This post was updated on January 24, 2025
Hi, I am Scott Paul, an exterior wood restoration contractor and business owner with over 30 years of experience in stripping and removing exterior wood and deck stains. My Deck Stripping tips are based on my history as a wood restoration contractor and actual hands-on testing. See here for more info about me.
How To Remove an Old Deck Stain
Restoring an older wood deck starts with proper preparation. Skipping this crucial step can cause your new deck stain to fail prematurely. Regardless of the brand or price of the stain, it won’t hold up if applied to a surface that hasn’t been thoroughly cleaned and prepped. When dealing with an old coating that needs removal, using a quality deck stain stripper is essential. This article highlights why a stain stripper is a key part of the restoration process and how it sets the stage for long-lasting results.
I always appreciate your input, so feel free to comment below with pictures of your deck stain projects.
One of the biggest mistakes DIY homeowners make in cleaning and preparing a wood deck for stain is not removing all remnants of old deck stain. Any failed deck stain left on the wood will prevent the new stain from properly penetrating the surface. The new deck stain will sit on the wood instead of diving into it. Deck stains do not adhere to each other well, so this causes the newer deck stain to begin flaking and peeling off the deck generally in a year or less.
Even if you can’t see any old deck stain but know there was some on the wood at one time, it’s vitally important to remove it. Splash some water on the wood and see if it absorbs into the wood or if it beads up and sits on top. Beading up would indicate some old failed stain on the wood that needs to be removed.
Scott’s Steps to Removing a Deck Stain
- Deck Stripping Materials
- Choose Proper Deck Stain Stripper
- Steps to Stripping a Deck
- Brighten the Wood
- Ask Me Deck Stripping Questions
1. Materials Needed for Deck Stain Removal
- Proper Deck Stain Stripper
- Gas-powered pressure washer
- Pump sprayer for applying
- Scrub brush to agitate
- Protective Equipment: Gloves and eyewear
- Plastic sheeting to protect plants and home
- Wood Brightener to neutralize when done
2. Choosing a Deck Stain Stripper
To remove old deck stains from the wood, you have to use a deck stripper. A quality deck stripper will break up and soften any old stain allowing it to be washed away. Below, I will break down the 3 most common deck finishes we see when stripping a deck.
Semi-Transparent Oil-Based Stains
Semi-transparent and transparent, oil-based clear coatings are easy deck coatings to strip and remove. They come off better with any high-quality decking stripper.
My Pro Tips: These coatings are penetrating and fully show the wood grain. They do not mask the grain or dry to film on top like a shiny varnish.
Semi-Transparent Acrylic Water Based Stains
For hard-to-remove stains such as water-based acrylic or silicone-based stains, several applications and longer dwell times may be necessary. Take note that many stain brands like Behr, Valspar, and Thompons lie about their opacity for their semi-transparent water-based stains; they, in fact, look and apply like an opaque solid stain. These stains should be treated like solid stains, not what is written on the can. If unsure, ask me below for tips with pictures.
Scott’s Pro Tip: See here if you need to remove a Difficult to Remove Deck or Wood Stain.
Solid Color Stain Stripping
Solid color deck stains are opaque coatings that fully or mostly mask the wood grain. Most deck strippers will not remove solid stains or paints, so if this is the case, you may have to sand the old stain or use a paint stripper to get back down to bare wood again.
Scott’s Pro Tip: How To Remove a Solid Color Stain
Deck Stain Stripping: Deck Stain Stripper Reviews
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3. My Steps to Stripping a Deck
Failing Wood Deck Stain
See below for my steps when we are stripping a customer’s deck
- Protect the house and any surrounding plants with plastic or poly tarps.
- Remove any patio furniture from the deck and surrounding areas.
- Prewet deck with water.
- Mix the stripper, if needed, in a bucket and transfer it to the pump sprayer if applicable.
- Apply the stripper to all flooring first. If a large deck, break it up into sections.
- Wait 5-45 minutes for the deck stripper to activate. You will know when it is working by using your scrub brush to agitate it, and the stain becomes loose from the wood. Keep the stripper from drying during this process.
- Pressure wash all deck flooring using a pendulum motion and about 8-12 inches from the wood. Rinse well when done.
- Repeat Steps 5-7 with vertical wood.
- Apply wood brightener when done. Rinse well with water 20 minutes after.
