If you want to know How to stain a deck and eliminate the dreaded 6 month peeling or fading , then this guide is going to be the most exciting thing you read all week…
Because in this guide, I hold nothing back…
I reveal everything you need to know about how to stain a deck…
And what’s even more exciting is that I break it down step by step so absolutely anybody can do it…
I make it sooo easy for you…
The thing is, because it’s your deck, you’ll care more than anybody else ever could…
You could pay them thousands of dollars to stain your deck for you and they still won’t put in as much effort or care that you will…
It’s true…
So, if you follow along with my steps by step guide and you bring that deep desire that only you have…
You’ll have the best looking deck that lasts through the daily onslaught of kids and dogs and sun and rain…
And the best part…
You’ll know your deck will be stained the right way…
But before we get to staining your deck, we need to make sure you have the right tools for the job…
That’s why we start with…
The best deck staining tools…
I’ll be honest with you, there’s so many different types of deck staining tools on the market that it can get a little confusing…
You’ve got the lambs wool applicator…
You’ve got the pad applicator…
You can use a mop…
You can even use a paint roller…
You can even stain your deck with a sprayer…
The thing is, all of these applicators will get the job done…
But none of these deck staining tools will give you that professional finish that you’re after…
I’ll tell you what…
How about I just cut to the chase and list out exactly what tools you need to stain your deck…
Deal?
Ok, let’s do it…
Deck Staining Tools
- Deck Stain Bucket
- Deck brush applicator
- Paint brush
- Knee pads
- Paint stirrer
Materials
- Deck Stain
- Rags
- Drop cloth
That’s all the tools you need for staining a deck…
But if you stick with me, I’ll show you the deck staining tools that I personally use…
Deck Stain Bucket
Let’s get straight to the point…
You’ll need a deck stain bucket like this:
A bucket like this is made specifically for the job.
It is deep so you can dip your brush in without spilling it all over your decking.
It also has the board to remove any excess oil or stain.
You’ll need this bucket if you use the applicator that I recommend…
Deck Brush Applicator
Don’t waste your time with a roller, spray bottle, lambswool applicator or even a mop…
Go straight to what the professionals use, a Brush Applicator:
An applicator like this forces the stain deeper into the surface of your boards. It also allows you to get down the sides between each board.
But the reason I love to use it is the ability to apply the brush on, brush off technique.
You apply the stain by brushing forward and then remove any excess stain by brushing backwards or off to avoid any build up or pooling of your stain.
Thick pools of stain don’t give extra protection. Build up, doesn’t absorb into the surface properly and easily peels off.
You want to only apply as much stain as your deck can absorb then remove the rest.
That’s what the Deck Brush Applicator is great for…
A Quality Stain
With so many different types of stain on the market, it can be very confusing knowing which one to choose…
If you really want to know which decking stain is the best, then click the blue link and I’ll take you to my guide on choosing the right stain for you…
I’ve laid out a dead simple process that you easily follow and work out which one will look great on your deck before you commit to buying anything…
If you already have a stain, keep reading if not, click that blue link above…
What else do you need to stain a deck?
You’ll also need a paint brush to cut in around the edges and a bag of rags to wipe off any drips or over cutting.
And maybe some knee pads if you’ve got a lot of cutting in to do…
That should be all you need to get a professional looking stain finish on your deck.
Now we’re ready for the actual technique of staining a deck…
How to Stain a Deck in 5 Easy Steps…
- Prep your deck…
- Scrub and clean your deck cleaner followed with a brightener…
- Cut in with deck stain…
- Use the Brush on, Brush off Technique to stain your deck…
- Apply 2 to 3 coats of deck stain…
Follow along with these 5 easy steps and you’ll be fine…
You can do this…
All you need to do is start at step 1 and follow along…
Let’s get into it…
1. Prep your deck…
Make sure your deck is sanded properly and smoothed off with 80 grit sandpaper…
Anything that is on the surface of your deck will show through once you stain it so make sure you’ve removed any old stains and paints from the surface of your deck before you stain it…
You can read my guide on sanding your decking…
Click the blue link above to find out how…
2. Scrub and clean your deck cleaner followed with a brightener…
Scrubbing your deck with a deck cleaner is critically important…
If you think you can get away with a bucket of dish soap and a quick hose down, you’ve got another thing coming…
If you have any type of mould or contaminants growing in the grain of your wood deck, then dish soap ain’t gonna cut it…
You’ll stain right over them and trap them underneath your deck stain…
You’ll know you have a nasty stain destroying mould trapped under your stain when you see something like this…
But if you stain your deck with a solid stain, you won’t see this ugly black streaks ruining you stain…
No, but your deck stain will peel off and you’ll have no idea why…
Trust me, it’s best to always scrub and clean your deck with a deck cleaner…
Because, wouldn’t ya know it…
The right deck cleaner will actually kill any mould that’s lurking on your deck…
Never skip this step!!
