Hi, I am Scott Paul, an exterior wood restoration contractor and business owner with over 30 years of experience in stripping and removing exterior wood and deck stains. My Deck Stripping tips are based on my history as a wood restoration contractor and actual hands-on testing. See here for more info about me.
- Old deck stain left on wood prevents new stain from properly penetrating, causing flaking and peeling within a year or less.
- Use the water bead test to determine if stripping is needed: beading means old stain remains and must be removed.
- Solid color stains are the hardest to strip and often require sanding or a dedicated paint stripper in addition to chemical strippers.
- After stripping, apply a wood brightener to restore pH balance and give new deck stain the best chance of lasting.
- Strip only when temperatures are between 50 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit and avoid direct sunlight or rain within 24 hours.
How To Remove an Old Deck Stain
Restoring an older wood deck starts with proper preparation. Skipping this crucial step can cause your new deck stain to fail prematurely. Regardless of the brand or price of the stain, it won’t hold up if applied to a surface that hasn’t been thoroughly cleaned and prepped. When dealing with an old coating that needs removal, using a quality deck stain stripper is essential. This article highlights why a stain stripper is a key part of the restoration process and how it sets the stage for long-lasting results.
I always appreciate your input, so feel free to comment below with pictures of your deck stain projects.
One of the biggest mistakes DIY homeowners make in cleaning and preparing a wood deck for stain is not removing all remnants of old deck stain. Any failed deck stain left on the wood will prevent the new stain from properly penetrating the surface. The new deck stain will sit on the wood instead of diving into it. Deck stains do not adhere to each other well, so this causes the newer deck stain to begin flaking and peeling off the deck generally in a year or less.
Even if you can’t see any old deck stain but know there was some on the wood at one time, it’s vitally important to remove it. Splash some water on the wood and see if it absorbs into the wood or if it beads up and sits on top. Beading up would indicate some old failed stain on the wood that needs to be removed.
Scott’s Steps to Removing a Deck Stain
- Deck Stripping Materials
- Choose Proper Deck Stain Stripper
- Steps to Stripping a Deck
- Brighten the Wood
- Ask Me Deck Stripping Questions
1. Materials Needed for Deck Stain Removal
- Proper Deck Stain Stripper
- Gas-powered pressure washer
- Pump sprayer for applying
- Scrub brush to agitate
- Protective Equipment: Gloves and eyewear
- Plastic sheeting to protect plants and home
- Wood Brightener to neutralize when done
2. Choosing a Deck Stain Stripper
To remove old deck stains from the wood, you have to use a deck stripper. A quality deck stripper will break up and soften any old stain allowing it to be washed away. Below, I will break down the 3 most common deck finishes we see when stripping a deck.
Semi-Transparent Oil-Based Stains
Semi-transparent and transparent, oil-based clear coatings are easy deck coatings to strip and remove. They come off better with any high-quality decking stripper.
My Pro Tips: These coatings are penetrating and fully show the wood grain. They do not mask the grain or dry to film on top like a shiny varnish.
Semi-Transparent Acrylic Water Based Stains
For hard-to-remove stains such as water-based acrylic or silicone-based stains, several applications and longer dwell times may be necessary. Take note that many stain brands like Behr, Valspar, and Thompons lie about their opacity for their semi-transparent water-based stains; they, in fact, look and apply like an opaque solid stain. These stains should be treated like solid stains, not what is written on the can. If unsure, ask me below for tips with pictures.
Scott’s Pro Tip: See here if you need to remove a Difficult to Remove Deck or Wood Stain.
Solid Color Stain Stripping
Solid color deck stains are opaque coatings that fully or mostly mask the wood grain. Most deck strippers will not remove solid stains or paints, so if this is the case, you may have to sand the old stain or use a paint stripper to get back down to bare wood again.
Scott’s Pro Tip: How To Remove a Solid Color Stain
Deck Stain Stripping: Deck Stain Stripper Reviews
#1 Best Wood Stain Stripper/Remover | #2 Best Wood Stain Stripper/Remover | #3 Best Wood Stain Stripper/Remover |
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From: $89.97 each *Booster, Gel, and Stripper. Makes 5-Liquid Gallons. | From: $39.99 *Ships Free. Makes 5-Liquid Gallons. | From: $69.99 *Ships Free. Removes Solid Stains. |
Deck Stripper Dwell Time by Stain Type
| Existing Stain Type | Dwell Time | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Oil-based semi-transparent | 5 to 15 minutes | Easy |
| Water-based acrylic semi-transparent | 20 to 45 minutes, may need multiple passes | Moderate to Hard |
| Solid color stain or paint | Often requires sanding, stripper alone may not work | Hard |
3. My Steps to Stripping a Deck
Failing Wood Deck Stain
Do I Need to Strip My Deck or Can I Just Clean It?
You need to strip your deck if any old stain remains on the wood, even if it looks mostly worn away. A simple deck cleaner only removes dirt, mildew, and surface graying, but it will not remove old stain film. The water bead test is the fastest way to tell the difference: splash water on the wood. If it soaks in within a few seconds, cleaning may be enough. If it beads up and sits on the surface, stripping is required before you stain.
See below for my steps when we are stripping a customer’s deck
- Protect the house and any surrounding plants with plastic or poly tarps.
- Remove any patio furniture from the deck and surrounding areas.
- Prewet deck with water.
- Mix the stripper, if needed, in a bucket and transfer it to the pump sprayer if applicable.
- Apply the stripper to all flooring first. If a large deck, break it up into sections.
- Wait 5-45 minutes for the deck stripper to activate. You will know when it is working by using your scrub brush to agitate it, and the stain becomes loose from the wood. Keep the stripper from drying during this process.
- Pressure wash all deck flooring using a pendulum motion and about 8-12 inches from the wood. Rinse well when done.
- Repeat Steps 5-7 with vertical wood.
- Apply wood brightener when done. Rinse well with water 20 minutes after.
My Pro Tip: The dwell time depends on the type and brand of existing stain. For instance, most semi-transparent oil-based stains will be removed more easily than semi-transparent water-based wood stains.
Pressure Washing Tips for Deck Stripping
Pressure washing can speed up the deck stripping process, but it should only be used by those with experience. Improper use can damage the wood and result in costly repairs. If you do choose to use a power washer, follow these guidelines to avoid harming your deck:
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Always use a deck stain stripper. These products do 90% of the cleaning work. The power washer should only be used to rinse off the loosened grime—not as the main cleaning method.
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Treat the power washer like a rinse tool, not a scrub brush. Use it to gently wash away the cleaner or stripper, not to grind dirt off the surface.
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Use a sweeping, pendulum-style motion. Work with the grain of the wood and never pause or reverse direction without lifting the wand. Failing to maintain a smooth motion can leave permanent “stop marks” in the wood.
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Keep pressure between 1200–2000 PSI. Even if you’re using a 3000 PSI machine, distance matters. Washing from 8–12 inches away will reduce the effective pressure to a safer level for wood surfaces.
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Exercise caution. If you’re unsure about your technique or have never used a power washer on wood before, it’s best to hire a professional. Incorrect use can permanently damage your deck.
Can You Strip a Deck Without a Pressure Washer?
You can strip a deck without a pressure washer by using a stiff bristle brush and a garden hose, though it takes more time and effort. Apply the stripper as directed, scrub the loosened stain by hand once it activates, then rinse thoroughly with a hose on a high setting. A pressure washer speeds up the process and gets into the wood grain better, so for decks larger than a few hundred square feet, renting one is worth the cost.
