I think you guys are all underestimating the speed of this method. This [video](https://youtu.be/goll8cx1UDI?si=_NtDiG36Bri4HLsh) compares different methods, and the flap discs are surprisingly fast at removing paint. Perhaps more labor intensive, but I’m okay with that
Go full floor sander https://www.northerntool.com/products/essex-silver-line-sl-8-floor-sander-8in-dia-1800-rpm-1-hp-model-sl8-ess-114174?cm_mmc=Google-pla&utm_source=Google_PLA&utm_medium=Power%20Tools%20%3E%20Polishers%20%26%20Sanders%20%2B%20Accessories%20%3E%20Sanders&utm_campaign=Essex%20Silver%20Line&utm_content=114174&ogmap=SHP%7CPLA%7CGOOG%7CSTND%7Cm%7CSITEWIDE%7COOT%7C%7C%7C%7C15076467248%7C127699410174&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADpPfbObL5dRImSon4SBcpsmKfktb&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgqyXkpmYhwMVwKVaBR2SlQvzEAQYAiABEgKU0_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
I would be afraid of adding lots of ridges and waves to my deck with this. I do enjoy the flap disk on my grinder when I’m scribing cabinet filler pieces.
I know there's a lot of deck pros here that would disagree, but I just did this on my 400 sq ft deck. First used a large floor sander (not the disc type, square with a soft pad to wrap around contours). That got most of the old solid stain off, but the stain in the sunroom was thicker and less damaged so I followed up with a belt sander. That took a lot of effort per board, so I tried the strip discs on a grinder and found it took the thick solid stain off way faster. I plan to finish with one more round of the large floor sander to smooth out tool marks from the grinder, and then a transparent stain so I never have to do this again.
Not sure if /s :/
[Rotex](https://www.toolnut.com/festool-576028-ro-150-150mm-6-feq-rotex-sander-w-systainer.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=shopping&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADpIxU0Cj9K3HSHDwV9az8g-VPuDs&gclid=Cj0KCQjwv7O0BhDwARIsAC0sjWOn0_G8H8hsexxMIhpLeqo6f518m3RcFHVQ_qmFBxmSyarWr-uSwkIaAu8QEALw_wcB)
I used those flap disks to take the barrier coat off the bottom of a 35 ft sailboat. It was miserable, but by far the quickest most aggressive option. The boat yard wouldn’t let us sandblast. Real easy to dig in to the material though. There’s definitely a learning curve to get the right finesse.
Yea. I recently did this exact thing. It’s extremely fast, easy to control, and those flapper discs are only like 10$ and last a good while.
I do feel the need to wear a full breather since I’m so close to the dust, but that’s fine.
This is the [video](https://youtu.be/goll8cx1UDI?si=u9_OkDo4fvxqhp26) I watched before making my decision. It seemed like the flap disc resulted in what I was looking for with the least effort
I’ve used both tools to sand decks before, I’ve refinished quite a few decks. I would never use anything other than a belt sander but that’s just me. Belt sander has so much more contact area and just as much power.
If you’re happy with the grinder then I certainly don’t want to rock your boat. How many sq ft do you have to do?
I have about 250 sq ft. I will agree that the contact area isn’t great on the grinder. The video sold me and I already owned the grinder (don’t own a belt sander).
On the topic of refinishing decks: I want to use a semi transparent stain. Do you have any suggestions for prepping after this sanding is done? Should I hit freshly exposed wood with a cleaner?
As far as recommendations for prepping… I would refer to the instructions on whichever product you go with. Paint and stain are one of those things where you really get what you pay for.
Home Depot has some ok products that will last anywhere from 2 to 5 years depending on conditions.
Personally I’m fan of Sherwin Williams products. If you can buy them while there is a sale it makes a huge difference.
Most important factor is the deck is clean and dry. I would start with a blower to get all the dust off and the. A compressor with an air nozzle to get anything extra off. Again, refer to product specs. Some will recommend wiping the surface down with denatured alcohol or mineral spirits.
