Update Staining New Decks in 2019
DeckStainHelp.com has become the Internet’s go-to site for all things exterior wood surface restoration related. As before, we recommend you wait 3+ months to stain new wood surfaces to allow the wood to weather, creating an ideal porous surface that will hold the stain better. The waiting period does vary based on the stain brand and type of wood. Our top stains for new wood are the Armstrong Clark and the Restore-A-Deck Wood Stains.
We encourage customer interaction on our site, so feel free to participate in our open discussion.
Over the past year, we have numerous questions asked on the site, but none was asked more than “What stain or prep is needed for my new deck”? There seems to be an opinion among homeowners that is okay to stain new wood right away or even before the deck is installed. This is incorrect for most wood types and stain brands.
In this article, we will cover the required prep and the waiting period needed before applying a stain for the first time.
New Smooth Wood
New Smooth Decking
New smooth decking boards are not porous enough for most stains to be able to penetrate properly. This is mainly due to:
- Mill glaze when cut
- High moisture content
- Chemicals in Pressure Treated Wood
Most wood stains, when applied to new wood will have a very difficult time of penetration into the wood cells. This will result in an uneven application and premature stain failure by quickly fading or peeling. Remember, the deeper the stain soaks into the wood, the longer the life of the stain.
How To Prep for New Smooth Wood:
- Install wood and let weather for 1-12 months. This varies depending on the stain brand. Read and follow the manufacturer’s directions
- After the waiting period, you should use a wood cleaner and a wood brightener. This will remove the dirt, UV graying, and mill glaze.
- Let the wood dry for a few days after the cleaning.
- Apply 1 Coat Only of the stain! Even after the waiting period, new wood is still not very absorbent. Over applying the stain will not give long lasting results. One even coat that soaks into the wood is what you want to achieve.
- Be prepared to apply a maintenance coat in 12-18 months.
Once you get through the first couple of years, your deck stain will perform much better as the wood will allow more stain and deeper penetration into the wood.
TIP: Do not sand new wood. This will smooth the wood, reducing the stain’s ability to penetrate into the wood.
Rough Sawn Wood
Rough or Rough Sawn Wood
Rough sawn wood is not used for horizontal decking surface, but rather verticals such as fencing, wood siding, etc. This side of the wood does not have a mill glaze and is very absorbent. As long as the wood has a low moisture content, it can be stained right away.
Stain Brands for New Wood
In our opinion, certain brands of stains will work better on new wood. Through the years we have tried numerous stains on new wood and we have found that stains that contain paraffin (non-drying oil) will penetrate into newer wood better, even coverage, and can be applied sooner.
We would suggest one of these brands for new wood if you do not want to wait 4-12 months to allow the wood to weather.
Armstrong Clark Wood Stain – Waiting period of 2-3 months
Restore-A-Deck Wood Stain – Waiting period of 3 months
Timber Oil Brand – Waiting period of about 1-2 months
If choosing one of these brands, you will still need to prep the wood to remove mill glaze with cleaning and brightening.
Please ask any questions you have below.
Hello! We’re looking to stain our new cedar fence less than two weeks old. The cedar planks are rough sawn but the posts are pressure treated wood. 1) Do we need to wait 3-6 months (Spring) to stain or can we stain in the next few weeks before winter and snow start? 2) We are also wanting to use Restore A Deck stain due to mold/mildew on our previous fence. Would we need to use the cleaner and brightener if we wait until spring or could we do just the stain at that time? Thank you for this website it’s so helpful!
You will need to wait until Spring. Clean and brighten for the prep.
Thank you so much for the quick reply! Does it make a difference that the wood is kiln dried? Just nervous about winter since we live in a snow belt in the northeast.
Still need to wait. One Winter will not harm the wood.
what do you do to a new deck that has stain dripped on it?
Remove the stain first.
with what?
That would depend on the stain brand and type you are trying to remove.
there’s no stain on deck just drips. should I use 100 grit sandpaper?\
Drips of what? Pictures would help.
drips of stain [pecan TWP]. DO I USE 100 GRIT SANDPAPER AND THEN WASH DECK?
