How to Clean and Refinish Your Wood Fence or Deck Like a Pro
Homeowners often discover that wood decks and fences require more maintenance than expected—and, without a clear guide, it’s easy to make mistakes. Naturally, I receive a lot of restoration questions about exactly how to go about cleaning a wood fence or deck from those seeking to beautify and protect these important exterior features. Some contractors may lead you to believe that cleaning and prepping your wooden structure is quite complicated, and they may even overwhelm you with loads of fancy chemical names and industry lingo. More often than not, this is merely a sales technique. While there are certainly several things a homeowner should know about DIY deck cleaning, the process is relatively simple.
Here’s what you need to know to clean, restore, and protect your fence and deck like a seasoned professional.
Cleaning Tips for Deck & Fence Restoration from Top Wood Care Experts
Tip 1. For those wondering if cleaning is “really” necessary, the truth is that—if you have a brand-new fence or deck—it probably needs little more than a quick sweeping to remove leaves and debris from the surface. On some high-end projects, it is not uncommon for a professional to do a light deck cleaning to remove footprints, dirt and lumber stamps that often appear on brand new wood ... but nothing more. At the other end of the spectrum, older fences or decks may need more obvious cleaning as soon as 6-8 months post-installation. Lumber begins to deteriorate as soon as it is cut, so the sooner a high-quality oil-based stain and sealer can be applied to preserve the wood, the better. If your fence turns gray or begins to show black mold, the time to act is right away.
Tip 2. When considering how to clean a wood fence or deck, any maintenance is better than none at all. There is ongoing debate about how to clean wood surfaces like these and what products to use. If you ask 10 contractors, you will likely get 10 different answers. First and foremost, any mold, mildew and grime must be removed, but you may not know how to go about eradicating it. In reality, just about any of the methods detailed below will work well and give better results for wood staining and sealing on a fence or deck over doing nothing.
Best Ways to Clean Wood Surfaces
Option one is to simply wet the fence down, scrub it with a brush and rinse well to remove loose particles. This largely removes grime, but does not kill the mold and mildew that will eventually destroy your investment.
Is Bleach Safe for Fence Cleaning?
Option two is most common, which entails mixing up a chlorine bleach solution at a 1:1 ratio to clean your fence or deck. This will not only kill the mold and mildew, but also remove oxidization and brighten the wood. Simply put and without question, bleach works for these purposes. Some contractors will scoff at—or outright reject—this method, probably because they simply cannot charge top-dollar for this service.
It's important to note that, in some cases, after the wood is cleaned with bleach, it might turn an unnaturally light color. However, if you’re staining a fence or deck with a coffee brown, walnut or deep cedar-toned stain, you’re likely to achieve the desired color. As a point of reference, it is common for a dark-haired woman to do bleach treatment before coloring to the desired final tone.
The main goal is to achieve a clean slate and consistent coloring so that everything is uniform once the stain is applied. Is bleaching exterior wood features for everyone? No, but it is certainly an effective way to clean a fence or deck before staining.
Premium Wood Cleaning Options
Tip 3. A final option is what one might refer to as a high-end cleaning service. This is a three-step process, and we do recommend this method if your budget will allow. It starts with a sodium percarbonate cleaning solution applied to the surface of the wood. That will need a little time to work its magic, but it will penetrate deep into the wood. In doing so, it will kill the mold and mildew and loosen dirt and debris on the wood’s surface. Once that is done, it’s time to pressure wash. In many regions, the most common lumber types are treated pine and red western cedar. With these and other lumber types—while pressure washing wood is effective—it is imperative that you do not go overboard with it. Be sure to use a relatively low pressure to simply wash away the dirt and grime.
Some pressure washing companies will clean your fence or deck with extremely high pressure and, while it may look good at first, it can actually destroy the integrity of the wood and cause felting (causing a permanently fuzzy look).
Once the wood pressure washing is complete, you will want to adjust the pH level of the material with a brightener, which will give the wood a beautiful, brand-new look. This will also create a great canvas on which to apply a high-quality, oil-based stain and sealer.
While different cleaning recommendations abound, the best option is to choose what you understand and are comfortable with.
Why Staining and Sealing Wood Fencing & Decking Is Critical
Tip 4. As a final step to fully restore a wood fence or deck, it is of the utmost importance to stain and seal the material. This should entail a deep penetrating oil-based stain and sealer in one. Check with your local stain and seal professionals to determine which oil-based stain is best for your local environment.