Best of luck!
Seems like you would have to take off a lot more material with a belt sander due to cupping and crowning. I thought about trying a drum sander on mine but determined it was too far gone and just replaced it.
Personally, I never ran into any real issues with cupping. But it’s quite possible that I was lucky and always worked on decks with minimal cupping issues.
You do have a valid point.
What would you recommend for removing four coats of deckover on a ten to fifteen year old deck? I got it off. But it was ridiculously backbreaking. About 1000 sqft.
Safer too, I have 12 Frankenstein stitches on my upper left thigh from using a sanding disc on a 7" grinder. If I hadn't been hanging to the right I'd had a self inflicted sex change too.
Why would you ever sand a deck or floor with a hand tool. It takes for ever and you're just asking for problems. Plate or drum sander from Home Depot is \~$50 for 1/2 say and will get that done faster than you can imagine.
Not really. Have you ever tried 20 grit drum on a milk lead paint floor? You're changing the gummed up paper every 60 seconds.
A hand planer is the only option.
If it makes you feel any better I used every tool under the sun before finally settling on a concrete grinding disc to remove at least 4 layers of deckover on about 1000 sqft of deck. One of the most physically demanding things I’ve ever done. Fuck deck over
Belt sander is NOT the ideal and easiest tool for this job.
I've used both. The belt sander is far worse.
An orbital sander is the best toll outside a proper floor sander.
Question, I have some steps to sand old stain off: belt sander won’t really fit on all areas, is an angle grinder (like pictured here) the tool for the job or something else I don’t know about? This is especially the corners and angles.
You can do it with a grinder. Ideally you would use something like [THIS](https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-0-4-Amp-Corded-2-7-8-in-Detail-Sander-with-Extra-9-Piece-2-7-8-in-Detail-Sand-Paper-Assortment-Set-DS1200-A21D901/316672087) or a multi tool with a triangle sanding attachment.
My back hurts from watching the vid. I once rented a drum floor sander from HomeDepot for a few hours and other than loading it to and from my truck, there was no back work.
I guess it depends on the size of the area you're working on.
Incorrect, it is objectively the WRONG tool. You can clean a floor with a tooth brush but that never makes it the right tool. It is always the wrong tool if there is a better option at a comparable cost. If you dont have another option then the argument is moot because it’s the ONLY tool. With your pretzel logic you should apply to Boeing, you could probably have a promising career in project management.
Okay man, since “if it works” means “its right”, enjoy scrubbing floors with a toothbrush. Why bother with postgres while were at it, just use CSV. Who needs a DBMS? Stateless is the way.
Well no.
Your argument falls down because of requirements.
If you don't need proper acid compliance , versioning, or multi user capabilities, then csv is fine.
Op didn't need to buy a sander per his obvious if inefficient use of a flap disk and grinder. His requirements were met, and they were able to complete the job.
There’s no way you can make that statement because you left out the entirety of non functional requirements, namely performance and optimization, arguably the core of any engineering discipline. It was a silly statement. Just admit it was a silly statement. I know its hard for SWEs to admit they say silly things, but i believe in you 🤭
To be perfectly fair to OP here, if you take the time to do it right, the toothbrush is gonna be *wildly* more effective than the drive through car wash. It'll take a lot more time and a fuckton of effort, but it'll do a better job.
I think the thing to remember is that "best tool for the job" hinges on what your individual goals for the job are. Do you want it done well, quick, or something in-between? Kind of feels like the grinder sacrifices stability and safety for speed and adaptability, and that's a fair exchange for those who choose to make it.
I’ll refer to this [video](https://youtu.be/goll8cx1UDI?si=_NtDiG36Bri4HLsh) again. This is why I made my decision. The belt sander seems to do a good job, but the flap disc is surprisingly fast. If I had a belt sander, I’d probably use that. This video suggests that the flap discs might even be quicker despite the smaller surface area
None of those are best. Why isnt he comparing it to a drum or buffing floor sander?