60-80 grit and then prep all wood with a deck cleaner and a wood brightener before staining.
I bought a house in snow area. Deck was replaced within 4 months I think.. It has not been sealed. I need a good sealer for 1st snow which should be coming in about a month time
Prep with a deck cleaner and then a wood brightener. Stain with Armstrong Clark.
Interesting that what is important about staining is not addressed. You should worry less about how many months you wait and more about the moisture content of the wood. You can get a moisture meter pretty cheap now a-days. You can stain your wood a few days after you put it up, if the wood is dry enough. There are also stains that say you can apply when the wood is not fully dry.
You are incorrect. The reason for waiting/weathering is not about moisture content but the porosity of the wood. New wood is just not porous enough to accept the stain and that is why almost all stain brands want weathering and prep.
Gary M
I installed new PTP decking, steps, and handrails on my 15 year old deck, about 6 months ago. I plan to clean and prep the deck, and wanted to know what products you would recommend. Also, which brand of deck stain would you recommend. After reading and researching as much information as i could, I was leaning toward TWP 100, or Armstrong Clark, but wanted your expert opinion with respects to what stain I should use, given the age of the wood, and my location, which is Chesapeake, VA. There is a three foot wood skirt (made from deck boards) around the entire deck. It was treated with Flood stain 14 years ago, it does not look like much of the flood stain remains, so will cleaning and preparing that area work, or do I need to strip it, before restaining. The deck gets full sun most of the day, has very little foot traffic or use, as the attached screened in porch is our preferred area.
You will need to strip the flood if it is still there. If not, clean and brighten. Use Restore A Deck products for prep. Staining with TWP or AC would be a good choice for this.
I have a newly installed deck around my chlorine pool. The deck boards are already drying out and shrinking leaving large spacing between the boards. It’s only 1 month old and we have harsh NE winters. The contractor recommended hitting it with Thompsons before the winter and in the spring. I would rather used something that penetrates the wood better. What do you recommend and when would be the best time?
Leave until Spring. Clean and brighten for prep then. Stain with TWP 1500 series or Armstrong Clark.
Thank you!!!
I love your site. so helpful
Hello, I just ordered some culpeper 5/4 KDAT deck boards to replace my 2nd story deck, and at the same time I am going to install EPDM underdeck waterproofing ( similar to DekDrain). Since the new boards will be dry, I plan to seal the entire board with one coat of sealer prior to installing, then do the second coat after the boards are installed. I have read about an Australian deck sealer called Cutek Extreme which is fairly new to America, but gets high ratings from Pro’s. Have you heard of this product? Do you have an opinion on it?
We have heard of it and used it. Some feedback on the site as well. Mixed reviews from other consumers. We personally did not care for it as ti did not prevent UV very well.
i stained the spindles and railing. i got some stain on the floor and wipe it off. will it be darker in some area because of the stain being dropped?
Possibly but that would vary based on the brand and type of stain.
I used TWP series 100
Hard to say if it will blend or not. It probably will.
I would like to stain my new deck soon if possible. It is 3weeks old now. Could I use Timber Oil brand now, due to its lower wait time, And then follow up with a different brand like Restore a Deck in 12-18 months, since it has a more longevity? Are there issues with switching brands like this?
When switching you will need to strip and brighten to remove the first coating. Otherwise no issues.
We had a new pressure-treated pine deck installed in early June. We have been waiting for the wood to weather before we stain/seal and we are now getting close to Chicago weather that isn’t conducive to meeting the temperature guidelines. We were hoping to get it done before the winter but that looks more difficult at this point. Would it be problematic from a wood longevity perspective to leave the wood untreated through the winter and address in the spring?
Also, this deck is installed on our roof where we don’t have a water line which makes pressure washing the deck difficult. Are there any alternatives that wouldn’t require pressure washing prior to stain application?
You can leave it through Winter. No alternatives, you need water to prep.