My Pro Tip: The dwell time depends on the type and brand of existing stain. For instance, most semi-transparent oil-based stains will be removed more easily than semi-transparent water-based wood stains.
4. Wood Brightener to Neutralize Stain Stripper
Once the deck has been washed with a stripper and the old deck stain is gone, it is necessary to brighten the wood using a wood brightener. The deck stripper will darken the wood and raise the pH level. Brightening the wood back to a natural state and lowering the pH to a more acidic level will restore the appearance and give the new deck stain the best chance of lasting as long as possible.
A properly cleaned and brightened deck should be allowed to dry for several days before a quality deck stain is applied. Taking these measures and using a deck stripper and deck brightener before staining will give you much better and longer-lasting results.
5. Questions on Stripping a Deck?
Are you still unsure of what deck stain you have on your wood and the proper deck stain stripper to use to remove it? I am here to help and guide you. Ask in the comments below, and you must include some pics so I can offer proper advice.
Quick Expert Recommendations and Insights
Here are some tips we recommend you follow to make deck stain removal a swift, painless process:
- Use a deck stripper if you are working with wood that has previously been stained. If you are working with a new wood surface or there is no stain on the deck, use a deck cleaner. If you are unsure about what to do, you can ask questions below.
- Remove all furniture from the area
- Wear protective clothing, gloves, and eyewear before going near the product. Mix or use the deck stain stripper according to the directions on the label. Test a small section of your deck before applying it to the whole area, as deck stain strippers vary in effectiveness. You may need a stronger formula if it doesn’t work on the tested area. See here if you need to remove a Difficult to Remove Deck or Wood Stain.
- Apply the deck stain stripper with a pump-up sprayer in sections of 100-300 square feet at a time. Saturate all the wood with one coat then wait 10-20 minutes. If the surface is slippery, that means the stain stripper is working to break the bonds effectively. If the surface is not slippery, apply another coat of the stain stripper and wait longer.
- Using either a brush or pressure washer, remove the old stain from the deck. Take precautions to wash with the grain wood whenever possible.
- Repeat this process until all of the old deck stain has been removed from the deck. Spot strip any sections where the stain didn’t come off the first time.
- Thoroughly rinse all wood and surrounding areas
- Apply a wood brightener to restore the pH balance before staining.
Pro Tip: The Best Stripper to remove a solid color deck stain is the RAD PaintStrip Solid Stain Stripping Gel.
FAQs
How to remove deck stain without chemicals?
The best way to remove deck stain without chemicals is to sand the deck. Where semi-transparent deck stains have faded power washing the deck and spot sanding areas of thicker stain is typically sufficient. When removing a semi-solid or solid deck stain the entire deck may require sanding, but be careful not to over-sand. Over-sanding the wood compromises its integrity and can lead to early deck failure.
Will deck stain come off concrete?
Applying a deck stain can be messy and sometimes you can spill or drip on your concrete or brick pavers that are under or around your deck. Once this happens, it is not easy to remove. We have found that using a deck stain stripper and pressure washing will remove much of the spilled stain but not always as concrete can be very porous. Another option is using a graffiti remover cleaner. You can find these at your local paint store. Popular brands at Goof Off or Mostenbocker’s Lift Off.
Hi Scott. We stripped and brightened our cedar deck yesterday, and today found we missed removing some of the stain in part of the deck. The stain is TWP 100 rustic and looked almost new in that area since it was in a covered area. It was very difficult to remove compared to the rest of the deck but we missed it last night when the deck was wet. Since we plan to use the same stain again will it be a problem? I was thinking of spot stripping that area but spot stripping does not seem recommended due to leaving uneven results after staining. Would spot sanding be better? Attached are pictures of the uncovered area and the problem area.
BTW the RAD stripper worked awesome. We had sanded the deck before and this works so much easier, We also love the TWP stain and this forum.
Thanks
You are okay to stain since you are using the same stain and color.
I had a contractor re-stain my deck and it is very sticky three weeks later and every bit of Lindt and dust is just stuck to it there is also footprints on it
Might want to contact him to fix it.
Excuse me…I used the same, albeit poor, stripper – Valspar
Stripped stain off IPE deck. Decking to the right was done 2 weeks before the decking to the left. Used the same, albeit poor, stain – Valspar. Do I need to sand the decking on the left? Will exposure allow it to eventually blend?
