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 of 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.
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392 Comments on "Clean or Strip the Deck Stain?"
We are getting ready to redo our front porch railing, posts, and stairs. I have previously applied a dark brown solid stain (not sure of the brand). I am interested in changing the color to a dark gray solid, my question is it is necessary to strip it down or just clean it?
Also if I wanted to stain the stairs in a semi-transparent can I just clean and then sand? Or will I need to strip it?
Thank you!
You do not have to strip. Just remove the dirt and any loose, peeling stain. For the stairs, you will need to sand off the solid stain first.
I’m trying to find out if I need to strip with chemical or sand. I used sikkens semi transparent stain. Wanted to use same color but they don’t make exact but it’s close.
Strip first and sand if needed after to remove the rest. Brightener when done.
This PT deck is 15 yeas old. For several years, I applied a tinted sealant (Olympic) every 2-3 years but 2 years ago, I decided to change my approach and apply an oil-based stain (Beauti-tone oil based semi-transparent). I like the colour, but it flaked up big time this spring so I obviously didn’t prep it correctly last time, reapplied applied coats too quickly or something.
It’s especially bad around the pool.
If applying the exact same stain/colour this time, what prep is required? I have cleaned and scraped so far (in that order)
Do I need to use stripper? Brightener? Sanding?
Strip and sand it all down to the bare wood and then brightener is the correct prep.
I am wishing to go from a solid restorative deck paint (Olympic Rescue) to an oil based stain. The current product is coming off in sheets. We obviously did not prep it correctly 3 years ago.
What is the best preparation to go from paint to oil based stain?
The prep is not the issue but the product: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/olympic-rescue-it-review-2014/
The only way to remove this product is to power sand it off.
I have a client who wants his 5+ year old oil-stained deck cleaned before deciding if he wants to apply another coating of stain.
1. Is that a good idea? Won’t the wood just be more prone to damage after any type of cleaning and not applying any protective coat?
2. What would be the best cleaning method for his deck as to not remove any of the stain underneath the dirt and small amount of mold/mildew?
Thanks!
You cannot just “clean” and not remove some or most of the stain. He will need to restain. Best idea is to strip it all, brighten the wood, and reapply a new coat of the stain of his choice.
I have two different problems:
#1. we stripped our back deck a few years ago and applied behr water based semi transparent stain. We didn’t use a brightener and could tell immediately it wouldn’t last. We are now ready to redo the deck and wonder if we could strip it and then apply an oil based stain but I read your replies to other questions about having to stay with the same product. Of course we will not skip using the brightened this time!
#2. Our front deck has two coats of seriously durable paint on it (has lasted more than 10 years). We have never been brave enough to do anything to it but now want to try so it will match the back deck. Any possibility that this will work and hold an oil based stain?
Love your website, it has been so helpful!!
1. Answered this already on another post.
2. Sorry but no.
Just to clarify, if we strip and sand the paint off a stain would not work ?
If you remove the paint 100%, you can use a stain.
Hi. Stained cedar deck a couple of years ago with Wolmans Semi-Transparent. Replaced a few boards as well. Based on pics do I need to strip or “just” clean deck before applying same color and same brand and type of stain? Thanks!
This brand cannot be stripped. I believe it can be cleaned and reapplied but best to check with Wolmans.
Hi, We built a cedar deck about a year ago and applied Behr Premium Transparent Penetrating Oil Wood Finish (Cedar Naturaltone #4001) about 2 months after wood delivery. We sanded, and didn’t use any brighteners, etc, which I suspect is causing the uneven finish.
About a year later, the deck looks kinda uneven and splotchy. None of the stain is peeling, and most the deck still seems fairly well protected. But, we’d like to even the color out. What do you recommend? We like the initial look of the Behr product, but open to other finishes that will show the cedar wood grains.
While there is a bit of dirt/mud in the photos here, most of the discoloration seems to be in the wood/stain. I’ve tried pressure washing and cleaning with TSP and it looks the same before/after.
