Written September 15, 2024
Hello Dear Readers,
The more we worked on this project, the more stripping the paint off our deck turned out to be a much bigger job than we had anticipated. When we began removing the paint, I discovered several layers of old paint underneath. It made me wonder if the wood beneath was still in good condition or had started to rot. My wife meticulously inspected each deckboard to check for soft spots. We found one completely rotten board hidden beneath all the paint.
She reminded me that our deck is over twenty years old, so it’s not surprising that it’s showing its age. She’s already considering replacing it with PVC boards, but that’s a project for the future. We’re trying to maintain it as best we can. The deck stairs also need repairs, so we’re budgeting to replace the whole thing in the next five years.
Because of her busy schedule, I’ve taken on most of the paint-stripping work, tackling it bit by bit. This is our first time attempting a project like this, so we’ve been turning to YouTube and blogs for guidance. There is so much content in removing paint from the decking, and it’s pleasant to discover how much you can learn from the internet. My wife even bought some materials to patch up the deck, determined to prevent rot from setting in. We’re learning as we go, making plenty of mistakes, but we’re figuring things out one step at a time. My wife, in particular, seems to enjoy the challenge of finding solutions to these problems. She believes you can learn something valuable from every experience. She also sees no learning as a waste.
I’m just glad she’s happy. I’ve been listening to audiobooks while I work, trying to fit this project in between my other tasks. The weather finally seems to be cooperating, so I’m tackling a few boards each day, hoping the paint stripper works as well as we need it to. It’s a slow process, but I’m optimistic we’ll get it done and have our deck looking good again soon.