Defy Extreme Stain-Cedar Tone
One yr old deck. Used the defy 3 step process (clean, bright w/power washer) stained with push car wash type brush.
BEYOND THRILLED with the Defy product.
Only issue (our bad) we edged under railings and that area appears darker in color now.
Not sure if we should attempt a second coat using a roller where we would be able to get underneath the railing to do one complete full stroke of stain OR leave it alone and either apply another coat of stain in the Spring of next year OR just wait another 2 yrs and go through the cleaning process and apply another coat of exact same product depending on how deck surface holds up. Do you agree?
Picture won’t attach
You should not apply another coat now. Best to wait until it is needed.
After looking at the deck again early evening, we realize that the entire deck really should have had 2 wet on wet coats. With all that being said, our question is, come Spring next year do we
1) clean deck, let dry and just apply another coat if wood is no longer repelling water
OR
2) strip defy extreme stain off and do entire process again
OR
3) do we need to strip b4 applying second coat in Spring if we are using same brand/color
1. Yes, correct.
2. You should not have to do this.
3. No.
I didn’t pay attention when spraying (i was rushing) and now have significant overlap lines. This is Armstrong Clark on a 3 month old redwood deck. I sprayed and back brushed. Is this fixable with another light coat and immediate wipe down?
Adding more stain will not fix this. You will need to remove it.
What color stain did you use? It’s really nice.
Might be Sierra Redwood color.
It is Sierra Redwood. I did another light coat with the sprayer (basically misting it down into the lighter areas to try to feather away the lines). I looks better and is really only noticable in certain light conditions. I’ll fix it next year.
We are replacing an aged deck with treated pine. Due to the grain, my husband is installing boards, so the grain curves downward to prevent future bowing as he noted on some of the old boards he removed that were laid with grain curving upwards. The problem is there is black printing on some of the boards by the lumber company. We are intending on using the Armstrong Clark semitransparent Driftwood Gray stain. I am concerned that the print will remain visible and I’ve read where you advised against sanding new wood. Is there something we can do to prevent the black printing from showing through the semitransparent stain?
See this for tips: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/how-to-remove-the-ink-stamps-from-new-decking/
Our deck – pressure treated wood – weathered for 14 months and was just cleaned and treated with TWP 100 series Pecan stain. It looks like the application was a bit uneven, as sections of the deck (which are also the highest traffic areas) appear lighter. After today’s rain, those lighter areas seems to be absorbing water while the other sections are beading up. Should we apply another light coat to those lighter areas?
No, leave as is for now and then lightly wash with water and recoat in the Spring.
A question about deck turning white. Some parts of the deck, when dry, is a whiteish color. Deck is PT pine, 14 months old, never treated, just power washed a few weeks ago. When wet everything is the same color. But when dry/drying some sections start turning white, or have a white haze that doesn’t wash or sand off. Any idea what’s causing it?
In the pictures, the part the dog’s sitting on is the white part. The deck is just starting to dry after a rain. The part that’s white is practically dry already. The other part doesn’t turn white, and although the white part is practically dry, the other part is still wet.
Since when it’s wet it all has a uniform color, as shown in the picture, would that white haze have any effect if we put a semi-transparent stain on?
Could that white haze be efflorescence of some kind? It’s weird that just the boards in that one section are doing that and not all the boards.
Once again, when posting, the pictures rearranged, so I have to edit my comment. Why does it do that???? The 2 dog pictures were next to each other and the wet/dry pics were next to each other. Then they rearranged after hitting “post”.
The first picture is of the deck completely dry. The 3rd picture is of it completely wet. You can see the uniform color in the wet picture and the whiteish haze in the dry picture.
Thanks again for your help.
The white is oxidation of the wood that you are not getting off fully from the prep. Wood does not get efflorescence.
So what do I do about the white stuff? Sand? Power wash again? The first time we power washed the white stuff appeared when it was dry, so we did it again. As you can see it’s still there. What now?
See this: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/wood-fuzzies-furring-on-deck/
Not sure what to look at in that link other than “wood fuzzies/furring”. Is that what the white stuff on the boards is? And is that the article I’m supposed to look at? There’s nothing that says something like “deck boards look white” so the “wood fuzzies” article looks the closest to looking white.