Thanks!
You cannot add another brand over the Behr so you will need to remove or apply the same brand.
Thanks – If I keep with the Behr to avoid removing stain, do you suggest cleaning and brightener? Or just clean and stain?
Thanks again!
Just clean.
I have a porch floor done with pressure treated lumber, used a semitransparent stain on it and it still looks good but after many years could use sprucing up. There are a few oil stains , really don’t know what to use to remove and do not want to sand the entire floor. Can I give it a real good cleaning, use the recommend oil stain remover and restain with the same product? Thank you for any assistance you can provide.
What brand was it? Post a picture please.
I used Australian timber oil semi trans stain on a new deck after the proper drying time of the wood, after two years it looks like it needs redoing in the high traffic areas, but reading your site I see that spot staining is not recommended, if I want to use a water based stain instead of oil will I need to strip it off after this much time has passed
Yes you will have to strip this all off. Use the Restore a Deck Stripping Kits.
thanks I will let you know the results
I have a PT deck which was last stained with semi-solid Ben Moore Arbor Coat. (lasted almost 5 years).
Due to the age of the deck (17 years) I am going to apply Ben Moore Arbor coat in a solid.
I have cleaned and sanded the decking, and stripped a section to try to remove the last of the old stain – it’s not coming up.
The only way to get it to bare wood would be to continue to sand.
Do I need to go that far to apply the solid stain ?
No. You can cover this with a solid stain.
I used Spar Varnish on pressure treated wood. It was beautiful but two years later the varnish is flaking off. I liked the look of the Spar Varnish and am thinking of reapplying. Should I use a stripper to get the old layers off and if so, will a stripper harm the aluminum balusters?
You would have to sand this off.
I applied Thompson’s water seal (stain + sealer in one), solid, about 1 year ago. The exposed horizontal surfaces need restaining – see photos (some have tree shadows). I plan to apply 1 or 2 coats of same product to these surfaces. Should I just use a cleaner, or just pressure wash, or use a stripper? Thanks.
Use a stripper and then pressure wash off the loose stain.
I stained my deck last year but there are spots where the stain is flaking off. Just a few small areas, nothing major. We want to fix it but were never happy with the colour and want to stain it a darker colour. Would we need to strip it going to a darker stain?
You should strip and start over.
We have protected our deck with Thompson water seal for several years. It has become very dark and ugly. We would like to strip it and then seal it. Is there any product that removes Thompsons sealer. We haven’t found anything yet.
The Restore A Deck Stripper and pressure washing should remove it. I assume you mean the clear sealer? Brightener after to neutralize.
I’m not sure what brand/color of stain was used on our deck previously. Based on the attached photos can you tell me if we should use a stripper first and then sand down the rough areas before using a wood brightner, then stain?
Thank you for your help.
Hi Kim,
Yes, use a stain stripper first. Sand if needed and brighten after. Use the Restore a Deck Stripper and Brightener Kits.
Previous owners used a Cabot oil based solid stain in white. It’s been a few years and the deck clearly needs a new treatment (looks dingy, some mold). We’re novice DIYers and I’m looking for the easiest solution. Should I simply use the same product again? Should I use Restore-a-Deck cleaner & brightener first?
You will need a solid again. Prep with a deck cleaner and pressure washing. No need for the brightener.
Okay, so I finished the board replacement, but as you can see from the photos, it’s difficult to tell if this deck was ever stained. I’ve hit several small areas with the pressure washer and it looks to come pretty clean, but other areas look like they may have some stain on them. The railing slats, for example, look like they’ve got some stain, but they came pretty clean with the pressure washer. Based on these pics, would you recommend starting with a stripper, or a cleaner? It’s going to be about a $40 difference for me.
Best to use a stain stripper for this and then pressure wash off. Brighten all when done. Cost should be about the same with stripper vs cleaner.
Roger that. So no need for cleaner if I use a stripper. I assume you recommend RAD stripper, but I’m doing the job tomorrow and no time to order. Any recommendations from the big box stores?
