[Sticky] Deck Staining Help

You would have to sand it off to fix this.

I live in SoCal (Santa Barbara) and have a redwood deck that I built about 20 years ago.

Full sun. Slight mildew issues.

Previous stain/sealers include Super deck (before Sherwin Williams) and One Time (they claim that they have a unique and proprietary acrylate resin blend).

It’s been at least 7 years since I have done any treatment. For prep I have used deck cleaner and pressure washer and sanded most of it.

I ordered Defy Semi Transparent Stain but was informed the next day that they cannot ship to Calif. because of the VOC rating.

Now I'm looking at Armstrong Clark and TWP 1500 (The TWP 100 is also on the "will not ship to Calif. list)

Any recommendations on which one I should use?
Thanks in advance.

Try Armstrong Clark.

Posted by: @administrator

Try Armstrong Clark.

Yeah that's the one we were leaning toward. What about Semi-Transparent vs Semi-Solid?

Also, Is there any recommended treatment for cracks in the wood or better to just live with the cracks? (See Photos)

Thanks for your advice.

Do not worry about cracks, they are normal. Your prep is not sufficient though. You have to strip and brighen all of this to remove the prior coating. Use Restore A Deck Stripper/Brightener Kits with both stripper additives.

After the prep is done, use either the semi-transparent or semi-solid colors.

I plan on sanding the surface to remove old material, splinters etc. Would that not be sufficient or should I still use a stripper/brightener after sanding?

Stripping and Brightening are easier and it leaves your wood more porous than sanding.

Posted by: @administrator

Stripping and Brightening are easier and it leaves your wood more porous than sanding.

Got it. Thanks. Will it remove all the old stain? Sanding removes most, if not all, depending how much time you spend.

It should remove most.

Hello and thx for any advice you can give.  We had our deck completed August 2021 and the contractor never stained it until July 2022.  Well the day after staining part of the deck had black spots, streaks etc.   The stainer came back out and sanded it down and reapplied- now the deck is two different colors and I don't even know if the untouched area has enough stain coverage?  We did have our posts stained a darker color than everything else but i can't tell if he used the post color on the floor?  Or if this color is bc of two coats?!?  And some beads water and the other is bone dry- just very odd...  To make things worse the black "mold?" is not all gone.  Do we need to have this redone?  Any and all guidance would be appreciated.

 

You will need to remove all and start over. Strip and brighten down to the bare wood.

Hello. I had a new cedar fence installed the end of December and I'm planning to stain with Armstrong-Clark Semi-transparent Sierra Redwood. I was told to let it weather for 3-6 months, and I'm hoping to stain it within the next month.

I live in Philadelphia, PA and there is partial sun on the fence.

A couple questions:

• Do I need to do any cleaning/brightening/stripping if it's new? There doesn't seem to be oxidation at this point and the wood looks pretty clean.

• I'm planning to stain both sides since both are visible in some areas. In the areas where the fence is hidden, is it better protection to stain that area, even if it's not seen?

• The cedar is tongue and groove. Should I stain the T&G joints as well as the sides for best protection?

Thanks much for your advice!

-Dan

Is the wood smooth or rough sawn cut?

Stain all exposed wood. If you can see it from any angle, stain it.

@administrator Hi and thank you. The wood is milled but not sanded. According to the fence company it doesn't have mill glaze on it. 

If it is smooth cut then it has mill glaze and has to be prepped. Only rough sawn cut would not have to be prepped.