The downside is, a deck cleaner will actually turn your deck a dark dull colour…
That’s why I say you always need to follow up a deck cleaner with a deck brightener…
The brightener will brighten your deck and bring back the natural colour…
If this seems like a lot of work, think about how much work it will be if you have to strip your deck off and start again just because you didn’t want to clean it properly…
And, if I’m being honest, it’s not that hard…
The process you use to clean your deck is the exact same process you use to brighten your deck…
So with that said, here’s what you need to do…
Mix the cleaner into a bucket and dilute with water at a ratio of 1 part deck cleaner to 4 parts water…
Or follow the dilution instructions on the back of the container…
Then use a deck scrub brush and work the deck cleaner into the deck boards…
Leave for 15 minutes then rinse off with a pressure cleaner…
Actually, you can clean your deck even if you don’t have a pressure washer…
But whether you use a pressure washer or not, you need to wait 24 to 48 hours to ensure your deck boards are completely dry before you apply the deck stain…
That’s pretty much all their is to it…
The next step is to do this exact same process with a deck brightener…
It is literally the exact same steps as the deck cleaner…
If you want a full, in-depth breakdown on the deck cleaning process, click here…
Now that your deck is nice and clean, make sure you never apply deck oils or stains if there’s any moisture in the decking boards…
Always wait for the deck to be completely dry or the moisture will get trapped under the new stain and cause it to peel off or fade quickly…
Once your deck is dry…
3. Now it’s time to cut in with the deck stain…
Start by cutting in the boards that are touching your home or any other surface…
WARNING!!
Never cut in a board without staining that whole board…
In other words, if you cut in a decking board, you now need to stain that whole board before you move onto another board…
The best way to do it is to cut in 2 boards at a time and then oil those 2 boards completely with the deck brush before you move onto the next 2…
Make sense?
If you cut in a bunch of boards at the one time then come back to stain them, you’ll get nasty looking lap marks
Don’t do it…
I’m serious…
I’ve had employees go through training with me and get shown how to do it properly…
Then when I’m there they stain the deck 2 boards at a time but when I leave they cut in the remainder of the boards and leave nasty lap marks…
Let’s just say that these guys don’t work for me anymore…
This is your deck and you have to look at it every day…
Trust me when I say that you must only cut in 2 boards at a time and stain those boards completely along their full length straight away…
Then move onto the next 2 boards…
You’ll get a perfect finish like this…
Take your time and do it right…
People won’t believe you could get your deck stain so flawless…
Trust me…
4. Use the brush on Brush Off Technique to stain your deck…
One of the problems with deck stains that peel off is because the stain has been put on too thick…
That’s why I always use a deck applicator and I use the “Brush on, Brush off Technique”…
This is where you apply the stain to the deck board by brushing it on…
Then you “brush off” by pulling the applicator back towards you to remove any excess stain…
It’s best to work the stain evenly into the surface of the deck by brushing on and off in little sections until the whole board is done…
Remember, you do 2 boards at the same time
Then once your 2 boards are completely stained, make sure you finish by brushing off along the whole length of the boards…
5. Apply 2 to 3 coats of deck stain…
Once your stain is dry, go back and apply a second coat exactly the same way you did the first…
After you’ve done that, your decking will look fantastic…
The second coat of stain really makes a difference…
But I wouldn’t stop there…
I’ve found that a deck with only 2 coats of stain will only last 6 to 12 months if you’re lucky…
That’s why I always recommend applying a 3rd coat of stain…
It will look the same as 2 coats but will last 18 months…
Remember to clean and recoat at 12 months before any peeling or fading occurs…
Make sure you always stain your deck the exact way I’ve described above…
If you cheat on any coat, you’ll see it…
And that my fine friend, is how to stain a deck…
But I’m sure you still might have a bunch of questions about deck stains and oils, so that’s what the rest of this guide is about…
Hope you find some value here…
Let’s get into it…
Is oil or water based deck stain better?
About 10 years ago, I’d have to say that oil based deck stains were better than water based, but today that’s not the case.
Water based deck stains have come a long way. Now the choice is more about your preference rather than which one is better.
Oil and water will have a different look to the finished surface, that’s why I say it becomes a preference to what you like.
They both protect your deck very well, but do a slightly different job.
