Large Deck With Benches Sanded and Stained in Oshawa

The deck: a great design gone grey

This Oshawa backyard has a lot of custom woodwork: a large ground-level deck with a diamond-pattern inlay in the middle, built-in bench seating along the fence line, planter boxes with cedars, horizontal-slat privacy screens, a raised landing with black aluminum railings and wide steps down from the patio door, and a framed privacy screen with diagonal boards. Without a finish, all of it had weathered to a dry, flat grey, and the inlay pattern that makes the deck special had almost disappeared.

Sanding the deck, benches and screens

We sanded the entire structure back to fresh wood: every deck board including the diamond inlay, the bench seats and backs, the planter boxes, the privacy screen slats, the landing, the stair treads and risers. The sanding photo shows the clean, bright pressure-treated wood across the whole deck, with the inlay pattern clearly visible again. Sanding is what removes the grey surface fibres and opens the wood so the stain soaks in evenly.

Rich cedar-toned stain

We then stained everything in one rich cedar tone, so the deck floor, benches, planters, screens and steps read as one finished space. The colour brings out the grain and the diamond inlay and sits well against the red brick and the black railings.

The result

A warm, even-coloured backyard deck that looks like new, with the inlay and the built-in details standing out again and the wood protected from sun and moisture.

Deck staining: questions homeowners ask

Can a deck with built-in benches and privacy screens be refinished?

Yes. As long as the boards and framing are sound, benches, planters, privacy screens and stairs can all be sanded and stained along with the deck floor. It takes more detailed hand work than a flat deck, but it is the only way to get one consistent colour across the whole space, as on this Oshawa project.

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. On this deck, sanding everything back to fresh wood brought the grey boards and the inlay back.

How often should a deck be restained?

Deck floors take the most sun, rain and foot traffic, so they usually need a maintenance coat every 2 to 3 years. Benches, screens and railings shed water and last longer between coats. If water soaks in instead of beading up, or the wood starts to look grey, it is time.

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.

When is the best time of year to stain a deck in Ontario?

Late spring through early fall, on dry, mild days. This deck was done in June. The wood has to be dry before staining and the stain needs dry weather afterwards to soak in and cure.

How much does it cost to refinish a large deck?

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

Deck staining in Oshawa and Durham Region

UCO Construction Group sands and stains decks, fences and pergolas across Oshawa, Whitby, Ajax, Pickering, Courtice and the rest of the GTA. See our deck and fence staining service and book an on-site estimate.