Best Deck Prep? Clean, Strip, or Sand the Deck? 4.4/5 (10)

Wife does not like fence stain color at house we got and the inconsistency of color from I’m guessing inadequate prep work (ie – some dark pickets and some light as shown in photo). Note in picture it had recently rained and deviation in color is more notable when dry.

New Wood or Older Wood? ~7-8 years, I believe stained twice w same stain

Does the Deck have a Current Coating? Huemiller semi-transparent applied in recent months

Are you Switching Brands of Deck Stain or Applying a Maintenance Coat of the same Brand and Color? Preferable to switch brands to what you would recommend (Dallas, mostly in full sun, current Huemiller semi-transparent on western red cedar). We generally prefer lighter more natural colored stains.

Deck Stain Brand Previously Used? Enter unknown if you do not know. Huemiller semi-trans

What is the Current Deck Stain Type? Oil-based or Water-Based? Clear, Transparent, Semi-Transparent, Semi-Solid, or Solid Stain? Oil based

Mold or Mildew Issues? No

Reason for Previous Stain Failure? disparity in darkness in some areas great, quite a bit of ‘fuzzies’ on wood

Thanks so much for your time!!!!

Two years ago I stained my deck which was brown pressure treated wood. I used Flood Pro Series Semi Transparent stain. We waited one year after the deck was installed before staining it. After one year, the stain was peeling off in spots. I touched them up and it looked okay. This year significant portions of the deck have peeled and i’m afraid the whole thing needs to be redone. I note that the peeling is on the floor of deck, not the posts. Anywhere that water dripped on the deck from eavestroughs the stain is completely gone. If I re-do it with the same product, should I sand it first? If I choose a different product, do I need to remove all the previous stain? Did I mention that I hate maintaining decks and I hate stain. Have never yet found a product that lasts. Thank you for your amazing advice.

Strip it? Awesome site. Great Q&A. Incredible insights shared. Thank you. I have a new deck installed 3 months ago and am planning to use Defy cleaner/brightener/stain. The contractor “did me a favor” and pre-stained the posts and handrails before installation (noted he didn’t want them to over-age-dry-out in the shop; pre-assembled with black aluminum spindles). He didn’t tell me the brand of stain – coating appears to be thin – natural or slight cedar tone. In any case, with the stain being applied less than a year ago, would you recommend I strip the railings first or not bother? My selected color for said railings is only slightly different – Defy natural pine (minimal cedar orange/red tone). My lean right now is to strip the top handrail only to be a Defy butternut match to the flooring (yeah, two tone challenge is on), but I may just strip the full rail top to bottom (base of spindles would be a pain). Thoughts appreciated. Thanks.

I’m in the process of prepping my deck. The stain was cracking and would easily peel in those spots, revealing damp wood underneath. The pictures will show that and then what I’ve done so far, which is scrapping followed by Sherwin Williams stripping on a portion of it. It was not that effective, so I’m hesitant to continue with it. I’ve not yet used their Revive product on that section of it. Is that needed? Is a cleaner needed as well? I’m currently trying to sand it to smooth out the spots where there is remaining stain, but only have a hand sander. I plan on using the same SW Super Deck solid stain product and color again.

New Wood or Older Wood? Old; deck is 24 yrs old.
Does the Deck have a Current Coating? Sherwin Williams Solid Stain
Are you Switching Brands of Deck Stain or Applying a Maintenance Coat of the same Brand and Color? Same brand same color.
Deck Stain Brand Previously Used? Sherwin Williams Super Deck
What is the Current Deck Stain Type? Oil-based or Water-Based? Clear, Transparent, Semi-Transparent, Semi-Solid, or Solid Stain? Solid Stain; Water-based; SW Super Deck
Mold or Mildew Issues? Only in spots that dont get much sun
Reason for Previous Stain Failure? I was told that I didn’t prep the deck properly when I did this 3 years ago (last time I scrapped the spots with the cracked stain but did not clean the wood), and the wood may have been damp. I was told to wait to stain until there have been 2 days of dry weather before, followed by 2 dry days after. Very hard to get 5 dry days in Pittsburgh in the summer!