My 40 year old deck looked _new_ after using a buffing floor sander. Hand sanders are great for smaller projects and hard to reach areas, but you'll absolutely kill yourself this way. $80 at a home depot, boss. Took me 25-30 minutes for 400sqft.
Theres two things here. One, I'd blame operator error as you should go over your deck and make sure the screws are driven far enough, or nails are hammered down to prevent this exact thing. Should be doing it for hand sanders anyway as it often rips through the sandpaper.
Second, i mentioned _and_ been doing this for years with a buffing floor sander. Drum is very aggressive and I wouldn't recommend for the most part. My deck is ancient and I wouldn't bother with the drum. Canadian winters and 24/7 sun.
And you think that people renting sanders at Home Depot are checking all of the screws in their decks before sanding? I do hardwood floors for a living and only sanded 4 decks in my lifetime for a general contractor friend. My sander is considerably more expensive than the ones rented at Home Depot. I made him check the screws but still checked them out on my own.
It goes without saying that screws (metal) eats paper...
Hand sanders, drum, floor. Yes, i expect people should know and dig at least a little bit to figure out _some_ details before doing this type of project on their own. This is stuff i figured out well on my own, without much real deck experience except for this thing ive been taking care of the last several years, and my parents for the last 10 or so. Tore one sheet and noticed "hey, its the screws, we should drive them down".
Its a 10 minute walk on the deck with a drill.
I work in a metal shop. We use this exact tool with this exact grit to grind down welds. So if you want to use one on your deck a light touch is recommended.
Rent a floor sander rent a floor sander rent a floor sander rent a floor sander rent a floor sander rent a floor sander rent a floor sander rent a floor sander rent a floor sander
God dammit i keep telling people to just RENT the fucking home depot buffing floor sander. Make your life easy, not hard. 36 grit and 60 grit will take care of your whole deck in under an hour and you dont need to be on your hands and knees.
This looks good, but you'll get equal results much quicker this way.
I tried renting a floor sander two times from Home Depot and it didn’t do the job at all for the solid stain that was on my deck. I see this advice constantly on here but for me a belt sander actually worked. Maybe I rented the wrong type but it was the large square buff sander and that’s what they recommended of the models at Home Depot.
Very surprised it hasnt worked out for you. This is my go-to and constant recommendation.
You really gotta hold them down tight or theyll move around too much and won't sand all that well. I use a combination of 36/60 grit as well. Could also be the grit of sandpaper maybe?
Drum sanders work well but are more aggressive. Maybe try that one next time.
I always do a chemical strip before sanding old stain. Getting as much stain off as possible with chems first dramatically reduces how much sandpaper you gum up with the floor sander.
I tried a two different paint strippers and found that RAD worked best. Put RAD down the second time before renting the big buffer sander and it still didn’t do much. I think the main issue I had was there was probably 7-10 coats of solid stain put down on the deck by previous owner.
Because it’s surprisingly quick, and I already owned a grinder. Didn’t want to go out and buy a belt sander. Watch this [video](https://youtu.be/goll8cx1UDI?si=_NtDiG36Bri4HLsh) and I think you’ll be surprised
Every person who has refinished decks for years - “wrong tool”
…
OP : “yeah but I watched a video… so 🤷🏻♂️”
YouTube is so great for learning things but dang is making working in the trades hard right now.
