I put Sherwin Williams solid stain on 15 yr old bare wood decking 2 years ago. It is now peeling off in places where my plant pots sat on top of the stained deck. How should I prepare my deck before applying more solid stain in these worn areas?

Our deck is in good shape where it’s covered, but mildewed and worn where it’s not.  It’s very uneven wear. Can we clean the entire deck, and then brighten just in the areas where it’s rough, or should we strip and brighten the entire thing?  

I am having all my deck boards replaced with "kiln dried cedar" which is not treated cedar.  I was told I could stain kiln dried right away.  Should I likewise wait 3 mos b4 staining?

I have a deck that goes over a koi pond.  because of that, I can't power wash and am afraid to use cleaners that might harm fish.  It had a Benjamin Moore Arborcoat on it before ( I think).  I don't know how to proceed

What cleaner; what sealer do I need to tackle an ipe deck

Hi there. We had IPE installed as wood panelling on our house 5 years ago. I believe what was used on it was Ready Seal Ext base stain and sealer and Verithane ultimate spare urethane oil base varnish. It has not been treated since. We noticed some white areas and realized that we need to treat the wood. In the pics, the vertical piece shows the white (some areas were way more pronounced) and the horizontal wood has been sanded some (most of the surface area has been sanded now). It's obvious from your info here that mistakes were made from the beginning. From what I am reading here, it seems like we should use the stripper, power wash, use the brightener, power rinse, then apply the correct stain for IPE and maintain at an interval of 9-18 months. Will that work for this situation? If any of it sounds iffy for us, should we test an area with the stripper first? Any other suggestions you have will be very helpful. So glad we found your website. Thanks!

(Also posted this under the general Need Help Category, by mistake).
I bought a house which was built in 2002 and has an IPE deck. The previous owner used Messmer's UV Plus clear annually. I did nothing from the time I bought the house in 2016 until last fall. At that time I applied a clear water based sealer that I purchased at a big box store. This summer we decided to add 7 foot wide steps to the deck since it was completely enclosed and had no outside access. The new IPE steps are a beautiful warm brown, and the existing deck was an ugly ashy gray. So we decided to clean the deck in hopes of restoring the original beauty. At the advice of Messmer customer service we first applied Behr Premium Stain stripper (he felt that the cleaner would not penetrate the sealer), and then 2 applications of Messmer Deck Cleaner Part A. It still looked dingy, and there seemed to be a gooey reside from the stripper. So I tried power washing. It got off most of the residue with a great deal of effort, but left some markings all over the surface. I am now trying a light sanding and that seems to be cleaning up the marks but it is still a yellowish color. I tried the Messmer's Deck Brightener Part B in a small area, but it does not seem to improve it much. SO I have two questions:
Question #1: How can I make the deck and the steps match and both be the warm brown like the new IPE steps?
Question #2: Going forward once I am finished, what annual method should I use to keep the look fresh?

how do I know if sanding is necessary before I stain my deck (after I prepare with RAD stripper and brightener)? thanks

I live in Connecticut and just had a new 20 x 15 foot pressure treated wood deck installed with 2 x 6" lumber. Installer recommended that the following needs to be done in the summer of 2021. moisture reading, power wash with bleach, neutralizer to neutralize the bleach, sand entire deck then apply oil based stain (white) followed by latex stain (white). Does this sound correct to you? All your other answers to questions do not mention sanding.

3 years ago I applied Armstrong Clark transparent natural tone stain to my pine deck. I would like to apply this year new coat but semi-transparent most likely driftwood color.

What should be the procedure in my case to prep the deck and will 1 coat be sufficient?

Thanks,

We have a well-weathered cedar deck attached to a home we purchased last year on Vancouver Island. Most of the previous treatment has worn completely away, although there are small sections of stain remaining in places. I assume a stripper, brightener then stain will be the way to go. For some reason I can't understand, I believe using the same manufacturer's stripper, brighter and stain product will minimize my chances of screwing something up and have narrowed my choices down to Restore-A-Deck or Defy products.

- Is there any validity to my belief that using Defy prep product(s) with Defy stain would be better than using R-A-D prep product(s) with Defy stain?
- Is there a reason you offer R-A-D prep products but not their stain?

My deck previously has semi-transparent stain (last application would be more than 10 years ago). Pretty sure it would have been oil-based (I'm in Canada, but this was more than 10 years ago). I've pressured washed and used deck cleaner available locally. I did not use a chemical stripper. I want to go with semi-transparent again, probably just a little darker (cedar color) this time.

Two questions:
1) Picture attached. Does this look like enough prep? Or do I need to go back and use a stripper (which I did not use) or clean and brighten more? The wood does absorb water.

2) Do all your products ship to Canada, or are some not available due to local VOC rules?

Hello. I am refinishing my redwood/cedar outdoor deck. I live in Wyoming where the elevation is 5,200'. The deck was finished with a solid dark brown stain. I sanded everything down to just the bare wood. Do I need to treat this as a "new wood" and wait 2-3 months from when I sanded it, then use brightener and stain?
Or should I brighten it now and stain it?

I did a test where I sprinkled some water on top of the wood. It did not bead up and was absorbed by the wood within minutes. I was told this was a good way to check if the wood is ready to stain?
Thank you!

Other pictures that didn't attach --

Thanks!

