Deck Staining

[snagger]

2 years ago I stained my cedar deck for the first time. I was sure to let it sit for a year or so before I stained it. Unfortunately nearly all of the stain pealed off. I think my issue was the fact that some wood has a mill glaze on it and you need to sand it off or the stain won't soak in. So, I now have power washed the entire deck which basically stripped off almost all of the old stain. I then sanded the entire deck. I now plan to take a leaf blower and broom and make sure all the dust, etc. is off it and it's clean. But....I read an article that states that if it rains after you sand a deck that you have to start over and power wash and sand it again. That doesn't make sense to me. Anybody have any experience or advice?

 

Thanks.

[RebelSS]

Makes no sense to me either.  I've stained a lot of decks in 25 years, including my own. Just did my top rails yesterday. Here's MY views/experiences/opinions, for what they're worth, on deck staining: Make sure it's dried out well, meaning at least 4-5 days with sunny, dry weather. Never stain in the sun; wait for a cloudy day with no rain for at least 48 hrs. If it's been cleaned well, blow deck off with yard blower right before you do it. I like to do mine in mid-May, AFTER the tree pollen and maple whirlies and such have all come and gone. Use a low-nap roller or a brush. I put my 4" roller ( or  cut a standard roller cover in half) on an aluminum extension handle, fill the pan half-full of stain, roll excess off good on pan tray, and "walk" it forward on half of board slowly, overhanging edge, slowly, then back all the way back on other board half.   Are you using an actual "stain", or preservative with a stain? There are transparent preservatives that have no stain, semi-transparent with stain (as in "cedar" colored semi-transparent stain, which is what I use)  and stains with preservatives. Keep in mind, whatever you pick will be  darker after it is put on. I do not care for the new "water-based" stains/preservatives that are out there right now, if you've used an oil based preservative in the past on it, (most have linseed oil in them) they will not sink in well, or will not work at all. Just had a friend call me in tears last year, she had spent a ton of money on a 5 gal pail of stain (which would covers one HE** of a lot of deck or decks) because the dork at some Home Improvement place had told her "Yes, this is oil based stain"....which I told her to make SURE she gets, as that's what we had been putting on her deck. Anyway, she had starting rolling it on, and it was all tiny bubbles just sitting there....would wipe right off. Went and took one look, and told her it was water based. "No, it's not...he assured me". Right. Pointed to ingrediants on her $180 pail of "stain"......" a water-based latex mix"...we'll leave it at that. Never knew a cute female could swear like that. I would guess that's why yours peeled off. If it's prepped right, it's wood, it's dry, and it's an oil based stain, that wood will suck it in  like a sponge...which is exactly what you want. Lot of good ones out there; just make sure you read the label on the can, not what  Waldo the sales pup tells ya. Good luck. 

[PurpleFloyd]

Not necessary. Just make sure it is dried pit before you do it again.

If the stain has resins in it to form a film finish then it is important to do all sides of the board or the untreated sides will take in moisture and that will cause the finish to fail from underneath.

[leechlake]

Not that it matters at this point but there is no mill glaze, it's just raw cedar.  No need to sand either.

Bottom line is staining decks is harder than any commercial makes it sound.  The main problem is the horizontal surfaces and the weather they receive.  I think your best option is as Reb said a semi-transparent oil stain.  Still shows the wood grain but you need some pigment.  Solid may be better but most don't want a painted deck.   Plan on doing it every two years no matter what.  You may get lucky and get longer.  At the cabin I use the super expensive oil stain and it still wants to peel.  There is a lot of sand and that gets tracked onto the deck and with people and three dogs that's a lot of abrasive stuff going on.

Also, did you shovel your deck in the Winter?   A metal edge or snow blower edge can help starting to peel stain.  Once it starts you're screwed.   My first deck I made a long time ago I was so into it that I lugged the snowblower onto it in the Winter and blew the snow off...it also peeled the stain.

[smurfy]

maintence free deck works for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Cooperman]

32 minutes ago, smurfy said:

maintence free deck works for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I agree, It may cost more up front, but in the long run you come out way ahead. I know this doesn't help you Snagger, so I'll leave the refinishing up to the guys that know what they are talking about. Good luck!

[Surface Tension]

  Don't use the same product you used the 1st time.  Deck stain comes in two types. One that sits on the surface and one that penetrates into the wood.  Guess which one you used the 1st time.  Never use that on a new deck and if you got it all off by pressure washing your lucky.

 The pressure washer is going to raise the grain or more like rip up the surface.  Unless your removing peeling paint, in the future use a deck cleaner and a stiff brush to clean the deck before staining. You'll be surprised how well that works. 

[JeremyCampbell]

On 4/22/2016 at 7:34 AM, Surface Tension said:

  Don't use the same product you used the 1st time.  Deck stain comes in two types. One that sits on the surface and one that penetrates into the wood.  Guess which one you used the 1st time.  Never use that on a new deck and if you got it all off by pressure washing your lucky.

 The pressure washer is going to raise the grain or more like rip up the surface.  Unless your removing peeling paint, in the future use a deck cleaner and a stiff brush to clean the deck before staining. You'll be surprised how well that works. 

Good tip