Staining a deck?

[Charles Kozierok]

Seems to be a lot of expertise of various sorts here so I'm hoping maybe someone can give me some advice on this.

I have a new deck that was installed last year, and my understanding is that you are supposed to wait a year before staining it, which would mean this summer. Of course summer is mostly gone and I've been putting this off, but most of the summer was wet and I should still have time to get this done before the weather turns very cold. I've just never done it before.

The deck is made of standard pressure-treated pine (or whatever it is) deck boards and is untreated at the moment. The area where it is installed gets long, cold winters, warm (but not hot) summers and a fair bit of precipitation year-round.

Also, most of the main part of the deck is enclosed and covered, so most of it doesn't get rained/snowed on directly. But there are areas on the outside that do.

Questions:

1. Am I better off doing this now or waiting until next spring?

2. Can anyone recommend a good stain? I've looked around and all products seem to have mixed reviews. I want the best quality stain that will seal the wood and keep it looking good for as long as possible. I don't want anything paint-like that's going to flake off (I dealt with that enough on this deck's predecessor.) The cost of the stain is no object if it's going to reduce how often I need to reapply it.

3. Any tips on how to actually do this? Do I need to sand it? Does it have to be washed or can I just apply it (the wood is mostly quite clean)?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[ControlD]

I'm not sure where you live, but there is a recommended temperature at which to put the stain on the deck. As long as you are going to be in temperature range and the weather looks clear for a few days there is no reason not to do it now assuming the wood is dry (and it should be after a year). So, I would say:

(1) Go ahead and do it now

(2) I have had the best luck with Sherwin Williams stain, and you can get pretty much any color / tint that you want

(3) You don't need to sand it, especially if it is PT wood. I always wash mine before staining. Get some "deck brite" or other oxygen bleach cleaner and a scrub brush on a pole. Spray the cleaner down, scrub it, hose the deck off and wait for a day for it to dry. Get a paint roller and a nice long pole and roll the stain on. Use a wide paint brush to back-brush any over applied areas. For ballisters and hand rails you can use a sprayer if it isn't windy or simply brush on.

 

[bbhaag]

I would go ahead and do it this year. No sense in putting it off one more winter. The weather will still be nice for several more weeks so you have plenty of time.

I installed about 85ft of wooden privacy fence a couple of years ago and used a pump sprayer to apply the stain. It turned out really nice and took no time at all. I used Cabots stain that I got at Home Depot.
Depending on how dirty your decking is you might need to power wash it first before applying the stain.

 

[leftyman]

Swab me deck ye scallywag or you be walking the plank.

Sorry its all the advice I have.

 

[Legios]

Are you actually looking to stain it or seal it with Thompsons? I have done both and staining was by far better but my deck was pushing 10 years old.

Since your deck is new sealing it might be better since the wood is still in good shape and you can keep it that way. I used a can sprayer to apply it and brushed it around since the rail slates were a pain.

Alternately you can stain it and get a different color out of your wood if you want to do that.

 

[Charles Kozierok]

Thanks for the replies.

I'm in Vermont and this place is at high elevation (for the northeast anyway: 2200 feet). Winter starts in early November and goes until April and sometimes beyond. Thus my concern about doing this well.

It's funny, Dave, because there's a Sherwin Williams dealer in town and my first instinct was to just go in there and ask them what to do.

I want whatever is going to make this deck last the longest. But I do want to change the color because it is built in front of a log cabin (brown) and is enclosed by screen panels (also brown, though unfortunately not the same exact shade).

The issue with washing is that this place is off-grid and doesn't have a normal garden setup. I have no garden hose to wash it with -- I'd have to carry buckets. That's why I'm hoping to avoid that step.

 

[Exterous]

As long as you have enough dry days in a row you will be fine.

Since you get long winters (like I do) you will want an oil based stain. It can be more difficult to apply and takes longer to dry but it provides much better wood protection and penetrates the wood better. This is very important if you get snow that can sit on your deck for a while or just generally get harsh weather.

Cabot and Sikkens are both brands I have seen recommended and have used Sikkens myself with good results. Most of the bigger names like Thomsons are mostly (only?) water based which will wear out much faster

I also do the deck by hand to work the oil based stain in with a brush. Takes a while but seems to last longer

I would go ahead and clean it as oil based is more prone to mildew than water based

 

[Juddog]

Any advice as far as warped boards with nails sticking out?