Generally, we have found three commercial grade brands to be top quality and well-suited not only for fence staining, but deck staining as well—and also as a wood sealer. This includes our first choice of Standard Paints Wood Defender, which comes with the best warranty. We also highly recommend Ready Seal, which is another high-quality product that has a wide array of beautiful color choices. Our third pick is Bakers Gray Away as this also has a myriad of great color choices while also delivering optimum results—not only for fence and deck staining, but also as a wood sealer.
Once the deck is cleaned you need to wait a few days for the deck to completely dry out, a moisture meter can help you determine this. Thirteen percent or less moisture is the ideal condition. In my experience I have found that penetrating oil-based stains work best to preserve and protect the wood and have the most depth of color. There are plenty of Low-VOC oil stains on the market today to choose from.
Penetrating stains are my choice because they never peel, crack or flake away which means maintenance later on is much easier than a finish that is peeling and requires harsh chemical stripping or sanding. When you apply your stain be sure to mix the stain very well and if you are using multiple containers of stain intermix them to ensure color uniformity.
There are many ways to apply a coating to your deck but I prefer brushing the stain on, rollers and sprayers can be messy and create overspray. Stain each board lengthwise doing one board at a time- this eliminates the chance for start and stop marks. Also, be sure to leave no puddling or pooling stain on the surface as this can create a tacky finish or dark spots. Once the stain is applied, I recommend cleaning up your work area and then after about 20 minutes be sure to wipe up any stain that did not penetrate to leave a beautiful matte finish.
Understanding Stain vs. Sealer Options
There is often confusion between stains, sealers, and stain and sealer combos. Most standalone stains are made for interior use and require a clear top coat for hardness, these do not work well on decking and should be left for interior use. Clear sealers are often used on decking but they contain very little if any UV protection and allow the wood to turn gray naturally. This is more of a water seal and has its place.
The best bang for your buck when it comes to deck finishes is the Semi-Transparent Deck Stain and Sealer. This gives you the best of both worlds, rich color that blocks UV rays, keeping the wood color beautiful and a sealer that protects from water intrusion, warping, cracking, and splitting. Semi-Transparent stains work well on most lumber species however, if you have an exotic hardwood deck such as Ipe, Tigerwood, Mahogany, etc… you will want to opt for a clear oil sealer as pigmented stains cannot penetrate the dense wood fibers of exotic hardwood.
Maintenance Schedule and Best Practices
The industry standard for cleaning your deck is once per year with a very mild deck cleaning product and recommended stain recoats or touch-ups on decking are every four years on vertical surfaces like railings and privacy screens, and every two years on horizontal surfaces like floors, landings and the tops of railings. Some stains will outlive these recommended staining intervals but following this schedule will keep your deck looking great for years to come.
Wood vs. Composite Decking Considerations
Why not just buy a composite deck? Composites are great but many composite decking owners complain that their deck can be really hot under your feet. Some composites also have a tendency to fade over time, and they are more costly up front. Many surveys show that most people prefer the look of a well-maintained wooden fence or deck over composites.
To recap, homeowners should first identify if wood fence or deck cleaning is necessary and, if so, to what extent. Next, decide which cleaning method will work best for your particular wood restoration project. The last step—and one that is critical—is to apply a high-quality, deep-penetrating oil-based stain and sealer in one.
Cleaning, staining and sealing your deck on a regular schedule can increase curb appeal and enjoyment while prolonging the life of your deck with a lower overall cost of ownership. Keeping your deck looking great isn’t difficult, it just requires some proactive maintenance.
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Permission granted for reprint with the following byline attribution (please share link or PDF tear sheet if/when published):
By Caleb Roth
A visionary entrepreneur, Caleb Roth is the Founder and CEO of Restorative Industries—the parent company of a vertically integrated ecosystem of brands dedicated to elevating craftsmanship, education, and operational excellence in wood care. His flagship entities include Stain & Seal Experts, Stain & Seal Supply, EXPERT Professional Wood Care, Gopher Wood Factory Finished Lumber, and the Stain & Seal Experts Franchise. A tireless educator and connector, Caleb founded Staining University, a free national training initiative that’s empowered thousands of tradespeople. His Stain & Seal Experts Podcast shares insights on craftsmanship and business building, furthering his mission to democratize knowledge. He’s a lifelong learner with deep entrepreneurial training, including Scaling Up and the 4-Day MBA. Today, he’s restoring dignity and opportunity in trades—one fence, one family, one future at a time. Connect with Caleb at www.RestorativeIndustries.com.