The boards don’t look like they have fuzzies, though, they just look white, so that’s why we’re confused.
One of our PT posts (2x8x8) has what we thought was the beginning of graying – blackish streaks. However, after power washing and sanding it hasn’t all come off, so we think it could be mold. How would we get rid of it so we can stain/coat the wood?
It’s a new deck, weathered 14 months now, never treated, just power washed. Want to use the Defy Extreme or Extreme 40 semi-transparent in the clear or pine color. Waiting to find out the difference between the Extreme and Extreme 40 first since I can’t find that out anywhere. Asked that Q here. But this Q is about getting rid of the mold.
Thanks for the help.
Post a picture of the streaks.
Mold? on the one post only. Initially looked like my side of the neighbor’s fence, shown. They’re the same age (they were done the same year) and he didn’t treat it at all. He’s letting it go gray. The post was power washed then sanded. It lightened but didn’t all come off.
You can see in the 3rd pic the fence in the background. The post and the fence face the same direction, west, if that’s of any importance. Weirdly, none of the other posts or parts of the deck has this problem, just this one post (and my neighbor’s fence).
In the 1st picture the post with the problem is at the very end on the right closest to the camera, not the one by the railing.
For some reason the pictures rearranged themselves in reverse order when I posted so I had to edit my comment.
PS – anything I can do about the neighbor’s fence if he doesn’t care because it’s on my side? Haven’t talked to him about it yet.
Yes, it is mold. Use the Defy Wood Cleaner and Brightener to try and remove. Not much you can do about the neighbor besides clean it all and then brighten the wood.
Is there anything besides the wood cleaner and brightener that I can use in the meantime? I’d have to order it and apparently it will take like 4 days to arrive. A bleach and water solution? Anything else?
You can try bleach but it is not the best option for wood. 1 part to 4 parts water.
Found out that the Extreme 40 is for use in California, which has strict restrictions. So if we use the Defy product, we’d use the Extreme.
I installed my new deck with pressure treated wood, and weathered for about 3 months. What should I do now before staining it? Clean, prep, brightening? How do I do that? What products do you recommend to clean, prep, and brightening?
Yes, clean and brighten the wood. Try Restore A Deck Prep Kits.
My deck was built a year ago – treated pine lumber. I have a canopy over a part of the deck. I’m noticing that the wood under the canopy is still ‘yellow’, where the wood not covered has bleached or weathered. I don’t want to use a solid stain; however, want a uniform color across the deck. Any suggestions when my wood is not ‘aging’ at the same rate?
When you prep it should even back out so that it stains uniform. Try Restore A Deck Prep Kits.
Thank you!! Love all of the guidance and information your website provides!
You are welcome!
We are siding our house with douglas fir that we milled and planed ourselves. The siding has been planed on all sides and has been drying for 6-10 weeks. We would like to stain it on all sides before mounting it on the house. How long should we wait, how should we prep, and what product would you advise using? We would like a lighter semi transparent color that looks natural, not orange or red toned.
Any advise would be greatly appreciated!
No reason or advantage to staining all sides. Best to install, wait for natural weathering, prep, and stain just the exposed wood.
We are building in the Pacific Northwest forest (read very wet and humid), we have read elsewhere that sealing all sides of the siding is recommended. Would you be willing to explain a bit more why you feel there is no advantage to this? I have read through many questions and cannot find where this specific question has been addressed.
I have also read that douglas fir potentially will accept stain unevenly due to soft and hard growth rings. Some folks recommend a light application of a lighter colored stain that will soak into and seal the softer wood allowing for a more uniform result when applying a deeper color stain in the future. Would doing this on all sides knowing that we would follow up in a year or less with another RAD clean and brighten round followed by the desired finish color stain have any advantages in your estimation?
Thanks!
Wood needs to breathe and not be 100% sealed. Most stain brands suggest not staining all sides so the wood does not internally rot.
