This post was updated on January 19, 2022
Best to Clean or Strip the Deck Stain?
We appreciate you visiting Deckstainhelp.com as we continue to be your go-to source for the latest in deck restoration news and trending topics through 2022. Below, we talk about whether you should Clean or Strip the Deck Stain? Feel free to leave a comment below with any pictures you may have.
Deck Stain Stripping vs. Deck Cleaning
Knowing the difference between deck stain stripping and deck cleaning can be vital to your deck maintenance or restoration project. It’s important first to understand why cleaning a wood surface is necessary.
Besides the obvious overall appearance and curb appeal, a wood deck should be cleaned and sealed every couple of years to prevent structural damage. Water and moisture wreak havoc on wood inviting mold and mildew which can lead to wood rot. The sun’s U.V. rays also damage wood fibers and turn them an unsightly gray. In colder climates, freeze/thaw occurrences can warp, crack, and split boards ruining a deck in no time.
By cleaning the wood and protecting it with a quality wood stain, you are locking out moisture, blocking sun rays, and protecting the deck from the environment. This ensures a better overall appearance and a longer-lasting wood structure.
Now that we have determined why cleaning a wood deck is necessary to let us uncover the differences between deck stain stripping and deck cleaning. Before applying any sealer to the wood it has to be cleaned properly. You need to use a deck cleaner to remove all the unwanted soils such as dirt, mold, mildew, and graying. This will guarantee a clean surface for the new deck stain.
The deck cleaner is mixed up as needed and normally applied with a pump sprayer. It should be allowed to dwell on the surface for several minutes to break up the unwanted soils. This is then followed up with a stiff brush scrubbing or light to moderate pressure washing to remove the contaminants. The deck is then rinsed and a deck brightener is applied to restore the pH of the wood and brighten the wood grain.
Failing Deck Stain
When an old failing wood stain or sealer is present a deck cleaner is usually not aggressive enough to remove it. In this case, using a deck stripper instead of a deck cleaner will not only remove unwanted soils but also unwanted stain or sealer remnants. Deck strippers are a more aggressive caustic than a deck cleaner. They emulsify and soften most deck stains so they can be washed away with all the other contaminants. The deck stripping process is the same as deck cleaning with the applying, dwelling, and pressure washing. The only difference is the product used and like mentioned, that is determined by what is existing on the deck prior to cleaning. A deck brighter should also be applied following deck stripping.
Basically, the difference between deck stain stripping and deck cleaning is whether or not there is an old deck stain present or you are just removing dirt, grime, graying, etc. Determine what is on the surface of your deck and use either the deck stain stripping or deck cleaning process, followed by deck brightening to prep the wood prior to staining.
How To Strip A Deck Stain Video
As Questions Below If You Need Help
Deck Stain Help & Questions
Stain Reviews & Comparisons
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.
will the stripper remove sherwin Williams deckscape polyurethane siding stain. company hired to stain deck last summer used sw siding stain on deck. we want to remove and apply twp product
No. No stain stripper will remove a polyurethane. You will have to sand.
?Olympic stain stripper says it will strip poly stains.?
It will not.
Here is test spot.
Redo the brightener to remove the internal dark spots.
I stripped my deck and some parts look orange. How can I even out color? I used Behr deck stripper and then oaxialic acid. What did I do wrong? It is exotic wood.
Post pictures.
Help! We just spent big bucks to install a new front porch floor (tongue and groove fir). We chose sherwin williams superdeck semi transparent oil based stain. Our contractor had the floor perfectly sanded and even, and then applied the stain while we were not home. When we got home a few hours later, we noticed the finish did not look good at all- blotchy, tacky, uneven. He applied it with a roller and apparently did not get excess off after rolling? We can see roller marks, and orange peel bumpy finish from the roller. Now what? Is the only option to strip it off completely with that sherwin williams deck stripper and use revive wood brightener? Does this product completely strip the wood of the previous stain? Or will there be stain still penetrated into the wood causing an uneven color when we go to re-stain? Sick about this and not sure what to do.
Did you follow the new wood advice for the stain? This is why you are having these issues. You cannot stain new wood right away. You will need to remove all and start over. You should also let the new wood season correctly after you remove it. See this article for new wood tips:
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/how-long-should-you-wait-to-stain-a-new-deck/
My contractor said the wood was already 6 months old so I didn’t think it needed to weather. Do you recommend a specific stripper? The product we used is super deck- and I believe they sell a stripper for that product- unless there is one that works better ?