You will need to sand off the Valspar and then clean and brighten all so it is even before restaining.
I spilled pool chlorine on my pressure treated deck. How can I remove the stain?
You can’t remove the stain since it bleached the wood. You may be able to even out by applying bleach to all the wood so it is one lighter color after. This would all depend though if the wood has a stain on it or if the wood is bare?
Hello. I am getting ready to tackle our 16′ x 14′ pool deck. My plan was to strip, brighten, sand, and stain the top railing and deck boards and leave the sides and balusters alone since they are in good shape. Can this be stripped off with stripper and a power washer or do I need to sand it off?
That looks like an opaque stain so sanding will be needed to remove it fully. You can strip first as that will remove a decent amount, making the sanding easier. Use the RAD stripper/Brightener kits with both stripper additives: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/restore-a-deck-stain-stripper-booster-thickening-gel-review/
I was planning on using the Defy stain stripper as I can get it locally. Is there anything special I should do with it to make getting this stain off easier?
Nothing you can do.
Would the RAD kit remove more stain or make the process easier or are they both the same in your experience?
The RAD stripper with both additves can be more effective but in your scenario, it probably doe not matter as you cannot fully strip this solid stain.
If I was to stain with a semi-solid, is all the prep work (strip, brighten, sand) still required? What if I was to stain with a solid stain? This is a pool deck, and I definitely don’t want to be re-doing the deck every couple of years because of the extra care needed to keep everything away from the pool itself.
Yes, you have to do all the prep work if using a semi-solid or solid stain. You do not have to remove 100% though if using a solid stain. Just remove what is loose and peeling and then cover the intact stain that is not peeling with a new solid stain.
If the existing stain is water-based, can I cover the intact stain that is not peeling with an oil-based solid stain?
No. Use a water-based solid stain.
For power sanding any remaining stain off, what is best to use? A 5″ random orbital sander, a 1/4 sheet sander, belt sander, etc?
Try a handheld palm sand first.
Thanks. And if that is not enough?
Belt sander.
After stripping, does it matter whether I brighten first and then sand with 60-80 grit or is it best to sand and then brighten?
If you sand, do it first and then brighten.
Thanks. I finished stripping the stain with stripper and pressure washer. I do have some lap marks from the pressure washer as some of the stain was more difficult to get off than in other areas. I do plan to sand the entire deck with 60-80 grit. Will the sanding remove the lap marks? If not, what would you recommend?
Sanding is the only way to remove pressure washer marks but you may need a coarser grit to get them out.
Thanks. I will try 60 grit first and if that does not work will go to 40 grit.
I finished the sanding and brightening on Saturday. It rained today, so I need to wait a couple days for the wood to dry. I was hoping to get the deck finished before the trees around it started dropping little flowers, but they have started to do so. I can wait a few days to see if that will end, but then I think that the pollen will start up.
So, what to do? If I do not stain in the next 1-2 weeks, will the deck be ok with no stain on it over the summer? If I wait until the fall, will I need to clean with a deck cleaner, sand, and brighten all over again?
If you wait longer than 2 weeks then lightly redo the prep. If you wait for the entire Summner, you will have to fully redo the prep. We would stain it as soon as possible.
I am about to address a significant stain application problem on my western red cedar siding and need advice. Can the info you provide on decking be applied to siding? Can I ask questions about siding on your website? If not, can you suggest an alternative source for help on siding? Thank you. Ted
You can ask about wood siding here.
Could use some advice on a 25-year-old deck. Treated twice w/ SW stain remover & revive but it didn’t get all the old stain off. Plan was to sand deck to remove remaining stain & smooth surface since it’s in rough shape. But I’ve since learned that sanding pressure-treated wood is hazardous, so now I’m stuck. Just trying to get a couple more years out of the deck before i replace w/ a composite. Per HOA rules, will use semi-transparent stain.
Thinking there are 3 options: 1) sand it (which i think would do the job but is dangerous healthwise); 2) buy a more hardcore stripper (not sure what that would be); 3) spot strip w/ leftover SW stripper, stain, and live with the spotty result. Any insight would be appreciated.
Strip off as much as you can then sand the rest. Brighener last.
