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how to stain your deck

Deck Cleaningdeck stainDeck Staining 101

Deck Staining Myths and Tips 2025

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Deck Stain Tips & Myths

When it comes to staining your exterior wood deck, there’s a lot of misinformation out there. Avoid these common myths to ensure a long-lasting, professional-quality finish.

Common Deck Staining Myths Debunked

? Myth: Thicker or More Stain Lasts Longer
? Truth: Applying excess stain doesn’t mean better protection. Wood can only absorb so much stain—any extra will sit on the surface, leading to premature peeling, flaking, and uneven wear, especially in high-traffic areas.

? Myth: New Wood is Ready to be Stained
? Truth: Fresh wood needs proper preparation before staining. Always clean new wood with a deck cleaner and follow up with a deck brightener to open the wood’s pores. This allows the stain to penetrate effectively, ensuring better adhesion and longevity.

? Myth: Water Should Bead on the Wood After Staining
? Truth: Water should shed off the wood, not bead up. Beading typically means the surface is completely sealed with waxes or silicones, which prevent the wood from breathing. Over time, this can trap moisture and lead to wood damage.

? Myth: 5-6 Year Deck Stain Warranties Mean Long-Lasting Protection
? Truth: No deck stain will last more than 2-3 years on a horizontal, exposed wood surface. Weather, dirt, UV rays, and foot traffic all contribute to natural wear and tear. Many extended stain warranties come with exclusions that make them virtually meaningless.

? Myth: A Deck Should Look Like a Hardwood Floor
? Truth: A glossy, polyurethane-like finish on an outdoor deck is a bad idea. These finishes trap moisture, peel, and flake, causing a maintenance nightmare. The best deck stains penetrate the wood rather than forming a surface film, ensuring better durability.

? Got Deck Staining Questions?
Leave a comment on our website! We’re here to help you achieve the best results for your deck in 2025 and beyond.

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Deck Staining 101

How To Stain Your Deck Faster and With The Proper Tools!

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Deck Staining Tips 2023

One of the questions that I get asked as a Deck Restoration Expert is how long should it take to stain a 500 square foot deck? My typical answer is 2-3 hours which usually gets a blank stare or a laugh. The fact is that I can actually do it in half the time. The key is having the proper tools and a few tips to make the process more efficient.

These suggestions will make your deck restoration project faster, with less mess, and with a better overall appearance.

Equipment Needed:

  • Deck Stain Pad – These work better than brushes as they are more absorbent and they allow you to “push” the stain into the wood.
  • Deck Floor Mop – Same as stain pad but much bigger. This tool alone can save you a substantial amount of time while applying the stain perfectly even.
  • Pump Up Sprayer – Usually plastic. This applies the deck stain faster.
  • Large Plastic Tarp – Catches drips and over-spray on bushes and grass.
  • 9×12 Canvas Trap – Contains overspray when using the sprayer on the railings.
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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 101

Why Paints Do Not Work on Decks

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English: IPE Deck Stain

Penetrating Wood Deck Stain

Wood decks have always been very popular. They add extra outdoor living space to your home, increase your home’s value, and provide a great place for family outings or just relaxing. Wood decks however, do need to be protected from the environment if they are expected to last many years.

To protect a wooden deck you have several choices. Deck stains and sealers come in many different textures, tints, colors, and varieties. Deck stains are certainly the best option for providing adequate protection from the weather and the sun’s harsh UV rays.

Many people ask if painting a deck is a good option. Most experts will agree that paint will not work well for protecting a wood deck. If you have ever seen a painted deck that has failed you probably noticed the paint was cracking and peeling.

Wood expands and contracts naturally with changing temperatures and weather conditions. Paint also expands and contracts but not at the same rate as wood. This indifference in fluctuation causes the paint to crack over time.

Because the bottoms of the deck boards are normally not coated with paint, moisture will still penetrate the wood. Unlike a more breathable deck

stain, paint traps this moisture in the wood which causes the paint to peel and flake. Normally the peeling and flaking is first noticeable near the edges of each board.

Reasons Not To Use Paint on a Wood Deck

  • Paint requires time and labor intensive methods to maintain.
  • Requires 2 coats to be more effective in the elements.
  • To have any duration of protection with paint, a primer should be used first which adds to the cost.
  • Paint will inevitably fail by cracking and peeling, and when it does, it’s costly to have it removed and replaced.

If you want the solid color look of paint, a solid colored deck stain is a better option. Semi-transparent deck stains can have tint and color added to them as well. Deck stains penetrate the wood as opposed to creating a film on top of the wood like paint does. Deck stains and sealers are a much better choice over paint for protecting your wooden deck for years of enjoyment.

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Deck Stain Help | Ratings and Reviews

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For most homeowners, restoring or maintaining an exterior wooden deck can be a difficult task. With all the available products for deck stains, deck cleaners, deck stain strippers, and wood deck brighteners it’s difficult to even know where to start.

To help homeowners with the enormous task of restoring and maintaining their wooden deck it all starts with finding the right information. DeckStainHelp.com offers tons of reviews and advice to get your deck done right.

