A deck is a beautiful addition to your home, but it will require some maintenance.
First I recommend a light color stain. This example was too dark in my opinion, and gets too hot in the sun.
You will need a bucket, house wash detergent, a water source and hose, a scrub brush, a paint bucket, a sheepskin applicator, a sheepskin pad, a paint brush, painters plastic, painters tape, a stepladder, and a painter’s wedge if the ground is uneaven.
First, wash the deck with a good housewash.
Make sure to clean the grooves between the boards. This is important.
The boards must be able to breathe, to dry out, to drain water. It is as important as brushing your teeth.
You can start by using the water hose, and also use a knife or screwdriver.
Edge with a 2.5″ angle sash brush. I like Wooster Alpha. Apply stain with a sheepskin applicator.
Apply a second coat.
You can turn the applicator sideways to get good coverage on the grooves that you cleaned earlier.
Wrap up the paint brush and applicator using painters plastic to keep them from drying before you get back to your shop.
Let the stain harden inside of the pail and it should cleanly pull off as a film that you can throw into the trash.