How to Remove Solid Stain from Wood Deck

Years ago, my porch was painted bright blue. And no, I’m not talking about a subtle pale blue, no, but a freshly-picked-blueberry bright, which makes the property difficult to miss. It also makes any unwanted stains or blemishes on the house much more obvious.One day, I was outside on the porch staining a set of bookcases with a dark finish. When I stood to admire my hard work, my foot bumped the can of stain and it toppled over. Quickly, I whipped around in horror as the dark stain spread across the bright blue woodwork. After that force majeure, I do all wood finishing only in the workshop now.

Removing Wood Stain from Deck
Removing Wood Stain from Deck. Photo: 123rf.com

Getting rid of the finish

We’ve all been there–I mean, accidents happen right? Have you ever spilled a freshly opened can of finish? Accidentally stained a deck the wrong color? Or maybe you’re just sick of your old stain chipping away and want to replace it with a fresh coat. For any project, it’s important to understand how to remove solid stain from a wooden deck. Once you know these tricks, you’ll be able to remove all kinds of solid stains.

Painting Versus Staining and What is It?

Stained Wood
Stained Wood. Photo: 123rf.com

People often confuse the terms painting and staining and use them interchangeably. But they are two very different things, and it’s important to know the difference. Painting is what we think of when we change the color of the walls or siding of our bedroom. For example, the bright blue coat my house wears was painted. Paint can go on a variety of surfaces beyond wood, like siding, plastic, and metal.

Make your wood look gorgeous

Stain, however, is a finish applied to wood, not to change the color, but to enhance the natural look of wood. When you use it, the richness of the wood’s unique grain and knots will appear.

Most stains come in natural wood colors, like oak or walnut, but you can find a color to fit any design. Some woods don’t absorb the stain as well as others, so you might have to apply extra coats to achieve your desired look.

Taking time to research the best kind of stain for the type of wood you’re using is a smart move.

When you’re working with stain, it’s good to use long strokes and work with the grain, not against it.

However, similarly to paint, heavier stains will form a film on the wood surface to protect it against weather damage. This stronger type of stain is even more challenging to get off.

Removing stain from deck

So, here are the steps to follow:

1. Power Washing

Power Washing
Power Washing. Photo: 123rf.com

If you’ve ever stained a deck before, you know the wood must be correctly prepared before the staining can even begin. You need to power wash your deck, making sure to remove all the built up dirt, mold and mildew. You may use a deck cleaner for this purpose. You can’t skip this step, or all the grime will be trapped under the new coat of stain, and the wood won’t hold the new coat as well. The first step in ensuring your solid stain is effectively removed is thoroughly washing your deck.

2. Deck Stain Strippers

Even then, simply washing your deck might not be enough. Most decks, especially with older, chipped stains, will need a deck stain stripper.

Deck strippers soften the existing stain so it’s easier to remove.

The formula for deck strippers often includes Sodium Hydroxide, along with other surfactants to create a more aggressive stripper than your typical wood cleaner.

Applying stripper

You can apply the stripper with paint brushes and rollers, just like you would paint or another stain. Or, when combined with water, stain strippers can also be applied with a pump sprayer. Once the stripper is on, it’s best to let the product sit on the wood for ten to fifteen minutes before removing it. This way, the stripper has a chance to soak into the stain and really break it down.

If you used solid or semi-solid stains, or if your finish is particularly stubborn or thick, you might need to put on an extra coat and give the stripper more processing time.

After the deck stripper has soaked in enough, you’ll notice the old stain begin to break away from the wood. That’s a sign it’s time to power wash that deck one more time to ensure all leftover stain is removed.

If, even after all that, the stubborn stain is still there, you can use sandpaper or a sander to remove the remaining stain. Once the old stain is completely gone, you’re ready to move onto the next step.

3. Wood Deck Brightener

Wood Deck Brightener
Wood Deck Brightener. Photo: 123rf.com

So let’s say you use a deck stain stripper, you spend hours applying coat after coat of the stuff, and still, your deck still doesn’t look anything like it used to. Don’t worry, it’s very common for wood to appear darker after a stripping treatment. This is because the stripper raises the pH of the wood, and therefore alters the color. It’s a common problem for wood cleaners as well.

Lighten up the wood

One surefire way to solve this problem is with a wooden deck brightener. All you have to do is apply a coat of deck brightener to the wood, and it’ll restore the color and pH of your deck. It’ll also help the new coat of stain take better to the wood, as it opens the wood’s pores for deep penetration. Once you’re finished with this step, be sure to rinse your deck thoroughly.

You must let the deck stripper and the deck brightener dry for a minimum of 48 hours before putting on the new stain.