My deck was in this shape when I bought the house; the part exposed to the outside weather is in rough shape, boards seem to have warped, almost all the staining is gone, and some of the nails are sticking out slightly.

I tried hammering the nails back in, but a few days later they popped out slightly again. I'm debating whether i should get a long woodscrew and screw the boards in, where the nails stick out, instead of re-nailing them?

I've been wanting to restain my deck but every few days it rains; it's rained more this summer than any summer I can think of, so the normal cycle of restaining has been a problem:
* Wash with deck cleaning fluid
* powerwash a day later
* stain a day later, let it dry

I can't seem to get past step 1 before out of nowhere a storm appears.

 

[Juddog]

As long as you have enough dry days in a row you will be fine.

Since you get long winters (like I do) you will want an oil based stain. It can be more difficult to apply and takes longer to dry but it provides much better wood protection and penetrates the wood better. This is very important if you get snow that can sit on your deck for a while or just generally get harsh weather.

Cabot and Sikkens are both brands I have seen recommended and have used Sikkens myself with good results. Most of the bigger names like Thomsons are mostly (only?) water based which will wear out much faster

I also do the deck by hand to work the oil based stain in with a brush. Takes a while but seems to last longer

I would go ahead and clean it as oil based is more prone to mildew than water based

Thanks for the advice, I live in a cold climate as well and was wondering about this.

 

[fstime]

Please stay away from any paint from Home Depot/Lowe/Walmart, etc.

Now almost all painters are going to tell you Benjamin Moore. Not a fan of Shermin at all, if you're going to spend that much money, its a no brainer going BM.

I think they do have a quality product but I would prefer California Paint's Storm system for the money ($45/gallon compared to $30)

They are located in New England and make a product designed to handle our rough winters.

Storm also has plenty of deck prep chemicals, you probably just need some kind of wood restorer unless there is mold/mildew growth already where as then you will need a cleaner for that specifically.

http://www.stormsystem.com/

A semi-transparent stain looks the best on a new deck IMO, semi-solids and solids are mostly for old, worn out decks that you would actually want to hide the wood underneath. Unfortunately, semi-transparents have much shorter maintenance cycles. The key is having the deck covered, which you say it is. That will greatly slow down all wear.

 

[Charles Kozierok]

Thanks again. I think we do have a Benjamin Moore dealer as well.

 

[Legios]

Thanks for the replies.

I'm in Vermont and this place is at high elevation (for the northeast anyway: 2200 feet). Winter starts in early November and goes until April and sometimes beyond. Thus my concern about doing this well.

It's funny, Dave, because there's a Sherwin Williams dealer in town and my first instinct was to just go in there and ask them what to do.

I want whatever is going to make this deck last the longest. But I do want to change the color because it is built in front of a log cabin (brown) and is enclosed by screen panels (also brown, though unfortunately not the same exact shade).

The issue with washing is that this place is off-grid and doesn't have a normal garden setup. I have no garden hose to wash it with -- I'd have to carry buckets. That's why I'm hoping to avoid that step.

Do you have a kitchen sink hookup where you could run a hose from that? Generally when you wash it it is with a power washer to blast any grime and mold off. Any green spots? It really shows up well on the ends of the cut boards if you have any.

 

[Exterous]

Any advice as far as warped boards with nails sticking out?

My deck was in this shape when I bought the house; the part exposed to the outside weather is in rough shape, boards seem to have warped, almost all the staining is gone, and some of the nails are sticking out slightly.

I tried hammering the nails back in, but a few days later they popped out slightly again. I'm debating whether i should get a long woodscrew and screw the boards in, where the nails stick out, instead of re-nailing them?

It depends on how warped they are. If a screw (I'd skip nails at this point) can get it back into position then do that, otherwise replace the board

* powerwash a day later

Generally when you wash it it is with a power washer to blast any grime and mold off.

Be careful with a power washer. Different types of wood can withstand different pressures. Too much and you'll etch the wood or dig out soft areas leaving ridges everywhere. The previous owner did this to part of the deck which resulted in a lot of sanding on my part

 

[ControlD]

Be careful with a power washer. Different types of wood can withstand different pressures. Too much and you'll etch the wood or dig out soft areas leaving ridges everywhere. The previous owner did this to part of the deck which resulted in a lot of sanding on my part

That's good advice. I have seen a PT lumber deck completely ruined by power washing. The bad part is you don't see the damage until the deck dries and then it is way too late.