Also, we are so frustrated and hesitant to use a stain again after removing the super deck, we are considering using a deck paint. Do you forsee any problem with using a water based porch and floor paint such as Behr after we strip the stain off?
OR, is there a better product you can recommend other than super deck? I’m not seeing great reviews on it. Thanks so much for your time.
The wood has to be installed and weathered for 6 months. Prep after. Use the Restore A Deck stripper and then their Brightener. Do not use a paint! It will peel. You want a penetrating stain: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/the-5-best-deck-stain-reviews-and-ratings/
Sorry for all the questions, I’ve just had a terrible time getting any good information on this and I feel you know what you’re talking about much more than anyone else I’ve consulted.
Are you saying we should strip off all of the incorrectly applied stain and then wait 6 months to reapply anything else ? Or leave the terrible looking stain on it for 6 months and then strip it with restore a deck? We’d really like to just strip it all off this weekend if possible.
Strip and brighten now. Weather for a few months. Clean and brighten before staining.
Thank you!!!
Okay, my nightmare continues. Regarding above situation: applied restore a deck stripper per package instructions. Let soak for an hour, stain was not lifting. Scrubbed with a bristled brush, no improvement. Stain budged slightly after a LOT of elbow grease….but the wood is still the color of our semi transparent stain, can’t barely see the natural color of wood showing through at all. Now what? We have absolutely had it with this stain situation and really just want to paint it and get it overwith. Can we get an industrial sander and just take a whole layer off, prime, and paint with an oil or water based paint after sanding? Your previous response to paint was not to do it as it would peel. Why would it peel if we sanded and primed? Or can we get away with doing this? Please help, this has been a 2 month nightmare.
Post some pictures.
This is post restore a deck stain stripper and hours of scrubbing AND pressure washing
Sorry, please share a picture of the wood while dry. Hard to tell what is going on while soaking wet. Also, can you send a picture of the container or exact description of the Super Deck that you are removing
Sorry, here you go. It looks like the stripper may have removed a good layer, it is more matte looking as it’s dried overnight. We just expected for it to come off a lot differently and be able to see mostly the natural wood color again- which was light in color. We wondered if we should buy the sherwin williams stripper for this super deck product and give that one a go? If the stain comes off fairly unevenly will it look terrible if we just put another coat of superdeck on? Do you think another coat will even it out? Basically I think the main problem with the first coat is the contractor applied it way too thick and uneven with no back brushing. He thought it was a product that would just soak in all it could take and then you could come back later and wipe off the excess. Not that type of product at all. Or, if the stain strips off unevenly is our better bet to just paint it with porch paint? Again, thank you so much for your time.
SW Super Deck is typically an easy strip. Apply, let dwell and pressure wash off. Your issue is due to over application. At this point you may want to power sand it down to the bare wood for a couple of reasons. You are not getting it fully off and you are damaging the wood with the pressure washer. It is leaving wand tips line marks on the wood and these will show through unless you sand. Rent a drum sander and sand to 60-80 grit. You can rent these at a local rental yard or HD. Once removed, you can use any penetrating stain that you like.
We did as you said and stripped (two times) and power sanded our porch floor. I still feel like there is some shadowing of the stain left in the wood, like perhaps it just penetrated so deep that we aren’t getting it all off. See attached pics. My concern is that if we re-apply a stain now, it won’t be even looking- as there are still darker areas in the wood from the previous stain. It doesn’t look uniform and even colored. We are very skeptical to use a stain again since this has been a constant battle. My question is: can we just use a water based porch and floor paint at this point? The original stain used was oil based super-deck. I’m hoping the stripping and sanding will be enough that we won’t have any problems with paint sticking? If so, is there a special primer or something that we should apply before painting? Thank you!
Do not use paint, it will peel. Use a solid color deck stain. It will work much better.
18 hours ago I applied a Super Deck semi transparent (Grey Pine) deck stain to a power washed redwood deck.
HELP!!! The new Gre Pine color makes the deck look really worn out and old instead of renewing it.
Is there a way to remove the new application and put a transparent stain on the deck? Thank you!
Send pictures.
GS – previous and grey -now
Try the Restore A Deck Stripper/Brightener Kits with both additives: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/restore-a-deck-stain-stripper-booster-thickening-gel-review/
Thank you. Do I need to do that within a certain time period in order to remove the grey stain?
