Steps For Deck Staining

All wooden decks should be stained. Not only does staining a deck protect the deck from ultraviolet radiation, but you get added moisture protection. Staining will also prevent weather damage, like cracking.

Inspect the deck

The first thing to do before staining your deck is to inspect it. Your inspection should include looking at the floor, beams and posts to make sure they are not damaged or rotted. Check that screws or nails are in place and that the railings are not loose.

If a deck is well maintained, any problems found will be minor in nature. If there is rotten wood, or even worse, dry-rot is found, immediate action is required. Rotted pieces of lumber can be replaced with little problem. Dry-rot, on the other hand, is a fungus. It is evidenced by spongy, discolored pieces of wood that easily fall apart when wet.

Clean the deck

The next thing you should do before staining a deck is clean it. You can clean the deck with a pressure washer. After cleaning, let the deck dry a minimum of 24 hours, before doing any painting.

Stain the Deck

After inspecting and cleaning, you are ready for staining a deck. When choosing the stain for a deck, latex stains, being water-based, are easier to clean up and have better weather protection than oil-based stains. Latex stains also have the advantage of being environmentally friendly with no nasty chemical smells. When applying the stain, it is important to apply the stain going with the grain for a professional look.

Professional deck staining by Dependable

Staining a deck is a job that most homeowners can handle on their own with the right instruction and materials. However, if you don’t have the time to put towards staining a deck, Dependable Painting can handle the job for you. Contact us today for a free estimate on staining your deck.