[Sticky] Deck Staining Help

Hello, I would appreciate some advice about my decks. We have 2, a small side deck and a larger back deck. We bought the home 5 years ago, the home (and presumably the decks) were 7 years old. About four years ago I re-stained the deck with Behr Waterproofing Wood Finish, which was the brand the previous owners used. It looked good, but started peeling 2-3 years later (I am not sure I used brightener after destaining). I was recently told by a family friend to use urethane as a top coat after the stain next time.

So earlier this year we did the side porch, and used Varathan Spar Urethane as a top coat. It looks ok, but was too smooth and slippery (even though we added Behr Anti Slip Finish Additive to the top coat) so we had to put down anti slip tape.

Now we want to do the back deck, and we were thinking to do the Behr Waterproofing Wood Finish again (mostly because then we don’t need to redo the side rails as those still look good) but use TracSafe anti-slip sealer as a top coat on the floor boards.

But before purchasing that stuff I wanted to make sure it wouldn't hurt the deck. Is there a better option? After reading some of the reviews on your site, I am now more inclined to try something like restore a deck wood semi transparent stain if I could get a similar color to Behr’s Cedar Natural tone, so the railings don’t look weird. What do you reccomend for anti-slip surfacing?

I don’t know much about stain or sealers, but I want to protect the decks better moving forward as we already need to replace a few boards that have rotted.

Thank you in advance for any advice,

L

• 1. I live in MA

• 2. Full Sun

• 3. Not sure, looks like the boards at Home Depot, Premium GC weathersheild 

• 4. A bit of mold and/or mildew at certain joints

• 5. Just didn't last long

Posted by: @lkn8

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• 1. I live in MA

• 2. Full Sun

• 3. Not sure, looks like the boards at Home Depot, Premium GC weathersheild 

• 4. A bit of mold and/or mildew at certain joints

• 5. Just didn't last long

It was stained initially with transparent Behr Waterproofing Wood Finish (Cedar Natural tone), and that is what I restained with 5 years ago. It started peeling after a couple years, but then I got pregnant and had a baby so this summer is the first time I have been able to get around to it again. I was thinking to do the Behr Waterproofing Wood Finish again (mostly because then I don’t need to redo the side rails as those still look good) but use TracSafe anti-slip sealer as a top coat on the floor boards. The pictures above are the only recent pics I have unless you want pics of the can of stain.

I live in the greater Seattle area, Washington, on the north side of a small mountain so it gets a bit more rain and shade than nearby areas.  The upper deck is attached to the back of the house so it's mostly full shade. The lower, larger deck gets partial shade.  We've been in this house for 5 years so I don't know how old the deck is, but there have been a few rotten boards that were replaced two years ago. I don't see pressure treating scores in the deck boards and I can't identify what kind of wood.  When a new aluminum ramp was added 5 years ago, a new small connector of yellow cedar was added and that piece has been a problem with stain wearing off quickly.  Complicating things was a recent pressure washing from some well intentioned but inexperienced young men just starting a business.  They put a bleach solution on the wood and it took a good amount of the stain off before I could stop them.  Up till now, Sherwin Williams Super Deck oil-based transparent stain in the Redwood color has been used and it definitely is holding up better on the boards that have been repeatedly stained.  I was going to book Ace Handyman Services to try to get this restained and could use some advice on how to handle things, so I know what to ask them to do and materials needed.  Thanks!

@lpre You have an overapplication of the old stain from years of use. This needs to be reoed fully down to the bare wood. Look at the RAD Stripper Kit:

https://www.deckstainhelp.com/product/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit/

With both additives:

https://www.deckstainhelp.com/product-category/restore-a-deck-stain-stripper-additives

Once removed, look at using the TWP 1500 Series.

https://www.deckstainhelp.com/product-category/twp-wood-stains/twp-1500-series/

Hello Scott,

I would appreciate your advice regarding preparing and staining my new deck (pressure treated pine) by answering some questions I have.

I live in Southeastern Virginia.  Deck is less than a year old (PT pine bought in mid-Oct. 2025 and deck completed in mid-Jan 2026. Environmental conditions: full sun on deck from 9 am to 2 pm with shade after, high humidity during summers, relatively mild winters with occasional snow, and deck is near trees, but no tree branches extend above it.

