How to Prep an Older Deck for Re-Staining

Make repairs

Make any necessary repairs before re-staining.

• Secure any loose fasteners on the deck with a hammer or cordless drill.
• Replace large areas of rotted wood or entire boards if necessary. Use an oscillating saw with a plunge blade to remove rotted sections at the joists. Use a pry bar to pull up boards.
• Repair any rotted spots on boards. Pancione says to scrape out the rotted wood, then fill it with a stainable two-part wood filler epoxy.

Prepare the Area

Get your deck and surrounding areas ready for the prepping process.

• Protect nearby plants with a fabric drop cloth.
• Remove all furniture, rugs and personal items from the deck.
• Clean off all loose debris with a push broom or leaf blower.

Strip Off Any Previous Water/Acrylic Finish

If your deck has been previously stained or painted, the finish will need to be removed before re-staining. “Old coatings should all come off first,” Otto says, “Bring it down to bare wood for best results.”

• Wear eye protection, acid-resistant gloves, pants and long sleeves.
• Shake the paint and stain stripper and pour it into a paint tray.
• Working in small sections, roll on a thick coating using a ½ in. or ¾ in. nap roller and an extension pole.
• Let the stripper settle into the wood for 15 to 45 minutes. If the stripper starts to dry during this period, re-wet it with water.
• Scrub the boards with a stiff bristle broom or use a floor scraper to remove thick layers of paint.
• Rinse thoroughly with a pressure washer.
• Repeat these steps for any remaining stain or paint.

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Clean the Deck

Next, wash the deck with a deck cleaning product to remove dirt and grease.

• Wear latex gloves and protective eyewear.
• Wet the wood with a garden hose and apply a liberal coating of the cleaner using a pump sprayer. Use a 50/50 solution if your deck is mildly dirty.
• Let the cleaner sit for 10 to 15 minutes before scrubbing with a stiff bristle broom.
• Rinse with a hose or pressure washer.

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Neutralize or Brighten the Deck

Brighteners or neutralizing products help restore the wood to a bright, new-looking finish. “If the wood is discolored from aging, and the intention is to keep the natural look of the wood, wood brighteners bring the wood back to its original appearance,” Pancione says.

It also neutralizes any remaining chemical residue on the wood and is a critical step before applying water-based stains.

• Soak the deck with a hose.
• Apply a wood brightener using a pump sprayer.
• Use a scrub brush to clean the wood, scrubbing in the direction of the wood grain.
• Rinse with a lower pressure with a wider fan on the pressure washer to wash away the soap/chemicals. “This will likely leave a raised grain on the wood, which will result in the need to sand the surfaces being stained,” Pancione says.

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Sand the Deck Before Staining

Allow at least 24 hours of dry time from previous steps before attempting to sand. This can be done with an orbital sander for smaller decks or “you can rent a larger sander from a home center,” Pancione says. He also suggests sanding the top rail of your railing to prevent splinters.

• Lightly sand the deck with 150-grit sandpaper. “That’ll knock down any raised wood fibers and give a much smoother finish,” Otto says.
• Blow off the sanding dust with a leaf blower.

Pro-tip: Pancione says to let the deck dry for several days before applying any stains to the surfaces.

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Assess the Weather

• Before staining a deck, watch your local weather for a stretch of several days of clear, dry weather.
• Follow the manufacturer’s humidity and temperature recommendations before applying stain.

FAQs

What is the best deck stain for an older deck?

What deck stain to choose depends on the condition of the wood and your personal preference. “If you want to see the natural wood grain, then a transparent stain is great,” Otto says, “If it’s more than five years old and hasn’t been maintained in the past, oil stain will soak into the wood better and preserve it longer.”

Semi-solid and solid stains are great at covering imperfections in an older deck, too.

How much deck stain do I need for my deck?

This will depend on the type of stain you choose and the size of your deck. Measure the square footage of your deck (length X width) and follow the manufacturer’s coverage estimate on the product label.

How long should deck stain dry before rain?

When preparing a deck for stain, make sure to consider weather conditions. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendation for allowable time before a rain. This time frame will vary from product to product.

Is my deck too old to re-stain? Is it worth it?

Wood decks typically last 15 to 20 years if cared for correctly. If your deck is 20 years or older, it may be time to replace it. Consider putting the money you would have spent staining it toward replacement costs.

About the Experts

• Rachel Otto is the paint department manager at Fleury Lumber in Easthampton, Massachusetts, specializing in Benjamin Moore products. She has 10 years of industry experience.
  
• Shayne Pancione is the owner of Pancione Painting Plus a full-service residential and commercial painting company in Easthampton, Massachusetts. He has over 25 years of experience in the trade.