Best Temperature and Safety Tips for Stripping a Deck
The ideal temperature for stripping a deck stain is between 50 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Stripper works too slowly in cold temperatures and can dry out too fast in direct sun or high heat, which reduces how well it lifts the old stain. Avoid stripping a deck in direct sunlight or when rain is expected within 24 hours.
Most deck strippers are not safe for plants and grass if they come into direct contact with the runoff. Cover nearby plants and grass with plastic sheeting before applying stripper, and rinse any accidental overspray off vegetation immediately with plain water.
4. Wood Brightener to Neutralize Stain Stripper
Once the deck has been washed with a stripper and the old deck stain is gone, it is necessary to brighten the wood using a wood brightener. The deck stripper will darken the wood and raise the pH level. Brightening the wood back to a natural state and lowering the pH to a more acidic level will restore the appearance and give the new deck stain the best chance of lasting as long as possible.
A properly cleaned and brightened deck should be allowed to dry for several days before a quality deck stain is applied. Taking these measures and using a deck stripper and deck brightener before staining will give you much better and longer-lasting results.
How Much Does It Cost to Strip a Deck?
Stripping a deck yourself typically costs between 50 and 150 dollars for a 300 to 400 square foot deck, covering stripper, brightener, and pressure washer rental if needed. Hiring a professional to strip a deck usually runs 1.50 to 3.50 dollars per square foot depending on the condition of the existing stain and how many coats need to be removed. Decks with multiple layers of solid stain or paint cost more because they often require sanding in addition to chemical stripping.
5. Questions on Stripping a Deck?
Are you still unsure of what deck stain you have on your wood and the proper deck stain stripper to use to remove it? I am here to help and guide you. Ask in the comments below, and you must include some pics so I can offer proper advice.
Quick Expert Recommendations and Insights
Here are some tips we recommend you follow to make deck stain removal a swift, painless process:
- Use a deck stripper if you are working with wood that has previously been stained. If you are working with a new wood surface or there is no stain on the deck, use a deck cleaner. If you are unsure about what to do, you can ask questions below.
- Remove all furniture from the area
- Wear protective clothing, gloves, and eyewear before going near the product. Mix or use the deck stain stripper according to the directions on the label. Test a small section of your deck before applying it to the whole area, as deck stain strippers vary in effectiveness. You may need a stronger formula if it doesn’t work on the tested area. See here if you need to remove a Difficult to Remove Deck or Wood Stain.
- Apply the deck stain stripper with a pump-up sprayer in sections of 100-300 square feet at a time. Saturate all the wood with one coat then wait 10-20 minutes. If the surface is slippery, that means the stain stripper is working to break the bonds effectively. If the surface is not slippery, apply another coat of the stain stripper and wait longer.
- Using either a brush or pressure washer, remove the old stain from the deck. Take precautions to wash with the grain wood whenever possible.
- Repeat this process until all of the old deck stain has been removed from the deck. Spot strip any sections where the stain didn’t come off the first time.
- Thoroughly rinse all wood and surrounding areas
- Apply a wood brightener to restore the pH balance before staining.
Pro Tip: The Best Stripper to remove a solid color deck stain is the RAD PaintStrip Solid Stain Stripping Gel.
Frequently Asked Questions About Stripping a Deck Stain
How long does deck stripper take to work?
Deck stripper typically takes 5 to 45 minutes to activate, depending on the type of stain and the stripper used. Oil-based semi-transparent stains usually loosen within 10 to 15 minutes, while water-based acrylic stains can take the full 45 minutes or multiple applications. Keep the stripper wet during this time, since it will not finish breaking down the old finish if it dries on the wood.
Can I strip a deck without a pressure washer?
Yes, you can strip a deck without a pressure washer by using a stiff bristle brush and a garden hose, though it takes more time and effort. Apply the stripper as directed, scrub the loosened stain by hand, then rinse thoroughly with a hose on a high setting. A pressure washer speeds up the process significantly and gets into the wood grain better, so for larger decks it is worth renting one.
How much does it cost to strip a deck?
Stripping a deck yourself typically costs between 50 and 150 dollars for a 300 to 400 square foot deck, covering stripper, brightener, and pressure washer rental if needed. Hiring a professional to strip a deck usually runs 1.50 to 3.50 dollars per square foot depending on the condition of the existing stain and how many coats need to be removed.
What temperature should it be to strip a deck stain?
The ideal temperature for stripping a deck stain is between 50 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Stripper works too slowly in cold temperatures and can dry out too fast in direct sun or high heat, reducing its effectiveness. Avoid stripping a deck in direct sunlight or when rain is expected within 24 hours.
Do I need to strip my deck or can I just clean it?
You need to strip your deck if there is any old stain remaining on the wood, even if it looks mostly worn away. A simple deck cleaner only removes dirt, mildew, and surface graying, but it will not remove old stain film. The water bead test is the fastest way to tell the difference: if water beads up instead of soaking in, stripping is required, not just cleaning.
Is deck stripper safe for plants and grass?
Most deck strippers are not safe for plants and grass if they come into direct contact with the runoff. Cover nearby plants and grass with plastic sheeting before applying stripper, and rinse any accidental overspray off vegetation immediately with plain water. Some strippers, like Restore A Deck’s formulas, are more plant-friendly than caustic strippers, but precaution is still recommended.
Used rad stripper like you suggested, applied with brush and started scrubbing once I’d finished a section so maybe 30 mins and the deck is all patchy with dark areas from the stripper. This is old redwood that I freshly sanded last year and put two coats of ready seal down which was wearing. I wouldn’t mind if it all turned dark but it’s really patchy and you can see where I occasional splashed the stripper from the bucket- not happy Anna very worried I’ll have to let it dry and sand AGAIN! I daren’t try the brightener in case it just brightens but leaves it as patchy as it is now as ship water in so don’t want to waste time if I’ll have to sand it anyway!
Do you have pictures (you can add them in the comments) of what is done so far? Did you pressure wash after applying the stripper? Scrubbing is not as effective as pressure washing, and the outcome can vary depending on the stain brand and type being removed.
FYI, it is normal for the stripper to darken the wood as it raises the pH balance. The brightener neutralizes it and lowers the pH balance.
Here are the pictures I forgot to attached to post
See this article for tips on how to reapply a solid color stain for best results.
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/how-to-apply-a-solid-color-deck-stain/
We rebuilt our pool deck in the summer of 2023, with new treated lumber decking, posts, spindles. The deck boards were installed in June 2023 and were left until fall of 2024 to stain using Cabot Solid Color Acrylic Deck Stain. We noticed a little bit of cracking/flaking on the deck boards in 2025 but now the deck boards are in bad shape with peeling and flaking of the stain. The railing and spindles are fine as we did stain them indoors before installing them. We have to do something and don’t know where to start. Very disappointed in that we thought we had used a quality stain and waited enough time for lumber to weather.
Not sure if we want to tackle it ourselves or hire it out. Your suggestions would be much appreciated.
Apologies for piece-meal query. Here are a few pictures of the remnants of stain. I’m betting, though, that the whole thing should be stripped? Also, when I had the old stain pressure washed off, it was then treated by a company called ‘Elite Seal’ with a silicate based concrete and wood sealer he marketed as creating a ‘liquid glass’ barrier to moisture about 1/8″ below surface of wood that would prevent deterioration. I can find nothing on the company now, and what I can find about using concrete sealers on wood is not advisable, so I’m not happy. It was great at first but then the wood began to mildew and I’ve been washing it since.
Use this kit while pressure washing:
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/product/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit/
With both additives for the stripper:
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/product-category/restore-a-deck-stain-stripper-additives
I have ordered the products. The young contractor I hope to help me isn’t available until end of October. I live near Cincinnati, OH. Is this too late in the fall to start this project?
