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 let’s 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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324 Comments on "Clean or Strip the Deck Stain?"
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.
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.
Is it even worth trying the wood stripper and/or a bleach-detergent-water solution with a pressure washer?
Probably will not work.
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.
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.
Alright, one less thing to do again! Thanks.
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
Hi there. My husband & i just had our deck power-washed and stained, but i am not a fan of the color now as it’s a dusty & dirty-looking gray. What would be an option to change it? Can we just re-stain to a natural wood color, or would it have to be stripped & re-washed in order to stain it a different color?
Stripped and or sanding to remove is the way to change this.
Is it necessary to remove all deck stain from my patio or just the loose stain ?
Hello, this depends on the type of stain you will be using and the brand?
My husband and I live in southeast Michigan. We have a large older deck on the back of our house that is currently stained with a solid stain that is peeling. We were planning to restain with a solid stain again, since the deck is not in great shape. We are planning to use the Flood solid stain that you recommend, which is not the same as the current stain. Can you please advise on the prep? If we have to sand, can you explain with what type of equipment? We are not extremely handy, so I also want to understand whether this is beyond us.
Thanks in advance for your advice.
Hi Bonnie, you want to remove all of the dirt and stain that is loose/peeling. It is okay to leave the solid stain on that is currently intact or not peeling. Start by using a stain stripper and pressure washing. Let dry and spot sand where needed. Make sure that everything that has not been removed, is intact before applying the Flood.
Thank you very much.
I have a cedar front porch that we stained with Sikkens Cetol SRD a few years ago. Some areas of the stain are starting to fail. The wood is in great condition. We want to use the same color and brand that is currently on the porch. Do I need to strip all the of stain off, sand and brighten or can I just re-apply the stain?
Try a deck cleaner and pressure washing for the prep. Let dry and apply the same color a couple of days after the prep.
I used a “7 years” rubber-type stain that started to peel right away. I’m a woman with limited strength. I need to take off all stain. Should I go with a) large sander or b) stain stripper and power washer. I have a large deck and dock and lots of steps. My little sander did not really do much stripping on the steps.
Hello, a stripper will not remove this. There is unfortunately not an easy way to fix. Power sanding or replace the wood.
Hi there.
I have a deck with a failing semi-transparent stain, much of which came off when I power washed it (the verticals are fine). Can I sand off the failing semi-transparent stain (but leave it where it’s holding) and recoat everything with a solid stain? If so, should it be oil or latex? Does it need priming? Do I clean or brighten it after sanding?
Or…what procedure would you recommend?
Thanks!!
If you are going with a solid stain you do not need to remove all of the old stain. Just leave the intact stain. No need to brighten the wood. Priming is not usually suggested for a solid color deck stain.
Hi everyone,
I need your guidance. This deck has been built in 2010 and I recently purchased this home in 2015. The old owners left a few supplies. The stain being used is Sikkens SIK440XX.
1) Do I have to re-stain the entire double deck or just sections where peeling is occurring? The old owner said he just lightly hand sanded peeling sections and stained that section.
2) Do I have to wash/clean the wood?
3) Do I have to use a stain remover?
5) Do I have the sand?
6) Do I have to stain the deck twice or once will be sufficient?
7) What about under the deck?
Thank you!
The previous owner used the wrong type od Sikkens. The correct type for decks is the Sikkens SRD, not the filming Cetol version. Problem is that this type peels. Adding more will make it peel even more. You should sand it all off and start over.
One is matte while the other is satin. The deck is a mix of Cedar also. Why is it the wrong type? If possible, can you also answer the other questions as this would guide me big time.
MATTE: Cetol SRD RE is a one-coat, translucent exterior wood finish created for use on a wide variety of surfaces. This easy-to-use finish has excellent UV protection and allows for beautiful wood clarity.
VS
SATIN: Cetol DEK Finish is a high-performance, translucent satin finish for exterior decks. This alkyd high solids formulation offers optimum protection, ultimate durability and a beautiful furniture-like finish with the simplicity of a one-product, two-coat application. Offers optimal protection on pressure-treated wood, cedar, redwood, pine, hardwood and lumber.
Thanks
The Cetol DEK is a filming product that peels, making removal and future reapplication much harder. For decks, you want a full penetrating stain.
You should strip, sand and remove the current coating. Brighten all after. As for the stain application, it depends on the brand you end up choosing going forward.
I was told to use both deck cleaner and deck stripper. Should I use both? And If so which one first? My deck is in bad shape and defiantly needs stripping.
No need to use a cleaner if you are using a stripper. You will need to brighten after.
