Deck Stripping Products

Do you get frustrated like I do with home center stores? I visited two different ones to broaden my list of deck strippers. All I saw was a bunch of dirt on the floor, clutter everywhere, and lots of empty shelves. I was really frosted by this to say the least.

The list below covers some fairly common strippers. There are lots of them out there to be sure! Keep in mind the chemical content. The ones that contain methylene chloride are the most powerful and most toxic. Those containing sodium hydroxide or say they are alkaline - are the next step down in power and toxicity. The mildest strippers are the ones that contain NMP, d-Limonene or other milder chemicals. These are being marketed as warm and fuzzy strippers that contain citric acid derivatives, etc.

My advice is to by a small container of the least aggressive stripper. Try it on a test area following the label instructions to the letter. If it works, great! If it doesn't, move up one level to the more aggressive products. Keep in mind that there are many deck stripping products out there. Read the label and look for ingredients and toxicity warnings. Here is a list of some common deck strippers that are out there. Some ship to your doorstep.

• Biowash
  800-663-9274
  They make a product called Stripex. The label says it contains sodium hydroxide.
  
• Klean-Strip
  800-398-3892
  They make three deck strippers. Use Armor All E-Z Spray Deck & Fence Wash if you rinse with a garden hose. Use Armor All E-Z Deck Wash if you intend to apply it with a pump sprayer. Use Armor All Deck Wash Pressure Washing Formula if you decide to use an evil, deck destroying pressure washer.
  
• Kop-Coat
  412-227-2426
  They make Deck Brightener. They say it will strip films, but it's primary ingredient is oxygen bleach. Better test this one for sure before you buy a large quantity.

• MFG Distributing
  800-297-7325
  They make Clean and Brite which contains sodium hydroxide. They also have BST-100. It is a mild stripper.
  
• Savogran Co.
  800-225-9872
  They make Super Strip. It contains methylene chloride.
  
• Specialty Environmental
  800-556-7737
  They make Citri-Strip. It says it has an organic solvent and I suspect a citric acid active agent....that is if they have named it right!
  

Companion Articles:  Oxygen Bleach & Synthetic Water Repellents, Strip Finishes Off Decks