Depends on the weather and the temps.
Note: I tried just today sanding off bits of the old stain. It is too big a job for me (74, female) and occurred to me stripper would be required.
in 2017 we stained my deck and railings with Defy water based stain. The new lumber had been aged over 9 months. But it started flaking off in 3. In 2018 I had it pressure washed which removed 90% of the stain, but little bits remain between boards and rails, and in corners and on porch headers. Now we want to stain it with TWP 1500. What is the right stripper to use, and how long will this take? Total of 280 sq ft which includes all verticals.
Scott, I have a large deck (1,700+ sq. ft.) about ten years old that I will re-stain in about 10-12 days (weather permitting). I will be using TWP’s 1500 Series semi-transparent stain (Cedar color).
For context, here is the prep I have completed:
At this point, I still noticed a few small areas needing cleaning and that have retained a considerable amount of the previous stain (which I believe was a semi-transparent water-based Cabot product in a “Cedar” tone).
Here are my 2 questions: (1) Should I use the RAD Stain Stripper I have on these areas (note I have not used it anywhere else on the deck) and then Brighten, or would you recommend an alternative effort (i.e., sanding/cleaning) to get a result of “uniformity” so there will be a consistent color across my deck after I apply the new stain? (2) I’m certain the new wood I installed is too moist to accept the new stain. That said, would you NOT apply the stain on these pieces until they have sufficiently dried? My thinking is, in a few months time, I could individually apply the stain to these pieces. Thoughts?
Many thanks! – Carl
(Note: Photos attached)
The new wood cannot be stained yet.
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/how-long-should-you-wait-to-stain-a-new-deck/
Leave all wood as is until Fall. Strip and brighten all wood, then using this kit:
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/product/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit/
With both additives for the stripper:
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/restore-a-deck-stain-stripper-booster-thickening-gel-review/
I want to remove my Cabot gold stain off my deck. Is there an easier way besides sanding it all off? What stripper would you use? Also what kind of stain would you recommend for matching my old deck with my addition I put on? Thanks
Please uplaod some pics of the deck so we can help with the prep.
It’s the stain that advertises the look of hardwood floors outside
Unfortunately, a deck stain stripper will not remove this coating. You will probably need to stain it all off.
That’s what I thought. Thanks for your help.
We have raw cedar beams and railings that we stained with Behr last year that seem to be turning yellow/orange to me. I would like to start over and use a high quality stain. Is this possible without ruining my raw cedar beams and railing?
Yes, just strip and brighten with the Restore A Deck Stripping Kits while lightly pressure washing.
We have a brand new cedar deck. We put Behr Waterproof cedar naturaltone on it and it turned orange. Need to get it off but dont want to damage new wood. Stripper or industrial sander?
Advise please
You cannot stain brand new wood: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/how-long-should-you-wait-to-stain-a-new-deck/
As for removal help, please post some pics.
Pics attached
Newly applied stain is very hard to strip and even harder when it is Behr is it is a film forming acyrlic stain. You could attempt to strip it but you may end of sanding as well to get it all off.
Perhaps we should just sand it then? Forget the stripping and cleaning steps?
Yes, you can do this. https://www.deckstainhelp.com/how-to-sand-your-wood-deck/
After we get all the stain off, could you recommend a clear coat waterproofing product for use in Canada? We would like the white cedar to remain as natual looking as possible. Thompson water sealant any good?
Thompsons is useless, and you must have a tint for UV protection from graying.
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/will-a-clear-sealer-prevent-graying-on-deck/
Hi
I have a 19 y.o tigerwood deck. In the early years I cleaned and stained yearly. Life got busy and now it has been at least 5 years since last treatment. My questions for you are
1. I am planning on sanding rather than chemical stripping. What order of activity do you recommend. Sand/clean/brighten/ rinse/ dry/ stain or clean/ brighten/ sand/stain?
2. Grit recommendation and sander type for tigerwood
3. What is the best stain product and color to return the wood back to its original beautiful state. Thank you!
1. Clean, let dry, sand, brighten, then stain.
2. 60-80 tops.
3. https://www.deckstainhelp.com/hardwood-deck-stains/
I had my entire deck replaced in Aug. 2023, used yella wood. It was stained with gray color stain in April 2024. I live in NW Florida where it gets very hot in the summer. Pitch began showing up as soon as summer hit. In all the years I’ve had a deck and have had boards replaced, etc., I have never had this happen. What is the best way to remove the pitch and is there any way to do it without harming the stain. Also, should I wait until cooler weather. Thanks!
Sap leaching out. It cannot be prevented and you cannot remove without without having to recoat. Sand and scrap it off and then recoat the affected boards.
Fun, fun, lol Thanks Scott!
I plan on applying the deck stripper with a brush to better control the application. I recall reading that certain types of brushes are not recommended for the application of caustic strippers. I have ordered RAD stripper, booster and brightener.
Sorry but I have never used a brush to apply the stripper. Always a pump sprayer as it is very easy.
Why is a water based acrylic sealer harder to remove and re-apply vs an oil based semi transparent or transparent? I thought a water based would be easier to simply pressure wash off every year and then re apply. I’m looking for the least maintenance possible. My deck wraps around my pool, so the least amount of stripping and sanding possible is what I’m looking for to reduce contaminants. And getting on my hands and knees to strip every thing every year is not my cup of tea.
Water-based semi-transparent stains, in general (most but not all), have a tendency to not fully soak in and create a film on top of the wood, while oil-based penetrates better and does not film on top of the wood. For a deck stain stripper to be effective, it needs to soak through the stain, softening the bond between the wood and the coating. When a coating is filming, it is harder and sometimes impossible for the stripper to get through the coating to work effectively.
The easiest maintenance is a penetrating semi-transparent stain as they can be cleaned and recoated and do not peel.
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/best-semi-transparent-deck-stain-reviews/
BTW, you do not get on your hands and knees when you strip. 😀
When you say “filming”, what do you mean? And in my case, with all these spots and blotches, do you think I can just take it up with my pressure washer before applying a new sealer, or do I really need to strip? If so, what stripper for a water based clear sealer?
Filming stains dry on top of the wood instead of in the wood. You have to remove or strip it. Post pics in comments for help.
We just stained our deck with TWP 1500 series and it is blotchy. Some areas look dry and some not. We applied with a large deck brush and followuped with back brushing. The first coat seemed to look dry before we began a second coat. It was longer than the recommended 10 to 60 minutes when we applied the second coat as we wanted to get a first coat on. It has been 24 hrs and it is tacky. Will it eventually dry? I tried wiping with a rag of mineral spirits but it made it a mess, pulling the stain off like a peeling sunburn.
This is a new deck. We waited a year and it was cleaned twice and had minimal 80 grit sanding 2 months prior to staining. I thought I carefully read your instructions when applying. I think one coat would have been sufficient as it seemed to quickly dry. It is very hard to judge from the instructions what the stain should look like when applying to judge what it should look like. I saw that one is supposed to wipe off any pooled areas but perhaps after 10 minutes the whole board should be wiped off? Personally I am not sure I would recommend this product as I don’t think the results are acceptable for ease of use. One coat would have yielded an acceptable outcome.
Now what? Will it dry or will it continue to be sticky and what do I do so we can use our deck?
You did overapply. Wipe it all down with mineral spirits and see if that helps. If not, you may need to remove and start over. See this article for some tips: https://twpstainhelp.com/twp-stain-is-spotty-or-shiny/
How can I remove peeling RESTORE Deck stain ? The type that had law suits because it peeled. Thank you.
