Staining your deck provides fresh color and supply protection from the elements . Learn the steps to maculate a deck for a major style hike .
Deck maculation does more than tally beautiful people of color to your out-of-door space . This coating can also help protect your deck , guarding against damage from water , rotting , stamp , and other annoying problems . fresh built deck should broadly speaking be stained forthwith , andexisting decks require restainingabout every two or three years or at the early signs of wear . Learn how to sully a deck , which you ’ll necessitate to do when drops of water sprinkled on the aerofoil absorb cursorily into the wood . If the water beads on top , your pack of cards staining is likely good for another few months .
You caneasily customize your spacewithdeck stain that best match your panache , with selection ranging from clear finishes to rich , substantial colors . absolved or light - tone finish highlight the rude semblance and figure of the wood with minimum paint , while semi - transparent grunge let you alter the Sir Henry Joseph Wood ’s tone while still provide the grain to show through . Semi - strong and solid stains cover most or all of the wood grain with color and offer the most long - lasting finishing .

Credit: Anthony Masterson
Whatever finish you choose , face for a deck stain and sealant that revolt body of water and bid protection against ultraviolet rays . Exterior wood stains are available in oil - based formulas , which penetrate the Natalie Wood and take longer to dry , and piss - based version that model on top of the surface and dry much quicker . Read the producer ’s teaching carefully to ascertain right lotion .
What You’ll Need
Equipment / Tools
Materials
Instructions
How to Stain a Deck
How much fourth dimension you ’ll take to devote to this projection depends onthe sizing of your deck . Most deck of cards spotting can be done in one weekend , plus a few twenty-four hours of dry time . architectural plan to tarnish your deck of cards when the atmospheric condition is dry and the temperature is between 50 and 90 ° degree Fahrenheit . The stain must be absorbed into the wood before it dry thoroughly , so avoid deck staining in direct sunshine .
Prep for Deck Staining
Before employ any stain or paint , you must prep the pack of cards ’s surface . Use a belt sander or orbital sanderto sand the deck lightly , cultivate in the direction of the wood metric grain . Thoroughly sweep the deck of cards to remove any woods rubble corpuscle .
Mix a mess of deck of cards cleaner allot to the manufacturer ’s directions . Apply it , then scrub with a stiff light touch . ensure to scrub in the management of the Ellen Price Wood food grain to clean the surface thoroughly . Depending on how dirty your pack of cards is , this might be a process you ’ll need to reprise to strip the woodwind instrument wholly .
Power-Wash the Surface
After you ’ve scrubbed your pack of cards , use a powerfulness washerto rinse off the cleansing agent . Use the lover or 40 - degreenozzle , deliberate not to get too close to the Sir Henry Joseph Wood . The heavy , direct water press can damage the deck ’s surface . Allow the pack of cards to dry out altogether , which can take 12 - 24 hours .
If you do n’t have a power washer , you could rent one from your local household melioration store . you’re able to alsouse a garden hosewith a sprayer rig on the jet spray .
Apply Stain on the Deck
Once the pack of cards is completely dry , usepainters tapeto protect your home ’s sidetrack contiguous to the pack of cards . Then use dirt or paint with a rolling wave . Work cautiously to ward off blobs and streaks . discolouration small , 3 - foot - solid sections at a metre , then intermit with the curler and sweep the surface with your great paintbrush . This step eliminates drips and pool and creates a more natural brushstroke . Make deck staining is done along the wood grain .
To make the deck of cards stain procedure gentle , work with a helper . Have one mortal roll on the stain while the other brushes .
Stain the Remaining Details
Use a small paintbrushto stain deck railings , spindles , stairs , dame boards , and other remaining deck of cards parcel . ante up skinny attention to the edge of the boards so you do n’t have brushstrokes that run against the cereal . Let the stain dry for 48 hours before walking on it .
Optional: Seal Your Stained Deck
Most high - character exterior stains mix pigment with a sealer that offers weather - proof protective cover . If you use a simple stain that does n’t protect against water or UV ray , give aclear sealantover the varnished pack of cards . Wait at least 48 hour after staining to ensure the control surface is completely juiceless , and apply one thin coat using the same tumbler pigeon - and - copse proficiency adumbrate above .

Credit: Matthew Clark and Hannah Bigot