Most decks will last for many years if properly taken care of.  This deck is a few years old and we just gave it a new coat of deck paint.

When you decide to re-finish your deck, there are a couple things to keep in mind…
First, it needs to be realy clean and free from any loose paint and dirt.
Decide if you want to stain the deck or use a solid color.  Going with a solid color us always easier because it can better hide any imperfections.
Staining the deck is a bit trickier because you want a consistent look throughout.  If you are going to stain, it is best to make that decision when the deck is first built.  It is extremely difficult if not impossible to go back to a stain after it is painted a solid color.
Before we paint or stain, we go over the entire deck (or gazibo) and knick off every piece of loose paint, chips of wood and debris we can find… Then we hit the entire deck with a pressure washer, taking care to wash WITH the grain of the wood.
Let it dry overnight and paint away.  In most cases you will want to apply 2 thick coats.

Another thing to note… If you are staining a very old deck, be prepared to use twice or more as much paint or stain than what is recommended… It really soaks it up!

More tips to come!
Happy Staining!