Not easy but see this: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/how-to-remove-rust-oleum-deck-restore/
I have a large deck that is painted with a solid color stain (previous owners didn’t take care of this house). You can see there are two colors going on here. What do you recommend for removing absolutely all color? There are also a lot of areas with wood rot that need to be replaced. I want to get our deck back to a beautiful brown wood stained color.
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/how-to-remove-a-solid-color-deck-stain-or-paint/
Strip off as much as possible and then sand the rest as needed.
I have a large deck built with treated wood. It is partially stained with a stain that was too red. I want to remove this stain and apply a different stain, one with more brown tones. How can I prep the whole deck (stained and pressure treated) so it takes the stain equally?
Post some pics in comments for prep help.
Hopefully you can see this picture
It looks thick, almost opaque fully. What brand is this, Behr? They lie about their opacity.
Age of porch with bloody dog footprints in recent comment – 25 years
Removal of dog blood from porch,several bloody dog footprints from an injury; porch never been stained or painted, advise removal of the blood,
Sorry but not if anything will more blood if deep into the wood. Try a deck cleaner and then a wood brightener while pressure washing:
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/restore-a-deck-cleaner-system-review/
If that does not remove it, you may need to cover the wood with a solid stain:
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/what-are-the-best-solid-color-deck-stains/
Good Evening, I have a 20-year-old Cedar deck that I need to re-stain as so as possible. I believe after reading so many posts I should try the Restore A Deck. I’ve been trying to see if it kills grass and flowers. Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
All prep and stains can damage plants so best to cover them while working.
Hello,
it’s great you’re providing this resource! The deck I am working on is a hardwood deck that has been stained with an oil semi transparent stain every year for the last 15 years. Some of the decking was black before I started this project. So far, I have used a stain remover, followed by a wood brightener. I have not achieved my desired appearance yet. Can you please provide advice on how to proceed? I have attached photos.
It looks like you “furred” up the deck from stripping. See this for tips: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/wood-fuzzies-furring-on-deck/
Just following up to say that it’s looking much better. I used the floor buffer with 60-grit mesh sandpaper and a scrubbing pad as backer on the entire deck which really helped to bring back the wood grain appearance I’m looking for. Is it ready for stain, or should I do something else before that? The look is a little inconsistent, but the stain will probably blend everything and make the inconsistency disappear.
Brighten all wood for final prep.
I had a new deck installed 3 years ago. I treated all the wood with Penofin (clear) blue label at that time. It, of course (now reading your reviews), turned to a dark gray. I used a product called Sun Frog Deck Cleaner to prep the deck for re-treatment. I was unhappy with the Penofin because water seemed to just soak into my deck and I live in Oregon and we have a lot of rain. I then saw that Penofin made a product that was a Stain and Sealer so decided I would try that. They didn’t make it in clear, so I chose the Cedar finish (it is a cedar deck). I should have stopped immediately, but with the rainy season fast approaching, I figured I just needed to get something on the wood. Now, however, I just can’t stand how dark it has made my deck. I need your advice – I have thought about just completing the deck in this Penofin so that when I attempt to strip it next year at least it will have a similar look everywhere. That is, unless there is a product that can completely remove all this freshly applied Penofin. The staining is about 1/3 completed. So, is there a product that will completely remove this fresh stain? Please tell me all the products I should use (it sounds like a brightener is another important step, that I have never used). The TWP 100 series is rated the best on your site so I will use that next time (should I get clear or cedar to get the look that you have on your banner above?). Thank you so much for your help!!
Leave as is and strip and brighen in the Spring. Use the Restore A Deck Stripper and Brightener kits.
Hi Scott. We stripped and brightened our cedar deck yesterday, and today found we missed removing some of the stain in part of the deck. The stain is TWP 100 rustic and looked almost new in that area since it was in a covered area. It was very difficult to remove compared to the rest of the deck but we missed it last night when the deck was wet. Since we plan to use the same stain again will it be a problem? I was thinking of spot stripping that area but spot stripping does not seem recommended due to leaving uneven results after staining. Would spot sanding be better? Attached are pictures of the uncovered area and the problem area.
BTW the RAD stripper worked awesome. We had sanded the deck before and this works so much easier, We also love the TWP stain and this forum.
Thanks
You are okay to stain since you are using the same stain and color.
I had a contractor re-stain my deck and it is very sticky three weeks later and every bit of Lindt and dust is just stuck to it there is also footprints on it
Might want to contact him to fix it.
Excuse me…I used the same, albeit poor, stripper – Valspar
Stripped stain off IPE deck. Decking to the right was done 2 weeks before the decking to the left. Used the same, albeit poor, stain – Valspar. Do I need to sand the decking on the left? Will exposure allow it to eventually blend?
You will need to sand off the Valspar and then clean and brighten all so it is even before restaining.
I spilled pool chlorine on my pressure treated deck. How can I remove the stain?
You can’t remove the stain since it bleached the wood. You may be able to even out by applying bleach to all the wood so it is one lighter color after. This would all depend though if the wood has a stain on it or if the wood is bare?
Hello. I am getting ready to tackle our 16′ x 14′ pool deck. My plan was to strip, brighten, sand, and stain the top railing and deck boards and leave the sides and balusters alone since they are in good shape. Can this be stripped off with stripper and a power washer or do I need to sand it off?
That looks like an opaque stain so sanding will be needed to remove it fully. You can strip first as that will remove a decent amount, making the sanding easier. Use the RAD stripper/Brightener kits with both stripper additives: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/restore-a-deck-stain-stripper-booster-thickening-gel-review/
I was planning on using the Defy stain stripper as I can get it locally. Is there anything special I should do with it to make getting this stain off easier?
Nothing you can do.
Would the RAD kit remove more stain or make the process easier or are they both the same in your experience?
The RAD stripper with both additves can be more effective but in your scenario, it probably doe not matter as you cannot fully strip this solid stain.
If I was to stain with a semi-solid, is all the prep work (strip, brighten, sand) still required? What if I was to stain with a solid stain? This is a pool deck, and I definitely don’t want to be re-doing the deck every couple of years because of the extra care needed to keep everything away from the pool itself.
Yes, you have to do all the prep work if using a semi-solid or solid stain. You do not have to remove 100% though if using a solid stain. Just remove what is loose and peeling and then cover the intact stain that is not peeling with a new solid stain.
If the existing stain is water-based, can I cover the intact stain that is not peeling with an oil-based solid stain?
No. Use a water-based solid stain.
For power sanding any remaining stain off, what is best to use? A 5″ random orbital sander, a 1/4 sheet sander, belt sander, etc?
Try a handheld palm sand first.
Thanks. And if that is not enough?
Belt sander.
After stripping, does it matter whether I brighten first and then sand with 60-80 grit or is it best to sand and then brighten?
If you sand, do it first and then brighten.
Thanks. I finished stripping the stain with stripper and pressure washer. I do have some lap marks from the pressure washer as some of the stain was more difficult to get off than in other areas. I do plan to sand the entire deck with 60-80 grit. Will the sanding remove the lap marks? If not, what would you recommend?
Sanding is the only way to remove pressure washer marks but you may need a coarser grit to get them out.
Thanks. I will try 60 grit first and if that does not work will go to 40 grit.
I finished the sanding and brightening on Saturday. It rained today, so I need to wait a couple days for the wood to dry. I was hoping to get the deck finished before the trees around it started dropping little flowers, but they have started to do so. I can wait a few days to see if that will end, but then I think that the pollen will start up.
