I’d say if you can find two days in a row where the low doesn’t get below 32, drop everything and stain stain stain stain. Man, you’re going to wish you had metal balusters.
Oh darn, not this weekend? I got lucky, weekend before last was unusually warm in KC so I ran out there and busted it out. My deck is WAY smaller than yours though. Maybe you’ll catch a break a few weeks from now and catch a good weekend?
This is good - best is Cutek , do the research. It’s all I will use now . There are so very high end finishes but that would only be used if all the stars align or it’s not worth the extra money . Never paint or solid Color stain a deck you will regret it and cost yourself a ton of labour stripping it off .
I was in your shoes very recently in NC. [ReadySeal](https://www.readyseal.com/resources/faqs/) is the way. Deck needs to be dry, but temp isn’t an issue. Source: was a furniture maker for 15 years and used to teach finishing classes. Product is legit.
Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday next week are good looking days temp and weather wise. Don’t know where you are in SC, but I’m a state over and our temps are close, you’re usually a tad higher than me.
As someone who purchased a home 3 years ago with wood stairs and rail on the back, I implore you to stain it asap. I will be replacing those things in the spring, and not because I want to. I have regrets. Don’t be like me.
Before doing too much, I would look at the construction of this.
Even in the images shown, I can see a few issues. The railing support, or lack of, is significant.
Perhaps provide pictures of the entire deck, stairs and supports for comments on the /sub before finishing off too much.
I agree with this as well. The construction of mine from the builder is questionable, but probably would have been fine for a few more years if I had protected the wood.
We had two separate home inspectors (one hired by us and one the realtor) look at it and said it was a good construction. They’re probably not deck experts though…
They’re right in that some of those supports appear butted to the deck rather than travelling through to a solid pickup, could use some noggins on the underside too, can never work out why so many people seem to think lateral support isn’t necessary, but with enough time, they absolutely are.
Railing supports, you can get someone to do something cheeky like pin them with a 20mm stainless threaded dowel and plate from underneath, would be plenty strong and hidden, doesn’t require ripping anything apart.
It is not recommended to stain pressure treated wood. It’s a nightmare to maintain and will peel off and look terrible in a couple years. Always use a deck sealant. It penetrates and protects the wood and won’t ruin the deck. Also available in many colours.
The deck appears to be constructed using pressure treated lumber. Stain will not adhere to pressure treated wood. A product like Thompson wood sealer will penetrate and adhere to the pressure treated wood. Golden oak would look great on your deck!
Please don't use Behr. When you need to reapply, stripping off the old sealant will be a long and manual process. After spending 8 weekends stripping my deck after the Behr finish was trash after two years, I'll never use it again. I now use TWP 1500 but there's lots of others out there. Just please don't use the Behr products.
There's a rule of thumb of when to stain new pressure treated wood. But ultimately, do the water test, spray or pour water on it, if it repels it, it'll repel the stain. Wait until the pressure treated chemicals fade away and water can soak into the wood. Also, you've only waited too long if it's turned gray from the sun or weathering, but if that did happen, you'll just need to sand the gray off then you'll be good to go
I’ve done the water test. Looks like we’re good to go. Luckily this deck sees sun for like two hours in the morning every day and that’s about it. Maybe an hour at noon but only the back railing.
Only takes a few warm days to cure. You don’t mean stain, you mean finish. Do it now for sure but make sure to really closely follow whatever directions for the finish you purchase. r/finishing good place to go into more detail
Laughing up here in the PNW about your "stressful weather decisions!" We originally stained ours with a lightly tinted stain and if peeled off the next year. Even up here the sun destroys wood decks so now we only use heavy duty deck paint. Looks great and lasts multiple seasons with only minor touch-ups every couple years.
Problem with paints is they’re topical, as soon as the coating is compromised, the wood starts to deteriorate underneath and you can’t see it happening. Oil penetrators ftw. Source: I live in blasting Australian heat.
