We built deck 5 years ago & used Thompson water seal. 2 years later we power washed & restrained with same product. Now another 3 years passed...

Never used or heard of the Valspar prep so not sure on its effectiveness or not.

I purchased a All-In-one Wood Prep from Valspar. Its supposed to clean and brighten. I assume this would be okay to use? Or what is best cleaning prod...

You should be able to clean and recoat if using the same stain and color.

No. You cannot use any other brand over this coating. It needs to be stripped. Use the Restore A Deck Stripper Kit with the Booster and Gel additives....

There is not a way to prevent dirt. You can lightly wash it as needed with soapy water and a soft bristle brush like the ones you use to wash a car.

Look at one of these brands:/p>

That is correct on coverage and all stain brands are close to that coverage amount. Try to stain within two weeks of prep.

My deck is prepped and ready to be stained. I had planned to use Armstrong Clark semi-transparent stain. It says it covers 150-200 sf/gallon. This is ...

We would not sand. Use a deck cleaner and then lightly pressure wash. Wood brightener after. If you still have a few splinters. Lightly hand sand thos...