So, what to do? If I do not stain in the next 1-2 weeks, will the deck be ok with no stain on it over the summer? If I wait until the fall, will I need to clean with a deck cleaner, sand, and brighten all over again?
If you wait longer than 2 weeks then lightly redo the prep. If you wait for the entire Summner, you will have to fully redo the prep. We would stain it as soon as possible.
I am about to address a significant stain application problem on my western red cedar siding and need advice. Can the info you provide on decking be applied to siding? Can I ask questions about siding on your website? If not, can you suggest an alternative source for help on siding? Thank you. Ted
You can ask about wood siding here.
Could use some advice on a 25-year-old deck. Treated twice w/ SW stain remover & revive but it didn’t get all the old stain off. Plan was to sand deck to remove remaining stain & smooth surface since it’s in rough shape. But I’ve since learned that sanding pressure-treated wood is hazardous, so now I’m stuck. Just trying to get a couple more years out of the deck before i replace w/ a composite. Per HOA rules, will use semi-transparent stain.
Thinking there are 3 options: 1) sand it (which i think would do the job but is dangerous healthwise); 2) buy a more hardcore stripper (not sure what that would be); 3) spot strip w/ leftover SW stripper, stain, and live with the spotty result. Any insight would be appreciated.
Strip off as much as you can then sand the rest. Brighener last.
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/restore-a-deck-stain-stripper-booster-thickening-gel-review/
Thanks. Which would look worse: staining over the remaining stain or staining over spot sanding? Leaning toward not sanding the whole deck due to the PT wood, so aiming for “good enough.”
Both will stand out. Never said you needed to sand the whole deck. Strip as much as you can and then sand as needed. It will blend that way.
Deck assistance
DECKING HAS BEEN STAINED AND OILED ABOUT 6 ONTHS AGO …BUT WE DONT LIKE IT AND WOULD PREFER TO PAINT …ANT ADVICE ON WHAT WE SHOUÑD DO?
Remove the current coating and use a solid stain, not a paint.
I applied 2 gallons of Maximum 1 Gal. Honey Gold Exterior Stain and Sealant in One Low VOC to the interior of my screened in porch. I need more and can’t get any unless I drive 2 hours to get it. Since it has recently been applied, will using deck stripper work? Or will it have to be sanded?
We would need to see some pictures.
Here’s my porch with the Olympic Max Honey Gold exterior stain and sealant.
Stripper and then brightener should work.
Kitchen cupboards were painted and then a layer of stain was added to gloss it. how to remove it all so I can repaint.
This site is for outside wood only. No experience with interior cabinets.
How long after stripping the deck can we stain it
Make sure to Brighten after stripping. Wait about 48 hours to stain. Stain within 2 weeks of prep.
I’m using TWP 1500 semi transparent pecan on the deck in the attached pics. I’ve power washed it, should I use a stripper and brightener or just sand before staining?
The old stain looks like a solid so you may need to sand to get it all off. Strippers are not always effective at removing solid stains.
After I sand do I need to power wash again and use a Brightener or can I just clean the dust off and stain ?
Pressure wash and brightener will help the stain to soak in better.
Thank you!
Will this product remove Behr oil-latex redwood stain?
What type of Behr? Need more specifics. Pictures of the deck would help as well.
I purchased a stain from Lowes and was told it was water base, transparent, it was Warm Puddy. the color was a light color with a brown tone. Told that the natural wood grain would show. It was Valspar produce. They mixed the stain, handed it off to my workers and they off to stain the deck. When I saw what was done I was in shock. It looks like white paint. Not at all transparent just looks like white paint. The house is built all green so now I have no idea what to do to get it back to the natural wood. It changed the whole look of the house. It looks like plasic white paint. I cried for two days. Please give me advise.
Linda
Post pictures but it sounds like you will have to power sand to remove. The Valspar is a very poor stain: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/valspar-one-coat-stain-sealer-review/
I prepared my deck and decided on a light red clear stain.My deck has a step down and buts up to my pool deck. I used a brush to trim out by the pool edge and step up. When I used a roller on the deck itself, I got the color I wanted, but the trim area is much darker. What can I use on the trim area to achieve the lighter shade on the deck?
Thanks
You cannot lighten up the color without stripping and starting over for all.
We had a deck installed…waited a year..sealed it clear…now it is slippery and shoes or feet carry slipperiness into house…how do I fix that
You will have to fully remove the sealer to fix this issue.
Been sanding off old behr deck stain which is junk Front is done but there are traces here and there that couldn’t get with sander because of grain grooves such. It’s dulled out nice. Will defy deck cleaner help it out before I apply their stain. Just impossible to remove every speck of old stain. Thanks!!
A cleaner would not help but a stripper might. Send pictures.
Someone attempted to stain my new deck he made an awful mess and would not fit. How an I get this off?
Off the siding? Depends on the stain brand and type. Pictures are blurry as well.
how do I get the hard to scrape stain off the wood, so many layers remain after 30 years?
there are so many layers of stain that i can actually peal the parts that are lifting, i want the partio to look natural, this is at leasr 30 years of staining,,,,,, the rails were never stained and are looking great.. I’ve gotten some boards down to the bare wood, im having some problems with some others
Power sand it all off: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/how-to-sand-your-wood-deck/
photo 4 of 4
Use the Restore A Deck Stripper with both additives and pressure washing to remove as much as you can. https://www.deckstainhelp.com/restore-a-deck-stain-stripper-booster-thickening-gel-review/
I am pretty sure most will come off. let dry and sand if needed. Brightener on all after.
photos 1-3 of 4
“One of the biggest mistakes DIY homeowners make in cleaning and preparing a wood deck for stain is not removing all remnants of old deck stain.”
Boy, did I find out how true this is! I spent two weekends doing the following prep work: 1) applied Defy Stain Stripper, 2) scrubbed entire deck with stiff bristled brushes, 3) pressure washed, 4) sanded the deck with 80 grit paper and 5) applied brightener.
Even after all these steps, some old stain remained and since I was staining with a darker color, I didn’t think it would be a problem. Just stained it yesterday and you can see EVERY SINGLE spot where the old stain wasn’t removed. I’m just sick about it. When you say “ALL” remnants you aren’t kidding!
So, two questions:
1) Do I have to re-strip and start all over to fix this? Can I do that right away, when I just stained it 24 hours ago?
2) If the answer to #1 is yes, how in the world do I get all of that stubborn old stain off? (especially between the boards)
I’ve included some photos.The old stain is a TWP 101, color Cedartone Natural (the orange you see) and the new stain is C2 Guard, color Cordova.
1. Yes, you would have to redo all. Now or whenever you want.
2. Sand is probably your best bet. Between boards, you probably will not get out.
No pics.
Thank you for your quick reply! I added the pics in separate posts.
Bought some decking which already had a colour to it. Added some clear varnish to protect it, but made ended up making it a lot darker than I liked. So I bought some to seal decking stripper to remove the stain so I can start anew and paint it an even colour. However the stripper hasn’t done a good job of removing all the varnish and it’s gone patchy. What do you advise I do? Really struggling here 🙁
Look forward to your reply!
Many thanks!
The only way to fix is to power sand it all off: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/how-to-sand-your-wood-deck/
I recently I applied Thompson Waterseal penetrating timber oil to my deck. The first can was fine. The second can had a yellow tinted to it. When I contacted the store it appears the can was missed labeled. How do I remove the wrong oil from the deck before putting on the correct oil or can I just go over it with the color I originally picked.
