Wood Deck Questions

Wood Deck Questions

Staining a new deck or refinishing an old deck? Questions and answers about putting the finish on a wood deck is covered here.

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Questions with Answers

• Solid deck stain problem. - I applied a solid deck stain by Sherwin Williams, color grey, within 6 months it started turning black. What caused that?
• Deck staining in cold weather. - I began to stain my new outside deck. I had a family emergency and could not finish the job. I went back to finish and I guess it was too cold outside because the layer I put on the second time became all white and crusty. Now the temperature is i...
• Purchase trisodium phosphate. - Where can I purchase trisodium phosphate to treat a mold problem on my back deck?
• Sanding a deck. - Do I go with the grain of wood when sanding the deck?
• Using the same paint on a porch. - Can I use the same exterior primer and flat paint I purchased for my house on my back porch which is a pressure treated wood?
• Stair treads peeling, what paint should I use? - I'm still not sure what to use on my exposed ext back steps (there are 4 steps). I plan to sand them down to good wood. The tread will be gray and the risers white. They were painted with alkyd 14 yrs ago which lasted 9 yrs. Then 2 treads repl...
• Painting varnished deck. - Can I paint over varnish as long as it is scuffed and rough edges sanded? Would I use an oil base paint?
• Painting over solid color stained wood. - Is it possible to paint over a solid color stained deck?
• Put slate down on the deck after the deck has been refinished? - I have a deck off the family room which is flaking off and looks horrible. I would like to have the deck redone in a fashion that puts a finishing covering on the entire deck that surrounds the hot tub . Is it possible to put slate down on the de...
• How dry does the doug fir have to be before I can stain it? - It's October in Oregon and I am about to have my old patio structure torn down and rebuilt. We chose to use inexpensive fir for the horizontal boards and treated wood for the vertical ones. It will be covered by Suntuff. I wanted to stain it be...
• Removing the weathered grey look from red ceder deck. - How do I get the weathered grey look off my 3 year old red ceder deck so I can clear stain it? Bleach and water did not work.
• What is the best way to treat or paint or stain a deck to last? - Our deck is large--over 500 ft. We power washed and then treated with a product like Thompson's deck sealant. We have to do this every two years. Will anything else last longer? I wonder about using regular exterior house paint. FYI the deck is in...
• Tacky Newly Stained and Sealed Deck - What causes the finish on my newly stained and sealed deck to be tacky after letting it dry for weeks? My deck needed to be treated after we moved in since the previous owners had ignored it. There was sealant where the eaves protected the surf...
• Solid Colored Stain Over Previously Latex Painted Porch - I have a wrap-around covered porch near the coast in Savannah that was previously painted with a latex floor paint. With 4 kids and a dog, the paint chipped very easily. I decided to try and remove the paint completely and put down a solid stain. ...
• How to repaint a porch that is already painted. - My porch is painted, but has large chips all over it. Do I need to sand it or use a base coat? Which brand of paint is the best?
• Is a primer needed for staining a deck? - I applied solid deck stain on my deck that I cleaned well and let dry. It had not been stained previously. Some wood was new, other old, cedar. Within two months it was peeling off (not oil based). I sent a sample to the company and they said I...
• What product should I use to stain and seal a new douglas fir T&G deck? - I'm installing 1x4 quarter-sawn Douglas-fir T&G over 16" spaced front porch floor joists. To get rid of the slick surface I plan to sand the deck with 120 grit to open the pours. Should I back-paint/seal the wood? The porch is covered and faces so...
• Can I Stain Over Deck Oil? - Used oil instead of stain on pine decking. I want to put a stain over it.
• Stripping Deck Railings - I need information about stripping the railings on our deck. Our deck is made of pressure treated lumber I want tips on making the job easy and completing the task well.
• Once an exterior wood deck has been painted can it be stained? - The exterior wood deck is painted. Is it possible to remove the paint and apply stain? How difficult is this process if possible?

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