How to Stain a Deck: The Art of Wood Preservation and Enhancement

I've stained more decks than I care to count over the past twenty years, and if there's one thing I've learned, it's that deck staining is equal parts science and intuition. You can follow every instruction to the letter, but until you develop a feel for how wood drinks up stain—how it behaves differently in morning humidity versus afternoon heat—you're only getting half the picture.

The first deck I ever stained was my grandmother's. I was nineteen, cocky, and figured I'd knock it out in an afternoon. Three days later, with uneven blotches that looked like a topographical map and lap marks visible from space, I realized I'd been schooled by a simple pine deck. That humbling experience taught me everything I'm about to share with you.

Understanding Your Wood's Personality

Every piece of lumber has its own character. Pine is thirsty and unpredictable—it'll soak up stain like a marathon runner at a water station. Cedar, on the other hand, can be standoffish, especially if it's been weathering for a few seasons. The oils in cedar create a natural barrier that makes stain penetration tricky.

I once worked on a redwood deck in Northern California that had been neglected for fifteen years. The wood had turned that distinctive silver-gray that photographers love but homeowners dread. Redwood has this peculiar quality where it can look completely shot but still be structurally sound underneath. When I started sanding, the true color emerged like magic—that warm, cinnamon hue that makes redwood so prized.

Pressure-treated lumber presents its own challenges. The chemicals used in the treatment process can interfere with stain absorption, particularly if the wood is still "green" (freshly treated). I've seen too many homeowners rush to stain brand-new pressure-treated decks, only to watch the stain bead up and roll off like water on a duck's back.

The Preparation Marathon

Here's where most people lose the plot. They want to jump straight to the staining because that's the satisfying part—watching the wood transform before your eyes. But preparation is where the real work happens, and it's what separates a five-year stain job from one that barely makes it through two seasons.

Start by clearing everything off the deck. And I mean everything. That planter you think you can work around? Move it. The grill you're certain won't be in the way? Roll it onto the lawn. I learned this lesson when I tried to stain around a heavy concrete planter and ended up with an unstained shadow that haunted that deck for years.

Power washing is where things get interesting. Too much pressure and you'll raise the grain so badly the deck will feel like sandpaper. Too little and you're basically giving the deck a gentle shower. The sweet spot is usually around 1,200 to 1,500 PSI, held about 12 inches from the surface. Move the wand like you're mowing a lawn—steady, overlapping passes.

But here's something the instruction manuals won't tell you: power washing in direct sunlight is a fool's errand. The water evaporates so fast it leaves mineral deposits that can interfere with stain absorption. Early morning or late afternoon is your friend here. I prefer mornings because the wood has all day to dry, and there's something meditative about power washing as the neighborhood wakes up.

After washing comes the waiting game. The wood needs to dry completely, and I mean bone dry. Moisture meters are great if you want to be scientific about it (look for readings below 15%), but the old-school method works too: sprinkle some water on the deck. If it beads up, keep waiting. If it soaks in immediately, you're ready to rock.

Sanding: The Great Equalizer

Not every deck needs sanding, but most benefit from it. If you've got raised grain from power washing, rough spots, or previous stain that's peeling, sanding is non-negotiable. I use an orbital sander for the main deck boards and detail sanders for the railings and tight spots. Start with 80-grit if the deck is rough, but 100-grit is usually sufficient for decks in decent shape.

The trick with sanding is to keep moving. Park that sander in one spot for even a few seconds and you'll create a depression that'll show up like a sore thumb once the stain goes on. Think of it like ironing a shirt—constant motion, even pressure.

Between boards is where things get tedious. Those gaps collect years of debris, old stain, and general gunk. A carbide scraper works wonders here, though I've been known to use an old putty knife in a pinch. Some folks skip this step, but these gaps are like the grout lines in tile—ignore them and the whole job looks amateur.

Choosing Your Weapon

Stain selection is where personal philosophy comes into play. You've got your transparent stains that let every bit of wood grain show through but offer minimal UV protection. Then there are semi-transparent stains that add color while still showing grain, solid stains that are basically thin paint, and everything in between.

I'm partial to semi-transparent oil-based stains for most applications. They penetrate deep, enhance the grain, and provide decent UV protection without hiding the wood's character. Water-based stains have come a long way and dry faster, but I find they don't penetrate as deeply, especially on older wood.

The color choice is where people often overthink things. That honey-gold stain might look gorgeous on the sample card, but slap it on weathered gray wood and you might end up with something closer to orange. Always test your stain on an inconspicuous area first. Better yet, grab a scrap piece of similar wood and test there.

Application Day: Where the Magic Happens

Temperature matters more than most people realize. Staining in direct sunlight on a 95-degree day is asking for lap marks and uneven absorption. The stain dries before it can properly penetrate. Conversely, staining when it's too cool (below 50°F) means the stain won't cure properly. That sweet spot of 60-80°F with overcast skies? That's your target.

