Staining A New Deck: Tips & Help for 2024 4.8/5 (692)

Hello. We just got our deck built in April and was told to stain it in 4 months (which would have been August). It is now the the beginning of Sept, should we wait maybe until the spring? I worry about the wood is not dried out enough due to the rain. Also, I am still to use the wood cleaner and brightener first,correct? Then only one coat of deck stain.

Thanks to your great info I was able to apply a first coat of Restore-a-deck semi-transparent stain to my stairs/deck last August. The wood was new and dry, so the final result was pretty great! You suggested to do another coat of stain 12 months later. I am getting ready for the second coat and wanted to know if I am supposed to do any special prep (strip, brighten, etc.) prior to applying the second coat or can I just pressure wash and apply the second coat?

For future maintenance, about how often should I plan to stain? Since I used restore-a-deck on new wood, can I just keep putting new coats on top of the old after pressure washing or will it need to be stripped eventually?

We have a large wood patio. I have stained all the post. Do I have to stain the Ceiling inside? The natral wood looks beautiful.

Building a new deck in Northern California using doug fir 2×6 decking. The deck is at grade, so will have minimal ventilation underneath. Is there an advantage, in this situation, to use the penetrating oil stain on the underside as well to help fend off rot?

Also, I must say it feels wrong to let the deck get rained on for months before staining. Is there a penetrating oil stain that you would recommend after weathering for 1 month?

Thanks!

Hi Scott, 

Just had porch redone late June up in northern New Jersey so it’s been about 3 months. Constructed out of WeatherShield appearance grade pressure-treated board southern yellow pine lumber (Product/Purchase tags stapled on wood stated – “weathershield premium wood products awpa u1a uc4a mca reten std 0.15”)

The samples stains we are using is Benjamin Moore’s arborcoat waterborne exterior SOLID stain.

1) Is it necessary to sand/clean up in general the screw holes & other impurities before staining? If truly desired, how would I go about it – sanding? 

2) Adding onto the last question their are places where the wood has yellow marks & cement dust. Is this a definite place where I would need to sand?

3) Adding even further to the last 2 questions, I did a stain & single paint color tests. For stains one being black & other maroon, lastly single paint test in maroon. How would I deal with cleaning this up, sand off the color? Especially before winter before it really soaks into the wood?

4) Unfortunately, the contractor left some old boards that had old paint on them – image included. In order to fix this critical error, can I just sand off the old paint and then stain?

5) Is there a specific way to protect / deal with the porch metal braces, & obviously don’t stain over them?

6) With the humidity reader set to yellow pine selection – it reads around 7% – 9%, so safely under the advised 15% marker. While doing a water drop test in several places & letting sit for 10 minutes, the water did not soak into the wood – images included (mind you this was done at 6pm). By this information is the porch ready to stain?

7) Since it’s fall, there’s going to be a lot of debris like leaves, falling onto the porch, I would like to get the porch stained in October or November before snowfall. Though perhaps overall I just need to wait till spring as the earliest to stain? 

8) Lastly if I do ultimately need to wait until after winter, do I need to protect the porch with a tarp so the wood doesn’t become too weathered? Additionally, when spring does come around since the porch weathered for so long in the winter would the staining preparation process be different? Meaning, will I have to use a degreaser or borate to clean the porch first, or is it just a simple rinse before officially staining?

Great article, great I found it before staining.

I have a NEW brand deck at a new home in Charlotte NC location (Hot weather, with unusual rains this year ’23), looks like made of Pine threated wood. Built in Feb ’23.

Now looking to have it stained for the first time. I have done the prep with Valspar all in one wood prep. But stopped trying to figure it out if I should cover the screws heads with wood filler to create a neat look? That’s my first question.

Wood looks and feel kind of smooth still, very few screws look like have moved from straight to slightly inclined position, that’s what most concerns me. I am ready to Staining it, should I do it now? that’s my second question.

We most probably continue to have good conditions through October from there I should have to wait until March ’24, But that will be more than 12 months from the time it was built. The Builder emphasized to have it stained ASAP.

Last one, got Valspar stain and sealer for exteriors, I saw your review about this product 🙁 what should I use instead to secure a long life of service? Pictures attached taken today.

Thank you very much!

My deck is being built as we speak. It is the middle of August. I live in Portland Oregon. It pretty much rains all winter starting in October so I could possibly have only 1 1/2 – 2 months before it’s going to be wet outside until next spring. Should I let my wood “weather” only 1 1/2 months of guaranteed dry weather before I stain it or should I let it get wet all winter and stain it in the spring? We usually do get some snow at least once in the winter. Will the wood be ruined if unprotected until next spring?

I have a deck that’s about four years old. I was told I could use a specific paint from a local paint store. Instead, it has peeled horribly on the rails and the floors? I’ve been told to replace the boards and slash told to scape and paint. What is the easiest way to fix this? I plan on staining it after whatever fixes I need to do.

If you have a deck that surrounds a semi inground pool is it better to use oil based or water based stain?