No advantage in your scenario.
New redwood deck 7 months old, what brand is best for redwood? Will need to clean to also. Deck gets full sun all day, in Colorado Springs. Is oil or water base the best and easy to apply? Also where to find local dealers to see colors? Thank you!
Yes, you have to prep. Try TWP 100 Series or Armstrong Clark. Check with them for dealers if any in your area.
The TWP would be better to use then Restore a Deck?
The RAD would work very well too.
I live in Portland, OR. I Purchased 5/4 cedar decking boards about 4 months ago and they have been sitting in my garage all summer. Im ready to lay boards. Are the boards ready for stain or should I be giving them time to weather outside? Also, should I be looking at applying stain to the underside of the boards? My deck is bout 12 inches off the ground in a very wet climate.
Thanks!
Need to weather outside. No need to stain undersides of the wood.
New deck weathered for 14 months . Want the natural wood color but grain enhanced. So I need a wash and brighter what kind and what stain ? I’m new to this
Try Restore A Deck in Natural or Armstrong Clark in Amber.
my husband applied TWP stain and over applied the stain, I have read ALL kinds of ways to correct this. what is your suggestion?
Need pictures.
thanks for all your suggestions. they are very helpful.
is it better to use lacquer thinner than mineral spirits on over lapping? the mineral spirits doesn’t seem to be working
You can try it.
Heres the picture for the beliw question. I couldn’t get it to post together
I have a new deck and we didnt seal it right away because we were waiting for the wood to dry out. We are now ready to seal the deck but when we moved our umbrella holder the sun bleached around it so the wood is a lighter color. My question is if we seal it as is will the sun eventually bleach that area so it matches or do we shave to wait for the sun to bleach it so it matches then seal it? Picture above
Let is weather naturally first for a few months.
we stained our deck on 9/18th of sept 2019. we used a brush and some boards look a little different color than other. after they dry and still look like that what do we do?
We have a new de k that was installed in April.. We are getting ready to stain it but the boards closer to the house are darker then the wood that is pretty much always in the sun… Is there anything we can do about that?
When you clean and brighten the wood it should even out.
Any stain brand that you recommend for staining the deck for the first time?
Try Armstrong Clark: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/armstrong-clark-wood-stain-review/
Hi, I am getting a small deck, 12×12, built this week to put a hot tub on. The hot tub will be delivered at the end of October so the deck will only have a month or so to dry/age. Should I try staining it before the hot tub is delivered? Or wait and just stain around the hot tub next spring? Is there a specific sealer/stain you recommend for hot tub use? I wasn’t sure since the hot tub is almost 8×8 and will cover most of the deck. I live in the mountains in Cali so we get a good amount of snow and it gets down to around 15 degrees F at night during the winter. I obviously won’t be able to move the tub at all once it’s delivered so any recommendations would be awesome. Thanks so much!
Wait and stain around the tub in the Spring. Try Restore A Deck Wood Stains or TWP 1500 Series.
Hi, question: what are some reasons why pressure treated lumber turned reddish orange after 10 months, without any sealer/stain being applied? One thing we did, that is in question, is we melted ice off of lumber when installing, without burning it of course. It looked perfect when installed. Could the extreme temperature of ice, then melting with flame cause this? Any ideas of how and why is greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time in advance.
Sorry but no idea. Never seen ice melting with flame done before.
Hi I’m restraining my deck I used Olympic semi transparent mahogany stain two years ago and it is not in good shape now .. I want to use something different maybe an oil based stain … I had the deck pursue washed and the guy doing the work is going to lightly sand it… what r your thoughts on the best action to take .. should do use a deck stripper or do u have any ideas of the best products to use … I’ve read lots of reviews many are very poor.. Armstrong Clark had quite a few good ones … I need help this is getting very expensive to do every Two years!!! Thanks
Post a picture of current condition to help with the prep.
Did u get my photos?
What should I do
You will need to remove this fully. Strip off what you can, sand the rest off as it will not fully strip, brighten all wood when done. Stain with Armstrong Clark after.