 

[skimple]

Please stay away from any paint from Home Depot/Lowe/Walmart, etc.

Hogwash. Excluding a stain simply because a big-box store carries it is nonsense. The big box stores carry very good stains as well as crappy ones. Cabots was once considered a very "elite" stain, and you can now get it at Lowes. People complained that the formula isn't the same, but the fact that VOCs can't be used anymore is more to blame than the fact that they decided to sell it at Lowes.

Consumer Reports has some good ratings for various manufacturers. No single manufacturer is better in every type of stain or sealer. Different manufacturers have different strengths. So decide what you want and then seek out the best for that particular type.

Before you apply a colored stain, be very sure that this is what you want to do. Once you color the wood, you will always have to color the wood. Stripping the entire deck to get it back to "wood color" is a lot of work and it never looks the same. Expect to refinish or re-apply every few years in your area, depending on the traffic, and the type of stain that you use.

If you don't know for sure the color that you want, I would suggest using a clear sealer for the time being. If you know the color, then you have to decide on transparency. The more opaque, the longer it will last, but the less wood grain that you see. I used a semi-transparent when I built mine, and then a solid color five years later when I had to restain to a different color. Now that I am using solid, I can't really ever go back to semi-transparent.

 

[Charles Kozierok]

Aren't the solid colors the ones that start to flake off, though? I *really* want to avoid that, as it means the deck pretty much always looks awful and I can never properly get it to look even again.

I am not sure a power washer would work up there. I have one, and I think the inverter could handle it, but we have very low water pressure. (Hand-dug well.)

Appreciate the advice on color. I'd consider leaving it natural but everything around it is stained/painted brown, so it looks odd.

 

[ControlD]

Aren't the solid colors the ones that start to flake off, though? I *really* want to avoid that, as it means the deck pretty much always looks awful and I can never properly get it to look even again.

They ALL flake off with enough exposure to sunlight IME, but I imagine oil based stains take a little longer. That's another reason to get a quality stain from an actual paint store. You can have them mix the exact same stain color for you when you need to put another coat on in a couple of years. I bought my first stain at Lowes. It looked great, but when I needed to stain it again a couple of years later they no longer carried the same brand or color. I had to go to a semi-solid stain to cover up the old.

If your deck doesn't get a bunch of sunlight your stain will last much longer than mine. The small areas I have that don't get direct sun really don't need to be stained very often, I just do it to keep the color matched.

 

[fstime]

Consumer Reports has some good ratings for various manufacturers. No single manufacturer is better in every type of stain or sealer. Different manufacturers have different strengths. So decide what you want and then seek out the best for that particular type.

Consumer reports is hogwash. I remember a few years ago they had Behr paint rated #1. Your average consumer is a moron, especially the DIY homeowner type who has no idea what they are doing or what to look for in a good product.

A semi-transparent will fade instead of flaking, but even with a solid, it if it prepped really well and a good product is used, it shouldn't peel either and also fade in high traffic areas. But like I said before, I wouldnt put a solid on nice new wood. You should enjoy the woods texture and grain while it is new.

 

[skimple]

Consumer reports is hogwash.

They've rated California Paints as the highest before, which is the same as what you recommended.

So you're saying that someone who rates things the same as you shouldn't be trusted?

 

[Vdubchaos]

1. Am I better off doing this now or waiting until next spring?

A: Doesn't really matter if you do it now or 10 years from now. Pressure treated wood will last many MANY years. I stained my porch after 15 years and after power washing it, it looked BRAND NEW. I almost felt like not even staining it after the power wash. Make sure you powerwash it, it should like new when done.

2. Can anyone recommend a good stain? I've looked around and all products seem to have mixed reviews. I want the best quality stain that will seal the wood and keep it looking good for as long as possible. I don't want anything paint-like that's going to flake off (I dealt with that enough on this deck's predecessor.) The cost of the stain is no object if it's going to reduce how often I need to reapply it.