We just bought a house with an indoor pool. The pool house walls and ceilings are paneled in tongue and groove (cedar?) wood boards or siding. The wood appears to be pretty natural – no sealants, no treatments, basically just boards. Because of the high humidity over the years (the pool house is probably about 30-38 years old), there is some noticeable staining to the boards – some mold, some water streaks, potentially some resin streaks as the boards seem to be cedar, nothing super super dark but certainly noticeable, along with some uneven coloration from one area to another. We would like to seal the wood against further damage as well as hopefully cover up some of the stains. Our handyman seems to think a deck sealer-type product would be best over like a wood siding paint or stain because of the at times high humidity (it can be as low as 20%, can get as high as 90% occasionally but usually hovers between 40%-70% – we live in Denver so the pool house humidity is likely mitigated somewhat by how dry it is in our region). At it’s worst, there have been a couple occasions where there has been condensation running down the walls, although that problem has become very rare, if not completely fixed, after we got a pool cover so now it’s mostly just humid without active condensation. Anyway, should I just stick with a deck cleaner as opposed to stripper, because there doesn’t seem to be old stain on it? I kind of feel like I should go with stripper, then bleach just based on the relatively heavy staining and also because I would like to lighten the wood, to whatever extent that is possible so that the wood doesn’t go super dark when we stain it. Ideally, I would like to keep it in the blond wood to new cedar color range as opposed to any darker stains. Also, I guess I should ask if deck sealer is really the best product for this application to begin with. As I said, handyman seems to think deck sealer is the way to go, although it they obviously must have houses with wood siding in areas with high humidity or areas where it rains a lot so maybe a paint for wood siding is a possibility. Any advice you could give would be very appreciated.
Interior wood is not prepped and or sealed the same as exterior wood decking or houses. Unfortunately, we do not have any experience with an interior like this. Sorry.
Just bought a house, I have a wooden deck that was partially repaired with treated wood only and the original deck is green paint. I know I need to clean the whole deck and wanted to finish it with a green stain instead of paint.
Should I plan on stripping also or just clean, brighten and stain?
Hello, you cannot stain over a paint. Stripping will not remove paint. You will need to sand it all off if you want to remove. Other option is to use a paint again.
Thank you..
We moved into our house two and a half years ago, and our deck was obviously recently stained before we bought the place with a nice dark color. The Behr cans of stain were left in the garage, so I know what brand not to use again because after less than two years, even though a it’s somewhat shaded but high traffic deck, the wood on the floor, stairs, top railing is whitish and cracking along the grain. The verticals on the railings are still quite dark though. Underneath the deck (it’s about 6 feet high) There is visible green moss or something growing. There is just a dirt ground underneath, though I plan to grade it and put gravel on the ground because water often puddles there when it rains, but the air conditioning condenser and dryer vent are under there too. My 1st question is, will power washing with a injected stripper take the stain off the verticals and make everything uniform OR will power washing it damage the already cracked wood? If I sand it, do I need any kind of wood cleaning detergent or stripper and brightener, or just blow it off and use a brightener, and do I need to fill the cracks with anything? (I obviously don’t know what I’m doing here.) My last question is, what do I do about the green underside– do I need to treat it with something too or just wash it?
Behr is not easy to remove or strip. Do not inject. Pump spray on and pressure wash off. Repeat until removed. It may take a few times to get it off. Sanding is your other option. Do not use a filler on exterior wood, it does not work. Just wash the green with a deck cleaner. Brighten all after the prep.
One other thing, even though I’m not all that happy with the Behr, would it save any work if I used the same exact stuff?
Yes, it would be this time, but eventually, it will get worse and you will have to remove it. It will be harder when there are multiple layers.
Ok, I was wrong about the brand. Sorry. It is db Superdeck transparent stain if that makes any difference. So this makes me sound like a cad, but we’re trying to sell the house and only have three weeks to do everything so less work sounds good when I’m not the one who will have to live with it later. However, I’d like to do the right thing, but I need to know what I’m looking it as far as a difference in time and energy spent between the two options. What would the process be for removing it with a pressure washer or by sanding vs. using the same stuff?
P.S. Here’s a picture of the deck. I don’t know if you can see the cracks in the wood or not. I should also probably mention it has some paint on it from a naughty 3 year old who found an unattended roller while I was doing another project. would a pressure wash take care of that?
Use a stain stripper and pressure washer to remove the Super Deck. It will come off. Use a stain like TWP when done. Do nothing to the cracks. It is normal to have cracks in exterior wood.
Okay. Awesome. I will do that.
Thank you for your help! I appreciate it.
I have a solid color stain on my deck and it peeled the first year. Any suggestion?
Will I just have to reapply every year?
Sand it off and start over with a penetrating stain so future applications are easier.
Hi, I have the deck that been stained with Cabot wood-toned stain two years ago. It is fading out so I would like to re-stain it with exactly the same Cabot wood-toned stain. Do I need to strip the old stain or simple powerwash will be enough?
Thank you.
You should be good with cleaning and reapplying the same stain.
Thank you! Just to clarify – does ‘cleaning’ here means simple powerwash or I should use dome deck cleaner before power wash?
Use a deck cleaner and pressure washing.
Thanks a lot!
Simple answer to a simple question. Just exactly what I wanted.
Hi, my son-in-law’s deck is in poor shape. I plan to clean, strip, power wash and brighten it, using the appropriate products. However, the surrounding verticals and latticework are in fairly good shape. They are stained, but brand unknown. It has a western exposure.
I plan to use a dark, semi-transparent stain on the deck. Could I also apply this to the verticals and latticework without stripping them down to the bare wood?
