Staining a deck for the first time

[The Bad Guy]

Needless to say, I know next to nothing about deck maintenance. I probably should have done it a while ago.

I know I have to pressure wash the deck prior, but I'm stumped as to what type of stain to get. This is a new deck and hasn't been stained yet.

Is there a brand that's better than others?

Any guidance or advice you can offer is much appreciated.

[The Bad Guy]

Thanks everyone. Since it's going to rain, I'm going to have to wait a few days before cleaning and staining. I'll look into Cabot.

Do I need to put a sealer on afterward?

The lumber is pressure treated pine. I probably should have done this in May though.

[BWillie]

How bout any good contractors you can recommend to do this? I'm not doin this shit

[philfree]

Do you want or need to prssure wash a new deck before you stain it? If it doesn't have any moss in it or ground in dirt or something why would you need to clean it so deeply?

The stain and sealer are all in one with the Cabot product - and many others.

You don't necessarily have to pressure wash new wood but it cleans surface grime and actually opens to pores of the wood slightly so it will accept the stain more readily.

Our company does tons of deck work.

[track]

I have seen redwood and cedar come from the lumber yard filled with water and weighing twice what they weigh in two weeks of drying out. It's not something exclusive to treated lumber

[notorious]

Do you spray or wipe it on?

[Molitoth]

Originally Posted by notorious

Do you spray or wipe it on?

I've used the pump action sprayer and it was very messy.

I now use a foam based roller, it works fantastic.

[Zebedee DuBois]

I'm staining my shorts for the 20,165th time.

Originally Posted by track

I have seen redwood and cedar come from the lumber yard filled with water and weighing twice what they weigh in two weeks of drying out. It's not something exclusive to treated lumber

Depending on the grade, Redwood and cedar are kiln dried or at the very least air dried. Yeah, they'll retain some moisture but as water is able to penetrate the pores, stain/sealant will do the same. I've never installed a redwood or cedar deck that wasn't able to be sealed upon completion.

[Bwana]

Phil: Have you had any experience with Sikkens stain. I used some of that to do my last fence and wow, it wears like iron. They don't give it away, but in this case, I got what I paid for.

http://www.sikkens.us/en/Pages/default.aspx

[notorious]

Originally Posted by Bwana

Phil: Have you had any experience with Sikkens stain. I used some of that to do my last fence and wow, it wears like iron. They don't give it away, but in this case, I got what I paid for.

http://www.sikkens.us/en/Pages/default.aspx

Their auto paint is the best in the business, so they probably know a thing about fighting weather.

[Bwana]

Originally Posted by notorious

Their auto paint is the best in the business, so they probably know a thing about fighting weather.

It looks like they are into a few applications.

http://www.sikkens.com/Pages/default.aspx

[booyaf2]

I use sickens on my fence and shed. I get about five years in between coats

[Oxford]

If you need to clean your wood before application, use a powdered product called Wolman Deck Brightner. Mix it up and brush it in, let it set for a bit and power wash it off. Sure helps cleaning the dirt/grime/oxidation off.