With 5 years worth of reviews for all available wood deck stains, deck stain strippers, deck cleaners, and deck brighteners it’s easy to find the right products for restoring your wood deck.

The deck stain reviews are a collection of unbiased ratings of how different deck stains perform and hold up after a 2 year period. Specific deck stains and deck cleaning products are given an overall score on how well they perform. This makes it easy for homeowners to compare one product to another without a biased opinion or sales pitch.

Many deck product reviews and articles will also help answer the most common deck restoration questions. There is also a deck restoration forum where homeowners can ask specific questions and read a wealth of information.

Restoring and maintaining a wooden deck can be a difficult task. Being armed with the right information and the best products available will certainly make the job easier, saving you time and money. Check out DeckStainHelp.com for the latest up to date information for deck restoration articles, deck stain ratings, and wood deck tips and advice.

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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 Cleaningdeck stainDeck Staining 101

101 Deck Staining Tips

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There is all kinds of advice on the internet when it comes to tips for deck restoration. While reviewing websites I came across this extensive article. It has 101 Deck Staining Tips that I found to be pretty much right on the money.

101 Deck Staining Tips

It is a very good read and since the site carries many of the higher end products, I thought it would be useful for others to see.

Some of the key aspects are:

  • Deck Cleaning Tips
  • Deck Staining Tips
  • Future Maintenance

One of my favorites was:

# 101. Relax, have dinner or a party on your beautiful newly refinished deck!

Since that is what having a deck is all about!

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Deck Staining 101

How to Stain Your Deck Like a Pro

by Clay
written by Clay

1

Having spent my entire adult life working with paints and stains, it didn’t take long for me to figure out that homeowners who stain their own decks, for the most part, end up at the conclusion of their project, dissatisfied. Dissatisfied, after staining their deck, that their deck didn’t turn out looking as good as they thought (or hoped) that it would. Dissatisfied that after all of their hard work, all their pain staking labor, the stain doesn’t hold up and, almost over night, their beautiful project again begins to weather from nature’s elements.

Dissatisfied that, no matter what they have tried, the result is always the same…a lousy looking deck that seems to always look like it needs a little attention.The solution however, is not all that difficult…if you want your deck to look like a pro did it…to hold up to weather like a pro did it…then you have to stain it just like a pro would…and that means paying attention to 11 (no not 10, but 11) simple keys to success. 11 keys that, when followed, literally guarantee you of a great looking, long-lasting result but, when overlooked, can result in a disastrous conclusion. Beginning with…

1. Take your Time…

I can’t stress this point enough…with every step of the staining process…from the beginning to the end…take your time. When the project is completed and your tools are all cleaned up and put away, nothing will have had a greater impact on the quality of the job that you have done than this single point. It can mean allowing that new pressure treated lumber that you just built your new deck with to weather for a few months to dry out before staining…it can mean allowing the stain stripper that you are using to be left on the surface long enough to break down that old finish before you rinse it off. It can mean taking your time to not slop stain over anything and everything that gets in your way or it can mean waiting to start your project until the weather fore cast is favorable but, in all cases, during all the steps of the staining process, take your time to do it right!

2. Preparation…Preparation…Preparation…

This part you have probably heard before but I really can’t over emphasize its importance…preparation is key to the final result. All wood needs to be cleaned well before staining, whether it’s a brand new deck, that you just had built, or an older deck that’s been out in the weather and needs to be re-stained. Brand new lumber needs to be cleaned to remove “mill scale”, which is simply a crushing of the grain in the wood that takes place during the milling process and, left un-cleaned, can prevent stains from properly penetrating into the woods surface.

woodcleaner-smallOn an older deck, dirt, graying from the sun, mildew and old stains all need to be removed prior to staining. Sodium Percarbonate cleaners, also known as oxygenated bleaches, are a great choice for this step. They are highly effective at cleaning the wood yet they won’t harm plant life and vegetation. Best of all, they won’t hurt you either…their soapy consistency won’t burn your skin.

stripper1gal-smallIf there is a build up of old stains on the deck then the job gets a little tougher but not impossible…instead of a sodium percarbonate cleaner you’ll need to use a stain stripper. Strippers are a little more caustic so follow the directions carefully, but they work great and will remove most weathered stains in a single application.

Lastly, if there are small spots of stain that wouldn’t come off during the cleaning process, once the deck has dried, they should sand off fairly easily using a palm-type sander. Left on the deck, those spots of stain will show through the new finish and detract from the deck’s final appearance. Some stain manufacturers offer a free instructional DVD to help walk you through this entire process…they’re a terrific tool to use to be sure that you do it right the first time. Here’s an example:

3. Brighteners are Beautiful…

brightener-smallIn the staining process, no step is skipped more than this one yet it is, by far, the easiest step to do and it will have a dramatic effect on the final results. Brighteners are easy to apply, they help open up the surface of the wood to improve penetration, they neutralize any stain strippers that were used, and they restore the appearance of old weathered wood to the way it looked when it was brand new. Now that’s a lot of things for one product to accomplish but brighteners will do all of that so don’t skip using them.

