Deck Restoration & Refinishing Racine, WI

Deck restoration for Racine homes

Deck restoration in Racine starts with knowing the housing: a lakefront city with historic neighborhoods and post-war subdivisions. In practice that means privacy fences on the west-side subdivisions.

Racine sits on Lake Michigan and the Root River, and waterfront wood weathers faster on the water-facing side than the house side. We check both and often give the exposed side a second coat.

The reason so many decks look bad is that each new coat went over the last failed one. Stain does not stick to stain that is letting go. Restoration resets the deck to bare wood so the new finish bonds to the grain, not to a flaking layer underneath it. Done right, it is the last time the deck needs anything more than a maintenance coat for years.

How the job goes in Racine

1. Assess and quoteWe identify what finish is on the deck, how many layers, and whether any boards need replacing before refinishing.
2. StripA sodium-hydroxide or solvent stripper, depending on the finish, dwells and lifts the old coating. Stubborn areas get scraped and a second application.
3. SandHorizontal boards get an orbital sand at 60 to 80 grit to remove residue and raised grain. Rails and spindles are hand-sanded as needed.
4. Brighten and dryThe brightener neutralizes the stripper and restores tone. Then the deck dries for two to three days.

Other work we do in Racine

Homeowners here also ask us about Dock & pier staining in Racine, Pergola & gazebo staining in Racine and Deck repair in Racine. See everything on the Racine service area page, or read the full deck restoration guide. We also cover nearby Sturtevant, Caledonia and Winthrop Harbor.