Hummm interesting ...need more info ..did it leaf out last year ...if so all summer and how much... you live in 5a that is strange you are pretty far noth to have that sort of damage from last spring mostr in 5a zone were not leafed out or out not that far and the sap was not at peak run for bark damage...most folks that far north were untouched unless you are in one of those weird zones that zig zag... where do you live?? Bark slit is a bad sign ... For a tree that age to kaput from last spring in your zone would beg the question of how healthy it was in the first place which as I see it is a big reason it possiblly would have been so damaged. Please give more info also whether it was a dissectum or not or a generally early leafing tree.BTW none of my older trees were severly damaged not even my large dissectum about 14 years old... leaf damge yes but not bark and although sparce last summer that was because of seconday buds only survived.and theorectically I was in a more advanced area than you ..David

personally, I'd say no. We did it once and it was almost a big problem. the old wood had been sanded a couple of times in the past, so when we reinstalled it, there were HUGE differences in the thickness of it....requiring a VERY heavy and deep sanding. the sanding had to be so severe the floor can never be sanded again. In some places, it had to be sanded down nearly to the nail heads in order to make it appear even. I am glad we sold that house....the floor was never satisifactory. We got it really cheap.....only $150 for 600 sq ft from a home owner who wanted something different on their floors.

We had to have a very large portion of the floor in our new home removed and replaced TWICE, and it was a mess both times. The floor was wide plank engineered wood glued to a cement substrate. This is what I learned. The dust was insidious and was everywhere. If possible, I suggest turning off your HVAC and covering the registers so dust does not go inside. Also, place towels along the doorways so dust doesn't get underneath into other rooms. My husband and I covered almost everything with plastic sheeting held with painter's tape. (The tape did remove some paint from the ceilings but it wasn't too bad). We tried to hang the sheeting from ceiling to floor to block off areas where the floor wouldn't be replaced. This was difficult as our first floor is very open. It took a long time to cover everything, but it did help. I hope everything goes well.

Woodrich brightner ,oxalic base with a buffer, with what we call a scrub n rub I use a hand brush like you can buy at the supermarket put on some gloves splash the stuff on and scrub. This would be for the rail system and the skirting. Add the brightner to the water not the water to the brightner. Water wash it all off with a garden sprayer, All of it. Remember your not trying to remove the finish just the crud the wash effect will happen on contact even tho you wont see it. For the deck itself I use a 14'' floor machine with a scrub pad stuck on this goes very quickley. If you cant find one of those use a handled deck brush finish off the corners with the hand brush. Be tidie around the alum balusters thay are power coated but just be carefull. Sand with an orbital sander 60 grit pads where needed if the little sharp whiskers come up. The covered area will always be in different shape then the rest nothing to do about that. Woodrich was crafted from twp nither need stripping just another coat after cleaning I advise two coats using the sprit of a sound mind , that is waiting for the first one to set up, and another come late spring. after trying a test area first. And Dont Wait so long for a recoat!!!!!!!!!!! Ghesssssssss. J.