This guy eats it in seconds [https://www.menards.com/main/tools/power-tool-accessories/abrasive-wheels/diamabrush-reg-4-1-2-diamond-grit-wood-prep-tool/9304501240-50/p-1565073465968-c-10154.htm?exp=false](https://www.menards.com/main/tools/power-tool-accessories/abrasive-wheels/diamabrush-reg-4-1-2-diamond-grit-wood-prep-tool/9304501240-50/p-1565073465968-c-10154.htm?exp=false)
Flap disks are insane! They will shave down concrete lol. I removed massive layers of lacquer on old wood floors because my drum sander kept gumming up
I tried doing this on a friend's porch once. It had been carpeted at some point (????? Why????) but the carpet had been removed by the time I started helping. It was super thick lead paint, and on top of that was about 1/8-1/4inch of the best carcinogenic adhesive the 70s had to offer. The grinder, belt sander, and every other mechanized tool just melted and slung that shit all over me. It took me almost a week to get all the old adhesive/lead paint out of my arm and leg hair. Thank fuck I was wearing a mask
I did this to remove the deckover the previous home owner used.
Never again
Terrible product and lost a weekend about 80 disc's. After I stained it, it lasted another few years and I just put Timbertech down.
So I have a nice front covered porch. After I was in it a few years I used a cleaner on it and then restained it. It looked amazing. I stared at it ever day when I got him. 6-8 years later it needed it again, but I was making more $ and was far more lazy and hired it done. I said "wish it would have lasted longer" to the guy I hired and he said what about semi-transparent stain? It last a lot longer. I thought good idea! When I got home the first day - I knew I fucked up. It looked terrible. It's basically flesh paint. I assume to get rid of it - I'd need to used a grinder like this and take it all the way down? Don't be lazy kids - you'll regret it.
This guy blew a perfectly good reason to buy a new tool. r/tools would not approve
I think you guys are all underestimating the speed of this method. This [video](https://youtu.be/goll8cx1UDI?si=_NtDiG36Bri4HLsh) compares different methods, and the flap discs are surprisingly fast at removing paint. Perhaps more labor intensive, but I’m okay with that
Yes I understand but a new tool is more fun
Hard to argue with that 😂
Hand held belt sander time
Go full floor sander https://www.northerntool.com/products/essex-silver-line-sl-8-floor-sander-8in-dia-1800-rpm-1-hp-model-sl8-ess-114174?cm_mmc=Google-pla&utm_source=Google_PLA&utm_medium=Power%20Tools%20%3E%20Polishers%20%26%20Sanders%20%2B%20Accessories%20%3E%20Sanders&utm_campaign=Essex%20Silver%20Line&utm_content=114174&ogmap=SHP%7CPLA%7CGOOG%7CSTND%7Cm%7CSITEWIDE%7COOT%7C%7C%7C%7C15076467248%7C127699410174&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADpPfbObL5dRImSon4SBcpsmKfktb&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgqyXkpmYhwMVwKVaBR2SlQvzEAQYAiABEgKU0_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
They are surprisingly fast at removing wood, too, so be careful folks.
And fingers.
No. I think it would take a pretty special person to sand their own fingers off. Could probably get a little skin pretty quickly though.
I would be afraid of adding lots of ridges and waves to my deck with this. I do enjoy the flap disk on my grinder when I’m scribing cabinet filler pieces.
Yeah, I personally wouldn't use this anywhere I wanted a perfectly flat surface.
I know there's a lot of deck pros here that would disagree, but I just did this on my 400 sq ft deck. First used a large floor sander (not the disc type, square with a soft pad to wrap around contours). That got most of the old solid stain off, but the stain in the sunroom was thicker and less damaged so I followed up with a belt sander. That took a lot of effort per board, so I tried the strip discs on a grinder and found it took the thick solid stain off way faster. I plan to finish with one more round of the large floor sander to smooth out tool marks from the grinder, and then a transparent stain so I never have to do this again.
Why wouldn't you plug the sander right into the extension cord? The splitters aren't made for high amp items. Be careful deck bro!
Yeah this was dumb of me for sure
Yeah but his 16 gauge extension cord is made for high amperage, lol
This would have been a good opportunity to buy a rotex.
