Working with Wood Stains: Inside and Out

Long, hot summers and cold, rainy winters can give exterior wood a heavy dose of weather damage. This includes your wood deck, as well as any fences, gates, trellises, sunshades or other structures made of wood. Moisture intrusion, hot and cold cycles, and even the ultraviolet rays of the sun can contribute to an ugly wood surface that can be repaired and maintained with a little work and the right products. Not only will a wood-finish overhaul eliminate much of the damage already done, it will protect against further damage down the road. For more information on wood stain applications, visit Armstrong Clark.

Deep Outdoor Cleaning

First step is to clean the surface of the wood. Accumulated dirt, icky green fungus and old, grayed wood surface can be removed with a long-handled brush and a formulated deck cleaner. There are many brands available on the market, and some popular choices include deck cleaners from Wolman and Thompson’s. It’s a good idea to give your deck a good cleaning once a year, because accumulated stains from rust, mildew, moss and algae can lay waste to the look of your deck. If the deck is not maintained, these elements can really sink their teeth into the wood grain. In some cases, only pressure-washing will be able to remove heavily stained decks, but then the surface of the deck will be left rough and splintery by the high-powered water. When it comes to maintaining exterior wood, an ounce of prevention is indeed worth a pound of cure. Formulated deck-cleaning agents can remove ground-in dirt, gray wood and tough stains without bleaching or yellowing the natural beauty of the wood, as chlorine bleach can. Newly constructed decks may also require treating with a cleaning agent to remove invisible surface barriers that prevent adhesion of stains and sealers.

Stains and cleaners can dramatically enhance the look of a weathered deck.

Strip it Away

Next step is to remove any deteriorating or unwanted wood finish. If the colored stain on the wood has faded into a pale excuse for what it once was, it’s time to strip away the old and bring on the new. Products such as Wolman’s DeckStrip Stain and Finish Remover remove both oil- and latex-based solid or tinted stains and clear finishes. Deck-stripping agents also ready the wood for application of new stains and protective finishes. For really stubborn, hard-to-strip acrylic or latex paints or stains, Wolman makes a powerful product called DeckStrip A&L that can remove multiple layers in as little as 15 minutes.

All caustic stripping chemicals must be neutralized thoroughly. Rinse the surface thoroughly. Before staining, the wood must dry completely for 48 hours or more, depending on weather conditions.