Since its peeling it is most likely paint, not stain. I'd try slopping down
paint stripper, wait until a break in the weather or cover the deck with a
tarp. This should loosen the paint that isn't already peeling on it own.
Then a very gentle pressure wash or just the garden hose. Nothing holds up
all that well on wood exposed to foot traffic but obviously a stain is a
better choice than paint, it will wear away rather than peel or crack. Use a
good quality water based stain, that will "suck" into the wood even when
damp.


wrote in message
...
Had house painters in last June. By mistake, they "painted" the
outside deck.

The cedar railings actually look fine. They used a different color and
paint for the "deck" deck -- that is the part of the deck you walk on.

The deck has gotten little, if any use since they painted. Indeed, no
one used it for three full weeks after painting, as the house was
vacant.

Anyway, the winter rains came and all the paint on the walking part of
the deck is peeling and coming up in big strips. It will continue to
be damp and rainy here for three or so more months, but is there any
special way I can clean up this mess now?

Obviously, I am thinking scraping and sanding, but that is sort of
tough in the rain. Pressure washing?

Part of the deck is something called "sun wood" doug fir, part is red
cedar and along the sides is Pressure treated fir. Doesn't seem to
matter, all is peeling.

Called the painter, doesn't seem to want to respond.