Not really.
Do I need to do this within a certain time period?
Could it be done at anytime or ASAP?
Our deck was properly cleaned/prepped and had TWP applied two years ago. Now, what about cleaning it, but not to the point of removing old stain (maybe just water and a brush) and then just applying a clear penetrating TWP stain instead of tinted? This would be to prolong the time between full proper cleaning/brightening/neutralizing etc. and restraining.
You will need to redo the full prep and stain. Use the Gemini Restore a Deck Kit. Some old stain may come off but that is okay. Recoat with the same color you used last time.
You can never top coat a deck stain with a clear sealer.
Thank you!
When you say sealer, do you mean a film forming coating? Because I was referring to penetrating stain (TWP 1500 clear), not a top sealer.
Why would stain over stain be a bad idea?
It will not work to add the clear TWP over the tinted color of TWP. Has to be the same color plus there would be zero benefit.
I understand what you’re saying, I’m just wondering why that would be the fact. In my mind after few years the oils that penetrated from the original stain would be partly or mostly dried out and the wood has weathered/dried/opened up to some extent over that time. Why wouldn’t a coat of penetrating oils not serve to rejuvenate that dried wood with new oils in between the regular maintenance cycles of full wash/strip/restain? Or is there a specific “rejuvenating” product to reintroduce some of those oils that dried out. This wouldn’t be meant to replace the regular proper maintenance, just supplement.
Thank you so much for your replies and for running this very helpful site!
It will not work. You cannot apply a clear sealer over a stain even if the same brand, it will not soak in correctly (penetrate) because of the current stain that you have on the wood and would have zero benefits when it comes to UV protection or making your current coating last longer.
There is not a way to prolong or make your stain last longer. It has to be redone correctly/fully every 2-3 years by doing the same process that you did in the first place.
Thank you!
We’ve sanded, stripped, sanded again, and brightened our deck. Still, some small areas bead/repel water. Do all these areas need to be stripped again before applying an oil based stain, or will it penetrate it? Thanks in advance!
Post some pictures of the prep.
So we failed at a deck project, and stripped and restrained the floor of our deck. But the railings and spindles, which are a different color and brand of oil based stain than the floor of our deck were not done at the same time. We later realized the Olympic oil based toner on the railings in our color went away When Olympic stopped partnering with Lowe’s. So my question now is- what do I do to cover up these railings? They are a bit bare in some spots due to power washing, but certainly not everywhere. Usually we could clean and touch up these with the same stain and be fine, but since we can’t seem to find the Olympic toner any longer (why????) what’s the recommendation?
Strip and brighten the rails as well so when you stain it all blends.
8 year old steps, used citrus remover, do I need to use more or brightener? Would you recommend semi-transparent stain, it faces the hot sun most of the day, thank you for any advice!
Brighten the wood. Use one of these stains: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/the-5-best-deck-stain-reviews-and-ratings/
Thank you!
Hello. I have a new redwood deck that was stained with Preserva semi-transparent oil-based stain last fall. It’s already faded and seems to be doing a poor job of protecting the wood. I’d like to apply a new semi-transparent stain with a similar redwood color. Do I need to strip or just clean? Also any recommendations for sem-transparent stain (a neighbor recommended Cabot). Thanks!
Strip and brighten for prep. Use one of these brands: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/best-semi-transparent-deck-stain-reviews-2020/
My kids “surprised us” and painted our deck while we were away several years ago with a coloured stain instead of a clear one. Nice gesture as we are seniors BUTvNow half the stain has worn off and we want to fix it How do we get the red stain off ?
Post a picture. What brand and type of stain did they use?
Regarding established large, 2nd floor IPE deck w/steps, mechanically sound, split/warp free, smooth surface, even appearance, direct sun 2/3 day, no overhanging growths or structures. Finish, turns gray very quickly (2 months) even with new coatings & turns almost black in a year. Had different “pros” refinish with same result, once using a Sherwin Williams oil with light stain, twice with Penofin. Touch-ups don’t seem to help as the graying process seems to dominate the wood surface life. At one year & almost black, it takes very abrasive scrubbing and power washing to remove the dark gray. I am concerned with causing surface damage, sanding seems like it will require stainless screws to be driven below the surface level, significant wood removal required, but also not likely to be doable without unevenness across the large area and in small spaces like joints, angles, under rail, etc.
