Protecting worn down decking for future refresh

[Chris_T]

Hi all 

I have a reasonably large back deck that was painted before I bought the house, and has suffered from heavy foot traffic. I have been putting off doing anything about it because stripping and repainting the entire deck would be a significant job, but I'm now concerned that the wood is quite exposed and, especially in the area in the photos, gets a bit of splash when it rains (athough it is covered). 

What are my options for temporary protection until I can commit to a full repaint? I'm not too fussed about aesthetics in this case, more practically trying to extend the life of the deck. 

Cheers

Chris

[JacobZ]

Hi @Chris_T,

If the aim is just to protect the deck until you can properly strip and repaint it, then your best option for the time being is likely to just give the deck a good cleaning with a scrubbing brush, then paint over the exposed patches.

You can use the Cabot's Timbercolour range of deck paints, which are designed for use on timber decks.

Ultimately, this repair would last for some time, but it relies on the adhesion of the original layer of paint, so it will not last as long as it would if you removed the flaking paint before repainting.

If you are happy with a temporary repair, this is what I would advise.

Allow me to tag @Noyade, @twocutekelpies and @Dave-1 for their thoughts.

Let me know what you think and if you have further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Jacob