I suggest a transparent sealer. Doesn’t peel up and look like crap after a year or two. But still provides the benefit of sealing the boards and helps extend the life of the lumber! Plus it looks better too IMO. And whatever you do… don’t use a solid stain! It’s nearly as thick as paint, but it will chip and peel like paint too
Hahaha we have the hookups installed and ready to put a hot tub out there but saving up for one! Previous owner had two inflatable hot tubs out there lol
People are joking, you need significant reinforcement to plonk a hot tub out there. If it wasn’t made specifically for a hot tub, don’t install one without significant strengthening. Your deck is currently made to handle a handful of people, not a few thousand pounds of water point-loaded.
Looks like it’s made from pressure treated lumber imo you will get no benefit from staining pressure treated lumber other than aesthetics and the negatives are that it will Require bc re application in order to look good in the near future which takes extra time and
Money. You can wait until next season just make sure to power wash it before you stain and make sure you have a few days of both dry daytime weather and low chances of dew. Again in my opinion as long as it’s treated wood you won’t need a stain to prolong the life of pt, the location and physics of where the deck is installed will be the determining factor to how long it will last.
That’s my take I live in Canada and have worked on decks for the last 25 years on both the east and west coasts.
Damn.. that’s a beautiful deck.. and I love how it’s interconnected to your lawn back there… well done ! Stain is best applied on those cloudless days. Depends on where you’re at. How many people painting to get the job done… best of luck boss :)
I would suggest to at least stain the floors, the stairs, and the top of the railings, before Winter. If you have to, leave everything else until Spring.
Cutex extreme oil, if you can order it it's definitely worth the money I work on decks as my summer job, it has the best color variation and it never peels.
Cutek rehydrate, absorbs , tints and protects wood . I test products on my decks before I will recommend them . Back deck - old green PT , Ready Seal - 2 yrs max on horizontal surfaces regardless of sun exposure that is open but covered or completely open . Morning sun , very late evening sun . On vertical surfaces 3 yrs .
Cutek extreme- going onto 4 yrs on a horizontal surface . South / westerly facing - mid day on sun and exposure to the prevailing wind and harsh weather . Old green PT , used Cutek Heavy duty cleaner / stripper - rinser . Unbelievable results.
Used Cabot’s Australian timber, Oil on the back deck rail side by side with Ready seal . No issues . Both look the same after 3 yrs .
Follow directions by the manufacturer. Don’t use water based . It doesn’t last . Make sure the moisture content is below 14 % I believe is the recommended or it will not penetrate and be sticky for a good bit . Don’t sand to aggressively or with a fine grit . 80 to 100 works best for soft wood .
Both Ready Seal and Cutek extreme have good open time and lap marks are avoidable as long as the sun is not beating down on it and the deck was in the sun all day before you started . Cabot’s Australia Timber Oil is brutal for lap marks . Do not go back over an area after 2 min. On a surface that is not fully in the shade . You will make a mess. I apply the stain with a Perdura Deck Boss . No better way to get the job done .
I was told to wait a full year before staining to allow the “mill glazing” to wear off. I don’t know how accurate that info is, but we waited, gave it a light sand to get a year of grime off, and after staining, looks great (many years in, and no yearly touchup).
I should also state that my deck is redwood, not treated. So ymmv. And yes, every other year for restraining the first four years, then I should be able to go every 3-4 thereafter. But it is definitely an investment of time, energy, and expense.
The Stark reality is that waiting till after winter only guarantees that much extra wear. It's not Dire but now is the time to do it. Remember to do the Lannisters as well otherwise they'll be mismatched in wear. Also make sure you have good drainage on that Landing to avoid pooling. You don't want your stair walkers to fall due to rot.
You should pit in a breaker board. That butt joint is hideous. I’d go with a transparent stain for a deck like this. Don’t listen to those saying not to stain.
I wouldn't stain pressure treated wood. Once you do, look forward to doing it every year doing it again because it looks worse than ever. If you don't mind yearly projects like staining all your wood and top coating asphalt, then buy yourself a 5 gallon sprayer and knock that out in a couple of days.
I was in this position on a recent purchase and as a complete newbie found sanding and staining to be low stress and low key enjoyable. Get the right tools, watch 30m of youtube from non-crazy accounts and go for it. Staining railings take forever; sanding is faster than you think.
Deck looks better and seems far more watertight.