No need for a cleaner if using a stain stripper. Nothing decent from big box stores. Try a local paint or hardware store.
i had a new pressure treated deck built 3 summers ago, waited a full year to stain the deck. Most of the deck still looks great but there are 3 or 4 boards that the stain seems to be flaking away. I’ve cleaned and re-stained endlessly but this keeps happening, usually after a heavy rain, and now after the winter it has all “pealed” away again. What am i doing wrong?
What brand of stain did you use? Can you post pictures?
Hi, I used Olympic stain. I am not home to take picture but will post one this weekend.
Here is the picture of the peeling. I will restain and this will happen after a heavy rain.
It is applied to thick to the point that the stain is not soaking into the wood but drying on top of the wood. You should sand and strip to remove it.
Thank you!
The previous owner applied SW Deckscapes in Sequoia about 4 years ago. The stain is wearing off on the floor, but not so much on the railings. Therefore, we want to re-stain our deck in the same color to make it easier. Do you recommend that we use a stripper and brightener? Or, just the cleaner? Thanks!
Same color and brand? To clean ot strip depends on how bad the wearing is. Can you post a picture?
Yes, we would use the same color and brand for the stain. Here are pictures of the deck. Is it necessary to remove all the stain? I assume the process would be power wash, apply stripper and then cleaner? Or, can I skip the stripper? Thank you!
For this, just clean and reapply the same. No need to remove all or use a stripper.
What color is your deck stained and paint type?
My deck was painted many years ago. Held up for many years but over the past few years constantly chilling etc. is it better to strip and return to natural color or just repaint it? Live on water and someone told me to strip etc. all the chemicals would go I️. Water and better to clean it and repaint?? I’m not sure. Help??
You cannot fully strip paint so if you want to remove, best to power sand. Another option is to pressure wash off loose paint and cover over with another paint. This is a temporary fix though as it will continue to peel.
Hi, You have some great helpful comments. I am wanting to find the cheapest way to fix our all redwood deck. For several years we stained it with a semi transparent redwood stain to bring out the red and the wood grain. But 2 years ago it was accidentally ‘painted’ with a non transparent “filler” that covers all the grain a left if very rough (so it keeps dust and dirt even with scrubbing). I hate this so much, I am even considering rebuilding the whole deck with something I never have to worry about mistakes on (ie composite) but that is expensive. SO I am thinking I will have to try to hire someone to sand off all the old stuff. But this stuff it tough…it was advertised as a paintable wood filler for cracks up to 1/4″ and it is the all over the deck, spindles, arm banisters, etc. Would it be cheaper to just replace deck (even with treated lumber and restain) or just try to sand and work this one…I really want to keep the redwood if I can.
Without seeing a picture or knowing the brand of paint you used, it is hard to say what would be easier or cheaper. Definitely easier to replace than to try to sand this off. Probably more costly though.
What is the best stripper for removing Sikkens Cetol? The deck has about 30 years of Sikkens which had been merely reapplied every 5 years or so, without stripping the previous coats. The worst part is that the original coat of Sikkens was applied over a dark red stain on very light wood. I’m having an awful time. Also, they want me to apply Sikkens SRD or SDR. I was wondering is there something I can put over the top of this Sikkens application to ensure longevity? I’ve heard only bad things about SDR in this Florida humidity.
You will need to sand to remove this many coats of the Sikkns Cetol. Strippers will not remove it fully. You cannot extend the life by adding something on top.
Sweet Jesus…our painters used the wrong color stain on our Ipe deck. The deck is 5 years old. Was stained 5 years ago with one coat of Sikkens oil based. It was in need of a fresh application because it had gone fairly gray in areas. They cleaned and brightened it and then put the wrong color on. Do we have to totally strip it and re-stain. They used Sikkens ProLuxe Cetol oil based. Can that even be done with fresh stain?
You will most likley need to strip and power sand to fully remove it. Sikkens Cetol is not easy to remove, especially when freshily installed.