1) Is TSP & bleach a cleaner or stripper?
2) What is the best way to get the gray off/out across the structure, not just floor: cleaning, stripping, scrubbing (formula and tools)?
3) How much scrubbing/abrasiveness is required to get the grey and black off?
4) Best products leading to IPE finish that looks like wood over time with annual maintenance (specially cleaning only, restripping, etc.)?
THANK YOU
Both Penofin and Super Deck have issues with turning black or dark gray. Move away from these brands.
1. Strip and brighten.
2. Strip and brighten while pressure washing.
3. It will come off with above suggestion.
4. Try a water-based IPE stain so it does not turn black. Defy Hardwood or Restore A Deck Stain.
I have a cedar deck and fence finished with non-tinted, transparent SuperDeck oil-based stain. Highlights the beautiful look of wet cedar, but takes a beating from the sun (fades). I’ve been staining every year or 2 as per the installer. This year, I’d like to switch to a water-based stain. Apparently lasts longer and is more environmentally healthy. Can I just spray over my old transparent oil stain, or do I have to strip it first (which would be a real pain given the length of fencing)? Or should I just keep using the oil-based stain? Thanks.
No, you have to remove the Super Deck. Strip and brighten. Try the Restore A Deck Stripper/Brightener Kits. it is easy to remove the Super Deck. Try Defy Extreme Stain or Restore A Deck Stain.
I have PT deck approx. 600 SQFT with Cabot Semi Solid Oil stain on it. Last done about 3yrs ago. Some areas are more worn than others and some are still pretty good. I have been told that only sanding will remove the old finish. Wondering if using a stripper like restore a deck will help the process or not. Also what stain do you recommend once prep is done?
Thanks
You will have to sand to remove this. Clean and brighten after the sanding. Use one of these brands: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/the-5-best-deck-stain-reviews-and-ratings/
Sorry I should have told you I am in the Toronto area in Canada so Some stains cannot like the TWP 200 and 1500 cannot be shipped here. Anyway do you think once the deck is sanded and brightened I could apply a water based semi transparent stain like Restore a Deck or should I stick to an oil based product.
Thanks
TWP 200 is allowed in Canada and is oil-based. You could also use the RAD stain.
I have a cedar deck with a solid stain that has been on several years. The only peeling has been on the spindles. Do I have to strip the entire deck to place another solid stain?
No, just strip what it loose with pressure washing and a stripper. You can then cover the intact stain with a new solid stain: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/what-are-the-best-solid-color-deck-stains/
Similar question – my deck has a dark brown semisolid stain (Arborcoat oil based). But I have some peeling on the deck boards, which I of course made worse with power washing! Can I get away with repainting without stripping everything? Do I need to sand these areas before re-painting? And lastly, do I need to use the same exact brand and color if I don’t strip everything? The color has totally faded on the deck boards, but the rails look fine.
The handrails are rather rough though and I was thinking about sanding them – can I sand already stained wood and then repaint? What grain of sandpaper? Thanks!
Best to strip and sand off the loose and peeling stain and the cover all with a solid stain. Any quality brand will work: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/what-are-the-best-solid-color-deck-stains/
Sand with 60-80 grit.
Hi, We applied TWP 105 Cape Cod (semi-solid) on our large pine pressure treated deck. Deck was built in May 2015 and stain applied in Nov 2015 (North Carolina). A painter power-washed the deck and applied a new coat of Cape Cod in April 2018. The deck now needs maintenance. We recently sanded the deck (in the areas it needed it most) and pressure washed it. Now, we have some places the stain is great – no peeling, still semi-solid and water just sits on the surface. In other places the stain is gone or spotty (not really peeling off) and water readily absorbs.
Before we re-apply more semi-solid stain, should we:
1. Apply a cleanser and brightener
2. Apply a stripper and brightener
3. Sand the entire deck and apply a cleanser and brightener?
4. Or some other combination?
Is it okay for me to use Cabot semi-solid in similar color or do I need to use TWP again? Also, please advise on temps and dry time before/after rain.
Thank you,
Jessica
If switching brands you will have to remove the TWP. Sand and strip. Otherwise clean and brighten unless the stain has worn unevenly. That would require stripping and or sanding to remove.