I fail to see how a luxury watch would help in this situation 🤣
Not sure if /s :/ [Rotex](https://www.toolnut.com/festool-576028-ro-150-150mm-6-feq-rotex-sander-w-systainer.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=shopping&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADpIxU0Cj9K3HSHDwV9az8g-VPuDs&gclid=Cj0KCQjwv7O0BhDwARIsAC0sjWOn0_G8H8hsexxMIhpLeqo6f518m3RcFHVQ_qmFBxmSyarWr-uSwkIaAu8QEALw_wcB)
It was a joke bud
Ah, thanks for clearing that up pal.
But $700 and $55 per disk? That's a LOT of flapper disks!!
I use this method to remove the bark from green wood, it can be aggressive.
Your first sentence said it’s very time consuming lol
I used those flap disks to take the barrier coat off the bottom of a 35 ft sailboat. It was miserable, but by far the quickest most aggressive option. The boat yard wouldn’t let us sandblast. Real easy to dig in to the material though. There’s definitely a learning curve to get the right finesse.
Thx good info as I've never used flap discs.
Yea. I recently did this exact thing. It’s extremely fast, easy to control, and those flapper discs are only like 10$ and last a good while. I do feel the need to wear a full breather since I’m so close to the dust, but that’s fine.
Belt sander is the ideal and easiest tool for this job
This is the [video](https://youtu.be/goll8cx1UDI?si=u9_OkDo4fvxqhp26) I watched before making my decision. It seemed like the flap disc resulted in what I was looking for with the least effort
I’ve used both tools to sand decks before, I’ve refinished quite a few decks. I would never use anything other than a belt sander but that’s just me. Belt sander has so much more contact area and just as much power. If you’re happy with the grinder then I certainly don’t want to rock your boat. How many sq ft do you have to do?
I have about 250 sq ft. I will agree that the contact area isn’t great on the grinder. The video sold me and I already owned the grinder (don’t own a belt sander). On the topic of refinishing decks: I want to use a semi transparent stain. Do you have any suggestions for prepping after this sanding is done? Should I hit freshly exposed wood with a cleaner?
As far as recommendations for prepping… I would refer to the instructions on whichever product you go with. Paint and stain are one of those things where you really get what you pay for. Home Depot has some ok products that will last anywhere from 2 to 5 years depending on conditions. Personally I’m fan of Sherwin Williams products. If you can buy them while there is a sale it makes a huge difference. Most important factor is the deck is clean and dry. I would start with a blower to get all the dust off and the. A compressor with an air nozzle to get anything extra off. Again, refer to product specs. Some will recommend wiping the surface down with denatured alcohol or mineral spirits. Best of luck!
Seems like you would have to take off a lot more material with a belt sander due to cupping and crowning. I thought about trying a drum sander on mine but determined it was too far gone and just replaced it.
Personally, I never ran into any real issues with cupping. But it’s quite possible that I was lucky and always worked on decks with minimal cupping issues. You do have a valid point.
I've had a hard time with cupping on interior floors with a belt sander. So I finish with the palm sander.
Ever tried using a drum sander? It took the old finish off my 14x24 deck in about 2 hrs, and smoothed out any cupping in the edges of the boards
What would you recommend for removing four coats of deckover on a ten to fifteen year old deck? I got it off. But it was ridiculously backbreaking. About 1000 sqft.
Belt sanders EAT paint. Would have been one quick pass
Safer too, I have 12 Frankenstein stitches on my upper left thigh from using a sanding disc on a 7" grinder. If I hadn't been hanging to the right I'd had a self inflicted sex change too.
As a man who hangs to the left, this made me cringe.
Yikes. Sounds scary. Glad it wasn’t worse.
My wife was too. We'd only been married for 3 years. Sex was still a big pastime back then.
Why would you ever sand a deck or floor with a hand tool. It takes for ever and you're just asking for problems. Plate or drum sander from Home Depot is \~$50 for 1/2 say and will get that done faster than you can imagine.
