restaining an old deck

[Sam1511]

I recently purchased an older home with a large deck that has not been well cared for. It looks like it was at one time stained with a red stain but it is now mostly grey. I want to pressure wash it and restain it, but all the stains ask what kind of wood it is and if it is pressure treated, how do I figure this one out?

[Raymond Lee]

Most all pressure treated wood has perferations or divets in the wood. If you can, try to cut off a piece of the deck wood, that is not supporting anything or a piece of over hang and take it in to your local lumber company to have them tell you what kind of wood your working with. Just my 2 cents worth.

[wvguy]

ya last comment was a good start. Although most people dont want to cut up the deck unless you are going to be replacing the boards. I would start off with deck cleaner on a dry deck then pressure wash it off and see what it looks like then ..