How Often Should you Stain your Deck?
How Often to Reapply a Deck or Wood Stain?
This is one of the most popular wood or deck staining questions we have on DeckStainHelp.com.
Exterior deck and wood maintenance are key to improve the appearance and protect the wood so it lasts for many years. A quality wood or deck stain can last up to 3 years on a deck and 5 years on a vertical surface but they do not last forever. This article aims to provide you with tips on when to reapply your deck stain for different types of surfaces and different types of stains or coatings.
Wood Staining Maintenance Tip: It is always best to reapply a deck stain prior to full failure. In many cases, you can clean and reapply the same stain and brand if the current stain is intact to the wood.
Do I Have to Stain My Deck Every Year?
If you are staining your deck every year then you are using the wrong stain brand and type of stain. The best deck stain for staining every 2-3 years for a deck is a semi-transparent or a semi-solid penetrating deck stain. Penetrating deck stains soak into the wood grain so they are not prone to lifting or peeling. What is even better is that they can be cleaned and recoated as needed! No need to strip and or sand to reapply.
If you want to switch to a penetrating semi-transparent or semi-solid deck stain, then you will need to remove your current deck stain first. For tips on how to prep your deck, see this article: Best Deck Prep? Strip, Sand, or Clean.
How Often to Stain Horizontals Wood Surfaces?
Exterior wood surfaces such as deck floors, wood walkways and the tops of railings typically need to be reapplied every 1-3 years depending on the brand, type, and solid content of the stain. Look for signs of wearing, fading or peeling to access when to reapply.
How Often to Stain Vertical Wood Surfaces?
Exterior Wood Surfaces such as fences, login cabins, wood-framed homes, and deck railings typically will last about twice as long as a horizontal surface. This could mean 3-7 years on a vertical surface.
Wood Stain Stripping Tip: If a transparent or semi-transparent wood stain has reached failure with more than 25% peeling or wearing, you may need to strip and brighten the wood for the prep. This will help to ensure an even application of the new coating. If you are switching stain brands or colors of stain, you will need to remove the current coating fully first by stripping and or sanding: Tips on Best Deck Prep