Staining Your Deck

Instructions:

1. The beauty and durability of any stain job depend on both the quality of the stain and proper surface preparation. Customers often spend hours choosing just the right product and color, yet give little or no thought to surface preparation.
2. Look for problem areas and obvious construction defects. The surface should be in a good, sound condition, i.e. the wood has not begun to erode, rot or decay. Then check for surface contaminants such as mildew stains, cedar bleed, dirt and chalkiness. Remove such contaminants before applying the stain, but remember, there is no single cure for every surface problem.
3. However, a good cleaning with a power washer and scrub brush for problem areas is a good start. Also, smooth out rough spots with the sanding block. Next, place Cabot® Problem Solver® Wood Cleaner into the garden sprayer and coat the wood surface. This will create an ideal surface for the stain.
4. Next is the fun part, choosing a color of stain for your deck. Tinted natural finishes add sheer, nearly transparent color allowing the most wood grain and texture to show through. Unique semi-solid/semi-opaque finish mostly mask the wood grain, but allow texture to show through. While solid finishes add rich, opaque color that completely hides the wood grain while allowing some texture to show.
5. Applying the stain is next. Generally, the best method to apply Cabot® oil-based products is a high quality, natural bristle brush, and either a high quality polyester or nylon brush for acrylic products. However, professional sprayers may be used for the majority of Cabot® products as well.
6. The application and dry time depends on the type of stain you use. Read and follow label directions to ensure proper application for the specific product you choose. Once your deck is dry, take comfort in knowing the time you just invested will help you enjoy the beauty of your deck for years to come.