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Gray Weathered Deck

Deck CleaningGray Weathered Deck

Restore-A-Deck’s Two Step Deck Cleaning Products

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We highly recommend looking at the Restore-A-Deck Prep and Stain products. They are highly efficient wood and deck prepping products. Available in different size kits, the packages consist of a Step 1 Wood Deck Cleaner and a Step 2 Wood Deck Brightener. Used together they will make sure your wood is properly prepped for a new coat of stain.

Restore-A-Deck Wood Cleaner is a powdered concentrate that is mixed with water. It safely cleans and restores the natural beauty of exterior wood commonly found on decks, stairs, and fences. This product also cleans weathered composite lumber, removing mold, mildew, and algae along with the silver-gray color that can develop over time. This product restores all wood surfaces back to their original appearance. Restore-A-Deck Wood Cleaner will not harm wood fibers, pets, grass, or most plants.

Restore-A-Deck Wood Cleaner has consistently been rated the best wood and deck stain cleaner year over year and is used by pros and homeowners alike.

The Restore A Deck system is a multistep deck cleaning system, and the best results are achieved when using all 3 products. This product is Step 1 Cleaner of the Restore A Deck system.

Some of the key benefits to Restore-A-Decks Products:

Faster Cleaning: Restore- A- Deck cleaners make the job go much quicker for you.

  • Bring life back to older, gray wood decks
  • Get rid of mold, mildew, and dirt.
  • Prep new construction for stain.
  • Remove failing stain from your wood.
  • (R-A-D) will not remove solid or acrylic stains.

Please visit www.restore-a-deck.com website for more information regarding these products.

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Deck Cleaningdeck stainGray Weathered Deck

Where to Buy Defy Deck Stain in Canada?

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Defystain.com is pleased to announce that all Defy and Masonry Saver products are now available to be shipped to Canada! Order direct and save on all the Defy exterior wood and deck restoration products. All Defy products ship duty-free to Canadian residents.

Defy Extreme Stain Canada – The Defy Extreme Wood and Deck Stain is the newest and longest-lasting of the Defy Stains. It offers advanced UV protection by incorporating nano-sized zinc oxide particles that reflect the UV light.

Defy Wood Cleaner Canada – Defy Exterior Wood Deck Cleaners, Strippers and Brighteners

Defy Concrete Sealers Canada – Defy and Masonry Saver concrete sealers and water repellents offer the highest level of protection for all types of  Masonry surfaces.

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Deck CleaningGray Weathered Deck

Properly Preparing a Wood Deck for Stain 2025

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Deck Cleaned

Deck Cleaned

When you’ve come to the decision to refinish your deck it’s important to understand the right and wrong way to do it. Cleaning a deck is the most crucial step in the wood restoration process. While some people may think the only thing that matters is the brand or type of deck stain they use, it’s really the preparation of the wood surface that makes the most difference.

A properly cleaned deck will hold a deck stain for a certain amount of time. If that same deck is not cleaned correctly and the same deck stain is used, it’s certain it won’t look as good or last as long. So regardless of the deck stain, the surface preparation is what will determine a lasting finish so always use the best deck cleaner reviewed.

Deck Cleaning 2025

This isn’t to say that the brand of deck stain you use isn’t important or that the application methods don’t matter. Those are important factors as well, but it starts with the prep work. Get the prep work wrong and you might as well throw in the towel.

The few common mistakes that homeowners will make in preparing their wood deck for a new finish is not cleaning the deck at all, not using the right deck cleaners, or not using a deck brightener.

Best Deck Cleaner 2025

First of all, let’s be clear, you have to clean the wood before you stain it. This doesn’t mean to blow it off with a leaf blower or rinse it with the garden hose. A contractor grade deck cleaner should be used with a pressure washer or a stiff broom. This will loosen the dirt and gray wood fibers to reveal new wood. If an old stain is present, you need to use a deck stripper instead of a cleaner. The deck stripper will soften the old stain as well as remove dirt and gray wood fibers.

After cleaning or stripping the deck, whichever is the case, the wood then needs to be brightened back to the proper pH so the deck stain will penetrate properly. This is not a hard step but a very necessary step. After washing the deck, a deck brightener is applied, allowed to dwell, and then rinsed off. Now the wood is prepped correctly. After it dries for several days the deck stain can be applied.

Skipping any of these steps, or not using a quality 2-step deck restoration system will give you poor results. The deck won’t look as good and the deck stain won’t last as long. Do the right prep work with quality cleaners and use a good deck stain and you’ll get results like the pros.

