I have received the Armstrong product (semi transparent cedar) and am ready to apply.

So far, I have stripped with HD-80 and pressure washer, followed by a rather thorough sanding (60 grit and a handful of hours with a palm sander).

The deck surface looks rather clean and smooth (wood is only three years old).

My next question is what do I need to do prior to applying the stain? Is it adequate to use a deck wash or is anything extra recommended? I plan to use a roller to apply.

I also need to plan for maintenance. I took your suggestion with the Armstrong, so I can merely clean the surface and reapply it every few years. Can I merely use a standard deck wash for this as well? I'll need to order more stain to have on hand.

Thanks for the help. I can see the end.

Next step would be to use a wood brightener if you have not. This is a simple process that neutralizes the caustic of the stripper and sets the pH balance of your wood. No need to clean.

A roller is okay for application but we prefer exterior stain pads.

In the future you can clean the wood with a wood cleaner to remove dirt and grime for a maintenance coat. This should be okay for a few times but eventually you may need to strip again as a buildup of stain will happen eventually. It is better to apply light coats in the future instead of heavy coats.

Send some pictures!

Thanks. It makes sense not to over apply since that is what I did last time and it peeled within a year.

Here are a photos of my deck after applying the brightener and after applying the stain.

The (12'x24') deck took exactly one gallon of the stain. I bought two gallons, so I'll be ready when I intend to reapply any.

The photos do not show the unevenness of the boards, due to abuse with the pressure washer during stripping. The harder grains tend to stand higher than some of the softer wood parts. This made it slightly more difficult to stain. More muscle was needed to get the stain from the pad to the lower reaches of the boards. Directions said to use sparingly, but I needed to use more. I made sure that the stain did not puddle, and tried to spread it out along the length of the boards.

Please reassure me that this is fine. My fear is that if it was laid on too thick, it will harden and peel, like the Behr stain I had on it before.

The result does look good, with the color a little darker than I expected, but that is fine.

The deck will get some intense exposure from all the elements, and I want to make sure that I maintain it properly. Sounds like a light maintenance coat is needed each year or two. How will I know if I need to add stain? Will it be when water stops beading on the surface? How will I know when I shoud re-strip it (assuming I want to repeat this fun)?

Thanks for all your help. [img size=400]http://www.deck-restoration.com/images/fbfiles/images/deckbefore.jpeg[/img]

after [img size=400]http://www.deck-restoration.com/images/fbfiles/images/deckafter.jpeg[/img]

I think it turned out great!

You did not over apply and you will not have issues with re coating in the future. It will not peel like the Behr. The Armstrong Deck Stain is an oil based sealer that will penetrate much deeper then the Behr water based acrylic.

Beading water is a misconception and is not important nor needed. Eventually it will fade, get dirty, or wear in the heavy traffic areas. When this happens in 18-36 months, it will then be time for a light cleaning and another coat.

Stripping will only need to be done if the wood is unable to absorb additional stain.

How to improve the life span of a log siding or a cedar siding? Will it be a costly endeavor to do so? It is felt that the look of a cedar side would be gorgeous.

prasanth5 wrote:
How to improve the life span of a log siding or a cedar siding? Will it be a costly endeavor to do so? It is felt that the look of a cedar side would be gorgeous.You improve the appearance and the longevity of the wood by periodic maintenance. Cleaning and re staining whenever is needs it.