While waiting might seem tedious, it’s all part of the process. Once the wood is completely dry, you are ready to stain your freshly cleaned deck. If you attempt to restain your deck before the 48 hours is up, you might find inconsistencies in the color or strength of the stain.

And then finally, after hours of waiting and prepping, your wooden deck will be ready for a brand new stain. You can take comfort knowing the wood is properly prepared and will give you a rich stain that brings out the beautiful qualities of your wood.

Conclusion

It’s important to know how to remove a solid stain from your deck because outdoor stains require a lot of maintenance. Unpredictable weather conditions combined with general wear and tear can cause a lot of damage to even the highest quality finishes. With the proper use of stripping treatments, deck brighteners, and fresh coats of stain, you can keep your wooden deck looking beautiful for years. These techniques are also great for correcting mistakes. Even if you spill some, you can use a small amount of stripper and brightener to fix up any mess. Even a dark brown solid stain on top of bright blue paint.

I stood on the front porch of my bright blue house and stared at the solid stain spreading its way across the woodwork. But still, I didn’t panic. I used a light-duty stripper to remove the mess, and then power washed the remaining bits away. Before I knew it, the stain was gone and the cringe-worthy blue was back in full force. Because I had the proper knowledge and tools, I was able to solve the problem–long before my landlord found out.

William Stewart

The proud owner and lead writer of WoodImprove.com. Started writing in 2018 and sharing his love and passion for wood treatments and crafts.

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Miriam
Miriam
1 year ago

Halp!!! After painting our house the most gorgeous color evah, we had the painting crew scrape our aging, mahogany deck and the I got confused and had them put on a semi-solid stain instead of a semi-transparent one and it is awful. I did some research and found articles similar to this that suggest we can strip it and then sand it and brighten it, but when I suggested that to the painter he was adamant that it wouldn’t work because it is semi-solid stain (as opposed to solid)

We stopped him after the one coat and it has only been 24 hours. If we get on this quickly, is there hope for us?

David
David
3 years ago

I bought a small cedar sided house twenty years ago, and the boards needed refurbishing about ten years ago. I didn’t know anything about stains, but let a contractor convince me to use an acrylic solid stain on the house. He worked when I was out of town, and when I got back I was horrified. I have hated that stain from day one and I still hate it. Is there any practical way to remove solid stain from cedar siding that would leave it able to be recoated in semi-transparent?

Thanks.

Jaime
Jaime
3 years ago

Hello,

We have recently purchased some pine untreated wood that we need to stain. We used Thompson’s water seal and combination stain. We used a sprayer we should not have it’s very uneven. My question is this we are stripping and cleaning and starting over. Before using the stripper and cleaner does it have to have a clear sealant on it or
Can we do this and just restain with brushes to make it all even?

Lori McCann
Lori McCann
3 years ago

Mr Stewart, could you advise how you would correct lapping from stain application on a deck? We are deciding to tolerate the color for the Summer but need to correct some over lapping.
I do appreciate your service.

C. Nicholas Morris
C. Nicholas Morris
3 years ago

Hello!

I am purchasing a house that is being flipped right now and have been working with the flipper on finishing touches such as lights, door knobs, etc. He did an amazing job of restoring the amazing cedar beams throughout the kitchen and dining room. The house was built in 1966 and at some point they were painted with glossy chocolate paint. The beam are what sold me on purhasing the house. One of his finishing guys that did the caulk, used a stain caulk to seal the edge between the beams and ceiling. In the process, he got it all over the beams, and it is much darker than the beams. It looks horrible! And the caulk doesn’t match the original beams, it’s much lighter, but yet stained the beams so dark it’s almost black. It’s in all of the corners and there are big splotches of it in random places. Is there anything I can do besides stain the beams the darker color? I can send pictures if that ould help. Thank you for yoru help! Nicholas

Lori McCann
Lori McCann
3 years ago

Yesterday, a deck was stained using one coat Valspar transparent stain & sealer in redwood. We are not happy with the color. Can we strip it off this Summer, following your instructions?

Brian Neal
Brian Neal
3 years ago

Can I remove stain from cedar shakes on the side of my house the same way you described for decks?

Raquel
Raquel
3 years ago

Is the same process for remove semitransparent or transparent stain?

Chris
Chris
3 years ago

I have a question. I recently installed brand new deck and want to leave it in its natural color. I was painting another area and few splotches of brown paint got onto the deck. I wiped it up quickly but it couldn’t get it off completely.
It was wood ( deck ) paint. How can I get these splotches off ? HELP

Wendy
Wendy
3 years ago

My deck boards have peeled but my railings have not. I’m stripping to add a different stain. Do I have to still strip the railings? Can I just sand them and add new stain? It’s the same cedar color, but a better staining product.