Post pictures.
about 3 weeks ago I applied Storm Wood Stripper to my garage door and hanger done a thing with it since. My question is, is the stain stripper still dangerous? My neighbor showed me how to remove paint on my front door using a heat gun and that was super easy. Wishing I didn’t put the chemicals on the garage door. Any advice appreciated have a good day.
It should not be dangerous after it dries.
What can I use to remove deck stain splatters from vinyl siding ?! Thx
Try a water-based graffiti remover cleaner from your paint store.
I live in MN and I have a sixteen-year-old deck that needs refinishing. I’ve never done this type of work before so I need to get educated.
1. What do I use to remove the existing finish?
2. What do I need to do to prep the wood to accept new stain?
3. What type of new stain should I apply?
Strip off what you can with the Restore A Deck Stripper and both additives: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/restore-a-deck-stain-stripper-booster-thickening-gel-review/
Sand off the rest. Brighten all wood after. Use Restore A Deck Stain or Armstrong Clark.
Hi, we had new decking 2 years ago and I love the colour of what it is when first laid. It faded and we put a natural oak stain, hoping this was as close to new as possible, I didn’t like it, so this year it needs to be done again, and I want to get it back to as close to new decking as possible then cost with maybe an oil or something to keep it like that. Please can you help, thank you
Strip and brighten for prep and then try Armstrong Clark stains or Restore A Deck.
Ok, sorry is the strip and brighten a complete product or figure of speech ? Lol sorry, if a product which is best ? Thank you very much
Two different products. See this one: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/restore-a-deck-injectable-deck-stain-stripper-review/
I have an old deck from the 80’s with redwood and green treat mix due to old rotten replaced boards, is there a semi transparent stain someone might be familiar with that can blend green treated pine and redwood together in a close match?
Ive done solids in the past, and after renting a sander, would like to stay transparent if I could, or semi transparent. Thanks for any help.
Only a solid stain would blend these wood types.
I have a brand new cedar deck that we have ruined because applied Cabot semi gloss stain with pad/roller and didn’t use brush after. It applied the stain way too thick and looks horrible. I used a brush on the stairs and they turned out beautiful. Is there anyway to strip off and start all over?
Post a picture.
Hope this helps
You will have to sand this off.
Good morning,
When we purchased our home last year the previous owner used a solid latex stain on the deck floor boards and a semi transparent on the hand rails and spindles.
I would like to have the solid removed off the deck floor boards but wasn’t sure if this was even an option. Would you try and chemically strip it first with the Restore A Deck stripper and then mechanically sand?
I have attached pictures of the deck as well as a photo of the solid deck stain that was used on the floor boards. Thanks
You can try and strip some but you will need to sand to get this off the floor.
what stripper will remove semi solid stain from deck?
None effectively every time. You can ins some cases remove some or most with a stripper but eventually, you will probably have to sand.
Hi. I had two coats of a semi transparent gray water based stain on deck. It’s about 3 years old, deck is about 3.75 years old. Power washed, cleaned and brightened. Realized too much stain remained. Applied stripper per directions, yet still a fair amount remains bears edges and on rails. See pic. I have restore a deck gray semi stain I plan to use, which by test seems about the same color. What else should I do, beyond drying, before applying? Thank you
If it all blends than you should be okay. Do a few spindles and see how it looks.
Hey I just had a couple questions and concerns about stripping and re staining a deck. My girlfriend and I want to stain our deck a different stain, probably a much lighter stain and not nearly as dark as this stain. I have been reading up on this for a week or two now and have a game plan of what i am going to do but just not sure what i am going to do if the wood does not look like it did before she originally stained it . I was first going to pressure wash it to get a lot of surface dirt off of it. After this, get a stripper like the restore-a-deck brand that you talk about in other threads. Do that 1 or 2 times to remove as much of the old stain as possible and pressure wash it after i let it soak in for 15-30 minutes, or whatever the directions are. After this i was going to sand it to ensure all of the old stain is off and then use the restore-a-deck brightener product after sanding. My concern is, what if the wood is still dark after going through all of these steps? We don’t really want to put a darker stain on it again but I’m guessing this would be are only option. I’m not sure what type of wood it is but it is pressure treated wood and my girlfriend believes she originally put a semi-transparent teak stain on it when the deck was built 5 years ago. The first picture i posted is what the deck looked like before the original stain was put down and the other 2 photos are what it currently looks like. The little drops in the 2 photos of the stained deck are just a couple of rain drops if you are wondering. Wanted to get a couple of photos to post on here before it started to rain today lol.
The current coating looks opaque like a solid stain so stripping will probably not remove it all. So your options are to powers sand the rest off so you can use a semi-trans or apply another solid stain.
Our deck is less than a year old…made with Southern Yellow Pine #1 KDAT, pressure treated…good stuff, ready to stain immediately. We stained it using top of the line semi transparent stain…it looks horrible, not because of the stain/color or the wood…it was the way it was applied…blotchy, uneven, total amateurish…its been stained now thru a very mild winter for about 6 months…should I just restain over the applied or power sand it off and start clean? Its big, about 750 sq/ft
You should remove and start over. How would depend on the stain brand and type? Pictures would help as well.
Can the old deck boards be removed, turned upside down, reinstalled and stained again on top.
It doesn’t always work so well when you do this as the framing joists can stain the undersides and it does not come out.
Hi, I have just applied 2 coats of Feast Watson Jarrah traditional decking oil to my treated pine deck and hate the colour…far too orange when the sun hits it. Any tips to remove it? Would rather not sand as it is a large deck. I am hoping to stain the deck once the oil’s removed.
Post a picture.
I bought a house a year ago with a deck that is partially covered, with an uncovered catwalk that was moldy and in need of replacement. The new boards and new railing have been put in and the deck is now ready to be stripped/cleaned/stained. But I can’t tell if the old stain can be removed with a stain stripper, or if its more like a paint and needs to be sanded off. I plan on using a transparent sealer over the entire deck to keep a natural look, so I want the old wood to look good natural instead of needing to cover it up with another dark stain. Any advice? I’m new to all this and I’m hoping to be able to do it myself.
Looks like you will have to power sand this off.
Thanks! Should I rent a drum sander? The paint is also on posts. What type of sander would you recommend for those small spaces?
After reading through some posts, it sounds like you don’t recommend a transparent sealer. I was thinking it was more low maintenance. Sounds like it needs to be reapplied every year- is that true? Can it just be re-applied over the previous sealer? If that is the case, it might be easier than having to sand the entire deck every couple of years. I’m not sure yet what I’ll do.
Sorry if this is posted twice but I think my reply didn’t go through.
Do you recommend a drum sander? And what would you recommend for the posts that need to be sanded too?
See for tips: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/how-to-sand-your-wood-deck/
Drum sanding can work. Hand sanders for rails.
I am using a deck paint (not stain) matched with the same color paint on an old deck that I am redoing. What I need to know is how much old paint must I remove before I put the new paint down? I think the other paint on there was latex and I have an oil base paint. I know that I have sanded down to where it is smooth but there is still old paint showing, will that matter if I just paint over it?
You should be able to paint over it as long as it not peeling.
Thank you very much for the info 👍
Title: Trying to Fix Mistake of Changing to Water Based Stain
Stained my deck 4 years ago with TWP 1500 Dark Oak. It was beautiful. It needed a recoat. The local pressure washer and deck supply guy recommended I go with a water based stain because all stains with VOC, like TWP, were going to be banned soon. So I got the closest color stain and stripped a small landing deck as a trial. Stripping the TWP was a major job on the 80 sf landing deck and I was not looking forward to that on the big deck (1000 sf).
