

With the repairs in, we sanded the entire deck back to clean bare wood: the main field, the edge boards, the step and the section around the planters, with the crew finishing the edges and board ends by hand where the big machine cannot reach. The algae and grey are gone at that point and every board, new and old, is the same pale colour, which is what lets the stain take evenly.

Warm oil-based stain

The deck was finished in a warm cedar-amber oil-based penetrating stain. Oil soaks into the wood rather than forming a film, so under trees that drop leaves and keep the surface damp it will wear gradually instead of peeling, and the next maintenance coat goes on after a wash. The after photo, taken with the afternoon sun through the trees, shows the grain and knots glowing through the colour and the replaced boards reading as part of the floor.

The result

A deck that went from grey and patchy to warm and even in time for the pool season, with the structural issues dealt with instead of stained over. The owners get a floor that is safe underfoot and a finish they can refresh without stripping.

Deck repair and staining in Mississauga

UCO Construction Group restores, repairs and stains decks across Mississauga, Oakville, Etobicoke, Brampton and the rest of the GTA. If your deck has gone grey, or has a few boards that need replacing before it can be refinished, see our deck staining and restoration service and get in touch for a free on-site estimate.