Dark Brown Deck Lightened to Taupe in Richmond Hill

The deck: dark brown stain peeling everywhere

This large deck runs the full length of a Richmond Hill backyard, with an upper landing at the house, wide steps between levels, long built-in benches around the edge and planter boxes framing the stairs. It had been coated in a dark brown stain that was failing everywhere: peeling and flaking on the boards, stairs, benches and planters, with grey wood showing through and mildew on the steps.

Sanding off the old brown coating

Going lighter over a dark, peeling stain only works if the old coating comes off, so we sanded the deck boards, stairs, benches and planter boxes back to clean wood. The sanding photo shows the difference halfway through: bare wood in the middle, the old brown coating still around the edges.

Light taupe stain

The owners wanted a brighter, more modern look, so we stained the whole deck in a light taupe colour: every board, the stairs, the built-in benches and the planter boxes. The lighter tone makes the large deck feel open and fresh, stays cooler underfoot in the sun and suits the brick of the house and the green cedars around the yard.

The result

A bright, uniform deck with no peeling, matching benches and planters, and a finish that only needs a wash and a maintenance coat every few years.

Deck staining in Richmond Hill

UCO Construction Group sands and stains decks across Richmond Hill, Thornhill, Vaughan, Aurora, Markham and the rest of the GTA. If your deck stain is peeling or you want a lighter colour, see our deck sanding and staining service and contact us for a free on-site estimate.