And remember I said that they are easy to use…simply spray them on, wait a few minutes, and rinse them off…no scrubbing, no “elbow grease” needed…no reason to not use them!

4. Rinse like Mad…

Use lots and lots of water after using any cleaning chemicals. In spite of the fact that some of these chemicals can seem safe and harmless, they all need to be rinsed off extremely well after they are used. Left in the wood, these chemicals can y resurface over time and begin attacking, and breaking down the new stain so, once you are done cleaning, rinse the deck like mad to get all of the chemicals out of the wood.

5. Stay Away from the Cheap Stuff…

Alright…the deck is cleaned, dry, and ready to be stained…now is not the time to scrimp…when you go to buy the stain that you plan to use, stay away from the cheap stuff! You always get what you pay for…better ingredients cost more money. If you expect premium results then you’ll need to buy a premium product. There is a difference in quality when it comes to resins, pigments, mildecides and many of the other materials that make up a gallon of wood stain so…stay away from the cheap stuff if you expect it to last.

6. Take a Look at Waterborne Stains…

epoxy-smallWater based stains have gotten to be really good products, so, if you have been reluctant to look at them in the past, don’t be reluctant any longer. Air quality regulations have forced manufacturers to really focus on these products and I believe that they are now better, more durable and longer lasting than conventional oil-based alternatives. Besides, they offer some real advantages to the user…they clean up with soap and water, there are no nasty solvents to breathe, they have significantly better resistance to weather, the wood doesn’t need to be completely dry to use them, they dry more quickly than solvents, rain is not as big of an issue with them and they are much easier on good old’ mother earth.

In addition, some of the waterborne stains are synthetic as well, such as the Defy deck stains. This is a nice feature in that synthetic products will be far less susceptible to the growth of mold, mildew and algae so, if you’re in area with a fair amount of moisture and humidity, there could be some real advantages in you considering a waterborne synthetic stain. After all, you wouldn’t use oil based products on your house…why would you use them on your deck…

7. Read the Can…Follow the Directions…

Every manufacturer’s product can be a little different so always read the label for directions. It only takes a few minutes but it will insure that you have all of the right information before you get started. How many coats of stain to apply…how long to wait between coats…how long to wait after cleaning…how long to allow wood to weather. There are any number of variations of answers to these questions and more…read the label first and you’ll be likely to get it right the first time.

8. More IS NOT always Better…

Decks are best stained with a semi-transparent product…these types of products allow the natural grain of the wood to show through, allow the wood to naturally breathe vapor through it, and, when weathered, they are easily cleaned off and reapplied. But don’t be fooled…with semi-transparent stains, more is not better. Pay attention to the manufacturers directions and don’t over apply these products…you’ll end up with a beautiful, shiny finish that will probably peel off over time. When too much stained is applied a film can form, much like paint, that will longer allow vapor to pass through it. When this happens the end result will be peeling and that’s a real mess so…only apply as much stain as the wood can easily absorb.

9. The Paint Brush is Still King…

There are a lot of different ways to put the stain down with…sprayer and roller being two popular methods…but in the end, keep a paint brush at hand as…the paint brush is still king! Nothing will work the stain deep in to the pours of a board like a agitation and friction caused by a paint brush so, if you are spraying or rolling the material on, always back-brush it in while the stain is still wet and you’ll achieve much better penetration in to the wood.

10. Remember…Take Your Time…

I told you at the start of this article to take your time…keep taking your time all the way through till the end. And when your project is finally done…take a little extra time before you start using it. Let your deck dry out good before putting it back in use…let the stain cure out a bit before subjecting it to the rigors of patio furniture and foot traffic. You’ve done everything right to this point…don’t give up at the end.

11. How about a Little Maintenance…

Oh yes…and one final thing…don’t forget a little maintenance…a little TLC…a small amount of effort can keep your deck looking great longer. Just as you would wash the dirt off of your car, wash down the surface of your deck every now and then to keep leaves and dirt from doing damage to the finish. If things start to break and the stain starts to show signs of graying or loosing its color, it can be easily cleaned up with a little wood brightener and, with the application of a light maintenance coat of stain, your deck can look new again.

So that’s it…that’s all there is to it. Eleven keys to deck staining success. Go ahead and try them…try the eleven keys for yourself…see what the results are when you set out on your next project to do it like a pro. You may just surprise yourself!

*Helpful Tips

You can really speed the process up by using a scrub brush on the horizontal boards. These brushes can be found in the cleaning section of most home improvement stores. Get the type that can be attached to a 4 foot extension pole and now staining the surface of the deck will go nearly as fast as mopping your floor!

When staining the deck rails take care not to splatter stain on the deck surface below as it will most likely leave unsightly darker spots when you are done. The easiest way to avoid this problem is to cover the deck below the rails as you work. I use the cardboard from the box the stain came in and cut out notches in the cardboard so it will fit snugly around the rail posts.~

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