How to Stain a Wooden Deck

Enhance and protect your outdoor design by learning how to stain a deck with these simple steps using deck stain.

First Steps

When staining your deck, first make sure it is clean and dry. That means staining as soon as possible after your deck is complete to prevent dust and dirt from accumulating on the surface.

Maintenance

Even the best staining jobs require periodic refinishing, about every two or three years. To keep your deck looking great, it is best to refinish at the earliest signs of wear. ABOUT

The biggest challenge for re-staining a deck is to make sure it’s clean. Sweep it thoroughly and use a screwdriver to clean out debris from between decking boards and butt joints. Clean obvious grease spills with a TSP solution. westchesterpainters.net

Apply a quality deck cleaner according to the manufacturer’s directions. Thoroughly rinse the surface with a garden hose and high-pressure nozzle attachment. Pressure-washing isn’t recommended — linger too long in one spot or use too high of a pressure setting and you’re likely to damage boards. Once the deck is thoroughly dry, sand down any fuzzy spots with 80-grit sandpaper, and sweep up residual dust. Then apply fresh stain. You can change colors by going darker, but lightening up won’t work.