Why Use a Wood Deck Brightener  4.8/5 (45)

This post was updated on February 25, 2024

Why Use a Wood Deck Brightener

Deckstainhelp.com remains committed to being your number one reference for deck restoration professional tips and industry news. For a beautifully stained wood deck that remains beautiful throughout the season and beyond, we strongly recommend a high-quality wood deck brightener following a cleaner or stripper. As always, we appreciate your input, so feel free to leave a comment below.


Deck Brightener Before AfterWood deck maintenance is important to the lifespan of any deck. Proper cleaning and staining are necessary on a regular basis to protect the deck from a harsh environment. Prior to staining the surface needs a good cleaning. A clean surface will ensure proper adhesion and stain penetration. Cleaning a wood surface prior to staining will also enhance the beauty of the wood and give you a better end result.

There are several necessary steps in the wood cleaning process to prepare the surface for a new coat of stain. The first step is to clean the wood with a quality wood cleaner to remove all the dirt, grime, mold, mildew, graying, and mill glaze. The aid of a deck cleaner will help break up and remove these contaminants that may prevent the new stain from performing.

Most all quality deck cleaners contain caustic soaps that make cleaning a deck both easier and more effective. The downside to a caustic cleaner is that raises the pH level of the wood and makes it appear very dark in color. Let’s explore some reasons why this is not ideal if not dealt with and how using a deck brightener can restore the wood.

  1. Deck stains adhere and penetrate the wood better that is more acidic. So when the wood is left with a high pH balance the stain will not penetrate or perform as well as it should. This jeopardizes the longevity of the stain-causing more frequent maintenance and costing you more money.
  2. The increased pH level also darkens the wood which can affect the overall appearance of the deck even after it is stained.

The way this phenomenon is reversed is to simply apply a neutralizing acid to the wood after cleaning it. This mild acid formula known as deck brightener or deck neutralizer cancels the condition of the caustic soaps and restores the wood’s pH balance to a more neutral or acidic state. This also “brightens” the wood and enhances the wood grain. Once the wood brightener has done its job it can be rinsed off and your prep work is complete.

This two-step cleaning and deck brightening process is the same one used by professional deck cleaners and can give you similar results. It enhances the beauty of your wood deck and ensures you get maximum protection and lasting results from your deck stain.

How To Brighten A Deck Video – DeckStainHelp.com

Have a Question on Brightening Wood? Ask Below


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author avatar
Scott Paul ~ Restoring Wood & Decks Since 1993
#As an article and comment contributor to the site, Scott has been around the pressure washing industry since attending college. In 1993 he started his first company called Oakland Pressure Wash specializing in exterior pressure washing and deck staining. That company evolved into OPW L.L.C. shortly thereafter concentrating more on exterior wood and deck restoration. Scott and his Deck Cleaning Michigan company have restored over 10,000 decks in the Metro Detroit area since the early years. He has become an authority in the deck restoration industry and has contributed to numerous wood restoration forums and informative sites. All the products he suggests through this site are sold through online sites and in retail stores, allowing the consumer to choose their own means of purchase. Scott’s eCommerce sites do sell many top brands he endorses and if you appreciate any of the help he has offered then feel free to purchase from one of them.

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Dave Hertzberg
Dave Hertzberg
1 year ago

Can you please help clarify the order of steps for preparing the deck to apply a new coat of stain? Is it 1. wash, 2. sand, 3. brighten, 4. stain? For the washing, do you need special deck cleaner or is something like dish soap ok? Also, how many days would this all take including drying time, assuming one step per day?

Dave Hertzberg
Dave Hertzberg
1 year ago
  • Is the wood new or old? OLD
  • Does it have a previous coating on the wood? YES
  • Are you re-coating with the same brand and colors as last time? YES
  • When was the last time it was stained? 3 years ago
  • What type of stain was it coated with before? DEFY Semi-Transparent Water-based stain, Cedar Tone

So technically I think it does not NEED to be sanded based on the stain, but there are several rough spots and splinters and things so for that reason I want to sand it.

I also wanted to ask about for which steps light rain is or is not ok.

Thank you for your help!

Dave Hertzberg
Dave Hertzberg
1 year ago

The sanding is to smooth out the wood because there are a lot of rough spots and splinters. I believe I don’t need to strip the old stain – the manufacturer said I can do the same color and finish on top of the old one.

Do I also need to wash? If so, with special deck cleaner or just regular soap? And, wash first, then sand, then brighten then stain?

