How to sand ribbed decking?

[Lyds]

We bought a house where annoyingly the pine decking was installed rib side up. I've cleaned and stained it once but it was not easy as some of the ribbing has splintered and it frequently caught on the applicator. It's overdue for another round of maintenance and I was wondering if anyone has sanded a deck installed this way up? I'm thinking if I tapped the nails in a few mm I might be able to run over it with a belt sander to smooth it out a bit. Ribbing would still be visible but it's easier and cheaper than replacing the whole deck.

[EricL]

Hello @Lyds

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's wonderful to have you join us, and thank you for sharing your question about sanding your deck.

It's something worth considering, but I'm not sure how much of the deck you'll have to sand off to flatten it out. I suggest hiring a floor sander for a uniform finish. It should provide you with a smoother surface to stain. Tapping the nails in is actually one of the primary steps you need to take before sanding your deck. I definitely recommend it before you start sanding your deck. 

Here is a handy step-by-step guide: How to sand a deck

Here is a link to our best advice: How do you revive a deck?

Let me tag our experienced members @ProjectPete, @tom_builds and @JoeAzza for their recommendations on sanding your deck.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric