When to Strip a Porch Floor

Before Staining

• When you plan to repaint a porch floor, you only need to remove peeling or damaged portions of the old paint layer. If your plans include staining the floorboards, however, you'll need to strip the entire porch first. Once you've removed all paint and sealant layers, you will have an even floor with a consistent wood look and grain pattern.

Before Replacing Boards

• Replacing floorboards in the porch is necessary when they are severely damaged or rot away because of fungi, insects or excessive exposure to moisture. Before replacing floorboards, strip the porch floor to determine which boards are showing early signs of decay and which are solid and can remain in place. Stripping the floor will also give you a better understanding of what the boards look like, making it easier to select similar wood for the replacement boards.

Before Selling Your Home

• Selling your home raises a number of maintenance issues. Your home will attract more prospective buyers and command a higher price if it looks its best when you put it on the market. Unless your porch floor has been recently refinished, strip it and apply a new layer of stain or paint. This will give visitors a good first impression and boost your home's curb appeal.

Conditions

• It's best to strip a porch floor just before you perform other tasks such as staining or replacing floor boards. This means that the time you choose to strip the floor will depend on the best time to do this other work. Certain exterior paints, stains and sealants can only be applied within certain temperature or humidity ranges. For example, if you want to apply a sealant that has an acceptable application range of between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, strip the porch floor when the forecast calls for moderate temperatures in the coming days.