Staining a deck is something that you are going to have to get used to if you want the deck to look good and last as long as possible, below we are going to stain two decks, one deck is brand new and has never been previously stained (but is tanalised) and the other deck has been treated with deck stain before.
When choosing a decking stain ensure you choose a good quality one and ensure you shop around. This tin of Cuprinol decking stain was £25 at B&Q but only £14.40 at Travis Perkins.
If you are using more than one tin of stain it is important to mix them together in a larger container, failure to do so can mean the stain will appear patchy. Many of todays water based stains require at least two or three coats of stain.
Do not use regular wood stain or fence stain as it is not as durable as decking stain.
For staining this deck we used Cuprinol "ultra tough Decking stain", which started to flake off after just a few months, you can read the review here-
Cuprinol Ultra tough decking stain review
Because of the failure of the stain after just a few months, I would not recommend using any stain on the deck at all but would use a "decking oil" instead.
Staining new decking
This decking is being brush stained, before applying the stain the deck was cleaned using a vacuum to remove any dust, it was then sprayed with a coat of clear wood preserver that has soaked right into the timber, this is important especially on the cut ends of the deck boards.
Three coats were eventually applied to this deck!
A large 4 inch wide paint brush was used to apply the stain and the tin was stirred several times, even during use to ensure the stain covered correctly.
Staining old decking
This is an older deck and has previously been stained.
When staining previously stained decking it's a good idea to choose a similar colour as staining over brown with green will not always work well !
The first step is to get the decking as clean as possible, here we are using a deck scrub to clean the decking. If the decking is particularly dirty it may require power washing a few days prior to re-staining it.
Depending on how loose the original decking stain is you may have to sand the decking, it's a good idea to do this if possible as it provides a better key for the new stain.
Ensure the stain is thoroughly mixed, even during use.
A large 4 inch wide brush will ensure that you cover the deck quickly and evenly.
Once finished the decking should look good for a couple more seasons!
