If you want your timber decking to keep providing you with hour after hour of comfortable and stylish relaxation time, you’ll need to put in the hard yards every now and again to make sure that decking stays strong. Whether its by the pool or in the corner of the backyard your decking is going to be exposed to the elements and in Sydney that means plenty of summer storms just waiting to strip away at that wood. But taking the time to stain your deck could see you adding years to it.
If you’ve never stained a deck before it can be a little tricky to know where to begin. Thankfully, we’ve got a step-by-step guide just for you:
1. Tidy and Clean: If you want to stain your deck properly, you need to be able to get to every inch of it. Remove all furniture and give your deck a good sweep, or even a cheeky vacuum if you’re feeling daring. Don’t forget to tackle any protruding nails at this point, so you’ve got a clear surface to work with, as well as protecting toes.
2. Super Clean: The cleaning doesn’t just end with getting all the loose dirt and dust off the boards unfortunately. You’ll need to hose your deck down, as well as applying a timber decking cleaning solution of your choice. Follow the instructions for your chosen cleaner, including any safety precautions like protective eyewear or gloves.
3. Wash Away: When you’ve scrubbed and shined every inch of your deck with cleaning solution, it’s time to wash any excess away so you can get the best finish from your stain as possible. Get out the hose again and get spraying.
4. Stain Time: When your deck is dry after its thorough clean you can start applying your chosen stain. Depending on what brand and type of stain you choose you can even change the colour of your timber, particularly if it’s a pale treated pine. The best way to get the stain onto your deck is with a deck-stain applicator – search your local hardware store for one. A deck-stain applicator will save you plenty of time, as well as your back.
5. One More Time: A good stain job should involve at least two coats. Give your deck two-three hours to soak in the first coat before heading back for round two. When that’s done, give your deck plenty of time to dry before walking on it.
