I have a 5x15 deck and i want to sand a find coat of old paint off...?

its already chipping and peeling and its been there for a couple years at least. i dont think i need a sander for this, can i just use a very corse sandpaper and if so what do i use to apply pressure just like a block of some sort. whats the best way to go about this. thanksI have a 5x15 deck and i want to sand a find coat of old paint off...?
This is a big enough deck that you are looking at a whole lot of work to do it by hand. I would rent a belt sander and get a couple 120 grit belts, it will do a fast job or removal and leave a nice flat surface that looks new. I would put down solid color stain if you want to best preserve the wood.I have a 5x15 deck and i want to sand a find coat of old paint off...?
i'd really reccomend a power sander at least for the majority of the area as you will have plenty of hand sanding to do in corners and tight areas, also you can get a sanding pad with a long handle like drywall finishers use it has a pad with a swivel joint and a handle about 4' long but you'll still need plenty of ';elbow grease'; good luck!
If you have a pressure washer, use that but be careful not to pit the wood.





Then use a scraper of some sort. A decent size putty knife works well on already loose paint.





Then sand the rest. Either by hand or with a block, sander or other means.
You could wrap the sandpaper around a small block of 2x4 lumber for flat sanding. Sounds like a lot of work to me, handsanding. I would rent/buy a belt sander or even a random orbital sander.
I would suggest a Palm sander. You can get one at your local hardware store for roughly $25. You can do it by hand but it would be much quicker with a palm sander and you can always use the sander for other projects.
a belt sander is the best way to go
i suggest a pressure washer