What would you use to strip it …. this sounds awful lol ..!
So if I used the same product Olympia would I have to strip the whole deck or could I just Pressure wash the whole thing and sand the floor and top rail that’s where it’s peeling off and what does a brightener do ? Stripping my whole deck sounds very overwhelming to me. It’s large and high off the ground. I’m not sure how to apply a stripper . I’ve only stripped furniture and that’s really time consuming and hard .. is it the same process? Paint on wait awhile then scrape off. ? Thanks
The other option is to strip what you can and then cover the current stain that does not come off with a solid color stain. This would be easier: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/what-are-the-best-solid-color-deck-stains/
Can I stain kiln dry pine 2×6 lumber used for privacy panel construction on my deck with RAD semi transparent stain water based immediately?
No, not if smooth wood. Wait a month or two and then prep for kiln-dried smooth wood.
First, I just want to say how helpful your site is. I’ve been building decks for 30 years but have always felt unsure about stain performance and have received all kinds of contradictory advice from the (well-intending) guys that work the paint and stain sections of the many hardware stores I’ve done business with over the years. Hence, I’ve shied away from staining or applying protective products of any kind on my decks and given my clients the basics of the advice I’d received over the years (let the deck weather for a few months to a year) and let them fend for themselves. I’ve had great results and really lousy results from the same products applied under what I thought were the same conditions. Your reviews, articles, and forums have really helped me better understand the issues, and the confidence you have in the products you recommend have me reconsidering the possibility of venturing back into deck staining. So thank you and kudos for that! Let me preface my questions with the following info that is true for most of the decks I build: I live and work in Montreal, Quebec. The weather conditions are harsh. We’ve got really cold and snowy winters and hot sunny summers. The 2nd issue with my location is that it seems very few of the local big hardware stores sell a good quality pressure treated pine. I’ve seen and handled the Southern Yellow Pine you guys south of the border tend to use, and this lumber is just in a completely different league than the local junk we deck builders are commissioned by our budget conscious clients to use. I’m not even sure we’re buying pine and not some sort of spruce they’re passing off as pine. The wood is often very knotty, warped, and cracked and if it isn’t, it gets that way quickly as it weathers. I know you’ve been through this question a number of times in your articles and forums, but I’m not sure I understood the right advice you give about whether it is preferable to wait 12 (or almost 12) months for the wood to weather before applying 1 coat of RAD or waiting 3 months before applying only 1 coat of RAD (in both cases it’s understood that I must use RAD prepping products to clean and brighten first). I’m also not clear about whether you recommend only1 coat of RAD even after 12 months of weathering for the first ever coat of RAD. The pressure treated “pine” thats commonly sold here is now a brown/pinkish hue, it kind of imitates the look of Western Red Cedar (as opposed to the greenish tint of the former type of pressure treatment). I’m not sure if that changes anything about the wood and it’s capacity to take-on a stain after being prepped. Sorry to have been so long-winded, here are my questions more succinctly: 1. Better to wait 3 months or 12 months after new install of pressure… Read more »
If you weather 3-12 months, then RAD says one coat. Longer than that, then 2 light coats can be applied as long as the wood can absorb the stain fully. They also suggest one coat as a recoat about 12 months later or as needed. They have lots of articles on the website that explains it better.
1. Doesn’t matter.
2. RAD would work well but so would TWP 200 Series or Armstrong Clark.
3. Typically two but that depends on the stain and how absorbent the wood is.
Re 2. So does it make sense to choose whichever of these 3 that is easiest to find and perhaps best priced? Or do you think one of them is superior to the others? I’m asking, in this instance, for a deck that gets 9+ hours of full sun exposure during the summer months. Also, I think I’ve seen mentioned on one of your reviews that TWP 100 Series is not accepted in Canada. Is that why you specified the 200 Series?
No, doesn’t matter which one. All good stain brands. Yes, only the 200 Series is allowed in Canada.
Also, does a new pressure treated deck require the 2 RAD prep steps, i.e., stripping and brightening?
All wood needs both steps.