Oil is supposed to absorb deeper into the boards so will last a little longer whereas, water based deck stain absorbs into the boards but also forms a protective film on the surface which provides better protection from the rain.
Another factor to which oil you should choose comes down to where you live, the type of weather and the time of year you’ll be staining your decking in.
I live in Melbourne Australia and our weather can be hot and sunny then an hour later be cold and raining. That’s why I always recommend a water based deck stain to my clients.
Depending on the product, water-based can be dry and recoated between 1 to 4 hours. Which means, if the weather turns bad after you oil your deck, it won’t ruin the finish.
Whereas, oil based products take at least 24 hours to dry.
If you live in an area that will be wet during the night or could possibly rain, your fresh oil coating will be ruined.
That’s the main reason why I recommend water based over oil.
Can you put water based deck stain over oil based deck stain?
Ahhhh, no…
Never put a water based stain over an oil based stain. The rule is, Oil over oil and water over water.
This doesn’t mean you can put a completely different water based product on top of your old water based deck stain.
To make this simple, when recoating your deck, always use the same product as last time.
Same brand and same product…
Different brands and products aren’t made to work together so coating one on top of the other may not turn out too well.
Likewise with water based and oil based decking products. You could end up with a coating that doesn’t stick to the old coating and a deck that is peeling and bubbling within a couple of months.
If you don’t know what product you currently have or you want to change the look of your deck, strip it back and start again.
Don’t put water based stain on top of oil based and vice versa.
Do I need to remove old stain before restaining a deck?
This all depends on the condition of your deck stain.
If it’s in good condition and you’re applying your annual maintenance coat, then no… you don’t need to remove the old stain.
But if your deck is faded or peeling off, then yes… remove the old stain first.
Any oil or stain you put on an old worn out coating will not hide the damage. You won’t get the finish you’re after.
Not only that…
Your fresh top coat won’t stick to the old stain all that well and it could possibly peel off within a couple of months.
So if it’s been a few years since your last coat and your decking is looking a little shabby, don’t oil on top of it. Strip it back and start again. Then keep on top of your annual clean and recoat.
Do I have to sand my deck before staining?
Again… it all depends on the condition of your deck.
If your deck is in great condition and you’re applying your annual maintenance re-coat, then no, you won’t have to sand your deck before you stain it.
If you have a peeling or worn out coating then yes, sand it back before you stain it.
Now you might be thinking, but Jason, my deck has never been coated; it’s just grey from the weather.
Well in that case, here’s what you should do…
Scrub your deck with a power wash and pressure clean your deck. Then follow up with a deck brightener and a power wash again.
Now your deck is stripped back and ready to go, do you need to sand it?
Yes…
But only a light sand.
After you pressure clean your deck it will have raised fibres that need to be sanded off. But don’t worry, this is really easy to remove.
Use an orbital sander with 80 grit sanding discs and give your deck a quick once over to remove the “Furr” then you’re good to stain or oil.
Do I need to pressure wash my deck before staining?
Well… you do need to wash your deck before staining but you don’t necessarily need to power wash it.
If you have a power cleaner then by all means, power wash before you stain, but if you don’t have a power washing machine here’s what you can do instead…
Scrub your deck with a deck brightener and allow it to sit for around 20 minutes, but don’t let it dry on the surface.
Spray a light mist of water on the surface to keep the deck cleaner wet.
After 20 minutes, use a garden hose with a spray nozzle similar to this… and simply hose the cleaner off your deck.
Make sure you get it all off and hose down your garden and grass after you’re done.
After 24 hours or once your deck has dried properly, you’re good to apply your deck stain.
Should I use a deck brush or lambswool applicator to stain my deck?
You should always use a deck brush to stain your deck…
Never use a lambswool applicator or paint roller…
What you have to remember about deck oils and stains is that they are not paint. You don’t want to cover your deck in thick coats.
The idea is to apply a good amount of stain but only what the deck needs. You do this by brushing the stain on then brushing it off again.
The best tool for the job is a Deck Brush Applicator. It allows you to brush the stain on then brush off the excess, leaving a thin even layer of stain on the deck.
The bristles on the brush also allow you to stain down between the boards, not just the surface.
I would never recommend using a roller to apply your deck stain. Your coats will be way too thick and eventually peel off.
If you use a roller to stain your deck, you’ll also get a paint-like finish to your decking…
Don’t use a roller, a lambswool applicator or a mop to finish your deck…
Always go with the deck brush.
Will pressure washing remove deck stain?
A deck stain that is in good condition will not be removed by pressure washing
If you pressure wash your deck and the stain comes off, it needs to come off.
