How To Prep Your Deck For Staining

Prepping your deck to be stained with One TIME is a simple process that, depending on the size of the area to be stained, can be accomplished in one afternoon. Whether you are experienced with staining decks or a complete novice, prepping your deck for One TIME is easily within your capabilities. 

 

The importance of prepping your deck before staining.

Prepping your deck for staining is a crucial step for making sure it gets the most out of the staining treatment process. Over time, decks become dirty from the outside elements and must be cleaned for the staining treatment to absorb into the wood most effectively.

If your deck is five years or older, and has had other products applied to it, then it MUST be cleaned with a deck stain & sealer remover to remove the old product. Silicone wax in these products remain on the deck, and unless they are removed with a deck stain remover, will always leave behind a wax on the application site, which would inhibit a new treatment from fully absorbing into the wood.

And unless One TIME products have been used on the previous wood, then there is certainly silicon and wax in that product.

 

Four easy steps to prepping your deck to be stained

Prepping your deck can be accomplished in only four easy steps, as outlined below: 

  1. First, sand out rough areas to flatten the decks surface, clear debris trapped in crevices, get any nails or other debris cleared away if they are protruding. If your deck is brand new, then you can skip this step. 
  2. Prep your cleaner by reading the instructions on the label to best clean the surface. 
  3. Prepare your sprayer with the cleaner and start working on small areas of your deck before moving on to the next.
  4. Once you have finished the entire surface area, use a power washer to reveal a stain free deck.

Regardless of whether your deck is new or old, it is best to power wash and let the deck dry for 48 hours.  After you have completed this, wait 48 hours for it to dry completely before applying any product to it. If your deck is in a shaded area, allow it to dry for 72 hours.

 

Putting it all together

If your deck is older and has had products applied to it in the past, you MUST take the time to clean it and remove the wax and silicone from previous stains. If you have a brand new deck, power wash it, let it dry, and begin coating it with One TIME.

It is important to NOT immediately coat the product on a surface that is not clean! If you do, you will be diminishing the amount of product that can successfully be absorbed into the wood.  

Follow these steps, and the result will be a beautiful deck ready to be stained!