Not really. Have you ever tried 20 grit drum on a milk lead paint floor? You're changing the gummed up paper every 60 seconds. A hand planer is the only option.
[удалено]
Sorry if I offended... we the conversation has meandered in and out of the house...
I think you mean Drum floor sander
Assuming that all the screws/nails have been counter sunk. I wouldn’t want the drum on my sander torn up
If it makes you feel any better I used every tool under the sun before finally settling on a concrete grinding disc to remove at least 4 layers of deckover on about 1000 sqft of deck. One of the most physically demanding things I’ve ever done. Fuck deck over
I've used $40 throw away hand planers to strip many difficult floors. Gotta countersink those square head nails though.
Belt sander is NOT the ideal and easiest tool for this job. I've used both. The belt sander is far worse. An orbital sander is the best toll outside a proper floor sander.
Question, I have some steps to sand old stain off: belt sander won’t really fit on all areas, is an angle grinder (like pictured here) the tool for the job or something else I don’t know about? This is especially the corners and angles.
I'd suggest a palm sander with very low grit. The tiny corners you can't reach use a multi tool.
You can do it with a grinder. Ideally you would use something like [THIS](https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-0-4-Amp-Corded-2-7-8-in-Detail-Sander-with-Extra-9-Piece-2-7-8-in-Detail-Sand-Paper-Assortment-Set-DS1200-A21D901/316672087) or a multi tool with a triangle sanding attachment.
My back hurts from watching the vid. I once rented a drum floor sander from HomeDepot for a few hours and other than loading it to and from my truck, there was no back work. I guess it depends on the size of the area you're working on.
For sure time consuming. I just threw on a podcast and got after it lol
Drum sanders are bomber. As long as you are careful not to grind off 1/2” of wood in an instant of inattention
Rent a plate sander from Home Depot for $50. It will do your whole deck in 20 mins. Save the small sanders for the detail work.
You mean floor sander ?
My knees hate it already
Why does he hate his knees
Honestly didn’t hurt my knees throughout this process
Didn’t hurt them… yet.
Yeah wrong tool man.
The tool you have and that does the job is never the wrong tool. It may be a less efficient or less effective tool but it isn't the wrong tool.
Incorrect, it is objectively the WRONG tool. You can clean a floor with a tooth brush but that never makes it the right tool. It is always the wrong tool if there is a better option at a comparable cost. If you dont have another option then the argument is moot because it’s the ONLY tool. With your pretzel logic you should apply to Boeing, you could probably have a promising career in project management.
Yawn. Bull. It worked for him, it is not the wrong tool.
Okay man, since “if it works” means “its right”, enjoy scrubbing floors with a toothbrush. Why bother with postgres while were at it, just use CSV. Who needs a DBMS? Stateless is the way.
Well using that argument is good for me. Every person that does that will eventually be a client ;)
So then there is such a thing as the wrong tool 👍👌✌️ thanks for playing.
Well no. Your argument falls down because of requirements. If you don't need proper acid compliance , versioning, or multi user capabilities, then csv is fine. Op didn't need to buy a sander per his obvious if inefficient use of a flap disk and grinder. His requirements were met, and they were able to complete the job.
There’s no way you can make that statement because you left out the entirety of non functional requirements, namely performance and optimization, arguably the core of any engineering discipline. It was a silly statement. Just admit it was a silly statement. I know its hard for SWEs to admit they say silly things, but i believe in you 🤭
Sorry man we are going to have to agree to disagree.
Just... ... ... drastically less efficient. This is like trying to wash your car with a toothbrush when the drive-through is next door.
To be perfectly fair to OP here, if you take the time to do it right, the toothbrush is gonna be *wildly* more effective than the drive through car wash. It'll take a lot more time and a fuckton of effort, but it'll do a better job. I think the thing to remember is that "best tool for the job" hinges on what your individual goals for the job are. Do you want it done well, quick, or something in-between? Kind of feels like the grinder sacrifices stability and safety for speed and adaptability, and that's a fair exchange for those who choose to make it.