With that said, if you use a petrol washer with the powerful stripping tips, you could cause some damage. You just need to make sure you’re using the right head.
You’re only cleaning, not stripping so stick with the 45 degree tip and you’ll be fine.
If you use a cheaper electric unit, your deck stain will be safe.
But remember this, if you use the right tips or you use a lower pressure electric unit and your stain comes off, it is coming off pretty soon anyway.
You don’t want to paint a decking that is peeling off…
So if it comes off, it was ready to.
How long after you power wash a deck can you stain it?
To make this simple, after you power wash a deck, you need it to be completely dry before you stain it.
How long is that?
Until it’s dry.
Ok, I’m just messing with you…
There’s a few conditions that affect the time you need to wait after pressure cleaning your deck.
The first is the weather…
If you’re in the middle of summer and the sun is blasting down on your deck, then it could be dry in 4 hours…
If you’re in the middle of winter and it’s not raining but it’s cold, it could take 48 hours for your deck to dry properly.
A good guide is to wait 24 hours after you power wash your deck before you stain it.
Wash it down, come back 24 hours later and have a look at your deck. Check the corners and joints. That’s where a lot of the water will soak in and remain wet for longer.
If you want to speed up the process a little, you can sweep any excess water off from your deck after you power wash it. This can actually speed up the drying quite a bit.
If you come back 24 hours later and it’s all dry except 1 or 2 spots, you could also use a blower or heat gun to help dry it out.
Now remember I said there were a couple of factors that affect how long you must wait?
Well the second factor is…
The surface condition of your deck.
By that I mean, if your deck has no coating on the surface the water will soak in and take longer to dry.
Still, it should be dry in 24 hours.
But if your deck is already stained and you’re applying a maintenance coat, the water will most likely sit on the surface.
You’ll be able to wipe it off then come back in a few hours and it could be ready to stain.
My advice, don’t rush it, take your time and allow your deck to dry properly.
What happens if it rains after I stain my deck?
If there’s a chance of rain, don’t stain your deck.
If it rains after you stain your deck, the water will leave blotchy marks all over your deck.
You’ll have to remove the stain and start again.
If it rains and your deck looks normal, well then, you should be fine. It means your stain had enough time to dry before the rain came.
If you live in an area that has weird crazy weather, like I do, then you should look at using a water based deck stain.
Water based stains have a drying time between 1 to 4 hours. This means if you stain your deck and it rains a couple of hours later, you’ll be safe.
The oil based stains on the other hand, need 24 hours to dry and won’t fare quite so well in the rain.
If it’s forecast to rain, schedule the deck staining for another day.
Should you stain the underside of a deck?
If you are in the process of building a new deck, it could be beneficial to stain the underside of the deck. It will give it extra protection from water soaking up through the bottom of the boards and help with cupping.
If your deck has already been built, it wouldn’t be worth lifting all of the boards to stain the underside.
Staining the underside of your deck boards could help but it’s not guaranteed. I’ve worked on decks that have 2 coats of oil or stain on the underside and they have still warped and cupped in the weather.
So if you have the time and the opportunity to do so, go ahead, stain the underside.
It can’t hurt.
But, just because you did go to the effort to coat it, doesn’t mean you’re protected.
The weather does strange things to timber.
Why is my newly stained deck sticky?
The reason your newly stained decking is sticky is because the stain hasn’t cured properly yet.
It could also be because the coating has been applied too thick.
It’s best to apply 2 or 3 thin coats of stain instead of thick coats.
Thick coats don’t have a chance to absorb into the surface properly before they dry.
How long does deck stain stay sticky?
It takes up to 7 days for the deck stain to fully cure, after that time, it shouldn’t be sticky anymore.
If you apply thinner coats of stain, you may find that the decking is only sticky for a day or 2. It’s still a good idea to keep furniture or heavy traffic off your deck for at least 7 days to allow it to cure properly.
How long should you wait to put on a second coat of stain on a deck?
The time you should wait before you apply a second coat of stain all depends on the recommendation from the supplier.
Check the directions on the back of the can.
That’s the first thing you should do.
But if you just want a general idea of how long you should wait before applying a second coat then here it is…
The recoat time for Water based stain is generally between 1 hour to 4 hours depending on the product.
The recommended recoat time for oil based deck stain is 24 hours.
These times can also be affected by the temperature and exposure to the sun.
If you stick to the direction on the can, you can’t go wrong.
How many coats of deck stain should I use?
If you’re using a water based deck stain, the minimum number of coats you should put on a deck is 2. That’s the absolute minimum.
These days, I recommend a minimum of 3 coats.
When you have a deck that is exposed to the sun and rain, 2 coats will only last for 6 to 9 months before it fades or peels.