Hello, I have spent the entire day trying to get some answers but the big box stores give mixed into. My deck is 5 years old. I stained it with Olympic transparent canyon brown. The rails and post still look good but the flooring is faded and cracking. I want to reapply the same stuff so I don’t have to mess with the post. Can I clean it and reapply the same stuff or do I have to strip and sand it. Any help would be GREAT. Thanks
You should be able to clean and reapply if using the exact same stain and color.
Thank you
(Please remove my prior post from last night, as I’ve re-thought what I wanted to ask you)
We have a 10 year old deck that was stained for the first time 6 years ago using Olympic Maximum Stain+Sealant in one in a semi-transparent stain (oil based). Our deck isn’t covered and we have two large dogs who run like lightning bolts across it each time they are let outside. This resulted in almost immediate peeling 6 years ago after we stained the deck and has gotten worse over the years. I pressure washed the deck for the first time last Fall and I want to properly clean and re-stain the deck in the coming weeks. The pressure washing last Fall removed a lot of the old stain on the deck floor itself.
What type of deck stain (solid, semi-transparent etc) do you recommend for my situation (dogs, lots of sun exposure)? And how do you propose I properly clean/prep it to make sure the job gets done right? I really hope I can avoid sanding.
I will attach pics to this as well so you can see the condition of the deck. I’ve replaced all three steps, all top railings and one board last fall.
You will need a solid stain for this deck. Pressure wash for prep: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/what-are-the-best-solid-color-deck-stains/
No stain will be immune to wear and tear from dogs.
So no need to strip or sand anything? Why do you recommend solid over another semi-transparent? Thanks so much for the quick reply.
What you have on there now is already a solid stain in appearance and performance. It is not a semi-transparent (Olympic lies about this) and therefore you are stuck with a solid or you will have to sand it all of if you want to go to a semi-trans.
4 year old deck stained once with Behr semi-transparent penetrating oil. I don’t have any peeling just severe fading. I bought TWP to redo. Do I really need to strip? I don’t even see anything to strip. I was just going to clean with a all in one cleaner and brightened. Will this be ok? Thx.
Yes, you have to remove the Behr. You cannot apply the TWP over the Behr.
We have a deck 8+ years old that was stained when we bought the house. We have restrained it in the past. Now We have cleaned & stripped the deck. I like the look of the wood now. With this age of deck, can we just apply a clear sealer? Will the deck turn gray if that’s all we do?
Clear means it will gray naturally in months. Need to be tinted for UV protection: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/the-5-best-deck-stain-reviews-and-ratings/
I have a 3 year old PT deck which has been stained with Flood pro-series semi-transparent stain(Acrylic/oil). It’s my understanding, that if using the same product to re-stain, it isn’t necessary to strip the old before applying new. If I use a cleaner, but there is still stain left on the surface, I’m assuming at some point I’ll just be covering the wood grain which should be visible through the stain if I keep applying layer of stain over layer of stain as years go by. Also, will new stain even penetrate if there is still old stain on the surface? If being able to see the wood grain is a priority, would I need to strip the old each time before restaining?
If it wears evenly and is a penetrating stain, then you can clean and recoat. If it wears unevenly then best to strip and brighten for prep othweise it will look blotchy in color.
We do not use the Flood anymore since they changed formulas so not sure if repeated coats will penetrate or not. Doubt it.
Thank you for your advice!
I’m wanting to use a oil semi-transparent deck stain so in 2 years I can clean and brighten with power washer and not have to strip it off , suggestion please, and would I have to strip Sikkens proluxe Cetol srd transparenent matte finish or just clean and brighten? Thanks
You will need to strip off the Sikkens. Use TWP Stains or Armstrong Clark Stains.
Thanks
We have a 4 year old deck that I built and had someone else apply a Sherwin Williams Semi-Transparent sealer. We ended up not liking it that great, because it wasn’t as “semi” transparent as we had hoped and pretty much appeared to be a solid color. After 2-3 years the sealer started to peel in a few spots, and then this year kept getting worse. It of course had been my hope / expectation that this product would adhere much better to the wood and not act essentially as a paint just coating, but not bonding, with the wood.
I have spent the last 2 weekends with “Citri-Strip” (works great) and a pressure washer getting rid of all of the old! Next step is some sanding of benches etc.
Once this dries out again we are going to reseal / stain and want one that will adhere and not peel! We don’t mind using a clear / transparent finish so long as it will last a little while, and even more important never require stripping (like I had to do this time) before reapplying. Any recommendations, do all old sealants have to be stripped before applying new, or can some just be laid right over the top?
Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.
FYI, the picture with it already stripped a little was when I was using Sherwin Williams stripper, that did “ok” but the Citri-Strip was much better. Also, the original stain was applied after 3-4 months at least, so in theory the Pressure Treating chemicals on the surface should have weathered off.?.? And finally, as you can probably tell, this is Pressure Treated Pine from Big Box stores.
Thanks again, for any guidance!
Once all of the SW is removed, you want a penetrating semi-transparent stain that can be cleaned and reapplied as needed: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/the-5-best-deck-stain-reviews-and-ratings/
Is there a difference between deck stripper and paint stripper? I have a deck thats been painted and have been using deck stripper and a pressure washer to get try to get the paint off. But its really not working
Yes, very different. Deck stain strippers will not remove a paint or solid color deck stain. Paint strippers do not work much better but let us know if you succeed.
I have a very large (levels, stairs, bannisters etc) redwood deck that has been untreated and sun bleached (and drenched) for decades. Should I (1) use oil based stain (2) power wash only or use stripper/brightened etc and (3) what do you recommend that I do for railings, posts and areas that I can’t really powerfully and directly address – should I still wipe them down with stain anyway?
If unstained, clean and brighten for prep. Stain all when done with a semi-transparent oil-based stain like Armstrong Clark: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/tag/armstrong-clark-deck-stains/
I recently stained my deck with twp 100 series and shortly after it rained(7 hours) now I have water spots as well as some running stain areas and spots where the stain has pooled. I was told by a twp rep to strip, brighten and reapply. I would rather sand, clean, and re apply. Can you tell me the difference between stripping freshly applied stain vs sanding?
It is fairly easy to strip TWP. Sanding is a lot more work. If you sand, do not sand finer than 80 grit.
hi, what do you think of Wolman F&P AND FINISH AND PRESERVATIVE FOR CEDAR? I used it 3 yrs ago and has about faded completely. is that about normal.
We are not fans of it.
We have a PT cedar deck that’s 2 yrs old and was originally treated with SuperDeck Transparent oil-based Cedar Tone. Portions exposed to the sun have worn out and turned grey, so I’ve decided to refinish. There’s no flaking or peeling anywhere, and the wood seems to absorb water (without beading up).
1. Do I have to strip the deck? Or can I simply pressure wash and reapply the stain?
2. If I don’t have to strip, will the SuperDeck Revive (brightener) still work? (I’d like to brighten up the more exposed, grey portions of the deck.)
Thank you!
1. What stain will be you using next?
2. No, you would have to clean and then brighten.
1. I had planned on using SW SuperDeck Transparent CedarTone again. But I’m open to trying something else (I saw some comments on the site arguing that SW isn’t so good…).
2. I’ve pressure-washed it already. So it sounds like a brightener will only work if I use a chemical cleaner (or strip it)?
If switching brands, you will need to strip and brighten the wood. If staying with the Super Deck, clean and brighten.
Thank you so much! Great website.
I have sanded and scraped all the old color stain off my red cedar railings do I need to put a primer on it before I put new color stain on it?
No, you do not use a primer before a deck stain.
Our deck is about 6 years old. We stained it approx 5 years ago with a Behr semi-transparent stain. It’s peeling in the high traffic areas so we started stripping it to prep for a new coat of stain. We are using the exact same stain as we did previously. Can we abandon to stripping (we’ve just done the areas where it was peeling) and clean it then apply a new coat of stain to the whole deck?
If using the same brand and color, then yes.
Great, thanks!
We’re going to use a deck cleaner. Do we also need to use a brightener to neutralize since we did use a stripper in some areas?
Yes.
Do we need to use a brightener to neutralize the stripper before cleaning?
Yes.
I stripped and sanded our deck and now will brighten before using Armstrong Clark semi transparent stain. My question is, we had to replace one board in the deck and we’re adding 4 steps off the back also with new boards. First, is it okay to stain the new boards now or do I have to wait a period of time and two what prep should be done to the new boards assuming I can stain them now?
Thanks!
Technically you are supposed to wait but since it is just a few boards we would go ahead and do it. https://www.deckstainhelp.com/staining-a-new-deck/
I used WoodRx Ultra Teak Transparent Wood Stain/Sealer on my newly done deck 4 years ago. It has peeled in some areas and just overall worn out in others. I prefer to restain and attempted a poer washing but it didn’t seem to be taking any of the old stain off. Any suggestions? Can I just used a solid stain over it or a darker transparent?