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/restore-a-deck-stain-stripper-booster-thickening-gel-review/
Thanks. Which would look worse: staining over the remaining stain or staining over spot sanding? Leaning toward not sanding the whole deck due to the PT wood, so aiming for “good enough.”
Both will stand out. Never said you needed to sand the whole deck. Strip as much as you can and then sand as needed. It will blend that way.
Deck assistance
DECKING HAS BEEN STAINED AND OILED ABOUT 6 ONTHS AGO …BUT WE DONT LIKE IT AND WOULD PREFER TO PAINT …ANT ADVICE ON WHAT WE SHOUÑD DO?
Remove the current coating and use a solid stain, not a paint.
I applied 2 gallons of Maximum 1 Gal. Honey Gold Exterior Stain and Sealant in One Low VOC to the interior of my screened in porch. I need more and can’t get any unless I drive 2 hours to get it. Since it has recently been applied, will using deck stripper work? Or will it have to be sanded?
We would need to see some pictures.
Here’s my porch with the Olympic Max Honey Gold exterior stain and sealant.
Stripper and then brightener should work.
Kitchen cupboards were painted and then a layer of stain was added to gloss it. how to remove it all so I can repaint.
This site is for outside wood only. No experience with interior cabinets.
How long after stripping the deck can we stain it
Make sure to Brighten after stripping. Wait about 48 hours to stain. Stain within 2 weeks of prep.
I’m using TWP 1500 semi transparent pecan on the deck in the attached pics. I’ve power washed it, should I use a stripper and brightener or just sand before staining?
The old stain looks like a solid so you may need to sand to get it all off. Strippers are not always effective at removing solid stains.
After I sand do I need to power wash again and use a Brightener or can I just clean the dust off and stain ?
Pressure wash and brightener will help the stain to soak in better.
Thank you!
Will this product remove Behr oil-latex redwood stain?
What type of Behr? Need more specifics. Pictures of the deck would help as well.
I purchased a stain from Lowes and was told it was water base, transparent, it was Warm Puddy. the color was a light color with a brown tone. Told that the natural wood grain would show. It was Valspar produce. They mixed the stain, handed it off to my workers and they off to stain the deck. When I saw what was done I was in shock. It looks like white paint. Not at all transparent just looks like white paint. The house is built all green so now I have no idea what to do to get it back to the natural wood. It changed the whole look of the house. It looks like plasic white paint. I cried for two days. Please give me advise.
Linda
Post pictures but it sounds like you will have to power sand to remove. The Valspar is a very poor stain: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/valspar-one-coat-stain-sealer-review/
I prepared my deck and decided on a light red clear stain.My deck has a step down and buts up to my pool deck. I used a brush to trim out by the pool edge and step up. When I used a roller on the deck itself, I got the color I wanted, but the trim area is much darker. What can I use on the trim area to achieve the lighter shade on the deck?
Thanks
You cannot lighten up the color without stripping and starting over for all.
We had a deck installed…waited a year..sealed it clear…now it is slippery and shoes or feet carry slipperiness into house…how do I fix that
You will have to fully remove the sealer to fix this issue.
Been sanding off old behr deck stain which is junk Front is done but there are traces here and there that couldn’t get with sander because of grain grooves such. It’s dulled out nice. Will defy deck cleaner help it out before I apply their stain. Just impossible to remove every speck of old stain. Thanks!!
A cleaner would not help but a stripper might. Send pictures.
Someone attempted to stain my new deck he made an awful mess and would not fit. How an I get this off?
Off the siding? Depends on the stain brand and type. Pictures are blurry as well.
how do I get the hard to scrape stain off the wood, so many layers remain after 30 years?
there are so many layers of stain that i can actually peal the parts that are lifting, i want the partio to look natural, this is at leasr 30 years of staining,,,,,, the rails were never stained and are looking great.. I’ve gotten some boards down to the bare wood, im having some problems with some others
Power sand it all off: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/how-to-sand-your-wood-deck/
photo 4 of 4
Use the Restore A Deck Stripper with both additives and pressure washing to remove as much as you can. https://www.deckstainhelp.com/restore-a-deck-stain-stripper-booster-thickening-gel-review/
I am pretty sure most will come off. let dry and sand if needed. Brightener on all after.
photos 1-3 of 4
“One of the biggest mistakes DIY homeowners make in cleaning and preparing a wood deck for stain is not removing all remnants of old deck stain.”
