Deck Staining

There are many homeowners who end up dissatisfied with their deck staining projects. Sometimes, the projects don’t last as long, or the projects doesn’t look as good as they thought it would. There are some steps you can take that will help guarantee a great looking, long lasting result.

Taking Your Time

You should take your time with every step of the deck staining process. Allow new pressure treated lumber to weather for a few months. You should allow it to dry out before staining it as well. The stain strippers need to be left on the surface. They need to be there long enough to break down old finishes before it is rinsed off. Spills and over-spraying should be prevented on non-target surfaces if you take your time. You should wait until there is nice weather before beginning your project.

Preparation

This is the key to the final results. All wood should be cleaned well before deck staining. It doesn’t matter if it is a brand new deck or an older deck that has been out in the elements. Mill scale needs to be removed from brand new lumber. This is a crushing of the grain that takes place during the milling procedure. It can stop wood stains from penetrating correctly into the wood surface if it is left uncleaned.

Dirt, mildew, and old stains need to be removed prior to deck staining an older deck. An excellent choice for this is any type of sodium percarbonate wood cleaner. This type of wood cleaner is also known as oxygen bleach wood cleaner. They are highly efficient at cleaning the wood. It will not harm vegetation and plant life. You will not be harmed either. The soapy consistency will not burn your skin at all.

The job may be a little bit tougher if there is a build up of old stains on your deck. You need to use a stain stripper rather than a sodium percarbonate cleaner. The directions need to be followed carefully. Stain strippers work excellent to remove old stains. They will remove most weathered stains. This can be done in one application. You can use a palm-type sander to easily sand off stains after the deck has dried if there are small spots that don’t seem to come off during the cleaning process. Those spots of stain can show through the new finish if they are left on the deck. There are some stain manufacturers that offer a free instructional video. It can help walk you through the whole process.

Brighteners

This is a very important step in the deck staining process. It is also the easiest step in the deck staining process and will have a dramatic effect on the final results. Wood brighteners are very simple to apply. They help open up the surface of the wood. It will improve penetration and replenish the appearance of old, weathered wood. Most wood brighteners neutralize any stain strippers that were utilized. Wood brighteners can make old wood look brand new again as well. Do not skip using them. You spray them on and wait a few minutes before rinsing them off.

Rinsing

You should use plenty of water after using any cleaning chemicals. Some chemicals seem safe and harmless, but they all need to be rinsed off really well after they are used. These chemicals can resurface over time if they are left in the wood. They can begin to break down the new stain. You should always rinse your deck thoroughly once you are done cleaning.

Applying the Stain

There are numerous ways to apply deck stain. You can use a roller and pump-up garden sprayer. These are two popular methods. However, you should always keep a paint brush around. The stain will be worked deep into the pores of a board by a paint brush. The wood will absorb more stain. You should always use a brush to back brush while the stain is still wet if you are rolling or spraying the stain. There will be better penetration into the wood.