How To Prep A Deck Before Staining

Sweep your deck a few times to remove extra dirt grime and dust.

How to prep a deck before staining.

Proper deck cleaning and staining require you to clean up and remove all debris before you can get down to an intense wash. Before staining your deck be sure the wood is dry and free of contaminants. Temperatures below 50 degrees fahrenheit lengthen drying time. When a surface is not clean stains and other finishes have trouble sticking and may end up peeling.

Before you apply stain make sure the surface is clean no dust dirt wood fibers or grease dry and free from mildew. Otherwise let the wood continue drying overnight. Once you have finished the entire surface area use a power washer to reveal a stain free deck. Proper prep is key to successfully sealing a deck.

Clean wood is important too the surface should be free of mildew stains dirt debris and contaminants. Before scrubbing with a stiff bristle broom. Once it s dry you ll be ready to start staining. A good sweeping will get your planks ready for a good scrubbing.

Please subscribe to my channel. Prepare your sprayer with the cleaner and start working on small areas of your deck before moving on to the next. Lightly sand the deck with a drywall sanding pad and 150 grit sanding screen. Repair or replace any loose or broken boards so that future breaks or cracks won t create hazards.

I rented a floor sander from home depot and used 60 grit sand paper to remove the remaining stain from my deck. Then rinse the entire deck and let it dry. Regardless of whether your deck is new or old it is best to power wash and let the deck dry for 48 hours. Then wash the deck using a power washer to.

Stain that s applied to damp surfaces won t adhere well and can crack or peel. Wet the wood with your garden hose and apply a liberal coating of the cleaner using a pump sprayer. Humidity isn t a big issue but it will take longer for your deck to dry. Follow these guidelines for cleaning and sanding decks to prepare for applying stains and paints.

To determine whether your deck is dry enough for staining pour some water onto a small section of the wood. If it s too hot the cleaner may dry too quickly causing uneven penetration.