A: go with OIL BASE!!! Ben Moore or Sherwin Williams (I prefer Ben Moore). I had good luck with Behrs premium "10 year" oil base and 4 years later it still looks great BUT would still recommend Ben Moore (and will go with them next time). They specialize in it! Just remember, OIL BASE!!!

3. Any tips on how to actually do this? Do I need to sand it? Does it have to be washed or can I just apply it (the wood is mostly quite clean)?

A: Pressure wash it. Let it dry well and sand if needed (run your hand over it to see how rough it is).Use roller to spread stain easily, use brush to get the stain in. I used 2 coats for "shits and giggles" and didn't even bother using the brush as roller did a great job. PS. I used THICK roller 1/2" I believe (not a crappy foam one either......spend your money on a good wool one)

 

[Vdubchaos]

rates things the same as you shouldn't be trusted?

CR has a LONG history of accepting donations that influence their "studies".

ANY of these "review" companies that accept donations makes their opinion worthless (TO ME ANYWAYS).

Same applies to JD Power.

Companies spend MILLIONS on influencing these rating agencies.

 

[Juddog]

Questions for the staining experts on timing, and I appreciate the advice given so far:

a) how much time between initial wash and pressure wash is needed? I watched some youtube videos and they seem to state anywhere between 4 hours and a day.
b) how much time between pressure washing and sanding is required, if you need to sand?
c) how much time between pressure washing and actual staining?
d) how much time between multiple layers of staining, such as in the case of Vdubchaos above?

 

[ControlD]

Questions for the staining experts on timing, and I appreciate the advice given so far:

a) how much time between initial wash and pressure wash is needed? I watched some youtube videos and they seem to state anywhere between 4 hours and a day.
b) how much time between pressure washing and sanding is required, if you need to sand?
c) how much time between pressure washing and actual staining?
d) how much time between multiple layers of staining, such as in the case of Vdubchaos above?

If you are buying normal PT lumber suitable for decking projects I can't see a reason why it would ever need to be sanded. Sanding PT lumber is a hazardous operation anyhow, so just skip that part. If you have rough cut lumber then you need to sand it. If you are using non PT lumber then I suppose there could be sanding involved, but even when we used cedar decking boards they were nice and smooth.

I have never needed to power wash my deck, but after cleaning it I always wait a day and then do a small test. Take a little stain (or sealer if you are simply sealing) and a brush and paint some on a small area of the deck. If the stain soaks into the wood you are good to go. If it puddles up and just lays there then the wood is too wet.

When I did multiple coats (first time only) I waited a day between coats.

 

[Juddog]

If you are buying normal PT lumber suitable for decking projects I can't see a reason why it would ever need to be sanded. Sanding PT lumber is a hazardous operation anyhow, so just skip that part. If you have rough cut lumber then you need to sand it.

I have never needed to power wash my deck, but after cleaning it I always wait a day and then do a small test. Take a little stain (or sealer if you are simply sealing) and a brush and paint some on a small area of the deck. If the stain soaks into the wood you are good to go. If it puddles up and just lays there then the wood is too wet.

When I did multiple coats (first time only) I waited a day between coats.

Ah ok thanks for the advice. I purchased my house last year, and the deck came with it; I'm not familiar with the process to build a deck, or what type of wood was used. The wood used is generally very smooth already, except for the part that is exposed to the elements (one part is under a roof, and one part sticks out - the part that sticks out is the part that was generally beat upon the hardest).

I'll focus on getting the wood screwed down that is loose and try to get it done ASAP, but I also have to fix the gutter by it as well, since right now that is dumping rainwater directly onto the deck during a heavy rain / downpour, which I think is wearing it out faster than it should be getting worn out.

 

[ControlD]

Ah ok thanks for the advice. I purchased my house last year, and the deck came with it; I'm not familiar with the process to build a deck, or what type of wood was used. The wood used is generally very smooth already, except for the part that is exposed to the elements (one part is under a roof, and one part sticks out - the part that sticks out is the part that was generally beat upon the hardest).

Ah, existing deck. I was thinking more of a new deck. When we repaired the deck on my parent's summer place we simply cut out any boards that seemed beyond repair. If the decking is rough from old stain peeling up then you might want to sand / powerwash that stuff off. If the wood is splintering from old age you would probably be better served putting new boards down. Some cracking and splitting is fine though and will happen if there is a lot of sunlight involved.