Spotted gum deck stripped cleaned & sanded still beading
Not sure what your question is?
Good Morning,
4 years ago we bought a house with a large deck. It need to be retreated. I bought a stain and put it on the deck. It started to peel with in 6 months. Someone told me it was because the owner before us used a oil base. So i need to redo our deck. What do i need to do? Should i strip it, we have lots of little pedal stalls on the railing that are fine. What do you suggest I do?
Best to remove. Strip or sand it off. Brighten the wood after.
I have a deck over my walk out basement with steps leading down to the lower deck (used to surround a pool but we removed the pool and filled in with wood) or continuing to the basement level. We have stained the newly built deck already with Olympic Maximum semi-transparent stain and it looks great! We matched the color to the old deck stain as closely as possible and it is close but we want to recoat the upper deck and steps as there is some wear and tear. I have researched pretty in depth and have found I do not need to strip the old wood since it is also a water based semi-transparent but the steps have some peeling. I cleaned and sanded all weathered areas and have a pretty smooth surface now. Should I still strip the steps since they were peeling or just stain since it is sanded smooth?
You have to strip if switching brands and remove all of the previous coating. No way around it.
Hi There,
I have a new Cedar Deck I have installed. It has been seasoned (installed) almost 3 months. I feel I should stain it before winter (Michigan). I have purchased Sherwin Williams Deck Revive to prep the wood before staining. Is this product not advised because it is bleached based? Am I ok to proceed? Thank you for your assistance in advance
We are not fans of the SW prep but it is probably okay for the first time.
Thank you for your reply and advice. What is the best applicator for the stain? I am using an oil based transparent stain. The deck is roughly 800 sq feet. I am hesitant to get on my knees and brush the whole deck. But I am also under the impression that a brush and then back brushing is the most thorough and best way to apply the stain verses spraying, a rag, or a pad. Thank you again.
Use an exterior stain pad.
I have a real mess on my front deck. I purchased Australian Timber Oil thinking it was a great product, recommended by my local Ace Hardware, and it looks awful. It was very thick to apply, did not absorb into the wood, and right after application it picked up all footprints, dirt, etc. The finish now looks continually dirty and muddy. I tried power washing, scrubbing, etc. but nothing is working. Is there a product I can use to fix this or must I remove it and re stain the deck with something else? I applied it over existing semi-solid stain after power washing.
The reason this happened is that the Cabot ATO cannot be applied over a different brand of semi-solid stain. It had no chance of soaking into the wood. At this point, you must fully sand to remove all and start over.
Thank you.
I am DESPERATE to fix a huge problem regarding stripping my back deck (and I can pretty much guarantee you have never run into this issue before!). About 4 years ago my sister and I bought a house and stained the back deck (I think it was an oil based product, but can’t remember for sure). Over the past 4 years it became very weathered with no color or protection from the heavy rains we get in WA., so we wanted to apply a fresh stain before fall/winter set in. Somebody I know recommended using [water based]ATCO SW1 Shake and Wood Treatment (yes, you read that right, a roofing product). It looked great when we applied it to the deck, but it never absorbed. When you walk on the deck the bottoms of your shoes will turn the color of the deck (and it was even tracking in to the house). We had some light rain the other day, and the whole deck looked like it had wet paint setting on it! I’ thinking maybe the water based ATCO product didn’t take since we didn’t really properly prep the deck, and there may have been some of the previous oil based stain on it (even tho the wood looked worn and bare), After a lot of reading, I decided to strip it with [water based] DEFY wood stripper (and then follow up with their wood brightener), so we could start all over with a fresh stain. Now, after a chat session with DEFY they’re telling me the wood stripper probably won’t work since the roof stain product was applied only 6-8 weeks ago, and I will most likely have to sand it all off. PLEASE tell me there is another fix for this problem….
P.S. I already spoke with the dealer where I bought the ATCO SW1 product, and they were of on help – basically told me to call Home Depot and get info on a stripper product.