When I started staining it applied and looked terrible compared to the TWP. After staining 3 boards I stopped to figure out what to do. I decided then to stay with the TWP 1500. That was a couple weeks ago. I still have the 3 boards I stained with the water based stain. I tried a sodium hydroxide stripper but it didn’t work to get the water based stain off. What do I need to use to strip the water based stain before applying the TWP 1500.
What brand of stain is it and best to post a picture. BTW, oil-based stains are not going to be banned.
The stain is a house brand. I do not know who makes it. This is the only description on the bucket that might give a sense of the type of stain it is: “With other Deck and Fence Sealing products, you have to wait for the surface to dry and worry about rain showers. Our stain can be applied to a damp wood surface so you can complete the job the same day. This fast drying wood deck and fence sealer can be brushed, rolled, or sprayed with an airless sprayer.”
Attached are pictures.
Strippers will not remove this so power sanding is your only option to remove it.
It may be easier to just replace the boards.
Sanding would be easier and you wouldn’t have to let the new wood season: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/staining-a-new-deck/
It is a house brands. This is the only info that might tell what it is. They told me it is water based. This is on the bucket: “With other Deck and Fence Sealing products, you have to wait for the surface to dry and worry about rain showers. Our stain can be applied to a damp wood surface so you can complete the job the same day. This fast drying wood deck and fence sealer can be brushed, rolled, or sprayed with an airless sprayer. “
My deck was built exactly 14 months ago and I did not apply sealer or anything else. The pressure treated wood is still solid and it still looks good . I did pressure wash it with a cleaner about 2wks ago. Now I want to use a semi-transparent stain. Do I need to seal it separately? Or will a sealer/stain combo be enough?? Thanks.
You cannot seal over a deck stain. Deck stains are sealers as well.
We have a cedar deck that is one year old. Clear sealer was applied when installed, and then another coat of sealer was applied but not immediately after first coat of sealer. Apparently the deck was not cleaned between coats of sealer. Now the deck has mold and large gray areas with obvious peeling sealer. We will need to strip the deck before applying new stain. What are the recommendations for stripper and stain for a cedar deck? Will we need to use a brighter before applying stain, even tho deck is only one year old. Thanks
Could you post a picture, please? Yes, you will need to remove. Strip and brighten for this.
dark stripes have appeared where stripping overlapped. How are these removed?
Post a picture.
I bought my house two years ago and the deck is at a point where it needs to be restained. I found a partially used can of Flood CWF-UV Penetrating Wood Finish Cedar in the garage which is what I assume the prior owner used. Will this need to be sanded or will I be able to use a stripper to remove the existing stain?
Stripping and brightening should work but feel free to post a picture of the deck and its current condition.
I’ve read through some of the questions in this article and understand that you recommend sanding to remove a solid stain (Behr solid wood stain applied 2007). There are areas on my deck that won’t be accessible to a belt or orbital sander. Is it possible to sand blast these areas to remove the old stain?
You could try but it may tear up the wood.
can u power sand at 80 grit paper a Cedar deck?
Yes.
We used Pittsburgh Wood concentrate resurfacer approximately 5 years ago on wooden deck and it is now in horrendous shape. Peeling terribly and looks awful. What is best to use to make the deck able to re-stain?
Post a picture.
I power washed my deck and then sanded with 80 grit, but in the photo it looks like I haven’t gotten it all. The previous owner used Olympic stain, I plan on using the same stuff. At this point, does it look bare enough to just put down the new stain? Or do I keep sanding? It’s pain to get up, and it sounds like stripper won’t work.
If you are using the exact same stain and color, you should be okay to stain. This can be stripped off though.
Thank you. I am considering using Restore a deck stain stripper, would you recommend this to remove the remaining Olympic stain? I also plan to follow it up with a brightener.
Yes, that should help get it off.
We have a deck that was painted and part of it has some residual paint stuck on (many years old) and we have not been able to scrape it off or get it off with a power washer. We bought the house this way. I don’t know if the other portion of the deck was stained or not, but it does not bead up, as a matter of fact it gets mildew and slick. So, do I need to use the stripper or the cleaner followed by the brightener? And, what sort of sander will work to get the leftover bits of paint up?
The stripper will not remove paint. For the other portion that you mentioned, feel free to post a picture.
Hi,
Can I power sand my decking even though it is ridged?
I have recently moved into a house and want to strip and redo the decking. I have no idea what they have used to treat the wood, any ideas from these photos?
I have bought some Ronseal Paint Stripper – will that do the job?
Many thanks
Tom
Photo 1
Photo 2
Please let me know if you require any more
Looks like a solid stain and that cannot be stripped. You will have to power sand to remove.
Thanks, can you still power sand when the wood is grooved?
Thanks, will power sand be effective even though the wood has lots of grooves?
Probably not. You may be stuck with another solid stain.
Thanks for the advice – at least I know not to waste my time trying to remove!
Apologies for all the posts, they were not showing before.
Just bought our house. Some of the deck is being entirely resurfaced with new wood. Some areas are decent for a few more years. One area had a solid stain on it that looks to be very old. Most of it came off with pressure washing and scrubbing using a deck cleaner. Some areas still need scrubbed some more. See attached photo. I have two issues:
1. We bought a stain/sealer (Olympic Maximum Pearl Gray) and tested it on one support post. We do not like the outcome. I will be using Cabot Australian Timber Oil instead. How can I get this post back to clean again? It was just applied last night and I plan to TRY to strip this tonight. Since this is freshly applied, would a deck stripper get this off pretty easily still?
2. Some areas that did not completely clean from the old solid stain will be scrubbed and pressure washed again. I’m still not sure it will all ever come clean since it’s so old and deeply set in the wood. Since a lot of the stuff that did not come off is up high in the air, I’d love to find a chemical that will remove this so that I don’t have to scrub high stuff dangerously. Any ideas how I could possibly avoid significant sanding efforts?
Any help is appreciated and thanks for all the previous help this site has given me over time. It has been extremely helpful for us!
1. It is much harder to remove a newly applied stain. No easy way to remove. You may have to sand.
2. Solid stains cannot be stripped effectively or completely Only way to remove will be sanding.
UGH….I had a feeling. Thanks for the help!
Just had my deck stained on Monday. The guy had taped something to a post and when he pulled it off, yes, it peeled. I can see the post underneath still has the previous stain…actually a little shiny. He was supposed to prep and stain. I could literally peel the whole post. He used Sherwin Williams superdeck. semi solid. What should I do?
Not much you can do besides sanding everything down to the bare wood and starting over.
When you say power sand what grit do you recommend? I’ve been trying to sand mine with an orbital. 60 grit is taking forever. Belt sander isnt very efficient either.
You need a more powerful machine. Try rent a drum sander. 60-80 grit.
What is the best solution to use to remove Olympic Rescue It from a deck?
You will have to power sand to remove the Olympic Rescue-it. A stripper will not work.
My deck is about 8 years old pressure treated wood quite large last summer, my contractor cleaned it with Pittsburgh ultra deck cleaner and restained it with Cabot semi-solid redwood stain. now everything is peeling what do we have to do to fix this? I live in Central ohio.Thanks so much for advice.
Most likely have to power sand this to fix. Feel free to post a picture.
Following up had to wait for rain to stop. Two photos today.
Yes, you will need to power sand this all off to fix.
Ok do after power sanding do we have to do anything else to prep?
Clean and brighten for the final prep.
I have just stained my deck with decking oil, and I hate the colour!! Can I remove it
It was thompson timber oil
We would need more info. Exact brand name and type of stain that was applied. Pictures of deck and product would help as well.
