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.

A painting contractor power washing a deck

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 labour 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

1

CLEAN off Stains from Mould and Mildew

CLEAN is a maintenance cleaner that safely removes mould stains and water stains. Plus, it's multi-purpose 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.

2

BRIGHTEN by Removing Tannin and 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 a 3.79 L can of concentrate (mixed with 30 litres of water) is enough to cover up to 2,400 square feet.

3

RESTORE Severely Weathered Wood

RESTORE is a gentle, bleach-free formula that quickly restores severely weathered and greyed wood decks to their natural colour. And, it prepares the deck’s surface for recoating by removing tannin bleeding, discoloured surface fibre and mould and mildew stains.

BRIGHTEN rinses easily with water, and a 3.79 L can of concentrate (mixed with 30 litres of water) is enough to cover up to 2,400 square feet.

4

REMOVE 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 of solid or semi-solid stains.

Follow this guide based on your customers’ wood conditions:

Weathered surfaces: mix 3.79 L of REMOVE with an equal amount of water

Semi-transparent stains: mix 3.79 L of REMOVE with 7.5 litres of water

Transparent stains: mix 3.79 L of REMOVE with 11.5 litres of water

Clear finishes: mix 3.79 L of REMOVE with 15 litres of water

Need more deck staining tips? Learn How to Stain a Deck with ARBORCOAT Exterior Stains.

Pro Tip Spotlight:

Maintenance cleaning can extend the life of your customer’s deck. We recommend using CLEAN approximately every 3 years. Certain environmental conditions may require more frequent cleaning.

Pro Tip Spotlight:

Maintenance cleaning can extend the life of your customer’s deck. We recommend using CLEAN approximately every 3 years. Certain environmental conditions may require more frequent cleaning.