I've tried every application method known to man: brushes, rollers, pump sprayers, airless sprayers, and those lamb's wool applicators. For horizontal surfaces, nothing beats a good quality brush for control and penetration. Yeah, it takes longer, but you can work the stain into the wood grain and maintain a wet edge easier.

The wet edge is crucial. Once stain starts to dry, applying fresh stain over it creates those ugly lap marks that scream "amateur hour." Work in manageable sections—usually 2-3 boards at a time—and always finish a full board length before taking a break.

For vertical surfaces like railings and posts, I switch to a smaller brush or sometimes a foam brush for spindles. The key here is to watch for drips and runs. Vertical surfaces don't hold stain like horizontal ones, so you need less product and more attention to detail.

The Two-Coat Debate

Whether to apply one coat or two depends on several factors. New wood often does fine with a single coat if you're using a quality penetrating stain. Older, weathered wood might need two coats to achieve uniform color. The first coat acts like a primer, conditioning the wood and filling the thirsty spots. The second coat provides the color and protection.

If you're going with two coats, timing is everything. Too soon and you're just pushing wet stain around. Too late and the first coat has fully cured, preventing proper adhesion of the second coat. Most stains have a recoat window—usually 2-4 hours—when the first coat is dry to the touch but still chemically active enough to bond with the second coat.

The Forgotten Details

Here's where good stain jobs become great ones: the details nobody thinks about until it's too late. Those deck screws or nails? If they're not stainless steel or coated, they'll rust and bleed through your beautiful stain job. Hit them with a rust-inhibiting primer first.

End grain on cut boards is like a sponge. It'll suck up way more stain than the face grain, leading to dark spots. Some pros seal end grain before staining, but I prefer to apply stain more sparingly to these areas and blend carefully.

Don't forget about the underside of the deck. No, nobody sees it, but untreated wood underneath can rot and compromise the whole structure. At minimum, hit the joists and underside of the decking with a clear water repellent.

Post-Game Analysis

After all that work, you'd think you could just crack a beer and admire your handiwork. Not quite yet. Those first 24-48 hours after staining are critical. The stain needs time to cure without interference from moisture, debris, or foot traffic. I've seen beautiful stain jobs ruined by an unexpected evening shower or an overeager dog.

Check the weather forecast obsessively. If rain is even remotely possible, have tarps ready. But don't cover the deck too tightly—the stain needs air circulation to cure properly. I learned this the hard way when I wrapped a deck like a Christmas present and came back to find the stain still tacky after three days.

The Long Game

A properly stained deck isn't a one-and-done deal. It's the beginning of a relationship. Every spring, I walk my deck looking for signs of wear—areas where the stain is thinning, spots where water no longer beads up, any lifting or peeling. Catching problems early means a simple maintenance coat instead of starting from scratch.

High-traffic areas like stairs and the spaces in front of doors will always wear faster. Some years, I just hit these spots with a maintenance coat. It's not ideal from a uniformity standpoint, but it's better than letting the wood go unprotected.

Final Thoughts

After all these years and countless decks, I still get a little thrill when I step back and see freshly stained wood glowing in the afternoon light. There's something deeply satisfying about taking weathered, neglected lumber and bringing it back to life.

But here's my controversial opinion: not every deck needs to be stained. If you've got a covered deck made from naturally rot-resistant wood like cedar or redwood, and you like that weathered gray look, leave it be. Staining is about protection first, aesthetics second. If the wood is protected from the elements and you dig the natural aging process, save yourself the work.

For the rest of us who want that rich, enhanced wood grain and the protection that comes with it, staining is a labor of love that pays dividends. Just remember—it's not about perfection. Wood is a natural material with natural variations. Those little imperfections and color variations aren't flaws; they're character. Embrace them.

The deck I'm most proud of isn't the massive two-story wraparound I did for a client in the hills. It's my own modest deck out back, where every board tells a story, where I can point to the spot I learned not to stain in direct sunlight, where the color has aged into something richer than what came out of the can. That's the real magic of deck staining—creating something that gets better with time, not worse.

Authoritative Sources:

Forest Products Laboratory. Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material. General Technical Report FPL-GTR-190. Madison, WI: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, 2010.

Feist, William C. Weathering and Protection of Wood. Madison, WI: Forest Products Laboratory, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1988.

Williams, R. Sam, and William C. Feist. Finishes for Exterior Wood: Selection, Application, and Maintenance. Madison, WI: Forest Products Society, 1999.

McDonald, Kent A. Wood Decks: Materials, Construction, and Finishing. Madison, WI: Forest Products Society, 1996.

Cassens, Daniel L., and William C. Feist. Exterior Wood in the South: Selection, Applications, and Finishes. General Technical Report FPL-GTR-69. Madison, WI: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, 1991.