Dave Hertzberg
Dave Hertzberg
1 year ago

Thank you, that helps. Two more questions…the sandpaper should be 60, or 80, or one pass of each? Or does it not matter. Also, how long should I expect the deck to dry after both the washing and the brightening? I only have a narrow window available to me so I don’t want to start if I won’t be able to finish in the time I have.

Thank you!!

Danielle Lorack
Danielle Lorack
8 months ago

What is the best brightener and stain you recommend for a cedar deck?

Debbie Buckingham
Debbie Buckingham
1 year ago

We have brightened our very large deck. Now the weather is not cooperating to get it stained. We will be using TWP Pro 100. Is there a timeframe that it needs to get stained?? Will the rain basically undo all the prep we’ve done?

Debbie Buckingham
Debbie Buckingham
1 year ago

Thanks!

Kodi
Kodi
1 year ago

I used Twp 1500 natural and it is too “cedar” for my liking. In retrospect I would have used a lighter honeytone. Short of sanding/stripping, is there anyway to lighten the stain color? Would a brightener help on lighten it?

Emily Durgan
Emily Durgan
2 years ago

Hi I have a treated deck 1 year old and we washed the deck all in one deck cleaner and some furries appeared on the hand rail. It’s been 3 days do we need to sand re clean and add brighter. We didn’t used deck brightner the first time. I don’t think it was clean properly

Last edited 2 years ago by Emily Durgan
Ruth A Sentz
Ruth A Sentz
2 years ago

We have black-painted aluminum spindles between the top & bottom rails like the deck in the video. Amazing similarity. We were told we must cover with plastic anything we don’t want ruined with the stripper (like those rails and the house siding). It appears, though, that you didn’t do that in this video. WHAT’S THE CATCH? Also, since our deck was previously stained, most of the rails and uprights do not need to be stripped, only cleaned. We don’t want to add unneccessary work.

msmith
msmith
2 years ago

Can I just use a wood brightener without using a deck cleaner?

Kristi
Kristi
2 years ago

After I applied the Woodsman deck brighter can I walk on my deck? Manufactures says I need to wait 48 hours before applying stain. I just put the deck brightener on today. But to use the main door in & out of my house is by walking on the deck. Wondering if it is OK if I walk on the deck. I plan to use the side door after I stain it. But for now….?

Samuel
Samuel
2 years ago

Hello, I’m currently refinishing my deck. I started with applying deck stripper and pressure washing it. I just finished sanding. Do I need to use a deck cleaner? Or can I just use a brightener? I’m using Cabot products. Thank you!

Jocelyn Oldham von Klein
Jocelyn Oldham von Klein
2 years ago

You say rinse the brightener for 20-30 min. How would you do this for a deck it would take 8 hours to spend 30 min on each Section. I’m confused.

Linda
Linda
2 years ago

Our deck is still good for stain but needs a good cleaning. I was advised to use a deck brightened. If I do this do I need to reapply stain?

Michael
Michael
2 years ago

What in theory is the natural pH pf Cedar fence/deck wood? How does one (DIY) check it? I am in midst of restoring a cedar fence, and soon a deck, both of which surround a pool, so I am familiar with checking ph of pool water. On my fence so far, step one, 30 second outdoor cleaner, diluted 2:1 (5% bleach) with a general pH of 11. It made a huge difference in the appearance of the wood immediately, and literally as I was applying it. Step 2 Granular oxalic acid diluted 12 oz / 4 gallons of water. I’ll take a guess, and say a pH of 4-5. Both steps have been applied with a pump sprayer and, rigorously rinsed multiple times. No pressure washer, just a hose. I have some stubborn random black stains remaining, either tannins, or remnants of black mold, tough to tell. What next for those stains? Perhaps less diluted oxalic, and spot treat? The last step in my plan is a light application of brightener to neutralize, but what should be the target ph of the wood? Strangely, the troublesome stains are on sides of the fence exposed to direct sunlight the most. The more shaded sides came out great using steps one, and two. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Marcy
Marcy
2 years ago

Can Cabot wood deck brighter be applied in the rain

Jeremy
Jeremy
2 years ago

What product is recommended for treating 4 year old previously untreated deck, Pine.

Stephanie
Stephanie
3 years ago

Hi – I am getting ready to apply new stain to old deck that has a solid stain that is chipping. The new stain will be a semi transparent Arborcoat. I was going to sand off the existing finish, brighten, then apply the new stain. Will that work or do I need to power wash somewhere in between these steps?

Thanks!

Stephanie
Stephanie
3 years ago

Thank you so much!

