Large Raised Deck Sanded and Stained in Bradford

The deck: big, beautiful and worn grey

This Bradford home has a large raised deck across the back of the house, with beige railings and black decorative balusters, post cap lights and a wide set of stairs down to the interlock patio. Years of sun, rain and foot traffic had turned the deck boards grey, and the old finish had worn off the stair treads and edges, leaving a patchy mix of grey wood and faded stain.

Sanding the deck and stairs

We sanded the whole deck floor and every stair tread and riser back to fresh wood, working carefully along the house wall, around the railing posts and at the edges of the stairs. The sanding photo shows the result: clean, bright boards across the whole deck with the grey and the old worn finish gone, ready to take stain evenly.

Natural wood-tone stain

The deck and stairs were then stained in a natural wood tone that keeps the warm look of fresh wood and lets the grain show, and works well with the beige railings, black balusters and brick of the house.

The result

A big, bright deck that looks new again, with even colour from the house wall to the bottom step and the wood protected from sun and moisture.

Deck staining: questions homeowners ask

Why does deck stain wear off the stairs first?

Stair treads and the front edges of steps take the most foot traffic and the most direct rain and sun, so the finish wears there long before the rest of the deck. That is why we pay extra attention to stairs when we sand and stain, as on this Bradford deck.

Do you pressure wash or sand a deck before staining it?

It depends on the job. We look at every deck first and decide whether it should be pressure washed and then sanded, or only sanded, based on the size of the project, the style of the deck, the weather in the forecast and the result the homeowner wants. Here, sanding the whole deck back to fresh wood removed the grey and the worn old finish.

Can you put new stain over old, worn stain?

Only when the old finish is clean, sound and not peeling. When it has worn off unevenly, like it had on these stairs, new stain over it would look patchy, so we sanded the old finish off first to get one even colour.

Does a natural or light stain protect as well as a darker colour?

Lighter, more transparent stains have less pigment, so they block a bit less sun and usually need a maintenance coat a little sooner than darker or more solid colours. Many homeowners still choose them because they keep the look of fresh wood. We explain the trade-off when you pick a colour.

Will the new stain peel?

Peeling usually happens when stain goes over a failing old coat or is applied too thick. We prepare the wood properly first, and our deck and fence staining comes with a 3-year non-peeling stain warranty.

How much does it cost to refinish a large deck with stairs?

It depends on the size of the deck, its condition, whether it needs washing and sanding or sanding only, and how many stairs and railings there are. We come out, look at the wood and give you a written quote.

Deck staining in Bradford and Simcoe County

UCO Construction Group sands and stains decks, fences and pergolas across Bradford, Newmarket, East Gwillimbury, Aurora, King City and the rest of the GTA. See our deck and fence staining service and book an on-site estimate.