Sorry but only options are to sand this off or replace the wood.
Is it even worth trying the wood stripper and/or a bleach-detergent-water solution with a pressure washer?
Probably will not work.
Last question ~ If there is no getting around sanding, what type sander would you recommend (electric palm sander or orbital). Also, should I use 60 or 80 grit sandpaper?
Drum sander and floor edger. Use 60 and then 80 grit.
We applied Thompson Water Seal to our deck last year, it no longer beads. We are planning on applying stain. Do we need to strip the stain first if it no longer beads?
You should strip and brighten.
Thank you for your help.
Hello, I have Thompson tinted water seal on my deck and want to apply solid Behr stain on it. Most of the water seal has worn off but the spindles and sides still bead water. Do I need to strip it or can I just clean it and apply the stain? Thank you
Just pressure wash if you want to go with a solid stain.
I have pressure washed my desk several times and there is still some stain on a few areas that I can not get off. Would it look ok if I stained with a darker stain (or same color stain)?
It would have to be the same brand as last used.
Our deck was stained with a semitransparent stain 2yrs ago. The stain has worn off in certain spots and we just want to do “touch ups” instead of stripping the entire deck. Can we just use a deck cleaner and then stain the spots in question? Should we use a brightened as well? Thanks!!
It is not good idea to spot prep and stain. It will not look good. Best to prep all and stain all.
Hi,
Our deck is in bad shape – a few years ago we applied Thompson’s WaterSeal Advanced Tinted Wood Protector in Natural Cedar. I absolutely hate the color – but after all the work – we kept it like this – now I finally have the time to work at it. The verticals still have about 80-90% of the stain, but the floor and steps have only about 20% of the stain left on them. I need to remove all of the stain. I was told at the local hardware store that Thompson heavy duty cleaner would remove the stain but I have had very little success on the verticals. with brush and hose. I am not sure what to do next? Do I put on the cleaner and use a pressure washer?
I have not decided what to put next – I am wondering if a solid stain is best for the floor … so that every couple of years I can just clean and then restain – because I have read that all of the solid stain does not have to be removed each time.
Thank you!
A cleaner will not remove the stain. You have to use a stain stripper and pressure washing to remove. Possibly sanding as well. Solid stains peel. Better to use a penetrating semi-transparent. https://www.deckstainhelp.com/the-5-best-deck-stain-reviews-and-ratings/
Thank you for replying so quickly! Do you have a reccomendation for the best stripper to use with the Thompson’s water seal? Also, my husband is concerned about how to remove the stain in between the deck floor boards… so that we cant see the old colour. Will the stripper and pressure washing take care of that?
Try the HD80 or Restore A Deck Stripper. Unfortunately strippers will not remove all the stain between the boards. If some is remaining, best to use a new stain color that is similar or darker so it blends.
Another question … So I have been stripping and power washing. I think I will put a solid stain on the verticals and a semintransparent on the floor and steps. If i am putting a solid on the verticals – is it okay if about 20-30 % of the old thompsons is still on the verticals?
Yes that is fine.
Thank you! Your site has been extremely helpful!
Thank you for this article! We recently moved into a new home that has a deck with all horizontal surfaces stained and all vertical surfaces (including spindles) painted white. The painted parts seem in good shape. The stained parts have some wear. I’ve attached pictures for reference…
Should we plan to sand and strip the entire deck and then re-stain? Or would a good power wash and then re-application of stain work ok? Or would you suggest we do something else entirely?
Thank you in advance for your recommendations!
Doing a two toned deck is your best option: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/advantages-to-having-a-two-toned-deck/
Stain the railings a solid color. Sand and strip the horizotnals down to the bare wood and use a penetrating semi-transparent.
Thank you for responding so quickly! When you say “stain the railings a solid color” are you referring to the top part that goes horizontally along the tops of the spindles? Right now, they’re stained the same as the floor boards. Do you think they shouldn’t be?
