Restaining a Deck

L. Giffin asked 10 years ago

Does restaining a deck (rails only) require you to strip off the old stain?

1 Answers
Crowder Painting answered.

Yes and no. You need to remove all of the loose oxidized stain and open up the wood pores. This will allow the new stain to penetrate into the wood. A good washing and light hand sanding is usually enough. If the new stain is a different color then a complete strip might be needed for the best look.