Just as regular oil changes help your car run more smoothly and last longer, properly maintaining your deck or porch will help it last longer and look better. The finish, traffic on the deck, and the climate in your area will all impact how often you need to wash, restain,

Most homeowners breathe a sigh of relief when their new deck is installed. What they don’t realize is that maintenance begins as soon as the finish is applied! Here are some tips from the experts to prevent major repairs of your new wood deck. 1) Establish a deck inspection schedule.

Staining your wood deck will be more successful if you pay attention to these do’s and don’ts of deck staining. Deck Stain Application Do’s DO wait until temperatures are between 50° and 90° degree Fahrenheit, 10° – 35° degrees Celsius to stain. Cold temperatures slow drying times. In fact, you

While spraying is the fastest way to apply deck stain, for most homeowners, using a roller or lambswool pad is one of the most practical ways to apply deck stain. The process takes longer, but there are some important advantages to using these cheap tools. For one thing, there is

Unless you choose to use a sprayer, you’ll need to use a brush at some point in your deck staining project. Even when a sprayer is used, back brushing can be a useful technique for ensuring maximum penetration of the stain. Brushing Wood Deck Stain The most common method of

Properly finishing your wood deck with stain does more than make the structure beautiful. A proper refinishing job provides protection against the elements. That helps your deck last longer. Both new and existing decks need to be clean and in good condition before you can stain. Except on newly constructed

If your porch or deck is looking a little worse for the wear, a good sanding might be in order. Not only is sanding an essential step if you plan to add another coat of paint or stain, but it can help you enjoy your deck much more. Imagine summer

The first step to restoring your deck is to clean it, so it can absorb a new finish. Traditional cleaners such as Clorox and TSP aren’t at the top of the list for environmentally friendly products. This is for good reason. Sodium hypochlorite produces dioxin and TSP releases phosphates into