Wish I’d seen this site when we put the deck up five years ago… maybe we wouldn’t be in the middle of this disaster. It was gorgeous and now it looks awful. Cedar deck, waited a year to stain it, then used Olympic Elite Advanced Woodland Oil stain/sealant all-in-one, semi-transparent, Kona brown. Peeled and flaked the very next year. Have scraped and power-washed loose stuff off and reapplied three times. At the moment I’m writing this, we are stripping it in order to start from scratch. Lots of cracking, too. So, to answer the questions:
1. The deck is 5 years old, made of cedar
2. Yes, currently being stripped off using Behr deck stain stripper.
3. We will be switching stains to whatever is recommended.
4. Olympic Elite Advanced Woodland Oil stain/sealant all-in-one, semi-transparent, Kona brown
5. I’m not sure if it’s oil or water-based.
6. We get a green coating on the sides of the house that requires pressure-washing – this is on the deck, too. I think it’s algae, but I’m not sure. The deck gets full sun in the morning and is in full shade by maybe 2:00.
7. I don’t know the reason for the stain failure.

Really, we’re just looking for some validation for our game plan. Once it’s all stripped, we will use a brightener and pick a quality stain, based on your reviews – do you recommend one in particular for cedar? Anything else we should be doing? Sanding? Leave the cracks alone, is what I’m getting from your website. How long between the prep and the staining? We’re in very humid New Jersey.

Thanks in advance, great website!

Jim and Rachael

1. 2 1/2 year old cedar deck.
2. Yes- Armstrong-Clark cedar semi-transparent wood stain was used 2 years ago.
3. Considering either same product or Behr semi-transparent waterproofing stain and sealer.
4. Armstrong-Clark cedar semi-transparent wood stain
5. Oil-based semi-transparent.
6. No mold or mildew issues.
7. Deck is unprotected from elements–no tree cover or umbrella cover or shade from house, so deck gets abused by a lot of sun, rain, and snow. Southern facing porch so is in the sun for a majority of the day. Rail spindles are looking decent, so are currently planning on only restaining the deck, stairs, and railings.
8. Pictures below.

I was thinking of getting a wood stripper, then a wood cleaner, and then staining. Can I bypass the wood stain stripper and go right to the cleaner? The Armstrong-Clark stain did not seem to even hold up well after one year and didn’t do much to repel rain, but it gets good reviews. I would like to stick with a semi-transparent cedar stain.

Cabin in Southern Utah finished in Sep 2016. Builder stained deck, but then several workers set up saw on deck to finish inside trim, so sawdust and/or dirt tracked on deck. He had deck power washed before we moved in, but I never was impressed with how deck looked since day one. Want to refinish.
1. Deck built in Aug-Sept 2016.
2. Yes.
3. Plan to apply maintenance coat if that gives best outcome – but willing to change (original color was 1/2 Brown Tone Medium mixed with 1/2 Natural. Builder recommends future maintenance coats to just be Natural).
4. Sashco Transformation Log & Timer was used (apparently VOC <250 g/l).
5. The stain (Sashco Transformation Log & Timer) is oil based, semi-transparent gloss (but doesn't look at all "glossy" on deck to me)
6. No mold or mildew issues apparent to me.
7. Unsure.
8. Pictures below.
Thank you for your help!

1. approximately 3 years old (and has been deteriorating for 2)
2. yes
3. would like to stick with a similar color but am willing to switch for a better outcome.
4. & 5 Sherwin Williams Baja Beige semi transparent water based stain
6. Mold or Mildew – live in a temperate rain forest climate (north central West Virginia)
7. I’m guessing poor prep on our part. The deck was finished in November. We tried to clean it thoroughly before applying the stain that summer.