3 coats of stain will easily keep your deck looking great for at least 12 months at which time, you’d give your deck a clean and re-coat.
That’s how you keep your deck looking great for years to come.
Now, if you wanna get all fancy and apply a good ol’ fashioned oil based deck stain, then you won’t be applying 3 coats of deck stain at all…
If you do, the results could be catastrophic!!
Look, there’s so many things that determine the number of coats you should apply and I can’t honestly go into all of them here in this guide…
That would blow this guide out to over 5 thousands words and it’s already too long!!
So if you want know how many coats you should apply, click this link here and I’ll show you everything you need to know…
Moving on…
How long should deck stain dry before walking on it?
You should wait at least 24 hours for a deck stain to dry before walking on it. That’s the general rule, but if you’re using a water-based deck stain you could walk on it a couple hours after you stain it.
Each product will have its own recommendations on the tin but I say stay off it for as long as you can.
If you have to walk on it, tread carefully and maybe even take your shoes off for the first couple of days.
Most deck oil companies will recommend that you can walk on the deck after 24 hours but don’t put any furniture on the deck for at least 7 days.
It takes 7 days for the satin to fully cure. If you put furniture on your deck within the first 7 days, you’ll most likely scratch the surface which causes weak points for the sun and rain to get under your stain.
You’ll get grey and faded swirl marks wherever the scratches are. It’s not pretty.
How long should deck stain last?
This is a tricky one…
I’ve seen deck stain last a couple of years or a couple of months.
It all depends on how you prepare your deck, how much it is exposed to the weather, how much traffic it gets or even how many coats you put on.
I’ve seen a deck stain break down in sections 6 months after it was coated because the owner didn’t wait 7 delays before they put furniture back on the deck. They scratched the surface which allowed the weather to get in under the stain and left grey swirls marks on one section of the deck.
The rest of the deck stayed perfect.
Here’s how I look at it…
If your deck is exposed to the weather and you prepare your deck properly but you give it 1 coat of stain, you’ll get 3 months before it fades.
If you give it 2 coats, you’ll get 6 to 9 months.
And if you give it 3 coats, you’ll get 12 months plus.
That’s why I always recommend giving your deck at least 3 coats of oil or deck stain.
You’ll get to 12 months, then you give it a clean and recoat before it turns to ish.
The maintenance clean and recoat is the key to a long lasting deck.
Well there you have it…
But before you go…
I’ve got something you need to see…
Staining your deck is not a hard thing to do, but it is a step by step process…
And you need to do it the right way…
Because there’s so many thing you can do that will cause your deck stain to peel off…
And let’s be honest, you don’t want to be doing this again any time soon…
So if you want to make sure that you’re staining your deck the right way, you should check out my latest book…
It’s all about the mistakes people make that cause their deck stain to peel off within the first 6 months…
The whole idea of this book is to show you what not to do, so you don’t make the mistakes…
Staining your deck the right way is more about what you didn’t do just as much as what you did do…
So I simply tell you, if your deck looks like this, don’t stain it…
Or if you see this, don’t stain your deck until you do this…
It’s t really that simple…
So, if you don’t want your deck stain to peel off because of some silly mistake, grab yourself a copy of the guide by clicking this link here and I’ll tell you everything you need to know…
That’s all I’ve got for you right now on staining a deck.
If there’s something that you want to know that I haven’t covered here, then leave me a comment below and I’ll see if I can help you.
I thank you for taking the time to read my guide.
I wish you all the best with your deck restoration.
Sincerely,
Jason
Need some Expert Advice?
If you’ve been searching the internet trying to find an answer to a specific deck problem and you’ve found it impossible to get a straight answer…
Why not just reach out and ask me directly for an answer?
I’ve got 10 years of deck knowledge crammed into my noggin. I can pretty much guarantee I’ve got an answer to your problem just rattling around in there…
Come on, don’t be shy…
FAQ’s
The best way to apply stain to a deck is to apply 1 to 3 thin coats of stain with a Deck Brush Applicator and a paint brush. Apply each coat by using the brush on, brush off technique…
2 coats of stain is the minimum you should put on a deck unless you’re using an oil based deck stain. I recommend putting 2 to 3 coats of stain on your deck for water based and 1 to 2 coats if you’re using oil based stain…
The best way to prepare your deck before staining is to remove all dirt and grime by scrubbing with a deck cleaner and washing down with a pressure washer. If the old stain is peeling then you should sand it off before you stain your deck…
It is always better to use a deck brush rather than a paint roller. The deck brush allows you to apply the right amount of deck stain to your deck…
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