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Hi all,
I thought I'd share my current deck renewal project.
The deck is around 10 years old and was looking pretty shabby. The timber is merbau but I wasn't sure what the original coating put on the deck was - something with a coating that peeled off in parts (as opposed to an oil).
Subsequent oiling never got a brilliant result despite how much I scrubbed and blasted with the pressure cleaner - it was clear that a full sand back to the bare timber was needed.
In preparation for hiring a floor sander I purchased an orbital sander and sanded back all the edges of the deck with 40 grit paper. It's hard work on the hands and knees but I was happy with the initial results, giving me confidence that the deck was going to come up well after the job was complete. Here's a rough example:
I hired a floor sander on Saturday. They are heavy beasts but surprisingly easy to use. It's a job anyone can do - even those with limited skills like me! Again I used 40 grit paper for the first sand, then went over again with an 80 grit. Here's a few sanding progress shots:
Final step in the sanding process was to get the orbital sander out again with the 80 grit paper and tidy up any spots that were a little rough or needed a little more work.
After cleaning up I started oiling the deck. I got one coat on Saturday and one coat on Sunday morning, but with rain forecast for Sunday afternoon/night I couldn't get the third coat done. Hoping to get to it in the next couple of days and will share the results. It looks like it will be a big improvement and well worth doing.
Jason
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Safety update: January 2021
The Bunnings team would like to advise the drum sanders available for hire in Bunnings stores are not suitable for use on decks. For any exterior decking projects, the Orbital sander available for hire is the correct choice as it has a sturdier head which is ideal for decking.
Before sanding your deck, all nails should be checked to make sure they are below the surface of the boards. Any protruding nails should be punched below the deck surface.
The state of your deck's timber is also important to assess. If they are weathered, the edges can start to split. Any boards that are damaged with sharp edges or splinters should be replaced before commencing sanding.
If you need a hand with your deck renewal project, please don't hesitate to ask for assistance. We're here to help.
It's exciting that this weekend is the start of Spring and the warmer weather is on its way. Anyone need to tackle their outdoor entertaining area? Let us know if you need a hand with anything.
Jason
Hi @Aussie-Garden,
Have you seen our long-running D.I.Y. pallet discussion? It has some great ideas plus plenty of handy hints and tips for obtaining pallets and working with them.
You might also get some great inspiration from our Top 10 most popular pallet projects
Jason
I do have decking to do around my pool area once it come sup the priority list. I'm also going to do some decking in the frontyard as I'm starting on that shortly - brick/render letterbox and garden beds, succulents, steppers, decking and other features. Plenty to do 
Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @kiwicooldaddy.
It's fantastic to have you join us and great to see you jump straight into the discussion. In regards to the edges of each board, Jason will be back on the site tomorrow and I'm sure he will be more than happy to answer your question then. I would believe he definitely sanded the perimeter of the deck with the orbital hand sander as it is quite difficult to do with a hired floor sander.
We look forward to hearing about the projects you have going on around your home and garden and encourage you to let us know if you ever need assistance or have something to share with the community.
Mitchell