Question:

I have a 4 to 5 year old mahogany deck that needs to be refinished. It has been finished previously with several better? known products, stains not paint, which haven’t stood up to the elements.
There remains some of areas of coating and other areas are down to the wood in varying degrees of grayness.
My question; is it better to sand or, strip, wash and brighten? I plan on refinishing with Australian Timber Oil (Flame-to restore the color). If he “strip, wash and brighten” method is preferred…would you suggest the the best products and application processes to use.
Thank you for your time.

I’ve stripped one of my decks w/ Defy, and neutralized w/ citric acid. While I was impressed w/ the stripper, and the citric acid certainly brightened the wood, there is a lot of discoloration, esp. lots of small gray spots on most boards. I’m pretty certain it’s not residual stain as I applied the stripper three times. I also left the citric acid on for several hours, so I would think that was sufficient.

I’ve tried sanding a small area to see if the gray spots sand off but they don’t. I even tried some sodium percarbonate but that had no effect. I don’t know what the spots are and am wondering whether there is some other prep step I need to do?

The photos show the deck after it’s rained on part of it – which gives you an idea of the effect stain would have. I’m disappointed in how uneven the colors of the boards are. When they’re dry they’re almost white, as you can see. I’ve never done anything like this but was expecting the boards to look more like new.

I’ll be using TWP stain.

(If you need more info please refer to my question and photos posted “2 months ago.”)

Thanks so very much!

Additional photos

1)Older wood, about 5 years old
2)No current coating, except for small section coveted by grill mat
3)Switching brands
4)Deck company labeled product as their own, but I believe it’s Sherwin Williams oil based
5)Not sure if semi -solid or semi transparent
6)Yes, black mold and some green mold(algae?)
7)Old stain looked good for a few years.
I pressure washed the deck last year prior to installing screen room on majority of deck. Pressure washed again this weekend with no cleaner, stripper or Brightener.
I have one section with old stain still penetrated and intact. If I don’t mind a shade variation am I ready to stain? If a shade variation needs to be avoided, is sanding just that section acceptable?
Based on photos of wood, am I ready to stain or do I still need to use a Brightener?
Thanks, Erich

We have an old small partially covered deck. It’s on the north-east corner of the house and completely surrounded by trees. So it’s problem is not the sun, but water that does not dry quickly and with frequent rain constantly keep water and keeps snow during the winter. The deck surface in not covered part looks bad, but it’s good where covered. The bad part has flaking stain, chips, cracks and mildew. The last time we used a local company to have our deck treated 3 years ago. I do not think they did a good job. They covered the deck with water-based Superdeck solid stain from Sherwin Williams. My husband wants to treat out deck himself this summer. What would you recommend to use and how to make it the right way?

Hello, we are prepping our deck to refinish. We moved in last year and don’t know much about the deck history. I recently used 30 second cleaner and then power washed the deck to remove the mold and mildew. I am trying to determine whether I need to strip the deck or can just sand it prior to applying new semi-transparent stain. Also would I sand before or after applying wood cleaner? Thanks!

1. Wood seems 5+ years old
2. Deck appears coated with paint
3. Will be redoing stain completely
4. Don’t know
5. Don’t know
6. Current deck stain is solid stain
7. Mold and mildew issues exist due to lack of sunlight
8. Don’t know

Hi Again,
This is a photo of the sanded louvered section that goes with my last question.

Hi, We are starting the process of prepping our deck when I came across your site. I live in Nova Scotia and will be ordering products from those companies you have recommended.
1. The deck is 8 yrs. old cedar
2. Yes, except for areas where prep is already underway.
3. Switching brands.
4./5 The deck has/had Sherwin Williams semi-transparent oil stain🙁
6. Yes some mold
7. Brand quality
Photos attached are of areas with stain, floor boards were stripped last fall, louver and upper sections have just been sanded.
Restore-A Deck seems like a good option. Then just need to decide on the staincompany. Leaning towards semi transport oil based stain.
I sanded the louvered section because I felt it would be easier. Should I be concerned about the sanded section vs. the about to be stripped section? Will it be ok for the stripper to go over the sanded section?
Thanks in advance, I am open to any and all suggestions.