1.  I’d like to minimize the maintenance while prolonging the life of the new deck. Would you recommend using a      water-based or oil-based stain on my deck?  What brand (Restore A Deck, TWP 1500, or some other brand)?       

Got couple of estimates from contractors. One recommended Sherwin Williams semi-transparent water-based stain while the other recommended a Sherwin Williams semi-transparent oil-based stain, obviously based on their preference.  Don’t want to use this brand based on your website’s low rating. 

2.  Deck will be soft washed prior to staining. Since deck is less than a year old, is it necessary to use a wood brightener product on it prior to staining regardless of the brand used?  If recommended, can any wood brightening product be used?

3.   How many coats of stain of either a water-based or oil-based stain should be applied to my deck? Should the stain be applied with the wood still damp or when it is completely dry?  I’m hiring a contractor to stain the deck so it may be difficult to coordinate applying the stain with wood still damp.

4.   Does the color of the stain on new wood tend to be lighter than shown on color swatches?

5.   How frequently do you recommend reapplying the stain based on my deck’s environmental conditions?

6.   Some areas on the top surface of some railings are slightly rough and already have some wood splitting, and thus, may need to be lightly sanded prior to staining. Should the sanding be done before or after the soft wash cleaning?

Thank you in advance,

John Sidor

@jspanther 

1. Both TWP 1500 and RAD stains are excellent. Base does not matter. Stay away from SW products. Have you tried to find contractors who specialize in deck restoration? Painters do not always have that much experience and go with poor brands from stores like SW.

2. You have to use both a cleaner and a brightener. Brightener alone will not prep wood.

3. This depends on the brand you choose and is not universal.

4. New wood stains lighter than older wood as it is less absorbent.

5. See this: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/how-long-should-you-wait-to-stain-a-new-deck/

6. Before.

Scott,

Thanks for answering my questions.  You suggested staying away from SW products.  Does this recommendation also apply to SW oil-based semi-transparent stain (not their Modified-oil semi-transparent stain)?  I read your review of the SW SuperDeck semi-transparent stain product, but it seems the review and low rating was only for their water-based stain.

As you suggested, I contacted a couple of contractors who specialize in deck restoration and none of them use the TWP 100 or 1500 series stains (they both only use the SW oil-based stain).  However, one of the two contractors was willing to use the TWP 1500 stain on my deck even though he is not familiar with this product.  Would the application of the TWP 1500 stain be any different than the SW oil-based stain?  If so, is there anything that the contractor should be aware of regarding the TWP stain compared to the SW oil-based stain (e.g. different technique for applying, drying time, use of different type of brushes, application temperature, etc.)?  This specific contractor has been in business for about 6 years, but has many 5 star ratings.

From your experience, is it better to wipe off or brush away any excess stain?

Thanks,

John Sidor

@jspanther Stay away from all SW stains. TWP is easy to apply, the contractor will have no issues and will end up liking it better. We typically do not back-wipe the TWP as it cures and dries into the wood when applied correctly. The only time there is an issue is when an inexperienced homeowner thinks more is better and applies it too thickly. Your contractor, who is experienced, will not have issues.

Scott,

Thanks for your reply. Appreciate it.

@jspanther Send some pics when done!

@deckstainhelp 

I began corresponding with you on this deck 2 years ago. During that time, I waited and let nature take its course. This year I returned to the project. The following is my procedure and question, with pics attached.

That is furring from the stripper. It should have been sanded or buffed out. When you redo it in 2-3 years, strip it off again, remove the furring, brighten the wood, and then re-stain: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/wood-fuzzies-furring-on-deck/

@deckstainhelp 

So when I wrote "A professional contractor performed a mechanical sanding pass across the entire deck using 60-grit sandpaper," you're saying that he should have done another pass with finer sandpaper to remove that furring?

Because...I did the cleaning and prep work and the contractor was supposed to remove the furring with 100 grit paper, sweep and/or blow the deck clean, and then apply the TWP. We discussed this. I was very clear and had him demonstrate what he was going to do since I was going to out of town.

Why he used 60 grit paper and then (I'm guessing) didn't do another pass to remove the furring that he must have created is beyond me and I'm trying to understand. Thanks for your insight.