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Deck CleaningGray Weathered Deck

Restore-A-Deck – Professional Results

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Restore-A-Deck Cleaners

Restore-A-Deck Cleaners

For many years consumer grade deck maintenance products have been nothing more than soap and bleach. Restoration professionals have known for some time that bleach is not the best cleaner to put on your deck. The contractor grade deck cleaners and secrets of the professionals have been kept safe within the industry. The enthusiastic DIYer was left in the dark with no knowledge of the right cleaners or methods needed to get professional results, until now!

The Restore-A-Deck system is designed specifically for DIY homeowners looking for professional grade results. This two step state of the art process will give you results like the pros. Restore-A-Deck will not only give you results you never thought possible, it’s environmentally safe and landscape friendly.

This amazing 1-part deck cleaner 1-part deck brightener is concentrated so the packaging is smaller saving you on huge shipping costs. This deck restoration product was actually developed by deck restoration specialists using special buffers and surfactants causing it to be gentle on the wood yet highly effective.

The Restore-A-Deck cleaner dives deep to get rid of mold, mildew, and dirt. It draws out the sun faded wood fibers to bring grayed out decks back to life. The cleaning instructions are simple and easy to follow. After cleaning the wood, the Restore-A-Deck wood brightener is used to brighten the wood back to the proper pH level. This restores the woods natural grain characteristics and prepares the deck for a deck stain. This is the perfect two step system, used by professionals, to maintain new decks and revitalize neglected decks. It not only makes old decks look new again, it preps the wood giving deck stain the best possible surface for longer lasting results.

DIY deck maintenance has never been so easy. Get lasting results that will save you time and money in constant refinishing. The number one reason a deck stain will fail before expected, is because the wood was not prepped correctly. The Restore-A-Deck system eliminates that problem giving you more longevity out of your deck stain. Make your neighbors jealous with professional results at a fraction of the cost.

See here for Deck Cleaner Reviews

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Deck CleaningGray Weathered Deck

Cleaning and Staining Your Own Deck

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Cleaning and Staining Your Deck

Cleaning and Staining Your Deck

It is possible for you to restore your own deck, but you should have some knowledge of the chemicals, equipment, and methods used. Before tackling a complete deck restoration, you should research and read as much information on the subject as possible.

Most of the woods used in deck construction are considerably soft in terms of wood. When washed with excessive pressure they can easily fur up or splinter. Most people don’t realize the methods and chemicals that are required in restoring a deck properly. This is where they make the mistake of blasting the wood with water and then slapping some deck stain on it. This situation results in a deck sealer or stain that doesn’t last as long as it should have. When a wooden deck isn’t cleaned or sealed properly, it ends up costing you more time and money to restore it the next time.

The proper wood and deck restoration products such as deck cleaners, deck brighteners, and deck stains are all an essential part of getting great results that will last. Most deck stains, when applied to a properly prepared surface, will last a couple of years before needing maintenance. When not done correctly, you will be refinishing the deck almost every year to keep it looking the way you want.

It isn’t uncommon for homeowners to attempt a deck restoration without any knowledge and wonder why the deck stain is fading or peeling off so quickly. Then they fall into the cycle of searching for a “better” or best deck stain that will last longer when in reality it wasn’t the fault of the deck stain but rather the preparation work.

You don’t have to be certified or trained to restore your deck back to a beautiful state. But researching the proper wood deck cleaners, deck stains, and proper methods will go a long way when restoring your own deck.

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deck stainDeck Stain ReviewsDeck Staining 101Gray Weathered Deck

Deck Stain Turned Black?

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We have had many questions as to why a wood deck stain has darkened or turned black in color after a few years. There are many reasons why this can happen to any of the wood deck stains that are on the market.

  • Stain did not cure/dry properly. This typically happens from over application resulting in pollen, dirt, etc getting into the stain while still tacky. If pollen from trees gets trapped in the stain, then mold and mildew can grow causing the stain to darken in color.
  • Very wet climate resulting in mold and mildew growing on top of the stain or even in the stain.
  • Inferior stains containing “cheap grade” of linseed oil without adding the proper mildewcides to combat future growth of mold/mildew.
  • Very High UV index can darken the stain. Many wood deck stains contain trans oxides. If there is a tremendous amount of UV then the stain can darken in color.
  • General dirt and grime from trees offering little to no sunlight.

