Exterior Sanding

Fences

• A freshly painted fence adds to your landscape’s visual appeal, but peeling paint or stains are a blight to your yard. Cedar is a popular wood for constructing fences, but unless it’s sealed well, rain and bright sunshine can wreak havoc on the pickets. The result is raised grain that feels rough to the touch. A vibrating palm sander or a pad sander makes quick work of sanding the face of a fence picket. If there is a lot of peeling paint, scrape off as much as possible before sanding. Between the pickets, you’ll have to sand by hand, using sandpaper or a sanding sponge.

Decking

• Most decking is constructed from treated wood or weather-resistant softwoods, such as cedar, redwood or teak. An upright orbital floor sander works well on decking as long as the planks are relatively flat. If the planks are warped, however, use a drum sander to smooth the surface before using an orbital sander, which tends to bounce over buckled planks. When sanding softwoods, use only a fine-grit sanding disk, and keep the machine moving at all times to avoid gouges in the decking. Don't press downward on a power sander; let the machine do all the work.

Outdoor Furniture

• You can’t relax and enjoy your landscape if you remove splinters from your favorite Adirondack chair. Sand large, flat furniture areas, such as armrests and back rests, with a small vibrating palm sander or a hand-held random orbital sander. For unpainted woods, such as redwood, a random orbital works well because it reduces the risk of visible cross-sanding scratches. Use a sanding sponge or sandpaper to reach small areas. When sanding by hand, always sand with the wood grain.

Wood Siding

• Older houses often have wood siding that requires a fresh coat of paint every few years. In order for the new coat of paint to adhere well, you’ll have to remove loose paint first. You can use a paint scraper to remove most of the old paint, and then use a vibrating sander to smooth the surface of the siding. When removing old paint, always wear a respirator mask and protective eyewear. If the home is older than 1978, the paint may contain lead. If you’re unsure, contact your local home building authority before sanding the old siding.