Thompson timber oil
Use the Restore A Deck Stripper and Brightener:
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/restore-a-deck-injectable-deck-stain-stripper-review/
See pic
I am planning on stripping a horrible application of solid arborcoat in the spring as well as replacing some rotting boards. For the boards that are still in good shape – can I strip the arborcoat off and then apply a semi transparent stain (Flood Series) or is it hard to apply stain after a solid coat has been stripped?
Thanks for the advice!
You cannot effectively strip a solid stain. You will need to power sand this to remove. Once fully removed by sanding, your final prep would be a deck cleaner and then a wood brightener.
I have just stained my deck with decking oil, and I hate the colour!! Can I remove it??
What brand and type of stain was it?
What brand and type of stain was it?
Bought our house a year ago and the deck stain is wearing out. I assume I have to strip, brighten and then stain, but wanted to double-check. You can see in the pictures that parts of the wood are grayed, while some still appear to have stain on them. In fact, the first picture shows where I had some tape on the deck, and when I pulled it up the stain came off and gray was underneath. I found a couple of Behr products in the shed (Semi-transparent weather proofing all-in-one wood stain and sealer, and transparent weather proofing all-in-one wood finisher), so I assume these are what the previous owner used on the deck. Do I need to strip, brighten and stain, or can I use wood cleaner, brightener and stain? Or, just pressure wash and stain?
Also, how many days of dry weather should there be between prepping the deck and then staining? Is 2 enough?
Thanks in advance!
You will need to strip, brighten, and stain. Wait about 48 hours after the prep to stain.
One more question: The deck goes right up against the house. If I use Defy’s stripper do I need to put a barrier up to protect the house paint? The directions say to protect surrounding areas, but I assume that means other stained items you don’t want stripped. I just want to be sure. The house was just painted a few months ago with Sherwin Williams SuperPaint.
Thanks again, in advance!
It does not remove paint. Just rinse well when done.
I am so frustrated.
We worked on our porch floor for weeks stripping it with paint stippers, scraping off layers of paint and sanding to get rid of all the stain.
I put the Pittsburgh clear ultra deck sealer on and
It turned it orange, I am livid, the endless hours and money we have spent and this is the result we get.
Sanding will not take the orange color off.
Any suggestions other than freaking out on the company
Power sanding will remove it and that is the only way.
I had a product called Deck Restore applied about 3 years ago. It is supposed to be put down in two coats .,but was not .Needless to say it is a peeling mess. I started stripping it using a power washer ,but there are sections that don’t want to come up . Is there anything I can treat it with to strip it easier.
No. This product will have to be sanded off.
I have a deck that was sealed two years ago…Pittsburgh acrylic oil Clear….but it had an orange tint to it. I wanted to remove and first used Wolman DeckBrite. This did not do a good job so we bought a deck stripper. The question is, do we need to apply another Wood Cleaner and Coating after the stripper or are we good? Right now most of the wood looks brand new though it is over 15 years old.
No need to use a cleaner after a stripper. You will need a wood deck brightener though.
We purchased our home a year ago. It has a 25 year old deck that had a solid stain on it. We replaced several old boards. We sanded it all which took days and then used a deck cleaner. When we were washing off the deck cleaner we noticed the old stain was still peeling in some areas. Do we need to strip it as well or can we just use a brightener and then apply a solid stain? It was a reddish/brown and we are hoping to make it grey. We have invested 40+ hours (1,000 sq. ft. deck) so want to do it right the first time. Thanks for any advice!
You cannot stain over peeling stain so you will need to continue to prep until nothing is peeling. Strip and or sand. No need to use a brightener.
what do you think is easier, sand or strip? If I strip do I need to sand again? I used a large floor sander on the floor and hand held sander on the rails. Most of it is down to the bare wood but some areas still have small streaks of stain on the floor.
Strip what you can and then sand if needed.
I have had an accident with this product and want to remove it. Any advice on a stripping product please?
Any stripper should work.
While sanding my deck I discovered 3 boards with damage. Right now the deck is solid 20′ boards. Should I replace the whole length or just sections of the 3 boards? Also once sanded, what is the best oil based stain that has the least amount of color in it? Thanks!
The whole length. Try Armstrong Clark or TWP Stains.
Help! We have a pressure treated deck that’s a few years old and my dear husband took it upon himself to stain it. I ABSOLUTELY HATE the orange looking stain. I just wanted it to remain the same colour and be weather guarded. Can this be stripped off right away? What do you suggest….aside from divorce?? Please help😡
Maybe but depends on the brand of stain?
Hello, I have a deck with an unknown prior coating. Not sure when prior homeowner last stained.
My plan is too strip, brighten and stain with Flood Pro Series Solid Cedar.
Do you think it will require sanding as well?
Here are some photos that may help.
Thank you,
Dan
No need to sand. Strip off what you can leaving any intact stain. The Flood solid stain will cover it.
Two years ago I put “Behr Premium semi transparent weatherproofing” on my deck. It looked terribly right from the beginning. Two years later it looks really bad. This is an acrylic stain. What can I use to strip my deck? I would prefer to use a product that can be put on, then hosed off with a pressure washer. Is there such a product? Thanks.
No and the Behr stain is not an easy strip. You will need a stripper like the Restore A Deck Stain Stripper and pressure washing to remove. You may need to strip a few times to remove the Behr fully. Brighten the wood after.
Thanks for your help. I accept that it will have to be hand sanded. What can I put on it afterwards so that I never have to deal with this again? I want to protect the deck, but I don’t need any additional color (ie stain) or anything – just protection from sun and rain. What would you recommend? Is Thompson’s water seal a good choice?
You must have color if you want UV protection from the sun. Use one of these: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/the-5-best-deck-stain-reviews-and-ratings/
Crazy I have the SAME exact issue. How to get it off?! I have a painter who says he can use a Diamabrush to get it off.
Good luck! UGH 🙁
Should deck be dry before applying deck stripper?
Does not matter.
I have a 6 year old deck with KDAT lumber. It has been stained 3 times – once by the original installer and twice since. The last two times it was stained with Behr solid color All in one stain and sealer. It looks horrible with the stain peeling in dozens of places. Even worse, the expensive KDAT lumber is rotting. Many boards will need replacing. So my question is what to do next? If I sand the deck how do I remove the old stain from the edges of the boards? Is this just a matter of hand sanding all of the spaces between boards? Also, sanding will probably not get down into the cracks that many of the boards have so do I just have to live with red opaque stain in the cracks? I’m attaching some pictures of the stain, the cracks and the deck stain that was used.
The only way to fix this is to sand it all off 100% and that will be very hard to do in this scenario. Might want to replace the decking if you can afford it.
Boards are 13% moisture or so but joints are often 20- 23%. Should I stain or wait for 18% on all areas? Rain forecast for tomorrow! Thanks again!
Yes, you should wait until wood is below 15% for all.
I’m removing old semi transparent stain from my cedar railings. Went the wash and bright route first, took 70% of stain off but now have tough spots remaining. Not against sanding but time consuming and it’ll rain a few times before I can finish Anyhow, if I use stripper is there any concern it’ll stain/strip color off the trex floor decking I have or my new vinyl siding?
The strippers should not harm the trex or vinyl.
Thanks for the quick reply. I did the stripper and it did a pretty good job but now I have all this little fibers like hair coming out of the wood. Any suggestions on these? Do I just stain over it?
Lightly sand those first.
Is a staining pad better than a paintbrush for an unstained, 6 year old, pt pine deck? Maybe better for a maintenance coat 1-2 years later? Thanks!
We always use deck stain pads. Easier, faster, and better coverage.