Stain the spindles a solid color. Do a semi-transparent for all floors and railing tops.
Are semi solid considered solid in your comments? We just purchased Sherwin Williams semi solid deck stain.
No, semi-solids still show some wood grain while a solid stain does not.
Thank you. Should we prep as a solid or a semi transparent?
semi-transparent
Strip or clean? We are in hot and humid climate in Atlanta. Deck is 7 years old and 4 years go we stained with Olympia (see image). We “gently” pressure washed the deck and it looks now like attached. To complete prep I was going to order RAD powder but not 100 sure if I should go with their clean & brighten or strip & brighten kit?
We are leaning towards Defy Extreme Waterbased semi-transparent based on reviews on this site. Will Restore-a-deck product be ok? On Defy website they obviously recommend their Strip/clean/brighten products. Any disadvantages from using RAD product with Defy stain.
Any advice is appreciated.
You need to strip and brighten as you have not removed all of the old stain. Either the RAD or Defy prep products will work well for this.
Great article. Thank you. We just paid to have our cedar sided home re-oiled this year and yikes … so much expense. We are doing the decks ourselves but it is intimidating. Is there a way to tell if the previous stain used on the decks was acrylic based or oil? It is flaking off in a lot of areas and doesn’t look great. I ordered the stripper recommended from this site to try on it, but am confused if I should just sand it all down instead? The vertical spindles on the railing appear to have been oiled more like the house rather than the stuff on the horizontal railing top and the deck floor. What would you recommend to get the surface best prepped in this case? We want to use a semi-transparent cedar color to match the house and hope to use a penetrating oil based product so that we can just clean and re-coat in upcoming years rather than have so much maintenance.
Post a picture, please.
my stupid ex put paint on my redwood deck about 4 years ago. It is in different stages of pealing off to completely gone.! I get a lot of snow. What do Info to clean it off so I can restrain it?
Sunnie
Unfortunately, you cannot clean or strip off a deck paint. You will need to fully sand it off if you want to use a semi-transparent deck stain.
Greetings – same ol’ question with a slightly different twist. We put in a new cedar deck 2.5 years ago. We waited over 6 months and then had a “professional” prep the wood with Behr All-in-One Deck Cleaner. He really scrubbed the wood vigorously. We then used Cabots Semi-Opaque stain.
It didn’t take even a year for the stain to begin coming off in areas. Now, 2 years after staining it is really bare in many places (verticals are fine)
As the stain is Semi-Opaque, do we need to both remove all the old stain and then clean as you normally suggest? Or can we simply clean, lightly sand and then re-stain, either with the same stain or perhaps an Opaque stain if it would require less work? And would you suggest a good stain that would last better if we do adequate preparation?
THANKS SO MUCH!
Yes, sand to remove all and clean and brighten the wood for final prep. Prep is key and doing this is the best way. Once fully removed and prepped, use a penetrating semi-trasnaprent stain.
Hi! I have a 4yr old front porch that I stained with Olympic elite advanced stain and sealant in semi-transparent about 3yrs ago. The railing and majority of the porch still look great but the high traffic areas (stairs and area in front of door) peels after each winter and looks pretty bad(I live in illinois with harsh winters and have to use salt sometimes). I usually just clean and touch up the bad areas but this doesn’t seem to last long and I have to repeat every yr. From what I have read this type of stain should not be peeling. My question is do you think the peeling is due to an application error? Or high traffic/weather/salt causing the damage? Also what is the best way to fix it without having to redo the whole porch? Can I just strip the area that needs it and start over? I think touching it up each yr is just making it worse by adding layers. Any advice appreciated greatly and thank you in advance!
It’s peeling due to the stain being a filming acrylic. They dry on top of the wood instead of penetrating into the wood and can be prone to peeling. You will have to remove all to properly fix. Stripping, pressure washing, and sanding to remove. Brighten all the wood when done. You cannot spot strip.
Thank you very much for your quick response! Do you have a recommendation for a penetrating stain? We only have a Lowes and a Menards in my area.
