Staining/Sealing a Deck

#1
volinbham

volinbham

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#1
So I have a big ole deck (TWSS) 40x16.

The house is new to me so I can't tell if the deck has ever been treated. It's all gone silver/gray, has some cracking and a warped board here or there.

Any advice on sealing and possibly staining?

(methods, brands, equipment, etc.)

:hi:
 
#2
#2
So your asking for advice as to the best way to seal your big ole deck?

I would suggest Magnums as they provide some of the best protection.
 
#3
#3
clean and presure wash it 1st, then stain. Older the deck, darker the stain. You will need at least a 5 gallon bucket of stain, and its not cheap. Dont go cheap on the stain either


How to Wash, Stain & Seal Your Wood Deck - YouTube

Edit: Behr sucks and use oil based and what I mean by pressure wash it, i mean use it lightly, dont hammer the wood with it. Prepping it is the most important part
 
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#5
#5
Thrasher865 said:
Don't pressure wash an old deck. You will damage the wood.
Click to expand...

Found this out the hard way. I pressure washed my older deck and now the boards are starting to rot and become brittle. So far I have had to replace two and it looks like two more are going to have to be replaced soon.

If your going to clean it don't hammer it with the pressure washer. Just make a sweep over it. Let the stain do the work.

Good luck.
 
#6
#6
Probably too late, but how long should I wait to stain a new deck? I've heard conflicting opinions. Anywhere from 1 year to 1 season (3 months).
 
#7
#7
It really just depends on the wood. Staining a new deck is mostly a waste of money since the wood has recently been treated. So not only is it unnecessary, but the stain doesn't absorb into the wood very well.
 
#8
#8
Had to do this just two days ago. It is an older deck, so we had to use a cleaning solution (brand i don't remember) and get down on all fours and manually scrub it to get the grime and mildew and mold off. Let it dry for about 15 minutes, and then stained it. We used Cabot brand Mahogany available at Lowes just because that was the last stain we used. Depending on the deck size and style, it is not terribly difficult, but there are several spots we had to use a small brush to get to. Ive heard from different people that it is easier to brush the deck rather than spray it, though I'm not sure about that.
 
#9
#9
You should take good care of your deck

Dont let strangers work on your deck

Make sure your wife spends lots of time on your deck
 
#10
#10
I would advise you to pressure wash it..just don't get really close to the wood.. That's where people f up. When cleaned properly the stain will take well
 
#12
#12
IBlvNTmWrk said:
It really just depends on the wood. Staining a new deck is mostly a waste of money since the wood has recently been treated. So not only is it unnecessary, but the stain doesn't absorb into the wood very well.
Click to expand...

So basically, by me wasting money doing it now, what will be the consequences? Will it be structural damage/splitting/curled up boards or will it just mean that I'll probably have to come back to re-stain sooner than I would have if I had waited?
 
#13
#13
I have used Flood brand stains. Consumer reports holds them in pretty high esteem. If you are wary about power washing, I would still clean the wood. Get rid of all the surface grime that you can. It will help the stain take much better.
 
#14
#14
I built a big deck in the spring and stained it in the fall. If you used treated lumber it will be too wet to absorb the stain. 3 to 4 months of the hot summer sun should dry it out so it will absorb the stain.
 
#15
#15
Olympia deck cleaner works wonders. You just spray it on and use a broom with stiff bristles to scrub then spray it off with a hose. If the wood soaks up the water I would stain/seal it up after it drys. I've had a bad experience trying to spray stain on a deck and ended up just using a brush anyway. You can get these things that look kind of like sponge mops so you aren't on your hands and knees.
 
#16
#16
Rasputin_Vol said:
Probably too late, but how long should I wait to stain a new deck? I've heard conflicting opinions. Anywhere from 1 year to 1 season (3 months).
Click to expand...

All wood deck boards will first swell and then start shrinking . It does not matter the "grade " of the wood . I would give it at least a month of exposure . then do whatever you want . But in any case after it swells and before it starts to shrink . Check the gaps between the decking , you can see it happen over time .
 
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#17
#17
beachbums624 said:
All wood deck boards will first swell and then start shrinking . It does not matter the "grade " of the wood . I would give it at least a month of exposure . then do whatever you want . But in any case after it swells and before it starts to shrink . Check the gaps between the decking , you can see it happen over time .
Click to expand...

:eek:k:
 
#19
#19
I would second the Cabot stain reco earlier.
We used it in PA, and both houses in Wisconsin, we would also clean the deck first with a treatment/cleaner, and spray with a hose...Then stain the next day..
Can't comment on the pressure washer, never had one
 
#20
#20
So it's the time again. Last time I used the deck cleaner stuff and it worked well. Used Cabot Australian Timber Oil but it didn't last very long.

I really hate doing this but had a quote from a painter for $1500 so yeah, I'll be doing it myself.

Any other recommendations for good stain? Have heard Behr (not our VN poster) sucks. Cabot is no longer carried at Lowes though they do have Olympic.
 
#21
#21
volinbham said:
So it's the time again. Last time I used the deck cleaner stuff and it worked well. Used Cabot Australian Timber Oil but it didn't last very long.

I really hate doing this but had a quote from a painter for $1500 so yeah, I'll be doing it myself.

Any other recommendations for good stain? Have heard Behr (not our VN poster) sucks. Cabot is no longer carried at Lowes though they do have Olympic.
Click to expand...


I put a product called Deck Restore on one of our decks last year. I have been very pleased so far.

I have used Olympic, it is a good stain. I always buy Behr paint, have never used their stain.

If you deck has any imperfections in the wood I would recommend Deck Restore.
 
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#23
#23
Gramps said:
I put a product called Deck Restore on one of our decks last year. I have been very pleased so far.

I have used Olympic, it is a good stain. I always buy Behr paint, have never used their stain.

If you deck has any imperfections in the wood I would recommend Deck Restore.
Click to expand...

You need to be careful with these Deck Over, Deck Restore all from Behr, Olympic, and Rustoleum. I've seen horror stories from people that bought this stuff(and it's not cheap). Apparently it's not meant to be used on decks that get a lot of sun. People have applied it and it's already begun to peel a year or less than a year later in some cases. You can pull up all kinds of videos of it on Youtube.
 
#24
#24
You need to be careful with these Deck Over, Deck Restore all from Behr, Olympic, and Rustoleum. I've seen horror stories from people that bought this stuff(and it's not cheap). Apparently it's not meant to be used on decks that get a lot of sun. People have applied it and it's already begun to peel a year or less than a year later in some cases. You can pull up all kinds of videos of it on Youtube.
Click to expand...


The Rustoleum Deck Restore I put on has been on for a little over a year. The deck is on the north side of my home, it gets full sun. It looks as good today as it did the day I put it on. Of course I do not know how many years it will last but so far it has done exactly what it is advertised to do. We are planning on putting ot on our rear deck this fall.
 
#25
#25
Gramps said:
The Rustoleum Deck Restore I put on has been on for a little over a year. The deck is on the north side of my home, it gets full sun. It looks as good today as it did the day I put it on. Of course I do not know how many years it will last but so far it has done exactly what it is advertised to do. We are planning on putting ot on our rear deck this fall.
Click to expand...

Glad it's working out so far! The people that had issues had the stuff peeling off the wood in big pieces. Looked like you were peeling a latex coating off the wood.
 
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