Why Choose TruNorth Painting
If you are considering staining your own deck there are good and bad ways to do the deck project. Eric Morud of TruNorth Painting oversees the staining of hundreds of decks a summer and provides these tips:
- Learn about the types of deck stains available, what type of stain has been used on your deck in the past and the options available to you. Learn tips on choosing a deck stain.
- Be careful to not over power wash the deck. Using some type of light chemical to clean the deck and washing it off with a hose with a nozzle will suffice. Do not remove past layers of deck stain.
- Plan a course of action prior to beginning to stain. Size up the deck and the job. Figure out where it is smart to begin and end staining to avoid staining into corners or off steep drop offs. Plan so as to avoid walking on stained deck boards.
- Once you start staining a board finish staining that board. Stain board-by-board instead of moving between parts of several boards.
- Make liberal use of drop cloths both to protect any landscaping or items beneath the deck, but also to avoid stain dripping to parts of boards underneath the railings and spindles. Such dripping creates an uneven finish on those boards.
- Allow the deck stain eight hours to dry to the touch, 24 hours before walking on it and 48 hours before replacing deck furniture and other items.
- It isn’t necessary to stain the entire deck in one sitting as long as you are staining board-by-board.
- Use a brush to stain and not a roller.
- DIY painting tips
A vital point to provide the best appearance for a finished deck is to work on each board individually and finishing a board you begin to stain. This creates even drying and appearance to all boards on the deck and the deck as a whole. Learn more about Weatherproofing your paint job.
After considering the job it may make sense to get a bid from a professional such as TruNorth Painting. They can be contacted online or by calling 651-321-3777.