Wood Deck Staining & Sealing Tips

Making the process of cleaning and staining a wood deck easier.

It took some time, but earlier this summer I did finish staining all the wood around the exterior of my house, which included – the lake gazebo, dock and then the two decks on the house.

I finally took the photos to show how the decks on the lake side of the house look now that they have all been freshly stained. You can also see the products that I used to get the big job done without too much effort… in time to enjoy all for the summer.

I started the project back in the spring on the dock using a semi-transparent stain. It was pretty easy to apply and a million times better than the failed deck stain that I used at my previous home 6 years ago.

After the dock was done, I moved to the upper deck on the house.

I finished the project by staining the main deck that wraps around the main floor of the house.

Deck Surface BEFORE

We use this deck on a daily basis 9 months a year. It is worth the time and effort to keep it looking its best.

When we first moved into the house, the deck had been recently stained. So it has been about 5 years. Doing deck stain research, I learned that most deck stains last about this long on decks, longer on upright wood, like railings. It was time to get it cleaned and re-stained.

The hardest part of the whole project seriously was picking out the stain color. I thought I had it figured out, but when I applied the color – it was way too red/orange. Back to the color charts I went, not just once, but a few times.

Deck Staining & Sealing AFTER

The problem was that since the deck is so large, the previous finishes had faded to many colors of brown-rust on the deck flooring and railings. One area still looks dark brown, while another looked rust and other sections were totally worn. Plus, I wanted the deck, gazebo and dock to all look the same color.

When I tried a sample pot of a stain color on one part of the deck, it would look fine, but too dark or light on another.

If only the previous owner had left a can of the stain they used in the garage when we bought the house, the color selection would have been super easy. :-)

What I ended up doing was mixing two colors of stain to get the best overall color.

I took the photos for this post during the “Golden Hour” that happens around an hour before sunset. I love it at this time of day, even on hot, humid days like we have been having.

We like to sit outside to eat, read and just gaze out at the lake.

The yard around my house is dappled in sunlight and shade that casts interesting shadows and light.

Deck railing flower boxes

It is one of the features I love about the house. So many homes around us have no trees and are in full sun all day.

What Is the Best Stain To Use on a Wood Deck?

The best stain to use on a wood deck comes down to a few things. Most major brands of stain sold at home improvement stores work well.

Behr Semi-Transparent Stain in Chocolate.

For me, it came down to color. After looking at stain colors at Lowes and Ace Hardware, I found the best color matches for my deck in the Behr line sold at Home Depot.

This formula of stain & sealer comes in a few ready-made colors and also a large variety of custom colors.

The color I ended up using on the deck, dock and gazebo was a 50/50 mix of ready-mixed Chocolate with a custom color – Chestnut.

The stain & sealer comes in 3 formulas – Transparent, Semi-Transparent and Solid. I like semi-transparent because it has some color to hide imperfections in the wood, but you can still see the wood grain. This is different from a solid stain, which is opaque like paint.

All the formulas are water-based and clean up with soap and water. Always read the application instructions on the can label for important details about temperatures and drying times.

How to Apply Stain to a Wood Deck

supplies needed:

• 5″ – 6″ Stain Brush
• Threaded Extension Pole
• Empty 5 gallon paint bucket and lid – bought at any home improvement store. This is needed to pour gallons of stain in to make it easier to carry and simplify dipping the brush. You can buy a 5-gallon size of stain, but it is so heavy and not easy to move around.
• Old shoes that can get stained.
• Rubber gloves
• Power Washer
• Mold Armor Deck Mold and Mildew Cleaner

Should I Use a Brush or Roller To Stain My Deck?

This inexpensive 6″ wide brush that I screwed onto a paint roller extension pole made the staining process easy.

You can use a roller to stain a deck, but I have found that when you use a brush you can push the stain down into the wood more while following the pattern in the grain. With a roller, it can sit on the top depending on the roller and pressure used.

My Deck Staining Process

Since we have a lot of wood to stain, I sectioned the deck and did one section at a time so it would not feel overwhelming.

Wait for the deck surface to be in the shade and the temperature to be around 80 degrees – not too hot or humid. Make sure there is no rain in the forecast.

I applied two coats of stain, allowing at least a day for the first coat to dry before applying the second coat. It took a week to do the main deck, but only 1 – 2 hours of work each day as most of the time was to allow for the first coat of stain to dry.

• Ed cleaned each section of the decking first with a power washer and cleaning solution. After power washing, he rinsed the deck well with clean water and then let it dry. Cleaner used is linked in the supplies list above.

• When the wood was completely dry, I stained the section.

• I applied a second coat 2 days after doing the first coat to make sure the first coat was dry.

• When one section was done, I moved onto the next section to repeat the process.

• After you complete one section, clean the brush well with hot soapy water and then hang it upside down so excess water drains from it. It will be dry and ready for the next staining session.

We are very happy with the results. As you can see the sealer is working well by pooling water that allows it to dry faster and not get into the wood.

Since the deck is now stained and sealed, it should hold up for another 6 years. We are enjoying being able to sit out on it and enjoy the view.

More Staining Projects Around the House

• Using Black Stain vs Black Paint on Wood