Hi, I live in Colorado and had my deck stained by a deck company in Dec 2016…it had an unknow stain so they sanded the wood and stained it with Superdeck Transparent stain Valley 1906 .  The next year Oct 2017 they recommended that just the “top” surfaces be stained with a one-step deck wash that cleans and brightens the wood and restain. so we did.  The following year 2018 the stain looked like it had faded/wood looked unprotected in high traffic areas and on the top railing with heavy sun. So we decided to restain it ourselves.  We used a power washer and removed most of the stain and restained using the same SuperDeck transparent stain.  So now, 9 months later the wood again looks faded and needs more stain.  I bought a deck cleaner and brightner and did the top railing of the deck and was going to restain with the same product and decided before I did I wanted to research the stain.  After my research I decided I want to use your TWP stain. There is no mold issues and I dont know why the stain is not lasing but one year except we do get a lot of snow on the deck and Sun in summer.  My question, is the cleaner and brightner enough to proceed and apply your stain? also which stain should I apply? Transparent or Semi Transparent? 100 or 1500? I like the look of the Transparent stain.  Also, how should I proceed on the floor of the deck?
I am posting 4 pics. The first 2 are the railing that I cleaned and used brightner on and the others are the floor of the deck which I havent done anything to yet.  Thank you in advance for your s

I’m taking the Behr Deckover off of my deck with a diamabrush (gone through two so far) and a 10.5amp angle grinder. This is where I am with it. Would you recommend RAD stripper and brightener or cleaner and brightener at this point?

Greetings! We are trying to get a few more years out of our old deck. Last week, we did the first round of scrubbing/power washing with a soapy cleaner, but realize it needs another round of cleaning, then brightening before we’re ready to apply new stain. We plan to use one of the products recommended on this site to finish the cleaning and brightening steps.

My main question today is whether the vertical boards on the railing should be stripped vs. cleaned? The vertical boards have some of the old semi-transparent stain remaining. We will be applying water-based, semi-transparent stain.

1. Old wood. Deck is 20-25 yrs old, pressure-treated. We think the last stain was applied about 10 years ago.
2. Decking stain has almost completely worn off or been scrubbed off. Vertical surfaces have retained more of the stain.
3. Switching brands
4. Unknown brand previously used about 10 years ago.
5. Water-based, semi-transparent
6. Yes to mold and/or algae. We’ve scrubbed and power-washed most of it off using a soapy deck cleaner, but stubborn sections of black stains remain.
7. Wear and tear, sun exposure over ten years
8. Photos uploaded

Thanks in advance for your reply!

1. wood is 3 years old
2. Currently staying with Armstrong Clark semi transparent stain
3. Plan to apply same brand and color
4. Armstrong Clark
5. Semi transparent, oil based, Armstrong Clark
6. Yes
7. No failure but need to restain for upkeep

1 older wood, 11 year old deck
2 first applied Cabot ATO 3400 oil based,,
Then Cabot ATO 19400 water based by mistake🙁
3 keeping same brand on rails/spindles (water based). Want to go back to Cabot ATO oil based 3400 on floor
4 see number 2
5 think it is the Cabot water based
6 some mold mildew issues
7 put on water based by mistake/peeling

We didn’t realize there was an oil and a water based Cabot ATO so we mistakenly purchased water based one of the times we were “refreshing” our deck. It was okay for a while but time to correct our mistake and fix it the right way. Thanks

I want to restain my deck. It’s old, peeling or bare in many spots. I tried to clean/prep the wood with deck cleaner, brushing and power washer. Only about 1/2 came up easily.

Do I need to get rid of all the previous stain? or can I apply solid stain on top of old stain?

Hi! Most of our deck is old wood, with some recent additions (unstained pressure-treated wood railing, 7 months old). The previous owner built the deck itself quite a while ago. If it was ever stained, it’s worn down to the point that you can’t tell (or at least I can’t).

