Sealant, stain, and paint all have the potential to be applied to the deck to provide varying degrees of protection. Before applying any stain or paint, the surface of your deck needs to be prepared. All you have to do is prepare your wood, give it a good wash, and then you will be able to get stuck right into deck coating.
As eager as you may be to put that stain on the deck, it is important to prepare the surface correctly before applying stain. The stain needs some time to soak into the wood before fully drying, so avoid sanding the deck under direct sunlight. You will know that the time is right to stain your deck when drops of water splashed onto the surface soak quickly into the wood. If your deck has been stained before, adding another coat of stain is not going to achieve your goals for protecting your wood.
In that case, you are applying the stain at the edges of the deck, which are running up the walls of your home. Because of the shapes of the deck railings, you will have to use a brush to apply the stain to that portion of the deck. When staining a deck, you are going to be covering your whole wooden surface in a few thick, matte coats.
The paint will also form a thick layer above the surface, rather than penetrating into the wood as stains will. While stain for solid wood decks will form a layer on top as well, it is formulated with very fine consistency that helps it to penetrate into the wood and maintains the natural grain of the wood. The added thickness of paint nearly entirely covers up even the natural wood grain.
Deck stains also offer waterproof qualities, but they also add pigments to wood, with different levels of opacity, ranging from semi-transparent to full. This is essential if using opaque paints or stain, but less necessary if using semi-transparent deck stain and products like it. Deck stains also help to protect your deck by protecting it against water, rot, mold, and other annoying problems.
Deck sealant can be applied with a roller, a paint brush, or even with a paint sprayer. Deck sealant is usually a clear coating, which penetrates the wood deeply and forms a clear film over the surface, preserving the natural finish of the wood.
If you apply solid stain or clear sealer, then you cover areas of your deck with planters or furniture, these areas protected from sun exposure should be sanded. For aging decks with splitwood, applying a solid stain can buy you several years of life. To maintain the beauty of your deck and extend its lifespan, your deck needs staining every two or three years.
If you are staining a new deck, or one that has been pressure treated, staining might be a better choice, as it brings out the natural graining of the wood. If you have a brand-new deck that was built using treated wood, you are better off holding off for a couple weeks so that the wood is completely dry, so that the stain can be absorbed more completely.
An older painted deck eventually needs a new coat of stain, or you may want to think about stripping it down and staining. If you’re needing help with taking care of your deck you can call on decking services, that are experienced. Simply stain your old wood deck with thick, acrylic deck repair paint, which creates a smooth finish that will last years. Next, carefully select the color of the decks wooden covering, as deck restoration coverings soak up lots of heat and hold on to that heat for much longer than untreated wood.
If your deck is made from a nice piece of wood, then proper staining and finishing enhances that. It is hard to get the color and uniform look across your entire deck unless you stain all of your wood at once.
Semi-transparent stains are best suited for gorgeous wood decks, like thick cedars and redwoods, where you want to keep the natural colors of the wood while showing off their beauty. A good stain seals in the wood grains, so that moisture does not get into the wooden deck and rot it. Once you have applied a stain, any further layers will not adhere to it in the same way that the first layer of stain adheres to the wood grain.
If the water beads, then you need to sand down the wood slightly before applying the stain or varnish. If the wood is stained, muddy, chipped, damaged, or mildewed, or the paint is peeling, you need to fix that problem before applying another layer. Both painting and staining will extend the lifespan of your wood outdoor deck.
