This Article we will be going over Supplies & Prep, If you have already done this, here is a link to the Staining & Sealing.
Old Deck? New Deck? Just want to change it's Color? You're in the right place. Staining wood isn't rocket science, but it isn't a walk in the park either. Follow these stupid-easy steps and you'll have a beautifully painted deck or house in no time:
- Supplies
- Prep
- Stain
- Sealing (optional)
It's time to open up the purse or wallet, this is where you will spend the majority of your money. It's some peoples favorite part though because It's probably the easiest of the whole process.
You will need:
- Clean cloth (A Box or a Bag Depending on Size, Alternatively you can use Microfiber towels.
- Garden pump sprayer - 1 gallon+ usually, depending on the size of your deck or siding
- Scraper - Find something wide enough to cover at least a whole board width, or close 4"-6" will do perfectly.
- Scrub brush or power washer
- Ladder - Optional (unless you are doing siding)
- Safety glasses - Rather be Safe then Sorry!
- Rubber gloves - Protect your hands!
- Wood Cleaner - Amount depends on square footage
- Stain Brushes - For the Best Results: High Quality, Soft, Wide, Stain Brushes are great, you can use a roller if you want, just make sure it's high quality, and made for stains.
- Stain - See Our Guide to Choosing The Right Stain to help you pick out the correct stain!
Prep:
Make sure the wood is DRY. We're talking completely dry, Stain that is applied to damp surfaces may not adhere nicely and will crack or peel. Moisture can additionally cause untimely wood erosion, rot or decay. So you may want to make certain the wood is dry before staining it.
* Optional: If you can clearly see pieces or paint and fibers coming off of the surface you don't need to test, but you should still clean the wood before staining
Flakes of old stain or unfastened wooden fibers can cause issues when staining, so they must be eliminated before you begin your project. Fortunately, it is convenient to check for this problem: Just press a piece of household tape firmly against the wood. When you tear it away, look for flakes or fibers. If you see any, you will want to sand, scrape or power wash your wooden surface to get rid of loose particles before you stain. (Always follow manufacturer's directions when the use of a power washer.)
For the best possible results, by no means stain wood that's eroded, decayed, rotted, contaminated, soiled or stained. If you observe any of these problems, you have to both replace the wood or clean it, relying on the problem:
Eroded, rotted and decayed wood have to be replaced
Contaminated, dirty or stained wood can be cleaned
You are Looking for the following 3 things:
Mildew, dirt, soot and different pollution regularly show up as black dots or specks on the surface. So how do you recognize if it is mildew? Just apply a small quantity of clean household bleach to the black areas. If the darkish discoloration lightens quickly, it is mildew (the different pollutants will now not change color).
Fibers become loose on your Deck or Siding when the old layer of stain has begun to break down.
Tannin bleed (which can show up on redwood and cedar) is a reddish-brown discoloration that may additionally make old stain applications appear blotchy or uneven. These blotches can mar the appearance of the new layer of stain you desire to apply over it.
Over time, the surface of wood can become contaminated with a vast range of substances, such as mildew, soot, rust and tannin bleed. Each of these contaminants has its own tell-tale signs—and every one requires a exceptional treatment.
[[wood cleaner links here]]
Wood Cleaners work great, they help brighten, seal, and remove contaminants from wood, think of it as a deep clean for your deck or siding. Always read the directions on the wood cleaners & remember to wear gloves because sometimes they can be nasty!
Remove all Furniture, Grills, Solo Stoves, from your deck, you're going to want a nice wide-open clean surface with nothing in your way.
Next you will want to walk the deck or house and check for "Spots of Interest" which could be severely contaminated, burn marks, large knots, gaps, areas which are peeling. Take note of these spots because they will require the most work to prep.
Optional: (for previously stained decks & siding): Now you will want to get out your trusty scraper or STIHL power washer and scrape away large peeling areas of previous stain. You may have to scrape off ash, soils, molds. Start scraping from one end, and go board by board, scrape the same direction every time to make cleaning up easier.
Alright, Now you are ready to clean the wood. Remember what we said above, to keep the wood dry? Well this project might take awhile because this involves getting the deck or siding wet. Mix up the cleaning solution and get your brush. You're going to want to read the directions on your wood cleaning solution. (it varies brand by brand)
Use a scrub brush to scrub the solution into "areas of interest" this will help give it a nice deep clean. Try to prevent "pooling" of the cleaner, sometimes you don't want too much cleaner solution.
Once this is finished, you're going to have to crack yourself your favorite beverage and hope it doesn't rain, because the deck or siding needs to dry.