Boy, did I find out how true this is! I spent two weekends doing the following prep work: 1) applied Defy Stain Stripper, 2) scrubbed entire deck with stiff bristled brushes, 3) pressure washed, 4) sanded the deck with 80 grit paper and 5) applied brightener.
Even after all these steps, some old stain remained and since I was staining with a darker color, I didn’t think it would be a problem. Just stained it yesterday and you can see EVERY SINGLE spot where the old stain wasn’t removed. I’m just sick about it. When you say “ALL” remnants you aren’t kidding!
So, two questions:
1) Do I have to re-strip and start all over to fix this? Can I do that right away, when I just stained it 24 hours ago?
2) If the answer to #1 is yes, how in the world do I get all of that stubborn old stain off? (especially between the boards)
I’ve included some photos.The old stain is a TWP 101, color Cedartone Natural (the orange you see) and the new stain is C2 Guard, color Cordova.
1. Yes, you would have to redo all. Now or whenever you want.
2. Sand is probably your best bet. Between boards, you probably will not get out.
No pics.
Thank you for your quick reply! I added the pics in separate posts.
Bought some decking which already had a colour to it. Added some clear varnish to protect it, but made ended up making it a lot darker than I liked. So I bought some to seal decking stripper to remove the stain so I can start anew and paint it an even colour. However the stripper hasn’t done a good job of removing all the varnish and it’s gone patchy. What do you advise I do? Really struggling here 🙁
Look forward to your reply!
Many thanks!
The only way to fix is to power sand it all off: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/how-to-sand-your-wood-deck/
I recently I applied Thompson Waterseal penetrating timber oil to my deck. The first can was fine. The second can had a yellow tinted to it. When I contacted the store it appears the can was missed labeled. How do I remove the wrong oil from the deck before putting on the correct oil or can I just go over it with the color I originally picked.
Post pictures.
about 3 weeks ago I applied Storm Wood Stripper to my garage door and hanger done a thing with it since. My question is, is the stain stripper still dangerous? My neighbor showed me how to remove paint on my front door using a heat gun and that was super easy. Wishing I didn’t put the chemicals on the garage door. Any advice appreciated have a good day.
It should not be dangerous after it dries.
What can I use to remove deck stain splatters from vinyl siding ?! Thx
Try a water-based graffiti remover cleaner from your paint store.
I live in MN and I have a sixteen-year-old deck that needs refinishing. I’ve never done this type of work before so I need to get educated.
1. What do I use to remove the existing finish?
2. What do I need to do to prep the wood to accept new stain?
3. What type of new stain should I apply?
Strip off what you can with the Restore A Deck Stripper and both additives: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/restore-a-deck-stain-stripper-booster-thickening-gel-review/
Sand off the rest. Brighten all wood after. Use Restore A Deck Stain or Armstrong Clark.
Hi, we had new decking 2 years ago and I love the colour of what it is when first laid. It faded and we put a natural oak stain, hoping this was as close to new as possible, I didn’t like it, so this year it needs to be done again, and I want to get it back to as close to new decking as possible then cost with maybe an oil or something to keep it like that. Please can you help, thank you
Strip and brighten for prep and then try Armstrong Clark stains or Restore A Deck.
Ok, sorry is the strip and brighten a complete product or figure of speech ? Lol sorry, if a product which is best ? Thank you very much
Two different products. See this one: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/restore-a-deck-injectable-deck-stain-stripper-review/
I have an old deck from the 80’s with redwood and green treat mix due to old rotten replaced boards, is there a semi transparent stain someone might be familiar with that can blend green treated pine and redwood together in a close match?
Ive done solids in the past, and after renting a sander, would like to stay transparent if I could, or semi transparent. Thanks for any help.
Only a solid stain would blend these wood types.
I have a brand new cedar deck that we have ruined because applied Cabot semi gloss stain with pad/roller and didn’t use brush after. It applied the stain way too thick and looks horrible. I used a brush on the stairs and they turned out beautiful. Is there anyway to strip off and start all over?
Post a picture.
Hope this helps
You will have to sand this off.
Good morning,
When we purchased our home last year the previous owner used a solid latex stain on the deck floor boards and a semi transparent on the hand rails and spindles.