Mildew is a big problem. A creek runs right next to the deck, and it rains about every other day here in upstate NY, so it’s almost always damp. The deck gets so slimy after it rains that it’s like walking on ice, but the boards themselves are solid & not rotting. Very dense clay mud gets tracked across it constantly from the yard. I haven’t even begun to clean it; we don’t have a lot of money left to throw at the problem, but I don’t mind putting in serious elbow grease if there are cheap but labor-intensive options.

Thanks!

I am wanting to restrain our deck railing. After a hail storm last year, the top railings (6 inch horizontal cedar wood) began to peel. During a light power wash today, I see that the bottom railing & some of the vertical planks are peeling as well (but not all of it). I do not know the history of the staining as the home is new to us. From reading your Q&A from others, I’m not sure if I should strip it all or sand it. Can you look at pictures and advise as well as recommend products to use?

1) Older Wood 4yrs old
2) coated with twp 1500 natural 3 yrs ago
3) considering switch to RAD semi natural
4) Deck Stain Brand Previously Used was TWP 1500 Natural
5) Some Mildew Issues
Previous Stain Failure due to high sun exposure – faded
Include Picture(s) of the Current Condition.

New Wood or Older Wood? Old
Does the Deck have a Current Coating? Yes
Are you Switching Brands of Deck Stain or Applying a Maintenance Coat of the same Brand and Color? TBD
Deck Stain Brand Previously Used? Cabot oil based solid stain white; redwood was SW oil based Clear deck and wood finish in2000 and Cabot oil based solid stain in2009.
What is the Current Deck Stain Type? Oil-based or Water-Based? Clear, Transparent, Semi-Transparent, Semi-Solid, or Solid Stain? See previous answer
Mold or Mildew Issues? A little
Reason for Previous Stain Failure? Old/previous prep unknown possible over application or bc SW switch to Cabot
You Must Include Picture(s) of the Current Condition

Pics are following pressure wash only. Need advice on further prep and whether need to use current products again or if it would be better to switch.

Hello,
My deck is approx 33-year-old, the decking and railings are both the original PT wood.
Most of the current coating is gone from the deck. Railings are peeling, all wood is rough, dry & cracked. Railings still have solid stain coating. First stained the railings after having been left untreated for many years.
I’d like to switch to one of your recommendations but will use a similar grey/taupe color.
Previously Used Benjamin Moore Arborcoat oil-based, semi-transparent on decking, and waterborne exterior flat solid stain on railings, after an oil-based primer.
Some areas with mold or mildew prior to cleaning.
Previous Stain Failure on deck was after several years& need for maintenance, use, snow sitting on it all winter (Western Massachusetts) and southern exposure.
Deck photo shows after having just scrubbed with brush TSP & bleach & water solution. I’m not great with using a power washer but I will if I must. Do I need to sand? I prefer NOT to use a solid stain on deck because I’m concerned about having to deal with peeling, like the railings. Hope you can help me get this right!

-Older Wood— redwood, most gets full sun, about 1200 sq. ft.
-Formerly coated about 4-5 years ago with Arborcoat Semi-Solid (water based?); stripped with Jasco Premium Paint and Epoxy Remover and power washed 2x; a few touches of old stain are still visible, especially on knots
-Was planning to use same brand Semi-Solid on horizontal surface and Solid on vertical, but in a different color. Solid will be applied over the old Semi-Solid that hasn’t been stripped. After reading reviews on Arborcoat, will probably switch brands based on your recommendation.
-Mold or Mildew not apparent
-Reason for Previous Stain Failure: worn from foot traffic and sun exposure
-Walnut Creek, California (East Bay Area)

Do I need to use a brightener or neutralizer after using a stripper and before staining? And, would it help to sand the spots where the previous stain is stubborn and not removed by stripping, or does the whole deck need sanding?

1) Strip, Sand, Brighten
or
2) Strip Brighten Sand?
Which order… 2 seems logical
but just wanted to check
Thanks
Phil

We have an ipe deck installed in 2006, originally treated with Cabot neutral stain. It has turned grey. My question what is the best deck prep given its age and condition?