Edward
Edward
3 years ago

Hello,

I am wanting to restain my deck. I used stain stripper to remove the old stain after power washing the deck. I was not able to get all of the old stain off. Do I need to try again to get it all off or can I use a semi-transparent stain over the remaining old stain?

Thanks for your help.

Edward
Edward
3 years ago

I am wanting to stain my deck with a semi-transparent stain. I power washed the deck and then used a stain stripper to remove the old stain. I was not able to get all of the old stain off. Do I need to keep reapplying the stain stripper until all of the old stain is gone or can I apply the new stain over what is still there from the old stain?

Dana
Dana
3 years ago

Hi. Our deck was stained or painted (by previous owners) with a forest green stain or paint ?. We want to remove it, we tried stripper with very little success…do you suggest sanding the deck with professional sander ? Thank you

Jim
Jim
3 years ago

I need to remove a very very thick layer of what I think is deck paint. If I peel up a chipped area, it comes up like long, peeling strips of vinyl or plastic. It’s quite thick. Is there a special deck paint remover for this type of extra thick deck paint?

Beth
Beth
3 years ago

Hi William,

My husband and I bought a house a few years ago and the deck was a horrid red solid stain. We heard that once you use a solid stain you can never go back to using just a clear stain. So we removed as much as possible of the red and stained it again with a solid stain in a gray color. We live in upstate NY so the weather just kills the deck every year. I would really love to see our beautiful deck restored to its natural wood state. Is is possible to remove the gray stain even from the spindles and return it to its original form? Any advice you could offer would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Peggy Levato
Peggy Levato
3 years ago

Last year my son thought he would surprise me… (which he did) he put a deep red color stain on my new front porch deck. It is a deep red/burgundy color stain and it does not match anything. I would like to remove it this summer do you think the process you are recommending will remove a deep red stain color? I sure do hope so..

Lesley Chubick
Lesley Chubick
3 years ago

My deck had a three year old solid stain on it. I have power washed and sanded rough spots out of the deck but the old solid stain is still obvious. Can i stain the deck with a new, darker, stain? Going from a red solid stain to a solid dark brown.

Helen N
Helen N
3 years ago

I used a dark chestnut color t stain my wooden deck. I dont like it and want to remove it to go a little lighter.

What should I do to remove the stain?

Kathryn
Kathryn
4 years ago

Hi, I would like to remove old red wood stain from the cedar railing along my deck. The balusters are black finish aluminum slats. Do I need to remove them before putting on the stripper or can I leave them in place?

James Mitchell
James Mitchell
4 years ago

My deck is on a lake , will this product harm the fish.

Gary
Gary
4 years ago

Is it too late in the year for this project? We live in Missouri and the temps are now 60 in day and 40s at night.

Thanks.

Ren
Ren
4 years ago

Hi William,

I have a brand new deck, we used untreated cedar. It’s been up over 2 months without being treated because we are finishing up the final touches. Is this too long to wait too treat with stain/sealer for this type of wood? We did treat one area however we HATE the color.. Can we remove it the same way you listed above being it’s new? I started rolling it on and did not like how it looked so i thought by using a rag and rubbing it in I would get a different look… Appreciate any advise on how to remove so I can finish the deck before the Michigan cold weather kicks in…

Renee Z
Renee Z
4 years ago

I installed a cedar a month ago. The cedar is untreated. I stained it on one section and HATE the color. When I put the stain on I rubbed it in with a rag like you would a new floor. ( although I know this is not the way to stain a deck, but when I rolled it on it was way to RED for my liking). Can I remove it with the process above? Should I try to power wash first or use the stripper first and rinse with power washer? Then use the brighter ? Appreciate the help. I do not want to ruin the new cedar. I hope I haven’t waited to long to treat the brand new cedar deck…

Thanks for your help,
Renee from Michigan

Derrick ghee
Derrick ghee
4 years ago

I would like to know how to take pee stain out of the woods floor

Kay
Kay
Reply to  Derrick ghee
3 years ago

My painter applied a solid cedar stain and sealer. I absolutely hate it. It is a bright clay red color. I had no idea it would look like this. He never showed me the color, but pointed to a light transparent lattice fence he painted at a neighbor’s house. It looked benign. My deck was unsealed/unstained and five years old, and weathering badly. I told painter I want him to redo it. He told me to buy another stain and he’ll reapply (at additional cost). He sprayed it the stain on. I asked him if he plans to strip the old stain and he said no. I am thinking of going into a blue (my house is done in a bright pistachio greens) to calm it down. Is he cutting more corners or is it not necessary to strip? The blue is not really deeper than the orange cedar. Will the this work, in your opinion? Thanks.

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