How to Stain a Deck
Quick answer: The fastest way to make a new deck pop is a two-toned finish: a semi-transparent stain painted on and wiped off for a lighter tone on the decking, and a one-coat solid stain on the frame and posts below. We finished the cedar on our floating deck build exactly this way — painted on, wiped off, one board at a time. Full process and photos below. Documented by Jamison Rantz.
Recently we built this sweet floating deck for my brother and sister-in-law. We really wanted to make this outdoor space pop, so with the help of our friends over at Rust-Oleum, we gave this deck one heck of a finish — a semi-transparent stain on the cedar decking and a one-coat solid stain on the structure for an awesome two-toned look. The same process works on a pressure-treated build like our attached deck too; just let PT lumber dry out before its first coat.
And be sure to check out the outdoor furniture we built for this deck: the small outdoor coffee table, simple side table, and succulent planter all live here too.
Tools & materials
How to stain a deck (two-toned)
Step 1: Semi-transparent stain on the decking — paint on, wipe off
We used the semi-transparent stain a slightly different way than the directions state: painted on with a brush, then wiped off with stain rags to give the cedar a lighter finish. If you want a darker deck, roll it on and leave it.
Working in the sun, we had to paint on and wipe off immediately so the stain didn’t dry too fast. If you stain this way, I recommend two people and one board at a time — it keeps the tone even and avoids lap marks.
It’s more time consuming than rolling, but the end result looked pretty sweet.
Step 2: Solid stain on the structure
On the frame, posts, and steps we used the one-coat solid stain in Driftwood. This was such a simple step that really made the deck pop — brush or roller, just paint it on.
The two-toned effect brings out the color of the deck boards and gives the deck a unique, trendy look.
Needless to say, my brother and sister-in-law love how the deck turned out — and we were pretty impressed ourselves.
Deck staining questions, answered
How long should I wait before staining a new deck?
Cedar can usually be stained within a few weeks; pressure-treated lumber needs to dry out first — often several weeks to a few months depending on climate. Easy test either way: sprinkle water on a board. If it soaks in, the wood is ready; if it beads up, wait.
Semi-transparent or solid stain — which should I use?
Semi-transparent shows the wood grain and works best on decking that looks good (like this cedar); solid stain covers like paint and is the move for framing, posts, or older gray boards. This two-toned deck simply uses each where it’s strongest.
How do you get a lighter stain finish?
Paint the semi-transparent stain on with a brush and wipe it off with rags before it dries — one board at a time, two people in hot sun. You control the depth of color by how soon you wipe.
How often does a deck need to be re-stained?
Plan on refreshing an exterior stain every 1–2 years, sooner on horizontal surfaces in full sun and freeze-thaw climates. When water stops beading on the surface, it’s time.
The deck this finish lives on
Questions? Comments?
If you have any questions, drop them in the comments below — and when your build is done, post a picture. That’s the good part.
That really did change the deck from nice to I’d really like that at my place! I’m building with brown pressure treated so I’m thinking I’m euchred. How many cans did it take?
Great build, gonna try it this summer. What would you think about staining the panels prior to installing them? Can you think of any drawbacks?
It looks great! I like your effort, although time consuming, it turned out amazing!
Thanks! It was time consuming but the results were so worth it.