How to Prepare Wood Before Staining?
Josh Richards • Nov 18, 2022
How to Prepare Wood for Staining?
Staining wood can protect its surface and add a splash of color to the wood. However, before applying the stain, it's necessary to ensure that the wood is prepared. Otherwise, the stain won't set well into the wood. Preparing the wood include several steps, including any fixes, sanding it down, cleaning it up, and conditioning it.
Tool and supplies you need
Preparing the wood requires several tools and supplies. The most common tools you may need:
Check the weather forecast
Preparing and staining require long drying hours. Check for dry days before, on, and after the task. We suggest taking on the job during the Fall. It's the best time to stain the wood.
Preparing the Wood for Staining
Clear the deck
Examine the wood for any imperfections. Crevices, splits, holes, and others will make it difficult for the stain to set into the timber. Be sure to inspect every area of the wood you'll be staining. Take note of any holes that require filling.
All nails should be driven beneath the surface of the wood. Look over the wood's surface to find nails protruding and use the hammer to press them down the surface. If you don't put these nails on, you'll never have a smooth finish.
If you have stain on the wood and don't know if it's water base or oil base you'll need to test it. grab a rag and put rubbing alcohol on the rag. Take the rag with the rubbing alcohol on it and rub it on the wood if the stain comes off then its water base.
Cover nearby things
Protect nearby walls and plants with safety sheets and drop cloth. Avoid covering the plants with plastic. It can kill the plant.
Also, make sure to wet the plants before covering them. And don't forget to wet the covering cloth, so the plants remain in good condition.
Rinse the surface
Using a pressure washer, pre wet the surface then add your deck cleaner. Let the cleaner dwell so it can do it's work. Do Not use pressure while pressure washing the surface. Let the chemical do what its suppose to do. Start with one board and go with the grain of the wood and go all the way to the end of the board. Do Not go across the boards because it will leave scratch marks on the surface of the wood and the will be extremely hard to get out. Wait until it's dried, then move to sand the wood to get an even smooth surface. It's better to do the sanding just before you stain.
Sanding for a smooth finish
Start sanding with 80-grit sandpaper. Always sand in the direction of the wood. It means you must adhere to the lines drawn on the wood and then sand in the grain direction.
Sand in an even line in a circular motion until you've reached the top of the wood surface. Repeat this procedure for each area of the wood that you'll stain.
Beware of using the belt sander. Belt sanders can be used for more extensive staining tasks like flooring made of wood. The belt sander can harm the surface with a minor job. We suggest using a hand sander instead.
Clean the wood thoroughly between sandings. Make use of a vacuum or tack cloth to clean all surfaces on the wooden surface. You can also employ a paper towel lightly soaked in mineral spirits.
This is crucial since sanding leaves an abundance of sawdust. The debris left behind can cause the wood's surface rough after staining. Be sure to clean the wood after each sanding.
Making your way to even finer sandpaper can ensure that you can remove all minor imperfections of the wood before applying the stain.
Check that the wood surface is spotless. Utilize a moistened towel with mineral spirits to remove any loose debris left behind. Any sawdust left behind could damage the stain.
Apply the stain
You have adequately prepared the wood, and it's time to apply the stain. Deck preparing is a bit different than preparing the fence. Similarly, applying stain on a fence is slightly different from applying stain on the deck. Apply stain with what ever method you choose( airless, 12 volt system, hand held sprayer, pump up sprayer, a roller or brush. Apply the stain to a couple boards at a time, then go back over the boards to smooth the excess stain into the wood. after you finish applying clean up and stay of the deck for 48 hours.
Do You Need an Expert?
Preparing and staining don't sound challenging. You may think you can save some bucks by doing the job yourself. But think twice and imagine what may happen if you don't do the job like a pro?
We at Precision Staining are experts in preparing and staining decks, docks, fences, and more and ensure the best results. Let's connect so we can help you protect the wood and give it a new look.
FAQs
What are the common mistakes while preparing the wood for staining?
The most common mistake in preparing the wood for staining is thinking that you can do the task like a professional. While you don't need a qualification to become a professional stainer, it requires skill. If you have the right skill, don't hire an expert. Otherwise, you may end up in a disaster.
Do I need to sand the surface before staining?
Sanding isn't always required. Sometimes you can skip this step. But if the wood is old and rough, you may want to smoothen the surface with the right-sized sandpaper.
Can I stain the wood after a few days of preparing it?
We don't recommend delays once you've prepared the wood. Delaying for long will start creating the same conditions you observed when preparing the wood for staining.