Can I Stain my Deck a New Color?

It has been a long, cold winter here in Maryland, and you probably haven’t given your deck much thought over the last several months. But with spring right around the corner and a few 70 degree days popping up here and there, you might be starting to notice your deck is looking a little… rough.

Maybe the color of your deck has faded over the years, or you are tired of looking at the natural wood color and would prefer it have some more character. Staining or restaining your deck can give it new life and make it a place you enjoy being, and a fixture you enjoy looking at. But can you restrain it a new color if you’ve grown tired of the existing one?

Let’s look at how a deck can be stained, and restained, regardless of the color it currently is.

Staining Natural Wood

First, let’s look at staining a deck that currently does not have a stain. Natural wood is easier to stain as it doesn’t require as much prep work. To stain your deck you’ll need to ensure there are no problem areas, like cracks, popped nails, major snags, etc. once you’ve smoothed out any problem areas you’ll need to power wash the deck using a power washer and a deck cleaning liquid, which can easily be found at any hardware store.

After the deck is clean you’ll need to wait for it to dry, and then you can begin applying your stain. By brushing the stain onto the planks and then going over it with a rag, you can ensure you get an even coating on the deck without drips or streaking.

Restaining with the Same Color

If you’d like to freshen up your existing stain color, you’ll follow the same basic steps as outlined above. Make sure to purchase the same stain color as you’ve previously used. You’ll also want to sand down the planks of your deck to ensure there are no uneven spots, and understand that the stain will come out darker than the first time, as there is already a coat on the deck.

Restaining with a New Color

To restrain your deck with a new color, you’ll follow the same staining steps as above but with some additional prep work. Once the deck has been checked over and cleaned, you’ll want to use a paint remover on the entire deck to remove the existing color. By removing the color you can be sure that the stain comes out evenly and in the color expected.

When removing an existing color from your deck make sure to give it adequate time to dry, a minimum of 48 hours, so that it absorbs the new stain.

Restaining your deck can take it from worn down to fresh and exciting without too much money or effort. If you are restaining to a different color than it previously was, you’ll have some more prep work but there is not reason why it can’t come out looking perfect.

If you have decking questions or are unsure if you should or can restain your deck, contact us at North American Deck and Patio for your Maryland deck contractor needs!

“Jim at North American patio and deck's came up with the most ingenious way of utilizing our small very slanted very water drained environment and turned it into a virtual oasis. Making this deck the envy of all our ambitions and gem for the community.”

– C. Cross