What is the best way to keep your deck looking good when stained?
by
Linda
+13
And what type of brushes, stain is recommended for the best long term beautiful finish?
16 answers
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Benjamin Moore and Behr are good products. It is usually best to apply with a roller. Read instructions on can though.
James A
on Mar 28, 2011
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To get the best results when you are staining a deck, you have to prep it properly. Clean it really well with a bleach solution and pressure wash it. Let it dry for a couple of days and then stain it. I like Sherwin Williams products the best. The people in the paint store can get you set up with the stuff you need.
Darby C
on Mar 28, 2011
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I must disagree with Darby C (or at least clarify his answer). Chlorine bleach is at the extreme high end of the pH scale when it comes to being alkaline. Wood, on the other hand, is naturally slightly acidic and stains are chemically formulated for use on wood. If chlorine bleach is used to clean the wood, it will raise the pH in the wood fiber to a level where the stain will fail almost immediately. If this is the case, you will then have to use oxalic acid on the wood to lower the pH and "blond" the bleach darkened wood before staining. It's best to use an "oxygenated bleach" in limited amounts to avoid ruining the wood. I like to use a roller with a medium nap to apply stain evenly over large areas. To avoid lap marks, you'll have to pay attention to the application. The best deck finish I've ever used is a professional product from Perma-Chink called "Lifeline Endure", you won't find it in the places where "homeowner" type products are sold like the big box stores or hardware stores. It has to be purchased from the manufacturer, go to www.permachink.com to read the info on it. They also have cleaners that do not contain chlorine bleach.
John
on Mar 28, 2011
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I use Olympic Wood Protector Semi Transparent stain. The solid stains look bad when aged; this stuff ages beatuifully. You pick the tone, and they mix it in at Lowes, about $28 a gallon and it covers my entire deck, 12 by 12 feet. I brush it on with a large brush, gets into the cracks, and I have to brush the rails and pickets too. I get the oil based version, it repels water, protects from sun damage, protects from scuffing, and it waterproofs the deck. As far as cleaning, I just swept mine off with a broom, looks great!
Mike
on Mar 28, 2011
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We offer a waterproof product with a 10 year warranty and a nonskid surface . It also kills mold and mildew. Do not have to remove any old stain first.
Intl Coating Services
on Mar 28, 2011
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John, I just signed onto Hometalk and like your info. Would you recommend the same processes for decks that you use on log homes? Also, how does the inferior new growth wood effect your industry?
Peace Painting Co., Inc.
on Jul 26, 2011
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Not sure if I understand your question. If you mean "Do I use the same process for a horizontal deck that I use for a vertical log wall, the answer is absolutey not". Maintenance materials are formulated for a particular use. You cannot use "wall" stain on a deck and you cannot use "deck" protectant on a wall. They are completely different materials doing completely different jobs under completely different conditions. Otherwise, any exposed wood needs protection. After all, there is no bark to provide a shield and the wood is 'dead". Mother Nature starts trying to recycle anything organic almost immediately and if you can stop the first process, (mold & mildew) you can also work on the other source of damage, ........ UV rays that seperate the lignin and allow more checking, ........ which, in turn, allows water to get into the wood and start the mold and mildew process. It's a never-ending cycle of abuse to the surface of the wood. The quick-growth, high sap content, (and barely treated) wood that you buy from any building supply has forced me to do three things. (1) If the owner insists on natural wood decking, I obtain it from a coastal supplier that uses better quality SYP and pressure treats it for marine use. It's actually green throughout. (2) I use Ipe or some other "exotic" wood that resists UV better than most softwoods. (3) I use a synthetic decking like Trex (several name brands ar available) Hope this helps!
John
on Jul 27, 2011
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I've been using Penofin on my Ipe deck for over 14 years...it still looks brand new. I oil it about every 18 -24 months
KMS Woodworks
on Jul 27, 2011
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Thanks, I will check out Perma-Chinck's deck stain. The only problem with Trex is, it mildews too quickly. Is oxygenated bleach difficult to find? Can I just use Oxalic Acid instead?
Peace Painting Co., Inc.
on Jul 27, 2011
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Plus ten on the Penofin
Nichter's Home Services Corp
on Jul 27, 2011
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Oxygenated bleach and oxalic acid are as opposite as night and day. Oxygenated bleach is an alkaline and has a much lower pH level than chlorine bleach, making oxygenated bleach better for cleaning wood than chlorine bleach. Oxalic acid is an acid, (and blonding agent) ......................... the exact opposite of an alkaline. You would use the oxalic acid to try to counteract the effects of bleach on wood and to brighten (blond) the wood. The acid will also remove colored streaks from metallic tannates and rust stains caused by nails and screws. Too much bleach (especially the chlorine type) changes the pH level of the wood and dulls it badly. The wood just looks brighter initially, compared to the dirty condition it was probably in that drove you to the mistake of using bleach. However, a high pH level leaves the surface very dull and completely destroys any chance that a stain can survive on that surface. Perma Chink's cleaner using an oxygenated bleach component is called Wood ReNew and their oxalic acid product is called Oxcon. They also sell the pH strips (we called them litmus paper in school) with a comparison chart to tell you what the pH is of the run-off as you are cleaning the wood so that you can get it within the correct range. I have no problems using an oil-based deck stain as long as it's not here in the South, the humidity here is best described as..................... dripping wet.
John
on Jul 28, 2011
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I'll pass on the dripping wet humidity. John has his science down right. pH is very much something to keep an eye on. Its one reason I don't use Vinegar to clean grout...it erodes the cement base due to its acidity. When I worked in the Pharmaceutical industry we used some serious chemicals to clean the Stainless Steel process equipment. The "first" wash step was heavy with Sodium Hydroxide...very alkaline, to "balance" this and help with the rinsing a Phosphoric Acid secondary cleaning was used. This was followed up with LOTS of rinsing. When decks are cleaned, it is very easy to be skimpy on the rinse side, Avoiding the need to rinse so aggressively by using more neutral cleaners will greatly improve the quality of the staining process.
KMS Woodworks
on Jul 28, 2011
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I just restored my deck after 3 years since I first sealed it, with a 4-step process: 1) Replaced any raised nailes with deck screws. 2) Sprayed the deck liberally with Olympic Deck Cleaner and the wood quickly brightened up. Scrubbed any extra dirty areas, and hosed it all off with a wide fan power washer ( simple hose sprayer works too). 3) When dry, I ran my 5" sander over it (#50 and #60 grit) quickly to remove any wood fiber fuzz created by the cleaning process, or to remove heel marks or other surface imperfections. 4) stain with Olympic Max Waterproof sealer. I use clear, which actually gives the wood a rich deep gold tone. There are very good and more expensive stains out there by Behr and others, but I've been very happy with my $30 Olympic Max Stain. Just stay away from any Thompson products... they don't last.
Tom S
on Jul 28, 2011
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btw - I prefer to use a 3" brush on 6" decking, and always backbrush for even coverage. I don't like using rollers on thin stains - too much flying off onto painted surfaces when I roll fast.
Tom S
on Jul 28, 2011
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I am very pleased with Cabot stain products. My neighbor and I both did our decks at the same time, ours with Cabot and his was professionally done (do not know the product used). Ours still looks great, his looks like it needs to be redone.
Pam
on Jul 29, 2011
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@Tom did you use the water based version or the solvent based for your deck? The Olympic maximum product comes in both formulations.
KMS Woodworks
on Jul 29, 2011
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