I would like to have the solid removed off the deck floor boards but wasn’t sure if this was even an option. Would you try and chemically strip it first with the Restore A Deck stripper and then mechanically sand?
I have attached pictures of the deck as well as a photo of the solid deck stain that was used on the floor boards. Thanks
You can try and strip some but you will need to sand to get this off the floor.
what stripper will remove semi solid stain from deck?
None effectively every time. You can ins some cases remove some or most with a stripper but eventually, you will probably have to sand.
Hi. I had two coats of a semi transparent gray water based stain on deck. It’s about 3 years old, deck is about 3.75 years old. Power washed, cleaned and brightened. Realized too much stain remained. Applied stripper per directions, yet still a fair amount remains bears edges and on rails. See pic. I have restore a deck gray semi stain I plan to use, which by test seems about the same color. What else should I do, beyond drying, before applying? Thank you
If it all blends than you should be okay. Do a few spindles and see how it looks.
Hey I just had a couple questions and concerns about stripping and re staining a deck. My girlfriend and I want to stain our deck a different stain, probably a much lighter stain and not nearly as dark as this stain. I have been reading up on this for a week or two now and have a game plan of what i am going to do but just not sure what i am going to do if the wood does not look like it did before she originally stained it . I was first going to pressure wash it to get a lot of surface dirt off of it. After this, get a stripper like the restore-a-deck brand that you talk about in other threads. Do that 1 or 2 times to remove as much of the old stain as possible and pressure wash it after i let it soak in for 15-30 minutes, or whatever the directions are. After this i was going to sand it to ensure all of the old stain is off and then use the restore-a-deck brightener product after sanding. My concern is, what if the wood is still dark after going through all of these steps? We don’t really want to put a darker stain on it again but I’m guessing this would be are only option. I’m not sure what type of wood it is but it is pressure treated wood and my girlfriend believes she originally put a semi-transparent teak stain on it when the deck was built 5 years ago. The first picture i posted is what the deck looked like before the original stain was put down and the other 2 photos are what it currently looks like. The little drops in the 2 photos of the stained deck are just a couple of rain drops if you are wondering. Wanted to get a couple of photos to post on here before it started to rain today lol.
The current coating looks opaque like a solid stain so stripping will probably not remove it all. So your options are to powers sand the rest off so you can use a semi-trans or apply another solid stain.
Our deck is less than a year old…made with Southern Yellow Pine #1 KDAT, pressure treated…good stuff, ready to stain immediately. We stained it using top of the line semi transparent stain…it looks horrible, not because of the stain/color or the wood…it was the way it was applied…blotchy, uneven, total amateurish…its been stained now thru a very mild winter for about 6 months…should I just restain over the applied or power sand it off and start clean? Its big, about 750 sq/ft
You should remove and start over. How would depend on the stain brand and type? Pictures would help as well.
Can the old deck boards be removed, turned upside down, reinstalled and stained again on top.
It doesn’t always work so well when you do this as the framing joists can stain the undersides and it does not come out.
Hi, I have just applied 2 coats of Feast Watson Jarrah traditional decking oil to my treated pine deck and hate the colour…far too orange when the sun hits it. Any tips to remove it? Would rather not sand as it is a large deck. I am hoping to stain the deck once the oil’s removed.
Post a picture.
I bought a house a year ago with a deck that is partially covered, with an uncovered catwalk that was moldy and in need of replacement. The new boards and new railing have been put in and the deck is now ready to be stripped/cleaned/stained. But I can’t tell if the old stain can be removed with a stain stripper, or if its more like a paint and needs to be sanded off. I plan on using a transparent sealer over the entire deck to keep a natural look, so I want the old wood to look good natural instead of needing to cover it up with another dark stain. Any advice? I’m new to all this and I’m hoping to be able to do it myself.
Looks like you will have to power sand this off.
Thanks! Should I rent a drum sander? The paint is also on posts. What type of sander would you recommend for those small spaces?
After reading through some posts, it sounds like you don’t recommend a transparent sealer. I was thinking it was more low maintenance. Sounds like it needs to be reapplied every year- is that true? Can it just be re-applied over the previous sealer? If that is the case, it might be easier than having to sand the entire deck every couple of years. I’m not sure yet what I’ll do.
Sorry if this is posted twice but I think my reply didn’t go through.