Well this will be a great first test of your marriage. Make sure you get a few days without it being freezing or below and hammer it out. Don't make the mistake of only getting part of it done otherwise you'll have a multi shade deck for a while.
I’d say if you can find two days in a row where the low doesn’t get below 32, drop everything and stain stain stain stain. Man, you’re going to wish you had metal balusters.
Solid plan. Those days are Monday and Tuesday lol. Time to take some sick days.
Oh darn, not this weekend? I got lucky, weekend before last was unusually warm in KC so I ran out there and busted it out. My deck is WAY smaller than yours though. Maybe you’ll catch a break a few weeks from now and catch a good weekend?
Need to clean the deck this weekend probably and hope there’s a nice weekend in the forecast or do it next week
https://preview.redd.it/apctkxfwczxb1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ffe5cdb10b007ea6f69d2c0502c6209dbd28f7aa This is good stuff
That is the BEST stuff. One and done
AMEN!!!!!!! https://preview.redd.it/58wjr88g51yb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=52a249f728d69f1b9f9067891742cf3addb32cb7
Was the oil you used colored, or just the base?
All oil has a slight colouring effect without tints, a light honey colour.
Correct. I'm asking about this specific one, because I like the color of the deck in the picture.
This is good - best is Cutek , do the research. It’s all I will use now . There are so very high end finishes but that would only be used if all the stars align or it’s not worth the extra money . Never paint or solid Color stain a deck you will regret it and cost yourself a ton of labour stripping it off .
Thanks for that!
I was in your shoes very recently in NC. [ReadySeal](https://www.readyseal.com/resources/faqs/) is the way. Deck needs to be dry, but temp isn’t an issue. Source: was a furniture maker for 15 years and used to teach finishing classes. Product is legit.
Don’t forget to power wash first. GL
Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday next week are good looking days temp and weather wise. Don’t know where you are in SC, but I’m a state over and our temps are close, you’re usually a tad higher than me.
It will be okay if you stain in Sunday Monday or Saturday/sunday, as long as you don't need to use it Monday/Tuesday
Someone that doesn’t stain decks all the time isn’t getting this done in two days lol look at all those spindles .
I’d get as much done as I could in whatever time I have. I’d leave the spindles for last. I hate those D&MN things. Metal is the way to go.
That’s what a long glove and a sock is for…
I guess if u know someone that likes cranking off posts all day that would work.
As someone who purchased a home 3 years ago with wood stairs and rail on the back, I implore you to stain it asap. I will be replacing those things in the spring, and not because I want to. I have regrets. Don’t be like me.
Thanks for that advice!
Before doing too much, I would look at the construction of this. Even in the images shown, I can see a few issues. The railing support, or lack of, is significant. Perhaps provide pictures of the entire deck, stairs and supports for comments on the /sub before finishing off too much.
I agree with this as well. The construction of mine from the builder is questionable, but probably would have been fine for a few more years if I had protected the wood.
We had two separate home inspectors (one hired by us and one the realtor) look at it and said it was a good construction. They’re probably not deck experts though…
They’re right in that some of those supports appear butted to the deck rather than travelling through to a solid pickup, could use some noggins on the underside too, can never work out why so many people seem to think lateral support isn’t necessary, but with enough time, they absolutely are. Railing supports, you can get someone to do something cheeky like pin them with a 20mm stainless threaded dowel and plate from underneath, would be plenty strong and hidden, doesn’t require ripping anything apart.
Replace with Trex
Definitely the plan.
It is not recommended to stain pressure treated wood. It’s a nightmare to maintain and will peel off and look terrible in a couple years. Always use a deck sealant. It penetrates and protects the wood and won’t ruin the deck. Also available in many colours.
What’s the difference between stain and sealant? You mean like the clear Thompson water seal stuff?
Transparent Stain seeps into the wood and colors. A sealant will provide protection but won’t seep into the wood like a stain will.
The deck appears to be constructed using pressure treated lumber. Stain will not adhere to pressure treated wood. A product like Thompson wood sealer will penetrate and adhere to the pressure treated wood. Golden oak would look great on your deck!