In the process of restoring and staining my deck in New York. First off, just wanted to say THANK YOU for the articles, tips, and discussion sections you (The Sealer Store) have provided. They have been extremely helpful and I would be so lost without them. I look forward to purchasing all my materials (stain, cleaners, brighteners, and applicators) from you as a massive thank you.

I have tried to research as much as I can so that you do not have to be redundant. However, these are the questions I still have and couldn’t find answers to. I have provided several pictures at the bottom for reference.

Possible Helpful Information
Location = Long Island, New York
Deck Exposure = 8-10 Hours of Direct Sunlight / per day
Type of Wood = Not sure (Maybe you can tell by the pictures)
Work Completed So Far = The only thing I have done is power wash the deck. I used a 2000 PSI RYOBI power washer with a 40 degree tip and tried my best to stay 6-12 in. from surface.

Remaining Questions
1. Deck Cleaner or Stripper: I recently moved to this house — I know the deck is about 20 years old, but I don’t know if it has had a previous stain on it (maybe you can tell from the pictures). When I do the water test, it absorbs and does not bead up. Therefore, I do not need a deck stripper and can use a deck cleaner, correct?

2. Unknown Substance: In two of the pictures (6 & 7.jpg), you can see that there is an unknown black substance on some of the balusters. It would not come off with the power washer. I am hoping that it will come off with the deck cleaning, but if it doesn’t, are there any specific remedies you think I should try to remove it? If not, is there anything I can do besides staining over it?

3. Sanding: There are some areas that the wood has become frayed and fuzzy most likely due to too much force with the power washer (unfortunately, didn’t read your power washing article before starting). I would like to sand the wood down before staining. I know that you recommend 60 grit so that the wood can remain porous, but I have two sanding questions. 3a) What type of sander do you recommend (I have an orbital sander or pole sander available)? 3b) When in the process do I sand? After the deck cleaning and brightening process or before?

4. Stain: Is there a certain stain you recommend given my location and sunlight exposure listed above? I was on planning on going with one of the high quality stains you mentioned (Armstrong Clark or TWP), but is one better than the other, or is one specific Armstrong Clark/TWP stain better than the other, given the type of wood you see in the pictures, location (New York), and sunlight exposure (8-10 hours/day)?

5. Stain Applicators: Based on the deck in the pictures, what stain applicators do you recommend? Brushes and stain pads for the balusters, and deck mop for the boards?

6. Overall Process: With all the knowledge I have gained, this was my plan for the remainder of the project. Am I missing anything or doing anything incorrectly? Any additional tips you think are important to note are greatly appreciated. Cannot THANK YOU ENOUGH for the resources and insight. Can’t wait to order all the materials!

Step 1 — Deck Cleaner (Follow manufacture’s directions for all steps) RAD Cleaner
- Wet deck before
- Mix properly
- Apply with pump sprayer
- Use deck scrub brush
- Let sit for 5-15 min.
- Rinse with power washer lightly (40 degree tip, 8-12 in. Away) with the grain

*Immediately After (Wood Still Wet) Proceed to Step 2*

Step 2 - Deck Brightener (Follow manufacture’s directions for all steps) RAD Brightener
- Mix properly
- Apply with pump sprayer
- No need for deck scrub brush
- Let sit for 5-15 min.
- Rinse with power washer lightly (40 degree tip, 8-12 in. Away) with the grain

*Wait 48 Hours for Deck to Dry*

Step 3 - Staining (Follow manufacture’s directions for all steps) TWP or Armstrong Clark Stain
- Cover concrete, pavers, house, and outlets
- Apply to verticals first and then horizontals
- Make sure to mix stain
- Apply stain evenly and with the grain (make sure it takes/absorbs and doesn’t puddle)

*Wait 48 Hours for Deck to Dry*

Pictures --

I have an old deck, about 30 years old, that needs dire attention (new owners). Old stain has worn away or is peeling off the floor boards. Not so bad on the railings. Need to replace some rotted areas (not too many) and the top railings are painted green. My questions are:
1. What's the best way to clean/strip this old deck?
2. How do I deal with the green top rails? Strip to bare wood?
3. Do I need to sand everything after cleaning.
4. What's the best stain for an old deck with a maximum life span?
I did some research and Defy Extreme opaque stain has risen to the top of my list but want expert advice before I begin. I want to do this right the first time.
I appreciate your feedback. Thanks in advance.

Replaced all boards on dock and ramp to dock. Late 2017. Let it dry followed stain application directions, applied 2 coats. Had dock cleaned in 2019 because of black mildew (?) on boards. Wood looks dry, not repelling moisture and here is how it looks now. Any ideas? Please don’t tell me we need to restain every year ?

I have a cedar deck I’ve used DEFY Cedar tone stain the area where the sun hits the most is blotchy what is the best way to handle that situation

I just had my mahogany patio power washed and want to restore and protect it. Based on my research, I will go with the Armstrong-Clark semi-transparent formula mahogany color. Do I still need to sand or strip the patio, or can I just apply the stain to what we have now? I realize that the area typically cover by the front door mat is of different color due to less wear and tear -- will it get evened out after applying the stain? Thank you!

Will the deck cleaner/brightener damage paint in house siding? I have Hardie Plank siding.

thank you
Dan