Calgary Deck Painting | How to Prep And Stain A Deck
Basic Prep Work Required For The Job
The above Deck was painted by Eco Star Painting in 2013. We stripped it down using a power sander, scrapers, and a little elbow grease.First, we used 50 grit sandpaper using a 1/4 sheet Porter Cable Palm Sander.
After most of the paint is removed, we use 80 grit sandpaper and finally 120 grit to smooth it out.
A scraper was used in tandem with the electric sander. Add a putty knife and that's basically all the tools you need to prepare a deck for painting. Of course, you'll need a broom to sweep off the dust and paint chips. We like to use a Leaf Blower because it's super fast and moves every last speck of dirt.
Note: If the deck is in the extremely rough shape we first use a pressure washer to remove some of the paint. Be careful not to gouge the wood by stripping too deep with the water pressure. The aim is to get rid of the loose stuff and then come back after it has dried and started the sanding as described above.
Update: This prep technique is used for solid color stain only. If you plan on using a translucent stain the deck has to be completely stripped down to the bare wood or the old finish will show through. I show you how to strip a deck here.
How To Stain a Deck With A Paint Sprayer
Ok, now the deck is prepped and ready for some stain. What tools are needed, what kind of stain do we recommend, and how many coats of stain will the job require?
For best results, we recommend using an airless paint sprayer. You want to use a quality pump like a Graco, Titan, Airlessco or Lemmer. They are all similar in construction and functionality. Ideally, you'd like a sprayer to deliver at least 2,000 PSI at .50 Gallons per Minute (GPN). The bigger pumps deliver more than 1 gallon per minute.
We use the Graco RAC X SwitchTip reversible airless paint sprayer tips. For deck spraying a 215 is perfect for the spindles in the regular BLUE tips. That'll produce a 4" fan.
Minimally you'll need a 9" roller with a 1/2 inch nap. Lint-free is recommended. We like the Wooster Pro Dooz sleeves.
A 2 1/2" sash (angled) paintbrush is ideal for the spindles and a 6" deck brush for the deck floor.
We like the Wooster Sherlock Extension Poles. For deck staining a 2'-4' extendable pole is recommended. Obviously, you'll need a roller pan wide enough for a 9" roller.
That's basically all you need.
What About the Stain?
Flood Pro Series Solid Color Stain. We've been using Flood Stain for decades with great success. It has to be a great product to withstand the harsh winters of Calgary Canada. Flood stain is an acrylic stain that is water cleanup and recoats time is approximately 3-4 hours. You can apply 2 coats in one day and finish the job. We've never had to use 3 coats. It covers extremely well over any color.
What makes Flood stain stick so well is a chemical called Emulsa Bond. It's basically like a built-in glue or primer in one. The same manufacturer also sells Emulsa Bond to add into paints for increased bonding onto difficult substrates like chalky siding or weathered stucco.