Lisa ANDREAS
Lisa ANDREAS
3 years ago

We took a Behr deck over off this summer and had to sand a lot and used an acid wash first. We recently used a cleaner and it looks washed out. Time is getting away, should we get a stain on it or wait until spring. It’s a pool deck, what do you suggest that is not slippery. Don’t want paint or solid. Was thinking TWP. First Thompson’s was very slippery.

Lisa ANDREAS
Lisa ANDREAS
3 years ago

We are in MO will ice ruin the deck, it’s about 6 years old. Is TWP a good option for a pool deck, as far as slippery and hotness. What is the advantage to wait. Thank you.

Lisa ANDREAS
Lisa ANDREAS
3 years ago

Thank you

P nelson
P nelson
3 years ago

Use brightener on a wet or dry deck?

Susan
Susan
3 years ago

Hi, I could not find a similar question/answer response elsewhere in the forum, so here it goes:

I had put on 2 coats of PPG Weatherscreen solid color deck stain two years ago. It looked awful after this summer. We’re in the Chicago area.

I pressure washed with just water (only 2,000 psi) first. This removed a fair amount of the old stain.
Today, I got a floor sander and went across the deck and it really helped removing the old deck stain except for the edges where floor boards terminate at the spindles. The boards in the main portion of the deck look brand new.

First question: Do I need to hand sand or use NaOH based stripper and remove every smidge of old deck stain along perimeter? There’s probably 2″ to 3″ of old deck stain in those deck corners and super close to the house (just couldn’t reach there).
Second question: Regardless of answer to #1, do I still need to rent pressure washer again and use a cleaning product in the pressure washer and then do a brightening? Or can I do manual scrub brush with cleaner and then brightening?
Third question: Do I have to clean/brighten after sanding? Or can I just move on to painting?
I am planning on putting down Perma Bond and then Deck Revive.

Thanks so much for your website!
Susan

Susan
Susan
3 years ago

Thanks for your super fast response. Follow up clarification questions for you:
Just water in the pressure wash, correct?
Is that to rinse away the sanding particulates?

JMQ
JMQ
3 years ago

My deck is approximately 25 years old. After I applied a chemical stripper to the deck and power-washed it, there were still traces of stain (solid stain), and a lot of the wood was “raised.” Consequently, I sanded the deck with 60 grit. Now, the deck is down to bare wood and the wood is smoother, but sections of the deck boards look almost white (from oxidation?).

What next steps should I take before applying a semi-transparent oil-based stain? Use a cleaner and brightener? Brightener only? Other? (If cleaner and brightener are recommended, what brands?)
NOTE: I‘ve replaced a few of the oldest, worn boards with brand new.

Thank you.

JQM
JQM
3 years ago

Great! Thank you. Followup question:
Do you think the white streaks in the older wood will come out after cleaning and brightening? Or perhaps it doesn’t matter—the semi-transparent stain will cover it?

Ian
Ian
3 years ago

I want to restain a rainbow play set. I power washed, but do I need to cleaner and brightner too. Also, last time I stained I purchased the stain directly from Rainbow. Would it be an issue if I tried a Cabot semitransparent stain or go with same original stain which they private label

Ian
Ian
3 years ago

I want to restain a rainbow play set. It’s been power washed. Do I need a cleaner and brightner or can go head and apply stain

Brenna
Brenna
3 years ago

About a month ago (maybe longer?) we started prepping our deck and used Woodrich Heavy Duty Wood Deck Stripper. The results were less than stellar. :/ Anyway, we’re *finally* ready to stain and plan on using Flood Solid Stain; it will be going over old water-based stain. Do we still need to clean & brighten before applying the stain, given how long it was since we used the stripper?

Brenna
Brenna
3 years ago

Using a commercial cleaner? Or do you mean we can just hose it down?

Brenna
Brenna
3 years ago

Would I then not need to use the brightener as well?

Brian
Brian
3 years ago

I cleaned and then brightened my deck. Some cleaner or brightener was on my hose and made marks. What should I do?

Sam
Sam
3 years ago

Is there a deck brightened brand your recommend?

Rick Daigle
Rick Daigle
3 years ago

Is it possible to not brighten/clean A deck before applying stain?

J.G.
J.G.
3 years ago

We Have a Meranti Deck in inland Los Angeles. The deck was cupped a bit due to a poor installation, fasteners fixed, and sanded flat with 60 grit (certainly not smoothie ). The deck finisher said to just clean off any saw dust thoroughly which was done. we applied a coat of Cutek Extreme with a light colortone to a portion of the deck and it looks quite dark and dull. Should I have followed up with 80 grit? Or should I have used a cleaner then brightener after sanding prior to staining?

J.G.
J.G.
3 years ago
Reply to  J.G.

*smoothie=smooth. Sorry for the typo.

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