For many homeowners, a deck is a passion project, which is why it can be so frustrating when a carefully-applied stain starts to peel away from the wood. Deck washing can remove the damaged stain, but it’s important to understand what caused this to happen and what to do about it.

What Causes a Peeling Deck Stain

Before you apply stain to wood, the surface has to be prepared. You also need to know what kind and how much to use. Choose a high-quality stain option for the best results. If the stain starts to peel, it can usually be attributed to one or more of the following causes:

• Improperly Prepared Deck: Lack of thorough deck washing to remove debris and old stains and failure to use a wood brightener can cause a stain’s inability to adhere to the wood’s surface.
• Wrong Type of Stain: Only use stains designed specifically for exterior wood decks. Avoid water-based semi-transparent acrylic wood stains. These can form a film that sits on top, instead of properly penetrating the wood’s surface.
• Overuse: It’s easy to think that more is better when staining. However, using too much stain can form a slick coating on the deck’s surface, which is more susceptible to peeling.

How to Prevent Peeling

Before you have your deck stained, allow it to weather, so moisture in the interior grain of the wood dries out. This will prevent rot before it begins and allows your stain to set properly.

Clean, brighten, and sand your deck to an even smoothness to give the stain plenty of purchase. It’s OK to roll the stain on to start, but you should also work it into the wood with a brush.

Most importantly, buy a premium wood stain that resists peeling, UV rays, and weather. Investing in a quality stain from the beginning can save you headaches and expenses down the line.

How to Remove Peeling Deck Stain

If you have a peeling stain, there are any number of chemical strippers and solutions to get you back to square one. An unbeatable solution to this problem is power washing. High-pressure jets of water can easily, effectively, and cleanly remove any unwanted stain or chemicals.

Set your power washer to the lowest possible setting while still being effective. Harder woods can tolerate a higher pressure, but water pressure for softer woods like cedar or pine should be 500 to 600 pounds per square inch. Use a fan tip with a 40- to 60-degree span and test it out on a small area before washing the whole space.

If you’re in need of deck washing to remove unsightly stains, trust the professionals at GrandSons Solutions in Pinehurst, NC. This locally owned and operated business has over 15 years of service, providing effective cleaning services for roofs, gutters, windows, and decks at reasonable prices. Call (910) 603-7903 or visit them online to request a quote or find out more.