Multi-Level Deck & Pergola Refinished in Mississauga

The deck: a lot of wood, all of it grey

This Mississauga backyard has more deck than most — an upper landing off the kitchen doors, a wide staircase down, a large lower platform with a covered pergola, a second set of steps to the lawn, wood railings, and full-height skirting around the whole raised structure. None of it had ever been properly finished. The boards had gone silver-grey with mildew in the shaded spots, the stair treads were worn pale, and the pergola and railings were a patchwork of greyed and newer wood. The owners wanted it all brought to one colour, and they wanted it dark.

Sanding every surface, including the pergola and skirting

Getting a uniform dark finish on wood this mixed only works if everything starts from the same point, so we sanded all of it to bare wood: both platforms, both staircases, the railing caps and posts, the pergola posts and beams, and the vertical skirting boards. The during photo shows the upper landing at that stage, bright clean wood right up to the door threshold with the railings sanded to match. This is the slow part of any deck restoration, and it is what stops a dark stain from looking blotchy where old grey wood meets new.

Dark brown oil-based stain throughout

The whole structure was finished in a deep dark brown oil-based penetrating stain. A dark oil tone on sanded pressure-treated wood gives an even, rich colour that hides the small differences between older and newer boards, and because the oil cures inside the wood instead of forming a film it will not peel on the stairs and high-traffic landing. The pergola, railings, stair risers and skirting all took the same colour, so the finished deck reads as a single dark piece against the pale brick, with the gazebo roof and black balusters tying in.

The result

From a tired grey patchwork to a dark, uniform outdoor room: landing, stairs, lower deck, pergola and skirting all finished the same. Maintenance going forward is a wash and a single refresh coat when the colour starts to soften, no stripping and no sanding.

Deck and pergola staining in Mississauga

UCO Construction Group restores and stains decks, pergolas, railings and fences across Mississauga, Oakville, Etobicoke, Brampton and the rest of the GTA. If your deck has gone grey or you want a full colour change, see our deck staining and restoration service and get in touch for a free on-site estimate.