1. Old wood Raised (2′ & 12′ off the ground)
2. Current coating (partial pealing)
3. Switching
4. Rustoleum Restore and Olympic Rescue (both have failed) Thompson waterseal original 20 years ago. Switched to Restore in 2013 and Olympic in 2018
5. water base
6. Some green mold
7. Unknown reason for flaking & pealing other than the coatings just do not seem to stick.

Need to coat again due to the pealing of the old coating.
Have high pressure washed in the past. Re-painted entire deck last Summer.
Do I need to rent a standard floor sander as one would use on hardwood flooring? That might work on the floor but railings etc would be very difficult to do by hand as there are over 200 spindles and over 100′ of railing plus stairs.

If moisture is the cause how do I keep the back side of the wood dry when it rains?

Hello! I would like to stain my deck, but I have never done it before. I would like to know what do you recommend and also, how can I time the whole process if I can’t get 3 days straight with no rain? Can I strip and clean, then let 2 days of rain pass between the moment I will stain the deck?

Here are the info about the deck
1. Old wood (5 years or so)
2. It has some coating left of what appears to be a semi transparent stain, but the kind is unknown.
3. Switching
4. Unknown
5. Semi transparent but I can’t say if it’s oil based or water based
6. No mold or mildew
7. The stain was freshly made when we first purchased the house and after a few days of walking on it when getting out of the pool it started peeling like crazy! I guess there was a problem with how the previous owner prepped his deck before staining or maybe too thick layer of stain?
8. On the pictures you can see it depends weather it’s a high traffic area or not.

Also, note that I have purchased a gallon of stain stripper and a gallon of 3 in 1 thompson waterseal wood cleaner. Do I need to buy more products to prep the deck?

Thanks so much! Your website us by far the most complete out there.

I can’t seem to add all the pictures in one post, i will send them in another one

We turned the boards over on 2/3 of the deck (which is weathered but good condition) and put new wood on 1/3 so there is no previous stain. What would you suggest to clean the whole thing and would it be better to paint or stain?

Want to know the best/proper prep for this deck. Here are the answers to the questions, with photos attached:
1. Older Wood
2. Yes but its worn off in places
3. Same brand and color
4. Cabot Acrylic Deck Stain
5. Cabot Acrylic Deck Stain with a solid color
6. None that I know of
7. Age, sun, heat

1) Nine year old deck, Ipe
2) Currently stained
3) I would like to keep the same stain, will follow up with the builder for specifics.
4) Unknown
5) Likely an oil-based transparent stain, “redwood” is listed as the color
6) No mold or mildew
7) Aging, like of maintenance, uneven light and weather exposure.

New Wood or Older Wood? Older 13 years

Does the Deck have a Current Coating? Yes Cabot Solid Stain

Are you Switching Brands of Deck Stain or Applying a Maintenance Coat of the same Brand and Color? Same, Cabot Solid Stain, same color

Deck Stain Brand Previously Used? When we moved in 5 years ago, it had a semi transparent stain (do not know the brand)and hadn’t been restained since it was installed (at the time 8 years old when we moved it). We restained it 4 years ago with Cabot Solid Stain.

What is the Current Deck Stain Type? Oil-based or Water-Based? Clear, Transparent, Semi-Transparent, Semi-Solid, or Solid Stain? Cabot Solid Stain

Mold or Mildew Issues? None

Reason for Previous Stain Failure? It’s been 4 years since last staining and it’s starting to rub off in several areas due to wear and tear and winter. (not peeling up at all, just places were stain has come off). Also, last summer two boards had to be replaced due to rotting so needing to get those stained. All other boards are in good condition, no issues.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR THIS PAGE!!!!!!!!! Websites are so inconsistent on what to do!

Northern New Mexico in the mountains
in Pine trees-four seasons
Redwood – 24 years old
part covered, part uncovered – pictures show both
Behr several times, then Sikkens several years ago – all semi transparent redwood stain
would like to remove all and start over
What are the steps to take and what products recommended?