Hi, I have behr premium semi transparent stain on my deck. within one year it start peeling. I want to remove this one. What is the best option to remove it. Does timber oil with some color in it peel easily?
If in future I want to reapply same product do I need to stripe it or just wash it and re stain ?Any other product that does not peel within one year and easy to reapply without strip it first?
You will have to remove all to properly fix. Stripping, pressure washing, and sanding to remove. Brighten all the wood when done. Stain with one of these brands: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/the-5-best-deck-stain-reviews-and-ratings/
Hi – Our deck railing was stained about 6 years ago and, overall, is still in great shape. We are thinking of painting the railing. Do we need to remove all of the old stain? Or just the loose and peeling portions? The stain is a semi-transparent Behr product.
If painting with a solid color, just remove the loose and peeling parts.
Hi. Nice article. I just want to be clear about cleaning versus stripping. I have a north-facing (never direct sunlit) vertical surface of stained cedar (Cabot translucent oil stain was used to stain it when it was new 10 years ago). It’s dirty. but I’m not convinced it needs re-staining. I’m willing to try just washing it first to see how it looks. I want to be sure that you are saying I can CLEAN a stained surface w/o inadvertently stripping the stain. Is that true ? If so, can you please recommend any specific cleaners ?
Thanks very much.
Regards / Joe
I doubt you will be able to clean it without removing some of the old stain since it is 10 years old.
Thanks. OK, but I’d like to try simple cleaning first. If, after cleaning, it is revealed that the stain is faded (either because it was like that already or because of my cleaning), I can always proceed to strip it (intentionally), brighten it, then re-stain. With that in mind, is there a cleaner you can recommend ? I see that Lowe’s carries a very large container of “Olympic Premium Deck Cleaner” for only $20. Is that a cleaner you recommend or is there another you prefer ?
Thanks again.
Regards/Joe
Olympic is bleach based. We do not suggest it as it damages the wood. Try a sodium percarbonate based deck cleaner.
Thanks. I’ve been reading about sodium percarbonate in general. It seems that OxiClean is roughly 50% sodium perc. And some other laundry products feature it, too (e.g., certain Tide products). Should I use those products or is there an actual “wood cleaner” product that you recommend ? I have also seen “pure” (99%) sodium perc for sale. Should I just use that ? What should be the ratio of pure sodium perc to water ? Thanks again for all your help.
You want a blend that is designed for deck cleaning. Restore A Deck Cleaner.
Thanks. I confess I tried Oxi-Clean this weekend. I used only half a cup per gallon of water, which is considerably less than I’ve read about by others on the internet. It removed the dirt very well, but it also did some stripping of the cedar stain, which you did caution me might happen because of its age. After it dried, the wood seems lighter. Too light. I don’t know if that’s because some stain was removed or because the wood now needs a brightener after the Oxi-Clean. Should I use restore-a-deck brightener now, or are brighteners only for use on totally stripped wood ? Is it OK to use them on top of stain ? Thanks again.
Post a picture please.
Here are several pictures.
The streaks you are seeing is that you removed some of the old stain but not all. It should be removed all the way at this point otherwise the streaks will show through. A stripper followed by a brightener will fix this.
OK. Thanks.
For future reference – Is there a simple CLEANER that does NO stripping at all ? There must be something that only cleans, right ?
Thanks again.
Regards / Joe
Just dish soap and warm water will remove dirt, etc.
OK. I’ll strip/brighten/stain now. After a couple years, I’ll just clean with dish soap.
Thanks again for your help.
Hi! I have a deck (in NC) that has had a Behr solid stain on it for the last 10 years. The deck doesn’t get very much direct sun (about 3 or 4 hours a day) which is probably why it has lasted so long. However, I would like to restain it now since, as you can see, the wood under the stain is starting to appear (ok, a couple of the boards need to be fully replaced). If I restain the deck with the same solid stain do I need to strip it or just apply a cleaner before staining? What product should I use to do either?
