The Deck Reveal

Now, I will preface this post with: I still need to touch up some spots, so technically I'm not 100% done; AND it's windy outside, so I couldn't "setup" the space exactly how I want...but here you go, the deck reveal ;)

My deck. It was old, worn, dingy, and not pretty.

The "white" lines and spots you see here is wood filler. And yes, we needed a fair amount. I probably used too much by the time I figured out how to best apply it, but the spaces were filled, and that's all that matters. I used an exterior wood filler by Elmer's from Lowe's for about $12 a tub. That and a plastic putty knife since I killed the last one we had with rust.

We already had a sander, but I purchased heavy duty sandpaper and a protective mask. I also ended up using plastic latex-like gloves since I hate sanding and this helped keep the chalky dust off me...a bit.

I also bought my stain...which I might need to go and purchase another quart or so...we'll see. It's an semi-transparent stain and sealant in one by Olympic from Lowe's for about $36/g. I have a rebate around here somewhere for it too. We choose the color "tobacco".

Then came the hard work. Sanding and scrubbing, washing and treating, and even more sanding. Like most of my projects, this process took a while since I can only squeeze work in an hour at a time here and there. I purchased some new outdoor items and reused pieces we already had to make an "outdoor livingroom" feel.

I had to close the umbrella...it was too windy today!

We owned the chairs and the firepit, along with the tables and the pillows. This Spring we bought the rug, the umbrella and stand, the storage bench, the lanterns and the plants. It's far from perfect, and I will be touching up certain spots this weekend, but for our little backyard, I think this deck still has something to add to our home. The totals? Deck resurfacing supplies (not including power tools): less than $70. Accessories/new furniture: less than $230.

Now to tend to the lawn! ;)

M.LEWIS