Some wood deck stains are more prevalent to darkening in color then others but by no means is this common issue related to just one brand.

Here is a list of Wood Deck Stains that are not prone to darkening in color:

TWP Deck Stains

Defy Wood Stains

Armstrong Clark Stains

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Deck Cleaningdeck stainDeck Staining 101Gray Weathered Deck

Deck Staining Products Help

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Many customers have become confused to all the info on the Internet as to what is the “Best Deck Stain” and what products should I use to prep the wood. The Sealer Store has created a very useful online page to simplify the products needed to restore your wood deck. On this page you will find:

  • Product filter that will narrow all the choices of deck stains available. This will help you decide what is the best deck stains for you and your type of wood.
  • Steps to properly prep the wood prior to applying a stain
  • Many articles and How To tips for restoring your wood. These articles will help guide you through all the needed procedures to restore properly.

Wood Deck Staining Help

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Deck CleaningGray Weathered Deck

How To Restore Your Deck With Defy Wood Restoration Products

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Defy Wood Cleaner

Here is a great article on the necessary steps to take when restoring your wood or deck using Defy products.

Restore Your Deck with Defy

It is imperative to always follow the proper procedures when prepping your exterior wood or deck. Failure to do so can cause the stain to fail much faster. It may cost a little extra and time but in the long run you will save!

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Deck CleaningGray Weathered Deck

How To Apply A Wood Brightener To A Deck

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There are two basic steps when prepping your exterior wood or deck for re-staining. The first step consists of using a wood cleaner or a wood stain stripper. This will help remove dirt, grime, mold, mildew and old deteriorated wood stains. When using a wood cleaner or stain stripper, the pH balance of the wood will rise to a 11 or 13 on the pH scale.

The second step is the use of a wood deck brightener. The brightener will lower the pH balance to a neutral state of 7 on the pH scale. Basically the wood deck brightener cancels out the high alkalinity of the wood deck cleaner/stripper. This is needed prior to applying the wood stain, helping overall stain performance.

To use a wood deck brightener:

  1. Prep the wood first with a wood cleaner or stain stripper.
  2. Makes sure all dirt and grime has been removed.
  3. Apply wood brightener while wood is still wet from the cleaning. Using a pump type sprayer is best.
  4. Wait 10-15 minutes then lightly rinse.

Why use a Wood Deck Brightener?

  • Easiest step in entire process
  • Immediate results
  • Brightens the wood
  • Sets wood to neutral pH balance after using wood cleaner or stripper
  • Removes Mill Glaze on new wood
  • Helps with stain performance
  • Least expensive step
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Deck CleaningGray Weathered Deck

Protect Your Deck With Deck Stain

by deckadmin
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It may be difficult to understand why a deck seems to weather so quickly. It turns gray from the weather and fades quickly. Unlike your siding or roof, there is no place for snow, ice, and rain to trickle down. Your deck is horizontally exposed to the elements, meaning that any snow or rain buildup on the deck will not slide off. Decks can have very large surface areas, allowing them to potentially catch very heavy loads of snow on top of the grills, chairs, and tables already on them. Water and snow has to evaporate or melt all by itself on these decks since there is the tendency for precipitation to pool and accumulate on decks, causing the gradual wearing away of the beautiful wood that the deck was built with.

Due to this fact, it is extremely important to to apply a wood stain that will not only protect your deck from rain and snow, but the damaging UV rays from the sun. The sun is the real culprit when it comes to decks turning gray. Because they have such a large surface area, it has the tendency to catch incredible amounts of UV rays, promoting the graying and general deterioration of the wood over time.

imagesA semi-transparent wood stain or even an opaque wood stain is going to protect your deck much better than a clear wood stain. Semi-transparent wood stains and opaque wood stains allow less UV radiation to penetrate the wood, preventing graying and stain fading over time. An opaque wood stain does not allow the grain of the wood to show through at all. It does however accentuate the wood’s texture. A semi-transparent stain allows most of the grain and the texture to show through. It does not protect the wood as well as an opaque stain does but provides more protection than a clear stain. Most clear stains will alter the look or color of the wood, so find a stain that will accentuate the color of the wood and provide the most protection.

It is prudent to look for a deck stain that provides some type of UV protection, or else the sun will start fading away your expensive deck staining project the moment you apply it. Just as the sun fades the look of outdoor rugs, it fades the pigment in your deck stain. This vicious cycle can definitely be a pain for homeowners, but with the proper care, can be prolonged to prevent too frequent maintenance.

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