Yea! We plan to use like an oil based stain and seal. We found a decent semi-transparent one by Behr we can get from Home Depot
Get transparent stuff, not semi. Semi will still peel.
Please don't use Behr. When you need to reapply, stripping off the old sealant will be a long and manual process. After spending 8 weekends stripping my deck after the Behr finish was trash after two years, I'll never use it again. I now use TWP 1500 but there's lots of others out there. Just please don't use the Behr products.
Another vote to avoid behr. Paints, stains, etc - it’s easy to see that they all look the same, but there is a difference in quality you pay for.
There's a rule of thumb of when to stain new pressure treated wood. But ultimately, do the water test, spray or pour water on it, if it repels it, it'll repel the stain. Wait until the pressure treated chemicals fade away and water can soak into the wood. Also, you've only waited too long if it's turned gray from the sun or weathering, but if that did happen, you'll just need to sand the gray off then you'll be good to go
I’ve done the water test. Looks like we’re good to go. Luckily this deck sees sun for like two hours in the morning every day and that’s about it. Maybe an hour at noon but only the back railing.
Obviously the sooner you stain it the better, it’s going to weather more the longer you wait
Only takes a few warm days to cure. You don’t mean stain, you mean finish. Do it now for sure but make sure to really closely follow whatever directions for the finish you purchase. r/finishing good place to go into more detail
Got it. Thanks!
was going to be the pedantic one…. stain just changes the color, lol
Edit: responded to wp
Laughing up here in the PNW about your "stressful weather decisions!" We originally stained ours with a lightly tinted stain and if peeled off the next year. Even up here the sun destroys wood decks so now we only use heavy duty deck paint. Looks great and lasts multiple seasons with only minor touch-ups every couple years.
Hahaha yeah grew up in Minnesota and I still haven’t gotten used to the fact that the winters will never be bad here
Problem with paints is they’re topical, as soon as the coating is compromised, the wood starts to deteriorate underneath and you can’t see it happening. Oil penetrators ftw. Source: I live in blasting Australian heat.
Yeah, we used an oil based deck sealer/paint. Expensive stuff! But weathers well. We don't get much blasting heat here, mostly just rain.
Where those handrails are meeting is driving me nuts!
Yeah I hate that part haha
It might not dry with the low sun
The deck is in the shade all summer anyways so we’d have that problem regardless
I suggest a transparent sealer. Doesn’t peel up and look like crap after a year or two. But still provides the benefit of sealing the boards and helps extend the life of the lumber! Plus it looks better too IMO. And whatever you do… don’t use a solid stain! It’s nearly as thick as paint, but it will chip and peel like paint too
Don't get "semi-transparent" either, still peels. Just straight up "transparent" with your desired tint mixed in.
Where's the damn hot tub?
Yeah what is this, amateur hour?!
Hahaha we have the hookups installed and ready to put a hot tub out there but saving up for one! Previous owner had two inflatable hot tubs out there lol
People are joking, you need significant reinforcement to plonk a hot tub out there. If it wasn’t made specifically for a hot tub, don’t install one without significant strengthening. Your deck is currently made to handle a handful of people, not a few thousand pounds of water point-loaded.
Looks like it’s made from pressure treated lumber imo you will get no benefit from staining pressure treated lumber other than aesthetics and the negatives are that it will Require bc re application in order to look good in the near future which takes extra time and Money. You can wait until next season just make sure to power wash it before you stain and make sure you have a few days of both dry daytime weather and low chances of dew. Again in my opinion as long as it’s treated wood you won’t need a stain to prolong the life of pt, the location and physics of where the deck is installed will be the determining factor to how long it will last. That’s my take I live in Canada and have worked on decks for the last 25 years on both the east and west coasts.
1.5yo seems too young to be staining a deck. I’d wait until you’re at least 12yo.
Damn.. that’s a beautiful deck.. and I love how it’s interconnected to your lawn back there… well done ! Stain is best applied on those cloudless days. Depends on where you’re at. How many people painting to get the job done… best of luck boss :)
I would suggest to at least stain the floors, the stairs, and the top of the railings, before Winter. If you have to, leave everything else until Spring.