Options are to strip it or sand it down if switching brands of semi-transparent or cover what you have with a solid stain.
I put in a new cedar deck last summer. I used Armstrong and Clark clear stain mainly to protect the deck from sun and mildew. After this Ontario winter the deck is now very dirty and soap and water don’t clean it. It seems the dirt is embedded in the stain. Will cleaner and scrubbing work or do I need to strip it? If I strip it what is the point of applying a stain or sealer if I have to redo every year.
Try a deck cleaner first and see if that works.
Hi, this is a great site – thank you for keeping it updated! I stained with Superdeck my fresh Doug fir in August last year after sanding. With a lot of rain over the winter, the deck darkened (expected) but there is also what appears to be sap droplets that squeezed out of the wood. Will the Superdeck Brightener work to remove that sap and not damage the coloring? Thanks.
No, that is impossible. Prep products will not remove sap. Anything you do will harm the coating and will result in the need for a new coat of stain.
Ok, thanks.
My deck was stained (the year after it was built) with Behr semi transparent 5 years ago.
The rails and sides of the deck are fine, but the floor of the deck and stairs have started to peel. I have been stripping it with Behr stain & finish stripper, scrubbing with a brush and also pressure washing it. Most has come off although there are spots that are really hard to remove (but I will work on it!!)
I intend to use the Behr woodcleaner (brightener) and then re-stain with a darker Behr semi transparent colour than previously used. Because I am using the same product, but darker colour, can I restain over the rails without stripping them?
Yes, but why would you want to use Behr again? it will peel again within the year. It has horrible reviews from us and consumers: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/behr-deck-stain-review/
Best to strip it all down and switch to a better and easier to maintain stain.
Hi. I want to apply a maintenance coat of Behr Premium Semi Transparent Stain to my deck. It is the same stain that is already on the deck. After cleaning the deck with a bleach type cleaner and pressure washer set with a 40 degree tip, there is some flaking and peeling. What are the next steps? Do I need to lightly sand or stip completely?
Strip it while pressure washing. Brightener after: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/restore-a-deck-stain-stripper-booster-thickening-gel-review/
I was afraid you would say that. Thank you so much for the help!
I was afraid you would say that. Thank you so much for the help!
I stripped the bold stain off my deck but now I need to sand since the pressure washing lifted some of the fibers. The wood appears to be back to its natural new color. Do I sand then clean and brighten or clean and brighten then sand? Do I need to clean and brighten ay all since it looks like new wood in color?
Just brighten after the sanding. Do not sand finer than 60-80 grit paper.
my husband applied oil based stain on our deck without removing any dirt from it and only did one coat saying the stain would cover it and it is such a bloody mess, what can I do to fix this?
You will need to remove and start over. How to remove depends on the stain brand and type of stain you used. Pictures would help as well.
I stained my deck two years ago with Behr semi transparent. I want to restain the deck with exactly the same product. The stain isn’t peeling, but has faded, where the sun hits it. I have read on other sites that I should do the water absorption test before staining. Do I need to clean the deck until the water test is successful, and the water is absorbed through the old stain? There are parts of the deck where the water would not absorb through the old stain.
Just use a deck cleaner for the prep and you should be okay.
Do I have to use a brightener if I sanded down to bare wood?
Clean and brighten after sanding is best.
Hello, old deck stain has been sanded off and I used oxygenated bleach to clean any lingering “green algae” from wood fibers. Will this as the same as a “brightener”?
No, that is a cleaner.
Hi, my husband just used a wood cleaner on our deck, and began painting with Superdeck Solid Stain in Chocolate color, 2 days ago. I don’t like the color, will stripping get it off? Or will I need to sand? We just bought our house, so no idea what was on there before. There was virtually no paint or sealer left.
After reading reviews it seems like cleaning, stripping & brightening is in order after I get the paint off.
Thank you!
A stripper will not remove a solid stain. You will need to power sand.
I used a Behr, semi-transparent all-in-one waterproofing stain and sealer 2 or 3 years ago. There are starting to be some spots of mildew and some spots where the stain has rubbed off a bit. Do I need to just clean it (with product?) or do I need to strip it all if I just want to reapply the same stain?