[Sticky] Deck Staining Help

Thompsons is useless and should be removed. Linseed oil will attract mold and should not be used straight. Cedar is naturally resistant to rot and decay but still should be treated with a semi-transparent stain to protect the exposed wood from weathering and UV damage. Wait until Spring. prep by cleaning and removing the Thompsons. Stain with a semi-transparent stain like TWP 1500 or Armstrong Clark.

Quote from administrator on December 29, 11:58
When asking questions on Deck Staining please include:

<ul>1. State you live in</ul>
<ul>2. Full Shade, Partial Shade, or Full Sun</ul>
<ul>3. Type of Wood</ul>
<ul>4. Mold or Mildew Issues</ul>
<ul>5. Main Issues with Previous Stains</ul>

Hi, I live in Maryland; bought a townhouse where the previous owners seem to have minimised repair work.
The deck seems ok, Im not sure what wood it is, but it's been exposed to the elements quite fully- sun, rain etc.

IT does not seem to have been stained ever. I had tried to get a contractor to power wash and stain it but he did the washing and since then hasnt reappeared. my questions are
1) what are the consequences of leaving the deck now that itss been pressure washed as is till the weather is warm again (for staining)

2) can staining/protection be applied even now that it's winter if we get a couple of days without precipitation? is there a minimum ambient temperature requirement?

any help much appreciated.
Thanks so much
W.

1. You will be fine waiting until Spring but you will need to re clean.
2. Depends on the stain you choose but it should be fully dried wood and above 50 degrees. Do not let it freeze over night as well.

Quote from pistolpete on July 26, 04:06
Bumping as I didn't see a response
We bought a lake house a couple years ago with a 12 year old pressure treated deck that needs some attention.
Location: lake of the Ozarks missouri so pretty humid summers.
Lumber: pressure treated pine. Most is 12 years old but some is new where we added on or replaced. All new has been weathering for at least 6 months.
Exposure: most is partial to full shade
Mold/mildew: green mold or mildew is present in many areas
Reason for failure: old stain is peeling off in many places. Guessing it has been at least 3-4 years since anything was done to it. Mold and mildew too.
What is the best method and product to clean it and then re-stain? Probably a solid color, maybe semi transparent. Have about 1000 sq ft and 60 stairs.
Thanks!

Is that a solid stain that is currently on the wood? I think so but hard to tell 100%. Do you have a picture of the verticals/railings?

Also a picture of the lake view would be nice! It has been cold this Winter!

I can see the rails now after clicking on pictures. It is a heavily applied Behr stain. It most likely will not come off 100% so you will probably need to solid stain. Start by stripping off what you can. Use a stripper like the Restore A deck stripper and pressure wash. Concentrate on removing all loose stain, dirt, algae, and mold. Once done you will most likely remove most from floor but maybe 1/2 of old stain from rails. This will be okay to apply a solid but a semi-transparent will not work. You can go with any color now but IMO, I would keep it in the browns to blend with your woodsy surroundings. Look at Floods Solid Decking Stain.

Thanks for the advice I am afraid a lake view wouldn't do much to warm things up, little bit icey! Does TWP make a solid, since it seems TWP generally gets better reviews, or is Flood the best option when it comes to a solid color, I didn't see a solid for either in your reviews.
And for the sections that are new PT wood (been weathering over a year), should I use a cleaner to prep them instead of the stripper before putting on the solid stain?
How often should I plan on re-staining, every couple years?

TWP does not make a solid stain. Newer wood just needs a cleaner. Re-stain horizontals every 2-3 years. Verticals should last twice as long.

who does make a good solid stain?
thanks
W

If the wood has no other coatings on it then try to find a oil based solid stain as they will always perform better then a water based. They are hard to find due to VOC laws so any brand will work. If you have previous coatings an/or you cannot find a oil based versions then look for Flood's Solid Stain in a water based. We have had decent results with it.

Texas
partial shade to full sun
new cedar 8' board on board fence
what stain to use???
I am in texas about to build a cedar board on board fence. I've been looking at fence stain and am still in shock at the price and how often it needs to be reapplied. I think I have narrowed it down to ready seal and twp.
It seems I've read better reviews on twp. but I found a place that sells the ready seal for $101 for 5 gallons.
is the ready seal worth the savings? home depot sells it for close to$150
Also, the neighbor I share the fence with, has informed me they can't afford a fence. So I will be building them a free fence AND staining it for them. Which is my second question. I should stain or seal both side to help the fence last longer. Right? ( I know the answer but I guess I just need to hear it). Is there anyway of cutting cost on staining their side and still protecting the fence? I've thought of buying some cheap thompsons I seen on Craig's list and adding stain pigment to it. I've even considered motor oil on their side. Heh heh

We are not huge fans of Ready Seal as it fades faster then TWP. It is a decent product and better then anything else you can get from HD for sure. You have to take inconsideration that your coverage is much lower with Ready Seal over TWP. You may think you are saving money but when you need 50% more stain with Ready Seal, you actually will end up about the same cost overall. Ready Seal also does not "cure" since it is a non drying stain. Basically this means you have no "seal" from water. Ready Seal does apply easier though.

As for both sides, yes do both in the same stain. Maybe you can get them to at least pay for the stain or do the labor?

I live in West Texas in the desert, very hot, no humidity. I stained one of my patio decks with a stain from Mccoys and it flaked off so I then used linseed oil which lasted around 1 year. After that, I used Cabots which gives a rich transparent color but again it is starting to flake off in the areas that are in full sun. I used Cabots on my doors, window lentils, patio floors and railing and steps. All the sunny areas are flaking but the other areas are fine.
I read about Defy wood stain and it appears to last longer but I would like to know if I have to strip down this one patio floor to use it. I also have a larger patio floor that I did not put anything on yet but it is gray and some areas are discolored. Do I have to strip that patio floor also or just clean them both before I use DEfy? Thanks much!

You cannot put any stain on top of your old coatings. You will need to strip and remove it all first if an old stain is still present. if just gray then you need a deck cleaner. Brighten all when done.

Can i run a concentrated liquid sodium hydroxide through my pressure washer for the application?