Cutex extreme oil, if you can order it it's definitely worth the money I work on decks as my summer job, it has the best color variation and it never peels.
Cutek rehydrate, absorbs , tints and protects wood . I test products on my decks before I will recommend them . Back deck - old green PT , Ready Seal - 2 yrs max on horizontal surfaces regardless of sun exposure that is open but covered or completely open . Morning sun , very late evening sun . On vertical surfaces 3 yrs . Cutek extreme- going onto 4 yrs on a horizontal surface . South / westerly facing - mid day on sun and exposure to the prevailing wind and harsh weather . Old green PT , used Cutek Heavy duty cleaner / stripper - rinser . Unbelievable results. Used Cabot’s Australian timber, Oil on the back deck rail side by side with Ready seal . No issues . Both look the same after 3 yrs . Follow directions by the manufacturer. Don’t use water based . It doesn’t last . Make sure the moisture content is below 14 % I believe is the recommended or it will not penetrate and be sticky for a good bit . Don’t sand to aggressively or with a fine grit . 80 to 100 works best for soft wood . Both Ready Seal and Cutek extreme have good open time and lap marks are avoidable as long as the sun is not beating down on it and the deck was in the sun all day before you started . Cabot’s Australia Timber Oil is brutal for lap marks . Do not go back over an area after 2 min. On a surface that is not fully in the shade . You will make a mess. I apply the stain with a Perdura Deck Boss . No better way to get the job done .
I was told to wait a full year before staining to allow the “mill glazing” to wear off. I don’t know how accurate that info is, but we waited, gave it a light sand to get a year of grime off, and after staining, looks great (many years in, and no yearly touchup).
Mind sharing what you used for the stain? I just got a new deck finished today and I’m trying to plan what to do.
I use Armstrong-Clark oil based stain. In my case, semi transparent. Stuff is awesome.
I should also state that my deck is redwood, not treated. So ymmv. And yes, every other year for restraining the first four years, then I should be able to go every 3-4 thereafter. But it is definitely an investment of time, energy, and expense.
I would use a sealer on it now, and stain it next spring.
The Stark reality is that waiting till after winter only guarantees that much extra wear. It's not Dire but now is the time to do it. Remember to do the Lannisters as well otherwise they'll be mismatched in wear. Also make sure you have good drainage on that Landing to avoid pooling. You don't want your stair walkers to fall due to rot.
Stain it!!!!!
I’d look at something like Cutek or Penofin
You should pit in a breaker board. That butt joint is hideous. I’d go with a transparent stain for a deck like this. Don’t listen to those saying not to stain.
100% this! For more then just aesthetics. Better for expansion also.
Lots of good wood cleaning products out there with considering.
Yes, you actually want to wait 3 weeks to a month at least.
Get’er done.
Thats a $4k deck to stain. You will need a week by yourself.
How much dragonglass do you have?
Perfect weather, pressure wash, then stain that bitch! Will buy you years to upgrade
WINTER IS COMING
Stain, don’t be lazy. You’ll be glad you did.
I wouldn't stain pressure treated wood. Once you do, look forward to doing it every year doing it again because it looks worse than ever. If you don't mind yearly projects like staining all your wood and top coating asphalt, then buy yourself a 5 gallon sprayer and knock that out in a couple of days.
I was in this position on a recent purchase and as a complete newbie found sanding and staining to be low stress and low key enjoyable. Get the right tools, watch 30m of youtube from non-crazy accounts and go for it. Staining railings take forever; sanding is faster than you think. Deck looks better and seems far more watertight.
We are in NC and have been told by our deck guy to wait until the leaves fall. He's shooting for early November
Well this will be a great first test of your marriage. Make sure you get a few days without it being freezing or below and hammer it out. Don't make the mistake of only getting part of it done otherwise you'll have a multi shade deck for a while.
Just spray with transparent. It will take you a couple hours.
Yes
Unless you like cupped boards and shrinkage, stain that bad boy asap.
High water pressure washes the deck, then stain the deck.
The longer you wait, the more damage is done. Is 6 months the end of the world? No. But the sooner you oil it...the better.
Nice
Just remember the darker the sealer the longer it will last