1. The deck is 2 years old.
2. No
3. No, it’s never been stained
4. Not Applicable
5. Not Applicable
6. No
7. Not Applicable
8. Pics attached

Old
Yes
Yes switching (unknown – new purchase)
Unknown
Transparent / semi transparant
No mold/mildew
Lack of maintenance

Thank you!

Hi there,

In regards to applying maintenance coats due to normal wear and tear; Is it recommended to clean and brighten every time? this would be the same brand and color.
Thanks

1. Old wood
2. Yes
3. Applying a maintenance coat of the same brand and color
4. “Storm”
5. oil based semi transparent, natural color
6. minimal
7. Three years of sun, snow and weather

I’m using Storm deck cleaner, not sure if it needs to be sanded to remove all traces of the
previous stain, or if I can just go ahead and stain it. I don’t think I need a brightener.

Hello, thanks for your help!
I have a 2 year old IPR deck and we would prefer if it did not gray out. I am planning on sanding it down and then applying some oil. IPE OIL to be exact, I don’T see any reviews of that product here though.
My questions are-should I use a brightener after sanding?
What kind of stain would you recommend?

Answers to these questions and any other advice you might have are welcome! Thanksa lot!

New Wood or Older Wood? *2 years old
Does the Deck have a Current Coating? *some kind of oil that I will sand off
Are you Switching Brands of Deck Stain or Applying a Maintenance Coat of the same Brand and Color? *switching
Deck Stain Brand Previously Used? Enter unknown if you do not know *unknown
What is the Current Deck Stain Type? Oil-based or Water-Based? Clear, Transparent, Semi-Transparent, Semi-Solid, or Solid Stain? *oil, transparent
Mold or Mildew Issues? *no
Reason for Previous Stain Failure? *mostly gone in harsh sun exposure. I live in Canada, harsh winter. Like Vermont.
You Must Include Picture(s) of the Current Condition.

These pics show the bad areas and some that still look OK. Where the wood is vertical the boards look allright. No snow, feet and not so much sun there.
The floor boards though are grayed out and we don’T like that look. Exposure to saltwater from the pool, sun, snow and ice seem to be the culprits. I want to restore the whole thing to look like the vertical boards and then maintain it by adding oil twice a year.

Please provide advice on restoring to a nice state. Thanks!
unable to add photos…

I have done all the prep work to stain my deck and have 15 gallons of the SW Deck and Dock. However, the weather is not cooperating (rainy) and I might have to go longer than 2 weeks in order to get it painted. What should I do if I have to wait longer due to rain after all prep is complete?

GREAT SITE!!

Sorry I cannot provide more accurate info, but here goes;

1. Deck Age – UNKNOWN – Over 10 yrs old S
2. yes, has current coating – see pics
3. Unsure of previous brand; want to do new dark color with low maintenance
4. Unsure of previous stain; what would you recommend for new?
5. Unsure; see pics
6. some mildew
7. Unsure

NOTE; I tried power-washing (1700psi) the deck last night & it didnt manage to remove all the previous stubborn stain.
I then used a Restore-A-Deck stripper and this helped slightly.

Am I okay to proceed with putting a new stain down on the deck now? or will i have to sand everything first?

Thanks in advance for the advice!
Conor

New pressure treated, do i need a cleaner before applying stain or is a light wash enough since there hasnt been too much foot traffic on it? I plan on using Armstrong for the stain. full sun in sussex NJ

Appreciate this site.
1. 33 yrs old PT, solid
2. yes, has current coating
3. Planning maintenance coat of same brand and color
4. Behr Premium Semi-transparent Weather Proofing Stain and Sealer Acrylic, 3 yrs ago
5. Water-Based, Semi-Transparent
6. some minor mildew
7. Faded, thinned-out over three yrs, a few small bare spots. No peeling.
Thanks

I live in the Des Moines, Iowa area. I have been to Home Depot, Menards, and Lowe’s. None of them carry a deck brightener. You always suggest a brightener. I guess my only option is to order from Amazon. I am a senior citizen so want an easy to use product. What do you recommend?