Decking out on Saturday

Waiting to Stain the Floor

It finally happened--the weather, my schedule, and the desire to finish a project finally all came together on the same day.

Last summer we replaced the wood on our deck and waited for it to weather a bit before staining it to protect it. As it turns out, we have been waiting for a year to finally complete the project.

Before staining--During February Roof Replacement

While we did not complete the project--we did the hard part--the rails. Today all that is left to finish is the easy part--the flooring!  I can state that using a car washing mitt to apply stain to the rails is definitely the easiest way to accomplish the task. I forget where I saw that idea--but I am very happy that I remembered it--I highly recommend it.

After Staining on Saturday

It was hot--too hot almost to be working in the sun, but we took it slow and stayed hydrated. I did enjoy a cooling dip in the pool during one break.

Matching the stain colors took two trips to Lowe's and it is really close. After all, what did I expect, the other stain has been in place for a number of years now and we will likely stain all of the rest of the wood before we are through--but covering the bare wood is the most important part.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD