Color stain for deck

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Author Message   Joe Hanlon Citizen Username: Firstof10 Post Number: 8 Registered: 5-2005 Posted on Monday, March 13, 2006 - 11:31 am:        I hate the way our deck looks and wish to use a color stain (white on banisters, grey on steps/floors) Is this hard to do? We would use oil base to go over the current oil base stain (brown). Thanks for any advice!   Smarty Jones Citizen Username: Birdstone Post Number: 443 Registered: 10-2005 Posted on Monday, March 13, 2006 - 3:49 pm:        Joe- I've done this several hundred times....NOTHING COULD BE EASIER!!! They key is to clean the deck with either a powerwasher, or the special Deck Scrubs they make...let it dry out a week after cleaning the deck...This step alone will make the deck look great and it's the most important step. Second: Buy a SOLID/OPAQUE Deck Stain in the colors you want. Don't worry about oil vs. latex, as this really doesn't matter on decks unless your deck was done in the last year or two, which I suspect it hasn't. Decks recieve so much wear and tear that you can practically apply anything on top of what is already down....although I am partial to the Oil Opaque stains, but both are fine. One note, definitely leave 48 hours in between coats. Solid stains take 1000% better after they've had time to cure between coats. You will absolutely love the look of the deck when you are done.   Bob K Supporter Username: Bobk Post Number: 10926 Registered: 5-2001 Posted on Monday, March 13, 2006 - 5:22 pm:        Again I beg to differ with Smarty. We used a semi-transparent stain on a pressure treated porch. This let the grain show through, although the deck is obviously colored. We used Benjamin Moore Oil for the job and after three years it still looks good. Consumer Reports doesn't like the durability of opaque stains for decks, although I think they would be fine for the railings.   Smarty Jones Citizen Username: Birdstone Post Number: 445 Registered: 10-2005 Posted on Monday, March 13, 2006 - 7:07 pm:        Bob- I agree with you, if you are going with a brown color stain, semi-transparent oil stain is great, and probably preferable. However, on an older deck, trying to go with a White or Grey stain, forget it (especially trying to go over an existing brown stain). It will look very patchy, your color won't be as expected (if close at all) and and I've never ever seen anyone satisfied with the outcome. I just assumed Joe was thinking about solid deck stains for this because of his color choices. Durability is about the same for semi transparent and solid stains....you just don't notice the breakdown of the semi-transparent stains as obviously as the fuller colored stains.   Kibbegirl Citizen Username: Kibbegirl Post Number: 418 Registered: 5-2003 Posted on Tuesday, March 14, 2006 - 7:14 am:        My motto is not to use real wood the next go round! I've had it with real wood upkeep on these decks. We've been through two decks and it's tedious and costly. No one in this family has time to power wash and stain so we usually hire a local company to do it. They do a decent job, but then after the winter rolls through, by spring, it's a mess again. Phooey to wood on decks!   Joe Hanlon Citizen Username: Firstof10 Post Number: 9 Registered: 5-2005 Posted on Tuesday, March 14, 2006 - 10:12 am:        ok I am officially confused. Smarty is recommending solid opaque deck stain IN COLORS and that will work, semi-transparent stain (in colors) will NOT work with a previously brown stained deck? Is this correct???   Smarty Jones Citizen Username: Birdstone Post Number: 448 Registered: 10-2005 Posted on Tuesday, March 14, 2006 - 10:41 am:        Joe, if you are going to put a brown shade (or darker brown) on top of your existing brown stained deck, than yes....a semi-trans stain is fine, if not preferred. HOWEVER...since you are trying to switch to a white/gray stain, forget about using a semi-trans over a brown deck. You won't get the results you are expecting. Go with a solid/opaque instead. I hope that is more clear.   brusin2 Citizen Username: Brusin2 Post Number: 42 Registered: 6-2003 Posted on Tuesday, March 14, 2006 - 12:05 pm:        We used Cabot opaque stains on our older deck two years ago -- not sure if there was stain on it before or if it was all removed with the power washing. I thought I would need to touch up the white rails last summer because of plant pot stains, but a good scrub completely cleaned them off. Extremely easy project!   Joe Hanlon Citizen Username: Firstof10 Post Number: 10 Registered: 5-2005 Posted on Tuesday, March 14, 2006 - 1:47 pm:        Thanks Smarty for the clarification, and others for your suggestions and experience!   Cody 2002 Citizen Username: Cody2002 Post Number: 22 Registered: 6-2005 Posted on Wednesday, March 15, 2006 - 3:19 pm:        can anybody recommend where to rent a powerwasher prior to staining/painting the deck?   Spanky Citizen Username: Spanky Post Number: 99 Registered: 4-2003 Posted on Monday, March 20, 2006 - 11:12 pm:        Can anyone recommend a company to paint/stain a deck?   Bob K Supporter Username: Bobk Post Number: 11000 Registered: 5-2001 Posted on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 - 5:55 am:        Cody, any rental outlet, including Home Depot rents power washers by the half day and day.   juju's petals Citizen Username: Jujus_petals Post Number: 236 Registered: 5-2003 Posted on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 - 8:18 am:        And what if you don't like the redwood-ish stain on your deck (likely the semi-opaque version)? Would powerwashing get rid of it, we're overdue for the that. The stain is even flaking in some places. Wait, can a stain flake? Think it is a paint? Think I'm overthinking this?   Handygirl Citizen Username: Handygirl Post Number: 622 Registered: 2-2004 Posted on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 - 9:42 am:        Opaque stain can flake. I've found that there is a fine line between paint and opaque stain. The line is so fine in fact that I have no idea where it is You may have to sand some areas of the deck if the power washing does not remove the stain completely. I had an area of my deck that I tried to power wash the color off and the deck ended up splotchy. It now needs to be sanded.