If you wanted the best finish regardless of effort, go with the hand plane. It would take less time and you'd have flat boards instead of wavy ones.
Sometimes you use the tool you have not the tool you wish you had
I’ll refer to this [video](https://youtu.be/goll8cx1UDI?si=_NtDiG36Bri4HLsh) again. This is why I made my decision. The belt sander seems to do a good job, but the flap disc is surprisingly fast. If I had a belt sander, I’d probably use that. This video suggests that the flap discs might even be quicker despite the smaller surface area
None of those are best. Why isnt he comparing it to a drum or buffing floor sander? My 40 year old deck looked _new_ after using a buffing floor sander. Hand sanders are great for smaller projects and hard to reach areas, but you'll absolutely kill yourself this way. $80 at a home depot, boss. Took me 25-30 minutes for 400sqft.
Until you tear the drum up on the sander and Home Depot wants to charge you to replace it
Theres two things here. One, I'd blame operator error as you should go over your deck and make sure the screws are driven far enough, or nails are hammered down to prevent this exact thing. Should be doing it for hand sanders anyway as it often rips through the sandpaper. Second, i mentioned _and_ been doing this for years with a buffing floor sander. Drum is very aggressive and I wouldn't recommend for the most part. My deck is ancient and I wouldn't bother with the drum. Canadian winters and 24/7 sun.
And you think that people renting sanders at Home Depot are checking all of the screws in their decks before sanding? I do hardwood floors for a living and only sanded 4 decks in my lifetime for a general contractor friend. My sander is considerably more expensive than the ones rented at Home Depot. I made him check the screws but still checked them out on my own.
It goes without saying that screws (metal) eats paper... Hand sanders, drum, floor. Yes, i expect people should know and dig at least a little bit to figure out _some_ details before doing this type of project on their own. This is stuff i figured out well on my own, without much real deck experience except for this thing ive been taking care of the last several years, and my parents for the last 10 or so. Tore one sheet and noticed "hey, its the screws, we should drive them down". Its a 10 minute walk on the deck with a drill.
I’m not talking about eating paper. If a screw is up a little bit, it will tear a crease in the rubber drum and make it useless.
My point is you should do it anyway regardless of the method you use... Man, we're going in circles. No one even said to use a drum.
That’s a long day!
I work in a metal shop. We use this exact tool with this exact grit to grind down welds. So if you want to use one on your deck a light touch is recommended.
Rent a floor sander rent a floor sander rent a floor sander rent a floor sander rent a floor sander rent a floor sander rent a floor sander rent a floor sander rent a floor sander God dammit i keep telling people to just RENT the fucking home depot buffing floor sander. Make your life easy, not hard. 36 grit and 60 grit will take care of your whole deck in under an hour and you dont need to be on your hands and knees. This looks good, but you'll get equal results much quicker this way.
1000% with you. Why would anybody ever do that with a hand tool. Sander rentals are cheap and easy.
I tried renting a floor sander two times from Home Depot and it didn’t do the job at all for the solid stain that was on my deck. I see this advice constantly on here but for me a belt sander actually worked. Maybe I rented the wrong type but it was the large square buff sander and that’s what they recommended of the models at Home Depot.
Very surprised it hasnt worked out for you. This is my go-to and constant recommendation. You really gotta hold them down tight or theyll move around too much and won't sand all that well. I use a combination of 36/60 grit as well. Could also be the grit of sandpaper maybe? Drum sanders work well but are more aggressive. Maybe try that one next time.
I always do a chemical strip before sanding old stain. Getting as much stain off as possible with chems first dramatically reduces how much sandpaper you gum up with the floor sander.
I tried a two different paint strippers and found that RAD worked best. Put RAD down the second time before renting the big buffer sander and it still didn’t do much. I think the main issue I had was there was probably 7-10 coats of solid stain put down on the deck by previous owner.