Staining a mixed age mixed species (redwood and cedar) deck
I have a large 5+ year old redwood b heart 2×4 deck in Portland, Oregon. The deck is mostly covered with large full width exposed steps on either side. Several boards needed to be replaced prior to my knowing it was redwood — I just bought the place last year; as a result, my contractor said it was tight knot cedar and replaced about 12 boards (10-12 feet in length); I have since re-replaced the most obvious three boards back to ‘new’ redwood b heart. So, long story short, I have a mixed age and species deck: old redwood, new redwood, and new cedar. It doesn’t look bad and the variation is subtle if not unattractive to some. The entire deck has been stripped and sanded even. On here people say to wait 3+ months on a new deck, but iI have a mixed age deck – 85% old, 15% new. The stairs are where most of the new material is, with about 3 “new” boards on the main deck. We are entering raining season at the end of October. Should I wait until then? Should I wait until next Summer? I’m a bit nervous about the old wood being exposed for an entire season. Thanks so much for the assistance.
Do it all in the Spring. Clean and brighten for the prep. It will be fine.
Which stain do you recommend for a new, treated wood deck that has weathered for 9 months? I live in the Nashville, TN area, the deck is covered, and I’m planning on using either a transparent or semi-transparent stain.
Restore A Deck Stain or TWP 100 Series. Prep first with a deck cleaner and then a wood brightener.
Have a client with a wood Solar collector frame with old peeling stain on it. Most of the frame is made of treated wood posts and side support rails. Some of the trim pieces are cedar. Owner does not know what stain was used previously, but I think it was oil-base. He would like it to be refinished with either a water-base or oil stain.
I’m thinking I will need to completely strip & sand off previous stain, and then apply new stain, either semi -transparent or solid. One person at paint store said to recoat with Benjamin Moore Arborcoat water-base solid deck stain.
Any recommendations?
Strip off what you can and then sand the rest. Brightener after. Use Restore A Deck prep products. Stain with Restore A Deck Semi-transparent or TWP 1500 Series.
I am getting kiln dried Western Red Cedar. Does it have to season or will it be good to go before/right after installation?
See this for tips: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/staining-a-new-kdat-deck/
I have a new porch deck 1×4″ fir – weathered for >4 months. The porch is covered, open on 3 sides, no balusters or anything other than the primary supportive posts. We have restore a deck cleaner/brightener and semi-transparent water based stain that we plan to apply this weekend. I wanted to make sure we treat the exposed/cut ends of the boards correctly – do I just apply the one coat of stain to the cut ends or is something else needed to protect it from drawing in moisture. thanks for your help.
Hi, a continuation of the my previous question re: end grain. I’d like to know your opinion on Anchor Seal emulsified wax. If I understand correctly, the deck, (top, sides and end grain) would be stained with one coat (as suggested for new wood) and after it is cured, the Anchor Seal emulsified wax would be brushed on to the ends only. The recommendation was: “Brush on one coat of AnchorSeal (emulsified wax) and two minutes later, a second coat, allowing it to fully penetrate. It will seal off the end grain forever”.
No need for an end sealer. Just apply the stain. One coat is fine. Using the anchor small will create issues with the stain as well. It will stand out.
Thank you!
I am now at the sealing stage of my redwood porch renovation and would appreciate advice on what products to use. Porch description is as follows; new redwood, located in So.California, temps are hovering 90-95 degrees, area has fine dust in the air, wood has been exposed for 3-6 months of drying, retain NATURAL look as much as possible, desire Water and UV protection, what is best to fill in the screw holes and this final stage needs to be completed by the end of next.
Thank you in advance for your assistance with this matter. diwhh:)
Do not use a wood filler on a deck. It will not “stain” to blend and will look really bad. Just leave as is. As for the stain to use, try Restore A Deck in Naural tint or Armstrong Clark in Amber color.
