Blog Post

How To Prep a Deck

Apr 26, 2020

Go From Old Deck to New Deck with Benjamin Moore

Use a pry bar to pull damaged boards. Remove fasteners and lift the board straight up to avoid damaging adjacent boards.

There's no secret to deck maintenance—repair the deck, clean it and protect it.

SAVE TIME WITH PROPER DECK STAIN PREPARATION

With the condition of wood surfaces varying widely, some pros stay away from staining decks given the laborious nature of the prep work involved. Discover how to deliver a beautiful—and profitable—finished deck with our tips and products to speed up preparation.

The Right Tools for Better Stained Deck Results

When staining a deck or porch, it’s critical that you don’t underinvest in preparation. Many make the mistake of bypassing prep products and only investing in a high-quality stain. These contractors may save money off-the-shelf, but labor costs quickly add up once their team is struggling to get surfaces stain-ready.

Our CLEAN, BRIGHTEN, RESTORE, and REMOVE products are each formulated for a specific application—as an added value, they are also concentrates. A concentrated formula means that only a small amount goes a long way when mixed with water, and you can adjust the strength of your solution. Dealing with lots of mildew? Use a stronger mix of CLEAN to save time. Trying to remove light water stains? Use a weaker mix to save materials. After applying these high concentrate prep products, for best results, use a premium-quality stain, like our ARBORCOAT® Exterior Stain.

Save Time and Money by Investing in Deck Stain Preparation Concentrates

1CLEAN off Stains from Mold and Mildew

CLEAN is a maintenance cleaner that safely removes stains from mold and/or as well as water stains. Plus, it is multipurpose and effective on siding, shakes, outdoor furniture and more.

For maximum strength cleaning, mix 1 gallon of CLEAN with 7 gallons of water for up to 2,400 square feet of coverage.

2BRIGHTEN by Removing Tannin & Rust Stains

BRIGHTEN is used to break the shiny, tough-to-penetrate “mill glaze” on new wood and ensure deck stain adhesion. It also removes tannin and rust stains. Are you staining a tannin-bearing wood? BRIGHTEN counteracts the darkening effect of RESTORE and REMOVE by neutralizing the pH of those formulas.

BRIGHTEN rinses easily with water, and only 1 gallon of concentrate is needed to mix with 8 gallons of water for up to 2,400 square feet of coverage.

3RESTORE Severely Weathered Wood

RESTORE is a gentle, bleach-free formula that quickly restores severely weathered and grayed wood decks to their natural colour. And, it prepares the deck’s surface for re-coating by removing tannin bleeding, discoloured surface fibre, and stains from mold and/or mildew.

For maximum strength, mix only 1 gallon of concentrate with 8 gallons of water for up to 2,400 square feet of coverage.

4REMOVE Latex and Oil Finishes

REMOVE is a fast-acting formula for peeling oil or latex stain, varnish, and clear wood finishes. It also removes damaged and discoloured wood fibres to prepare the surface for recoating.

REMOVE may darken some wood types. If desired, use BRIGHTEN to restore the deck wood to its natural colour. Do not dilute REMOVE on surfaces with multiple coats, solid or semi-solid stains.

Follow this guide based on your customers’ wood conditions:

Weathered surfaces: mix 1 gallon of REMOVE with 1 gallon of water

Semi-transparent stains: mix 1 gallon of REMOVE with 2 gallons of water

Transparent stains: mix 1 gallon of remove with 3 gallons of water

Clear finishes: mix 1 gallon of REMOVE with 4 gallons of water