Get matched with top deck staining pros in Belfry, KY

Opt for an interior wood stain that is rated for your type of wood. Consider your personal style preferences as well as the overall use of the room when choosing a color. Remember, the color you see at the store may look different on your actual floors once applied. This is why if you have the chance, it’s helpful to test a few options on a scrap piece of wood in the room first. Once you narrow it down, you can test a small patch on an inconspicuous area in the room to see it on the actual floors.

It depends on the size of the surface. If you’re covering a large area, a paint roller will allow you to stain the entire surface in much less time. Paint rollers also offer the advantage of creating a smoother, more even coat. However, they’re not as practical for smaller surfaces such as banisters, spindles, and crevices—for these, opt for a paintbrush, paint mitt, or lint-free rag instead.

You can paint a deck with either a roller or a brush, but rollers are more common because they’re faster. There are benefits to using a brush, though. Brushes offer more control than rollers, so it’s a worthwhile route if you don’t mind spending more time on the job. The fastest way to paint a deck is with a sprayer, but they’re more expensive than rollers and brushes and more likely to result in an uneven coat.

Pressure-treated wood can not only be painted and stained, but it should be; doing so will help to prevent surface or deck board cracking. Allow the wood to dry out before painting it, as pressure-treated wood from the hardware store takes longer to dry than kiln-dried lumber. If water beads on the surface, it needs additional time to dry—in fact, it can take weeks or even months to fully dry. As soon as the wood absorbs water on the surface, it is ready to be painted or stained.