Do you recommend a drum sander? And what would you recommend for the posts that need to be sanded too?
See for tips: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/how-to-sand-your-wood-deck/
Drum sanding can work. Hand sanders for rails.
I am using a deck paint (not stain) matched with the same color paint on an old deck that I am redoing. What I need to know is how much old paint must I remove before I put the new paint down? I think the other paint on there was latex and I have an oil base paint. I know that I have sanded down to where it is smooth but there is still old paint showing, will that matter if I just paint over it?
You should be able to paint over it as long as it not peeling.
Thank you very much for the info 👍
Title: Trying to Fix Mistake of Changing to Water Based Stain
Stained my deck 4 years ago with TWP 1500 Dark Oak. It was beautiful. It needed a recoat. The local pressure washer and deck supply guy recommended I go with a water based stain because all stains with VOC, like TWP, were going to be banned soon. So I got the closest color stain and stripped a small landing deck as a trial. Stripping the TWP was a major job on the 80 sf landing deck and I was not looking forward to that on the big deck (1000 sf).
When I started staining it applied and looked terrible compared to the TWP. After staining 3 boards I stopped to figure out what to do. I decided then to stay with the TWP 1500. That was a couple weeks ago. I still have the 3 boards I stained with the water based stain. I tried a sodium hydroxide stripper but it didn’t work to get the water based stain off. What do I need to use to strip the water based stain before applying the TWP 1500.
What brand of stain is it and best to post a picture. BTW, oil-based stains are not going to be banned.
The stain is a house brand. I do not know who makes it. This is the only description on the bucket that might give a sense of the type of stain it is: “With other Deck and Fence Sealing products, you have to wait for the surface to dry and worry about rain showers. Our stain can be applied to a damp wood surface so you can complete the job the same day. This fast drying wood deck and fence sealer can be brushed, rolled, or sprayed with an airless sprayer.”
Attached are pictures.
Strippers will not remove this so power sanding is your only option to remove it.
It may be easier to just replace the boards.
Sanding would be easier and you wouldn’t have to let the new wood season: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/staining-a-new-deck/
It is a house brands. This is the only info that might tell what it is. They told me it is water based. This is on the bucket: “With other Deck and Fence Sealing products, you have to wait for the surface to dry and worry about rain showers. Our stain can be applied to a damp wood surface so you can complete the job the same day. This fast drying wood deck and fence sealer can be brushed, rolled, or sprayed with an airless sprayer. “
My deck was built exactly 14 months ago and I did not apply sealer or anything else. The pressure treated wood is still solid and it still looks good . I did pressure wash it with a cleaner about 2wks ago. Now I want to use a semi-transparent stain. Do I need to seal it separately? Or will a sealer/stain combo be enough?? Thanks.
You cannot seal over a deck stain. Deck stains are sealers as well.
We have a cedar deck that is one year old. Clear sealer was applied when installed, and then another coat of sealer was applied but not immediately after first coat of sealer. Apparently the deck was not cleaned between coats of sealer. Now the deck has mold and large gray areas with obvious peeling sealer. We will need to strip the deck before applying new stain. What are the recommendations for stripper and stain for a cedar deck? Will we need to use a brighter before applying stain, even tho deck is only one year old. Thanks
Could you post a picture, please? Yes, you will need to remove. Strip and brighten for this.
dark stripes have appeared where stripping overlapped. How are these removed?
Post a picture.
I bought my house two years ago and the deck is at a point where it needs to be restained. I found a partially used can of Flood CWF-UV Penetrating Wood Finish Cedar in the garage which is what I assume the prior owner used. Will this need to be sanded or will I be able to use a stripper to remove the existing stain?
Stripping and brightening should work but feel free to post a picture of the deck and its current condition.
I’ve read through some of the questions in this article and understand that you recommend sanding to remove a solid stain (Behr solid wood stain applied 2007). There are areas on my deck that won’t be accessible to a belt or orbital sander. Is it possible to sand blast these areas to remove the old stain?
You could try but it may tear up the wood.
can u power sand at 80 grit paper a Cedar deck?
Yes.
We used Pittsburgh Wood concentrate resurfacer approximately 5 years ago on wooden deck and it is now in horrendous shape. Peeling terribly and looks awful. What is best to use to make the deck able to re-stain?
Post a picture.