Q: How Do You Stain Wood?
A: Learning how to stain exterior wood is not hard. Staining your deck, gazebo, pergola, or fence is a lot easier than you think — provided you follow the right steps. With this guide on how to stain wood, you’re going to be relaxing outdoors with your project finished, quickly and with fantastic looking results.
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Step 1
Inspect Your Wood
This is simple. Check the wooden surface you are going to be staining to make sure there are no nails, screws, broken pieces of wood, or metal staples sticking out of the wood that could cause major issues when trying to coat the surface.
If you are staining an old deck or exterior wood structure it can really slow down the wood staining process if you don’t take a few minutes to make sure the surface is fully inspected for this right up front.
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Step 2
Clean Your Wood
Cleaning your deck isn’t hard — Olympic Premium Deck Brightener & Wash is perfect for deck staining projects, as well as maintenance after your project is completed. Make sure you apply the cleaner uniformly and that you follow all the application instructions listed on the product’s label, as well as the safety precautions.
Once you have applied the cleaner, scrub it with a stiff-bristle mop and wash away all of the grime. Then, let the wood surface fully dry before getting to the next step, staining your wood.
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Please refer to the Product Label, Technical Data Sheet (TDS) or Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for safety and detailed application instructions.
Step 3
Stain Your Wood
Now we are finally here — the moment we’ve all been waiting for — staining your wood. After you have picked out your preferred wood stain colors and once the wood is fully dry after cleaning it, grab a roller, a brush, or a good-quality wood stain sprayer and apply an even, consistent coat of wood stain to the entire surface.
If you come across blotches, or if the stain puddles up in any way, make sure you grab a roller or a brush and flatten these stain spots out.
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Please refer to the Product Label, Technical Data Sheet (TDS) or Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for safety and detailed application instructions.
Step 4
Rest Your Stained Wood
When it comes to wood staining projects, one of the most important steps is letting it rest after applying your wood stain. This works wonders for your project and also lets you enjoy your time outside as well.
Most wood stain pros recommend that you should let your stained deck rest 24 to 48 hours while it dries, but different stains call for different measures. Additionally, where you live and the local climate, weather, and humidity can affect drying time.
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Step 5
Enjoy Your Deck Responsibly
Now you can put back your grille and furniture and entertain your friends and family. You’re all done! Well, sort of.
While you are now free to kick back and enjoy your stained wooden deck you’ve also got to take care of it to make sure it keeps its beautiful appearance — like cleaning it at least once a year with Olympic Premium Deck Cleaner.
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