How To Restain A Deck * Restore-A-Deck System Edition
When I bought my starter home I never imagined how difficult the upkeep would be. And being a single woman made the difficulties that much harder. One day we were sitting in the living room and it started raining from the ceiling. I felt defeated and discourage thinking I'd bitten off more than I could chew. And I ain't one of those "I don't need a man type women." It sure would have been nice to have one that day - LOL. Two plumbers later, neither could find the leak. I'd paid them both fifty dollar for the initial inspection.
$100.00 WASTED
That night I watched about fifteen different plumbing videos. Then the next morning, I climbed onto a ladder and cut a hole into the ceiling - MYSELF. I told my son-in-law to first run the tub. Let it drain. Nothing. Pour water on the floor and NOTHING. Run the shower - BOOM the ceiling was raining again. We pulled off the quarter round at the top of the tub and there it was. Bad construction of the shower wall was the culprit. YouTube taught me how to fix it temporarily. So I took a stab at it.
I know you're probably wondering, what in the hell does this have to do with how to properly stain a deck? Well, it wouldn't be a soul touching product review if you don't know how much it took to gain confidence in my home improvement projects. After I fixed the leak, I WAS EMPOWERED TO MAINTAIN MY HOME ALONE jic he never arrives. I got this!
THE PORCH WAS YUCKY
The following spring, I went on the patio and it looked a hot-*ss-mess. Green goop crawled up the walls. The same gunk spread all over the wood porch. Back to YouTube I went. I settled for the brand Restore-A-Deck because the steps were easy. The instructions seemed simple enough for a one-woman job.
How to Prep a Deck to Paint
Step One
Check the weather. This brand is designed to use as a one day application. However, for proper curing, it can't be rained or walked-on for 24-48 hours. It also needs to be at least 68F and less than 50% humidity during the curing time. So if the weather isn't in your favor for at least two days - DON'T START.
Step Two
Remove everything from the deck and clean the area thoroughly. Be sure to sweep the entire surface to loosen up dirt and grime.
Step Three
Since Restore-A-Deck Stain can be applied on dry or damp wood, spritz the entire porch on low power with a pressure washer. This will get rid of more surface grime left behind after sweeping. Make sure all puddles or standing water dries or is removed prior to using the next product.
If you don't own a pressure washer - no worries. You can use a regular water hose or buckets of water. Also, scrubbing with a brush will loosen the dirt, too.
How to Strip and Restain a Deck
If you don't have a previously stained deck go to STEP 5
Step 4
For previously stained decks, you must first use the wood stripper. It will remove oil and latex based paints and stains. I chose to use the stripper and booster combination from the Restore-A-Deck brand. It made a big difference. I could see the old paint lifting from the surface almost immediately.
Tip: Do not apply stripper and booster with the pressure washer. When you mix the solution, it will be at correct consistency. If you apply stripper and booster with a pressure washer it will add extra water to the mixture. This will dilute the solution to an undesired state. |
Step 5
Add the brightener
What I liked most about the Restore-A-Deck system was the brightener. It reversed the age of the porch significantly. Restore-A-Deck instructions says to apply the brightener immediately after the stripper/booster. Be sure to do this. Don't waste time or you will need to start over as I did in this video. Let sit 5-15 minutes while keeping the deck wet with solution if needed.
Step 6
Rinse the brightener with regular water. Be sure there is no residue left behind. Rinsing with water will stop the activation of the brightener so it doesn't interfere with the stain. Allow the porch time to dry to the touch.
How to Stain a Previously Painted Deck
Step 7
Be sure the weather will remain above 45F. Stir the product well and do no add anything that will dilute the stain. Add protection to all areas you don't want stained. Start with the banisters and gates attached to the porch first. Be sure to clean any drips or spills immediately. If not, you will see the mistakes in the end.
Use a proper staining brush to apply the stain. The instruction says to go one full length of each board and do not break up your stroke. I DID NOT DO THIS. Although I didn't do as directed, my finish did not have any unsightly streaks left in the brush strokes. Apply two coats 40 minutes apart for previously stained decks. However, apply only one coat to a brand new deck.