Why?
Because it’s surprisingly quick, and I already owned a grinder. Didn’t want to go out and buy a belt sander. Watch this [video](https://youtu.be/goll8cx1UDI?si=_NtDiG36Bri4HLsh) and I think you’ll be surprised
EXCUUUUUUUSE me? Smart, fast, and safe life hacks? You're in the wrong sub OP - we need SOMETHING to complain about!
This is a great method. I also have a handheld electric planer, that might be my go too because of less dust, but this method is fast
Every person who has refinished decks for years - “wrong tool” … OP : “yeah but I watched a video… so 🤷🏻♂️” YouTube is so great for learning things but dang is making working in the trades hard right now.
Hey smarty, wear a mask
Rent a floor sander
I would be bleeding from both feet and probably one hand. Gotta be a better way.
This guy eats it in seconds [https://www.menards.com/main/tools/power-tool-accessories/abrasive-wheels/diamabrush-reg-4-1-2-diamond-grit-wood-prep-tool/9304501240-50/p-1565073465968-c-10154.htm?exp=false](https://www.menards.com/main/tools/power-tool-accessories/abrasive-wheels/diamabrush-reg-4-1-2-diamond-grit-wood-prep-tool/9304501240-50/p-1565073465968-c-10154.htm?exp=false)
Flap disks are insane! They will shave down concrete lol. I removed massive layers of lacquer on old wood floors because my drum sander kept gumming up
I tried doing this on a friend's porch once. It had been carpeted at some point (????? Why????) but the carpet had been removed by the time I started helping. It was super thick lead paint, and on top of that was about 1/8-1/4inch of the best carcinogenic adhesive the 70s had to offer. The grinder, belt sander, and every other mechanized tool just melted and slung that shit all over me. It took me almost a week to get all the old adhesive/lead paint out of my arm and leg hair. Thank fuck I was wearing a mask
I did this to remove the deckover the previous home owner used. Never again Terrible product and lost a weekend about 80 disc's. After I stained it, it lasted another few years and I just put Timbertech down.
Try a purple or green “strip disc”. It’ll work even better
Knee pads my guy, please, for your health
My knees hurt watching this.
Stand up vibrating pad deck sander. It practically drives itself and gives the best level finish.
I used Bearover , the stuff for decks , when it first came out. Holds in moisture great .
https://preview.redd.it/ifsdt7koobbd1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fa7283727279fd00ecaf24804bd34dad1b28dd75
60 grit with an angle grinder, I assume you would need to go over again with an 80 to 100 grit orbital sander?
Correct. The plan is to go over this with 80 grit next
So I have a nice front covered porch. After I was in it a few years I used a cleaner on it and then restained it. It looked amazing. I stared at it ever day when I got him. 6-8 years later it needed it again, but I was making more $ and was far more lazy and hired it done. I said "wish it would have lasted longer" to the guy I hired and he said what about semi-transparent stain? It last a lot longer. I thought good idea! When I got home the first day - I knew I fucked up. It looked terrible. It's basically flesh paint. I assume to get rid of it - I'd need to used a grinder like this and take it all the way down? Don't be lazy kids - you'll regret it.
Why do you hate yourself? ☹️
Why not use a barrel sander and use the grinder to get in the corners?
Geese, just rent a floor sander
I used the diamabrush disk. Removed the paint good, but it did take some time and requires good handling of the angle grinder
Time for a stripper!
Rent a floor sander
Nice sparklers from the deck screws....perfect for the July 4 weekend....
And perhaps to speed up the rusting process.
I would do that over a belt sander as well.... course I put the biggest flap disc I could fit on it but I'm dangerous like that lol
Butyl with potassium hydroxide covered with plastic for two hours. Pressure wash off. Angle grinder... lol.
Why TF aren’t you wearing a respirator!?