The Deck Staining Process in 5 Steps

If you didn’t stain your deck in the last two years, chances are it might be looking pretty worn-out. The color might be washed out, or even worse - the wood might be water-warped. There’s no question that your deck needs to be stained, pronto! But how do you go about staining? Well, you paint your boards with stain, right?

But, what you may not know is that staining can be more complicated than that. To stain a deck effectively, it’s important not to forget any of these crucial steps!

Rain, Rain Go Away

The first step to staining your deck is knowing when to get started. Look ahead in your weather forecast for the perfect day - preferably a day that is warm and dry. Weather can be tricky - you want a day that’s just perfect when it comes to staining a deck. Too hot or too cold could lead to a poor job! When you work with Ameri-Pro, we will keep in touch and let you know which day would be ideal for your project.

Fixer-Upper

Before beginning staining, we need to make sure to take care of any repairs the deck needs. Sanding is a crucial step in the staining process. We may need to replace old boards or spindles or remove old nails as well. Before any of this, we will clear your deck of any obstructions like grills, chairs, plants etc.

Wash, Rinse, Repeat

Before staining your deck, we always powerwash away any debris, mold, or dirt from the deck. This is so important because your stain acts as a seal - it keeps out water, but it will also seal in any imperfection - making it nearly impossible to remove dirt from your wood after the fact. After that, we’ll wait a couple of days for your deck to dry completely before staining.

Use the Proper Stain

For our jobs, we mostly use Benjamin Moore Arborcoat or Sikkens. If you are doing a transparent coat we recommend using oil because it drys slower and lessens the chance of brush marks.

Staining 101

Finally! The moment you’ve been waiting for! We start by staining the deck’s spindles and railings before moving down towards the floor. Once the floor is dried just enough, we apply a second coat. When the job is complete, it’s best to not walk on it or move any furniture back on the deck for at least 48 hours. Stain does not dry as quickly as wall paint and it will feel sticky if you try to walk on it too early.

Not only does a stain better bring out the color and grain in decks, but it also helps protect the wood from taking on water, mildew, or insects. It’s important to keep it updated regularly.

Ameri-Pro Painting offers free estimates so if you are interested in having your deck stained, fill out the form below or contact us at (716) 316-4759 today!