If using a solid deck stain again, just pressure wash with a deck cleaner for the prep. In this scenario, it does not matter the brand of the prep.
Thank you for your response. Related question, what can I do about the cracks in the wood (see attached pic)? Is it possible to fill them with wood filler before staining?
Wood filler does not work very well for exterior wood. We would just leave it as is.
Hi I recently 3 weeks ago had a new deck built (14 by 12 ft) using pressure treated wood. I stained the deck a week ago using a Behr semi-transparent color (Russet) that I absolutely hate. I think I did too many coats as the color is much darker than I’d like; it almost looks like a solid. I’d like a more natural color so I want to change the color to a lighter version or possibly repaint using less coats. What is the process to remove/change the stain. How long do I have to wait before I am able to remove change the stain?
Thanks
Hello,
See this about new wood: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/staining-a-new-deck/
A for fixing, Behr is stubborn to remove. Even harder since it is new and looks like a paint. Strippers will most likley not work well so you will have to sand it all off.
Are there any link on your site around how to properly sand off new stain?
Sorry, but we do not have an article about how to sand a deck. Sand with the grain of the wood, use a belt sander and 60-80 grit paper.
I just built a new deck and purchased a hot tub for the deck. I want to have the hot tub delivered but I know I need to let the pressure treatment wear off by waiting months. If I use a deck stripper will this allow me to stain my new deck after stripping and bypass the 3-6 month waiting process for the deck to dry out or pre treatment to wear off?
You cannot “bypass” or speed up the waiting period.
Hello,
I’m in the process of re-staining my deck rails (not the deck itself). I used Cabot acrylic solid stain the last time I stained, and will use the same again. I have scraped the rails and am now sanding them. Since I’m using the same stain, I assume that I do not have to remove all of the old stain, but only stain that is cracked or peeling?
Also, I did not clean the rails before scraping/sanding. Should I have done that first? Since I did not, should I do it after sanding? I’ve seen advice that suggests it isn’t a good idea to clean/wash after sanding.
Thanks for your help,
Stuart Munro
That is correct. No need to remove all if using the same solid stain. You can clean and wash after sanding and you should do this for the railings.
Thanks for the advice. I’ll powerwash the railings before staining. One followup: how long should I wait after washing to apply the stain?
About 48 hours.
Great, thanks again.
Hello again,
Another question. I stained the flooring on my deck a couple of years ago. The stain is holding up pretty well, but there a few spots showing some wear, especially in front of an entrance that gets shovelled when we have snow. Should I go ahead and reapply to those spots, or just leave until the whole deck needs re-staining? If I should reapply, should I sand those areas first, or just re-stain?
Thanks again for your assistance,
Stuart Munro
Do it all at once. Spot doing and it will look bad.
Alright, it’s nice to NOT add something to this list of things to do. Thanks!
One final (I hope) question: I finished staining my deck rails (with Cabot solid acrylic siding stain) and the coverage is pretty good, but not great. If I was using paint, I’d definitely put on a second coat. Should I do so with solid stain?
Thanks,
Stuart Munro
No need unless you can see the grain through the stain.
Alright, one less thing to do again! Thanks.
But it seems from what you say that there’d be no harm in doing it if I decided to? Would a second coat be more prone to peeling?
Depends on the brand. See what Cabot suggests. More is not always better.
We moved into our house a few years ago, and the deck doesn’t _appear_ to be stained or treated (it’s pretty weathered, but the redwood is still good under all the grey). I was going to clean and power wash, but I also just discovered a bucket of Behr transparent penetrating oil wood finish among the paints left behind in the house. Is there a way to test if there is something in the wood that needs to be stripped out? or should I just assume the stain is there and strip it to be sure it is removed?
Thank you for your help!
Send a picture please.
3 pics attached
That is an old Behr as they stopped making the oil based many years ago. Good news is that it is easily stripped. Prep with the Restore A Deck Stripper and Brightener Kit.
thanks again