Deck refinishing in Ann Arbor, MI

What this deck in Ann Arbor was working against

The deck behind this house on the south side of Ann Arbor was sound where it counted. Framing held and the multi-level layout suited the yard. What had given out was everything anybody touches: a finish gone chalky and blotchy, step boards soft at the nosing, and a ramp that had worked loose enough to feel underfoot.

A deck in that shape does not need tearing out. Strip the surface, replace the failed wood, and you get years more out of framing that still has them, well below the cost of a rebuild.

What deck refinishing in Ann Arbor actually involves

Power washing came first, and it turned up the surprise of the job. Below the top layer sat a second coat of old stain, and lifting both took far longer than one coat would have. Nobody knows how many finishes are down there until water and pressure start pulling them off, so our deck staining and maintenance pricing is built on what we can see, then adjusted in writing when the deck shows us more.

Sanding followed, across the deck field and every attachment: risers, stringers, fascia, rails and both planter boxes. Skipping the fussy parts is how a refinish ends up looking half done from the yard. Soft boards came out of the steps, the main ramp was rebuilt with sound lumber, and a closure block went in beside it to tighten the joint at the deck. Repairs like that are ordinary carpentry, and they separate a deck that looks new from one that feels new.

Finish went on in passes: a first coat over the main walking surfaces, then the top deck and main steps, then the side steps, ramp and planters, brushed where a roller could not reach. Last came the piece the owner added mid-project. A pergola went up at the far end, built on site and finished to match, turning an open corner into shade.

How the deck works now

The finish reads even from the yard, which is the point of sanding the parts nobody photographs. Step treads meet risers in one tone, rails and fascia match the field, and the planter boxes look built rather than bolted on. There is shade under the pergola at the end of the deck now, and the rebuilt ramp gives that side of the house a solid way down to the grass.

When refinishing beats replacing

Framing decides it. If posts, beams and joists are sound and the fasteners hold, refinishing buys most of what a new deck would at a fraction of the cost. Once the structure is gone, the answer is a rebuild or a new surface over the old frame, the way we handled a porch and deck in Ypsilanti. Our comparison of composite versus wood decking covers what each choice asks of you later.

Keeping a refinished deck looking right

Michigan is hard on horizontal wood. Freeze and thaw, salt tracked off boots, July sun and October leaves all work the same surface. Wash it, watch the traffic paths, and recoat before the finish goes chalky rather than after. Our guide to deck maintenance in Michigan lays out the intervals, and refinishing gets quoted the same way across Washtenaw County.

Small jobs get what the big ones get: a written scope, a real number, and a crew that sands what nobody will see. Book a free consultation, look through our portfolio, or tell us about your deck and we will price it the way we priced this one.