This post was updated on June 26, 2024
Hello. I am Scott Paul, a leading exterior restoration contractor and business owner with over 30 years of experience in exterior decking. My blending of new and old wood help tips are based on my history as a wood restoration contractor and actual hands-on testing. See here for more info about me.
Blending New and Old Deck Boards
At DeckStainHelp.com, I strive to remain the Internet’s number-one reference for deck stain questions, opinions, and reviews. This updated article suggests blending new and old deck boards for a beautiful, even surface. We would like to hear your thoughts, so feel free to comment below.
New and Old Deck Boards
You would have a mix of new and old deck boards for many reasons, but it can be a common situation. The most frequent reason is that some boards needed to be replaced due to decay or wood rot while others were still in good condition. It is also common for a deck owner to protect the deck from a stain once all the repairs have been made. The dilemma is that new and old boards look very different when stained.
Understanding why this happens may help you minimize the problem. Once old deck boards weather, the top layer of wood fibers begins to gray and become soft. Newer deck boards are denser and very hard. The older boards will absorb more deck stain and appear much darker than the new, denser deck boards, which appear lighter.
Prepping New and Old Boards
To better blend new and old deck boards, it is necessary to wash the entire deck. Use a good wood cleaner and a pressure washer to remove dirt, mold, mildew, and graying from the older deck boards. The newer deck boards will normally have mill glaze on them, which can prevent good stain penetration. Use the same method to clean all the new boards and remove any mill glaze.
New and Old Decking
Cleaning the deck this way will also help the new coat of deck stain perform better. A clean wood surface prepped correctly will ensure better performance, coverage, and lasting protection.
After cleaning the wood, apply a wood brightener to the deck. A wood brightener will lighten all the older, darker boards and open the wood pores of the newer deck boards for better stain penetration. This step can help a lot when blending new and old deck boards.
It can also help to sand the boards once the deck is clean and dry. Sanding the old wood boards will remove additional softwood fibers to create a harder surface. Sanding newer, already dense boards will have the opposite effect, softening the wood fibers and removing any mill glaze that cleaning did not remove.
In addition to these steps for blending new and old deck boards, a quality semi-transparent deck stain will help. Follow these prepping and staining tips, and your newly repaired deck will be safer and look better.
My Pro Tip: A penetrating semi-solid stain will provide maximum UV protection and help blend the new and old wood better!
Need Help Blending Deck Boards? Ask Below
Should there be protection for the replaced wood while waiting for it to dry?
No, it needs to be exposed.
have new extension to the old deck. want to stain the whole deck. i’ve power washed. was going to sand but weather not cooperating. did some research and saw a bunch of articles that sanding isn’t always necessary. I used an orbital hand sander 60 grit on the stairs and not much changed color wise. the new stain i’m using is darker than the original. what do you recommend? thanks in advance.
First of all, you cannot stain this new wood yet. See this for tips:
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/how-long-should-you-wait-to-stain-a-new-deck/
The only way you will get this to blend is to use a solid stain on all wood.
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/what-are-the-best-solid-color-deck-stains/
I had my cedar deck, privacy lattice and railings professionally stained 2 years ago with twp 200 series in honey color. I would like to change now to a light to medium grey color.
Can you recommend the correct product to apply? the deck is easily sanded if needed but the privacy lattice is and railings would be impossible to sand down. can I just go over the stain with a compatible oil stain??
No, you need to strip and brighten for prep to remove the current coating. Use the RAD Stripper/Brightener Kits for this. Once done you can choose any brand of gray stain that you like. BTW, don’t sand.
Recently built a new deck with pressure-treated lumber. Did not think about the weathering process before putting an umbrella base on the deck. As a result, I now have this uneven weathering, and I’m afraid that it will come through when I stay in the deck down the road. Is there anyway to recover from this problem?
Weather all wood for 3-6 months and then clean and brighten for prep. It should even out.
Good deal. Thank you for the prompt response. Much appreciated.