Nothing is more critical to the appearance of your patio than a clean, well-maintained deck. Restaining your deck should be a regular activity. Dryness, spores and mildew can damage a deck quickly, so a regular staining and weatherproofing habit will keep your deck beautiful for years to come.
Now, even though staining a deck is easy, it does take time. Plan ahead, be patient, do all the required steps and wait for products to take effect or to dry properly. But with this easy process, all you need to do is follow the steps, and your deck will be ready in time for summer barbecues.
1. Plan ahead
Cleaning, stripping and restaining your deck can take a few days spread over a couple of weekends. What you need to plan for is mostly weather-related. You can’t clean or dry a newly-stained deck in a rainstorm. You need sunny, but not too hot, weather.You should also make sure you have everything you need — in large enough quantities — to take care of the entire deck. The results will be far less impressive if you had to stain the deck in two tries because you ran out of supplies.
Here’s what you’ll need. Start with a pressure washer, and you’ll need wood cleaner to get the process really going. If you have old, tough stains, it’s necessary to have a stripping agent. In addition to stain, you may use wood brightener, and get some brushes and rolls to put everything on.
2. Inspect your deck first
Before you start cleaning and restaining your deck, give it a thorough visual and structural inspection. A nicely stained deck doesn’t do any good if it’s not safe to stand on.
Look at the support beams, posts and the area where the deck meets the house. Check for mildew and rot with a tool, such as a screwdriver. If you can easily push the screwdriver in the wood, you should consider renovating your deck before doing anything else.
If you deem your deck safe, you can start a visual inspection. Here, you want to re-hammer popped nails or replace them with screws if necessary, and replace damaged boards. Keep an eye out for split wood, which could easily cause painful splinters.
3. Wash the deck
So your deck is safe, all nails are popped in, replacement boards are installed and splints have been sanded down. Excellent. You can now wash your deck.Cover your plants near the deck, so if they’re splashed by the solution it won’t hurt them. Use proper protection equipment so the chemicals don’t hurt your skin.
Begin by working the cleaner into the wood with a stiff-bristled brush. This will ensure that the cleaner makes it through the top fibers and clean deeper than just the surface. Leave the cleaner to set before rinsing it off with a pressure washer and fan nozzle. The pressure washer is optional, but does a good job really fast and can be rented for a decent price. When this is done, just leave it to dry.
If you still have stubborn stains after washing, use a stain stripper where necessary. Again, follow the instructions and then rinse it off.
4. Apply a brightener
Applying a brightener is actually a step most homeowners skip, but you shouldn’t. This removes any stain stripper left on the deck, opens up the wood fibers so the stain can more easily penetrate it and makes old wood look like new.Brighteners take a few minutes to apply and rinse off, so you can do it one evening after work before you apply stain.
5. It’s time to stain
Choosing the right stain for your deck is important. New decks only need a transparent stain, but older decks can use the extra pigment and protection that come from semitransparent stains. Whichever you choose, go for a water-based stain rather than oil-based; they’re better for the environment, less prone to mold and mildew and easier to clean.
There are many techniques for applying the stain. Some professionals swear by the old brush techniques, while others prefer spraying and brushing afterwards. Rolls seem like a good idea, but they can spread stain too thickly or push it down between the boards, which is a bit wasteful. If puddles form, push them off with a brush so it doesn’t look blotchy once dry.
If your wood is older, plan for two or three times the amount recommended on the can. Always apply an extra coat while the first one isn’t dry yet.
Don’t buy the cheap stuff. Spend a little more money for better long-term protection and a more professional look. Always follow the instructions on the can, as well — this isn’t a time to improvise. Wear proper protective gear at all times when staining.