No, not without removing the old coating you cannot. The new semi-transaprent stain will not be able to soak into the wood properly.
So I have been using a clear deck stain for inside furniture and cabinet projects to make wood water resistant. I recently did a kitchen cabinet project and finished the cabinets with a water based paint as a stain, I put the clear deck stain on as a sealer, but it did not seal the paint. Bc it is breathable, the paint wipes off. Can I put a poly on top of the deck stain to seal the two?
Probaly not. Best to ask the manufacturer of the sealer that you used to see if possible. In our experince, you will make the problem worse by adding more.
Does all the old stain need to be stripped before applying a new stain? The stain stripper did not remove the stain, so do we need to sand away the old stain before applying the new stain?
Thanks!
Yes it is best to remove all.
My deck has 5+ year old water-based solid stain on it (not sure of brand). I want to apply a darker color solid stain, which will probably be a different brand. Can I just clean it very good or does it need stripped and brightened?
If reapply another solid stain just clean and remove and stain that is peeling. You do not have to strip down to the bare wood.
Two questions.
1. The acids in deck stripper made my hair brush limp and worthless after one application.
Should I use a synthetic bristle brush or sponge to apply the deck stripper.? Which? I do not want to use a sprayer.
2.The deck stripper makes my wood deck "furry". I dont know how to describe it, but after an application and scrub with stiff bristle brush, the fibers seem to come apart and create an undesirable furry look to the wood.(I cannot sand it all). What am I doing wrong?
1. We only apply with a pump sprayer.
2. See this: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/wood-fuzzies-furring-on-deck/
I have oil based stain that needs stripping. its is spotty and moldy. My lateral rails are not wood but colored metal (black. I assume painted aluminum). Will deck stripper or deck brightener damage the metal finish? If so, how should I protect them?
My guess to DIY re-staining goes as follows
1 use pressure washer to clean deck with soapy water.
2. apply deck stripper. as directed on label.
3 remove oil stain with pressure washer
4 apply deck brightener
5 clear off deck brightener with pressure washer.
6 wait to dry for 3 days or so
7 re-stain.
is this accurate? suggestions?
Typically the prepping products do not damage the metal spindles, but since there are so many different brands of spindles, it is best to do a test spot first.
Your steps are correct.
Hi there,
We have a fence made of pressure treated wood that is 5 years old. It has never been stained or painted. We are looking at staining it this year. Is there any prep work that needs to be done to the fence prior to staining? Thanks
Yes you should use a deck cleaner and pressure washing for the first step and then brighten after.
I'm cleaning and restaininga deck for a friend. Using a power washer to clean the deck first. Do I need to remove all the previous stain before I apply the new stuff? We're using the same brand and colour as before,a light gray semi – transparent Behr Water proof stain/ sealer.
In most cases when using the exact same brand and color, you do not have to remove all the previous stain. Best to defer to Behr\’s directions on this.
Stripping and brightening a 1 year old deck due to ugly color. If I strip and brighten, is it ok to stain a few weeks later or should staining be performed sooner?
Thank you
Best to stain within 1 week of prep. No more than two. Waiting too long between prep and stain could require you to prep again.
We live in Michigan and have a large, older deck that had a redwood semi-transparent or solid stain and a couple of years ago, a lighter solid stain was put on after cleaning and powerwashing. In trying to remove the stain now to redo the deck, we have tried several different deck stain strippers, a wood stripper, and sanding (orbital, drum, and palm). We still have small areas with stain streaks or patches of stain, mainly around the house but also on boards that have more convexity or concavity. Will this interfere with an elastomeric coating adhering? Do we need to use a cleaner before we brighten? Thank you for your help.
Without knowing the coating you are using, it is hard to say. I would follow their directions for the prep and if they say all previous coatings need to be removed or not.
What can we use that won't kill our scrubs near the deck
Restore a Deck products.
I want to restain the floor of my deck because the stain is worn out in the traffic areas. It was stained with Cabot semi-solid stain 3 years ago. If I am using the same color of Cabot semi-solid stain do I need to strip the old stain or can I just clean and restain the deck?
If using the same product and color, you should be able to clean and recoat and the product should adhere. Issue is if you do not strip and you have a surface that has in some areas bare spots and some not, it may apply unevenly and dry blotchy looking.
I have a two tone semi transparent stain on my 5 yr old deck (cedar top rails / metal vertical rails/ pine floor).
A chemical deck cleaner or stripper was used (I am not sure which) to clean and prepare the deck for re-staining.
The deck has mold
It did not work. the mold is still mostly there, and 90% of the stain is still there. Just blotches of stain are gone showing exposed wood resembling paint splatter. They can be seen as white bare wood spots on an otherwise slightly moldy deck.
I tried to just sand to top rail but most of the stain did not come off, neither did all the mold. I tried to put a new layer of stain on the white bare spots but they still show through as well.
How should I approach this deck now so the mold and uneven spots are gone? Strip? clean?
HELP
I think you need to sand this off as it sounds like the stripper did not work. Not all deck stain bands can be stripped so sanding is required.