Thank you for the very helpful information.Please, I have a few comments and questions. Prior to staining with the Restore-A-Deck what would you recommend for the cleaner and the brightener? I read articles that recommend using Oxalic Acid for cleaning and I am uncertain about which brightener to use. Regarding the filling in the holes I thought I would use a mixture of redwood sawdust and glue paste. As far as you know is this stain-able? Please, any further guidance would be much appreciated. Thank you. Diwhh
Use the RAD Cleaner/Brightener Kits. Do not fill the holes. It will not blend.
Thank you for all of your help.
You are welcome.
I put the first coat of RAD stain semi transparent on my new decking. When I stain next year can I switch from light oak to semi solid cedar color?
Thanks, Dan
They do not make a semi-solid. If switching to a different brand of stain, you will need to strip.
One more question. I finished staining with RAD semi transparent stain water based yesterday at 7pm. She is it ok to put deck furniture, and outdoor area rug on my deck?
Thanks for your help!
Dan Sethner
Yes.
After cleaning, brightening and staining I have some boards that look bad from white oxidation on the PT decking. Should I put second coat on those boards? Or deal with them next summer. What are your suggestions?
Thanks, Dan Sethner
Do it next year. Wash first and recoat.
2 years ago we stained a new preasure treated wood deck with semi solid oil base stain, in very light color- almost white or light beige, not sure what brand of the stain it was (bought it in White Street Paint store). Right away (we live north of Boston) it started to get black from mold and dirt. We just scrubbed it with brush to remove dirt and mold with 40 to 60% bleach and water. We want to retain the lightest color we can and give max protection against black mold or whatever it is. Please advise what stain is the best that we can apply without stripping remains of left over stain?
You have to remove the current stain fully by power sanding (stripping will not remove this) as you cannot apply a different brand of semi-transparent over it. The other option is to use a solid stain to cover it: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/what-are-the-best-solid-color-deck-stains/
That will look like paint though.
What’s the easiest way to cover aluminum spindles so I can stain and seal the deck and railings?
There is not an easy way. We typically do not cover and paint around them with wiping them clean right away if any stain gets on them.
I have a pressure treated deck installed last fall. I think its ready to be stained as no beading of water is evident. I live just north of Chicago. What is the best stain; water v oil, semi- transparent v solid and which companys’ stain is the best?
Any of these top brands will work well: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/the-5-best-deck-stain-reviews-and-ratings/
Make sure to prep first.
Should I lightly spray decking before I apply RAD water based semi transparent stain. Because deck will be dry when I get shade on deck to apply stain.About 75 degrees today with rain expected by 8am tomorrow. Should have staining done by7pm today. If I wait till Thursday no rain for two days. What do you recommend?
Thanks, Dan
You can mist it with water and you can stain it today.
Applied RAD cleaner 2nd time yesterday hoping to get rid of white oxidation haze on decking boards.(new treated wood 5 months aged). Applied cleaner waited 15 minutes scrubbed with brush and power washed. Applied Wood Brightener waited 20 minutes and power washed well over 20 minutes until all foam was gone. Deck looked great last night. Checked this morning and still have white hazing here and there.
Will apply RAD semi transparent stain later today when I get shade on deck. I will post pictures when stain is dry. Hopefully white haze will not show.
Dan
My deck is a year old. It is a two story, covered deck with a patio underneath. I noticed the underside of the deck there are some boards that have a bright, almost lime green to them. From what I am reading it is part of the chemical process used in the treated lumber. Is this correct? Should I try and power wash it again? Is it okay to stain it since it is visible from the patio?
You can wash it but it may not come out. No reason to stain unless you want to for appearance.
New cedar deck installed June 1 in Metro Detroit. Some boards already showing mildew. Given Sept will be here in one week, should we wait until spring or get protection on the wood before the MIchigan winter? Am I correct that we will need to clean and brighten before staining? Thanks.
Yes, you have to prep. Do it in Fall or Spring is okay.
We had a new (pressure treated wood) deck installed in May. We are going to stain it in April. Do you recommend a transparent or semi-transparent stain? What brand do you recommend?
Semi-transparent. One of these brands: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/the-5-best-deck-stain-reviews-and-ratings/