How To Stain Your Deck

 Everybody who owns a deck will have to apply a first stain or a tenth. On average in Australia, outdoor decking should get a fresh coat every 12-18 months depending on weather, exposure to the elements and location.

If you are about to take your well-earned afternoon off to freshen your deck, here are 5 simple steps on staining to make the process a little less stressful and more successful!

First of all you need to decide what type of stain you want to apply onto your deck. There are two deck stains to choose from, oil based and water based. If you have existing coating and are applying to increase protection to your deck, it is VERY important to know what is already on it. You should never apply an oil based coating on a water based and vice versa, as they will not bond onto each other well, decreasing the life and durability of the stain.

If you have a new deck, there are a couple of factors to consider when deciding between stains. Water based generally has a nicer initial finish, giving a glossy furniture look. It also dries a lot quicker, giving you the opportunity to recoat on the same day. However, its durability is a little less than oil, meaning less time until another coat is needed. Oil based coating are easier to apply, but drying time is a lot longer, with 24 hours the minimum to wait before the second coat.

Typically, the item chosen for applying stain is the lambs wool applicator. This is a furry mop that can be connected to a pole to spread the coating onto the deck. These are available at any good outdoor store for about $15. This is a perfect choice when applying oil based coating.

However, if its water based you are applying, there are better options. Namely, Teflon painting pads. These are rectangular and neater, which can be handheld or attached to a pole. Neatness is the name of the game when applying water based coating so this is a great tool.

For both stains, you also will want a small brush for ‘cutting in’ when the deck meets a wall, door, post, or whatever objects you don’t want to splodge all over.

Water based coating: This is unfortunately the trickier to apply of the two. It is quick drying, so you don’t want to leave a half stained board because it will dry and mark the deck. The way to go, is to cut in 2 or 3 boards, and then coat the whole length of these boards as smoothly and quickly as possible, trying to stay within the lines. When reloading your pad, you must do it ASAP and continue the line so that there is no time for it to dry halfway through. This must be repeated the whole way through the deck.

Oil based coating: As it dries a lot slower, there is less chance of permanent marking. This is good news for the first timers. Take your time and cut in with a brush within a chosen area. Once that is done, you can fill in the middle with your lamb’s wool applicator. Then choose a new section, and do it all again. A quicker, easier application than water based. On the downside, it smells much more, and takes a full day to dry.