How to Reapply a Solid Color Deck Stain 5/5 (1)

This post was updated on April 25, 2023

Prepping for Solid Color Deck Stain Reapplication

Solid (Opaque) deck stains are not transparent and will cover the wood fully, masking the wood grain. Once you apply a solid decking stain, there is little chance you will ever be able to go back to a transparent stain unless you want to heavily power sand.

One question we get often here at DeckStainHelp.com is how to prep for reapplying a solid color deck stain and is it needed to remove the prior solid color deck stain first?

Note: If you want to remove a solid color deck stain fully you will have to power sand or use a product like the RAD PaintStrip Solid Stain and Paint Stripping Gel.

Reapplying An Opaque Solid Color Deck Stain

The key is to remove all the loose and peeling stain from your wood along with any dirt, grime, and mildew. We suggest using a quality deck stain stripper and pressure washing to start. The goal is to not remove all of the old solid stain but as much as you can. Apply the stripper to the deck and pressure wash all of the wood. After this is done, rinse well and let dry for 24 hours. Get out your orbital sander and spot sand any areas to remove the last remnants of peeling stain.

You can coat over your intact solid stain that is not peeling with a new coat of solid stain. See below for a list of the top solid color deck stains.

More Info on Solid Color Deck Stains

• The Best Solid Color Deck Stains
• Why Have a Two-Toned Deck
• How To Remove a Solid Color Deck Stain

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For more info, see our Deck Stain Facts section with over 150 simple Q&A articles that answer all the questions that you have regarding deck staining, cleaning, and prep.