You should wait for the wood to dry completely before attempting to sand it. It is generally advised to perform cleaning of the deck with a pressure washer first. You can add some cleaning solution, stripper, or brightener to the water tank for some extra power.

Do you sand or power wash deck first?

Make sure your deck is thoroughly dry before you sand. If there has been recent rainfall or if you have power washed, wait several days before sanding.

Can I just power wash my deck before staining?





There is a common misconception that just pressure washing a deck prior to staining is all you need to do in order to prep your deck for stain. Pressure washing can help, but if you want your stain to last, using a good deck cleaner and brightener on the deck prior to pressure washing will provide you the best result.

Should I sand my pressure treated deck before staining?

Sanding pressure-treated wood is actually contraindicated because, as Sand & Stain warns, you’ll end up partially removing the protective coating created by the pressure treatment, and the wood will look terrible.

Is sanding necessary before staining a deck?

If you plan to stain the deck, sand the surface before application to make the wood better absorb the coating. Use an orbital sander to remove any old gloss and smooth out any rough areas on decking boards. You may need to use a sanding sponge on the railings or balustrades.

How long after pressure washing deck Can you stain?

48 hours





The short answer is 48 hours. You should wait at least two days after pressure washing your deck before you consider staining it, to give time for it to dry. Now let’s talk about specifics. Cleaning your deck is an all important first step in the staining process.

How do you clean a deck before staining?

How-To Prepare a Deck for Staining

  1. Thoroughly sweep the deck to remove all leaves and other debris.
  2. Liberally apply cleaner using a roller or pump sprayer (wear protective equipment to avoid contact with skin and eyes). …
  3. After 15 minutes, work the cleaner into the surface using a stiff synthetic-bristle brush.

Can you stain a deck without sanding?

Do I need to sand the deck before staining? The answer to this is “it depends.” You won’t hurt the deck by applying a light sanding. It really depends on the age of the decking and it’s condition. Sanding is more for the feel of the deck than to prepare it to accept a new stain.

How can I sand my deck fast?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: We're using the belt sander first up to do the bulk of the work and we're using a medium sandpaper as the deck is in pretty good condition. So it's important to stick with the grain.

Should you wash a deck after sanding?



After sanding, power-wash the deck and allow it to dry for at least 24 hours before staining. Sanding exposes porous wood that’s ready to soak up the stain, but this isn’t possible if the wood is full of water.

Do I need to pressure wash before sanding?

Splintered, cracking, or just plain rough wood should be sanded first, then pressure washed to open the wood’s pores and allow penetration of the stain. Deeply grooved wood that has mold, moss and other growing things filling the cracks will need treatment with a deck and siding cleaner.

How long after pressure washing can you sand?

After you’ve pressure washed your deck, you’ll need to wait for it to completely dry. Sometimes, this can take as long as 48-hours. Once it’s dry, you’ll want to sand your deck lightly. This is necessary to remove any splinters or fuzzy patches that pressure washing can cause.

How do you sand a deck for staining?



Use the palm or orbital hand sander for hard to reach places or where the belt or floor sander misses. Don’t forget to sand the exposed ends of the boards. Sweep or vacuum up the dust, and sand the deck again with a 60 to 80 grit to smooth the surface and still leave the pores open to suck up the stain.

Should I sand my pressure treated deck?

All wood, except manufactured products like composite wood — even pressure-treated lumber — need to be sanded and stained. If you want it to last, you have to put in the time and some elbow grease.

How much should you sand before staining?

On most raw woods, start sanding in the direction of the grain using a #120-150 grit paper before staining and work up to #220 grit paper. Soft woods such as pine and alder: start with #120 and finish with no finer than #220 (for water base stains) and 180 grit for oil base stains.

What grit sandpaper should I use on my deck?

Use 60-150 grit sanding paper or discs will work best. Courser sanding paper could damage the wood further and finer sanding paper will take too long. Make sure the deck is clean and dry before sanding. Make sure you wear a mask when sanding your deck surface.

What is the best sander to sand a deck?



random orbital sander

Using a random orbital sander is by far one of the most efficient and smoothest ways to sand your deck. These sanders are typically lighter, easier to operate and quieter than other types of sanders for your deck refinishing projects.