How To Wash Deck Before Staining

If your deck is brand new you need to know how to stain a new deck so that it will continue to look clean and dirt free for a while.

How to wash deck before staining. The process removes decaying organic material that might erode the deck surface and prepares the wood for staining. Be sure to sand all rough areas and remove. Before you apply stain make sure the surface is clean no dust dirt wood fibers or grease dry and free from mildew. A new wood deck requires minimal preparation while old or damaged wood will require additional steps to ensure the best results when applying wood stain.

This guide will walk you through the steps for how to prep a deck for stain and explain why cleaning a deck before staining is important. Liberally saturate the deck by dipping the brush into the homemade cleaning solution and sloshing it over the planks. If the stain remains repeat the soak and scrub. A clean deck accepts stain better than a dirty one.

In fact in some situations it isn t even a good idea because. Cleaning helps your stain to find a better finish and less stain encrusted crud you have to clean up later. It doesn t matter whether your deck is brand new or fully fresh or older and damaged you really should clean your deck before staining on it. Regularly sweep off debris.

Power washing a deck is a quick and efficient way to get it ready for painting or staining but it isn t a necessary prerequisite. Generously apply the cleaning solution then scrub to a light lather. If you have a brand new deck made of treated lumber as opposed to cedar or redwood wait at least a few weeks before sealing it for the first time. A big part of knowing how to clean a deck before staining involves finding reasonable deck cleaning solutions and making sure that you use a pressure washer to clean the deck.

Use the water test to check your deck every few months to ensure the sealer is still repelling water. When a surface is not clean stains and other finishes have trouble sticking and may end up peeling. Thoroughly sweep the deck to remove all leaves and other debris. The necessity of cleaning before staining.

Pressure washing can help but if you want your stain to last using a good deck cleaner and brightener on the deck prior to pressure washing will provide you the best result. A good deck cleaner can remove the gray fibers dirt mold mildew and other impurities deep in the wood. Once your deck is clean give it time to dry completely then apply a sealer to keep it looking good for another year.