If you’d rather not rent a sander, or your deck is fairly small, the minimum practical hand-held machine for the job would be a 6-inch random orbit sander. Use a 60- or 80-grit abrasive on this ...

Permit Requirements: Decks under 200 square feet, less than 30 inches off the ground, and freestanding usually don’t need a permit. Always double-check your specific situation to be safe! Deck ...