When it comes to applying stain or sealer to your deck, at that place are a wide multifariousness of tools and applicators available. Only which tools piece of work the all-time? Which ones do the chore quicker than annihilation else?

Success on a deck project–as well equally your overall experience–depends largely on the tools you lot utilise to apply the stain. Using the incorrect tools tin can make the task more than grueling than it needs to be. They can slow yous down and forestall y'all from getting the stain on quickly and evenly. This can touch on not just your experience, but also the quality and immovability of the finished job. So, finding the correct tools is important.

Well, terminal twelvemonth, nosotros filmed a review video where we tested out well-nigh of the diverse awarding tools and techniques that we've ever heard discussed at RepcoLite. Some of these were recommended by employees and others are the "favorite" methods of some of our customers. Either way, we put all of these methods to the test and discovered very rapidly that some of them are much ameliorate than others.

Here are our summit 3 recommendations:

METHOD ane: Roller and Brushwooster_bravo_brush

In our tests, we found that the fastest fashion to apply the stain evenly and quickly was to roll information technology on with a standard, 9″ roller with a 3/8″ nap and so dorsum-brush it using a Wooster Bravo Stain Brush. If you're going to use this application method (and information technology'due south the best!), make sure yous option upwards i or 2 extension poles. Yous can attach the roller to the pole and apply your stain to the deck without leaving your feet. And, that'south why we recommend that item Wooster stain brush–you can unscrew the handle and instead thread the brush onto the finish of an extension pole. Then you'll be able to back-brush your deck from a standing position too. Which is, (though I don't take to say it), awesome.

Now, when we tested this method, we found it to be the fastest and easiest way to apply a smoothen, fifty-fifty coat of stain to your deck. In that location are other faster ways (merely they're not as like shooting fish in a barrel). And there are other easier ways (only they're non equally fast.) This method provides, in our opinion, the best balance between ease and speed. However, it'south important to note that the back-brushing step is of paramount importance! And typically will require a second person (helpers are always helpful!).  The reason it's important is considering the roller alone will utilize the product too heavily which can pb to all sorts of problems. Back-brushing spreads the stain evenly, helps you get it into the gaps between the boards, and works into deep into the fibers of the wood. It's a critical step to producing a beautiful deck. And so don't skip it! (And don't, for your own sake, buy any brush other than the Wooster Bravo–you'll thank us later. We promise!)

METHOD 2: Padco Pigment and Stain Padpadco_floor_pad

Alright, in our testing, there was a second method that we really liked as well: a Padco paint and stain pad. You can see it in the picture here, just just to analyze, it's a 6-inch pad with a handle that can be threaded onto an extension pole. The pad itself is a sponge with a bristled face.

We found this tool to work very rapidly and because the confront of the sponge is bristled, information technology does not require dorsum-brushing. It was as fast or faster than the roller and dorsum-brushing method, but, there are two reasons we rated it second. First, it is not about as easy to stain the gaps between the deck boards when using this pad. It works and can exist washed past turning the pad on it'due south side, just information technology's much easier to do and so with the brush. 2d, and more importantly in our consideration, the pad works best when the deck boards are in very good condition. If you have boards that are splintered, uneven, or crude, the pad doesn't perform too. It'southward too rigid to adapt to boards that accept cupped over fourth dimension (and you lot end up with spots that go no stain). Information technology's too a sponge pad that can be easily snagged and torn apart by boards with splintered edges.

If yous're staining a new deck or a deck that's in great shape, this is a very fast tool that you won't exist sorry y'all purchased. If the boards are less than platonic, definitely opt for the roller and brush combo we mentioned above!

METHOD 3: Garden Sprayer and Brush

A third method we tested (and really liked) was the garden sprayer/brush combination. Basically, nosotros took a conventional garden pump-up sprayer and used that to use our stain to the deck. Now, a couple of clarifications. Starting time, this simply works for transparent or translucent stains–sprayers like this are not designed to spray stains with likewise much pigment. 2nd, this method can be… will exist… messy! So, watch out for overspray on your siding, on your house, on your anxiety, and so on!

Nevertheless, if yous can take care of all of those issues, and then this is a tremendously fast method for applying stain to your deck. Just remember that as was the case with the roller, the stain still needs to exist backbrushed to work it into the wood.

And there you go! RepcoLite's height iii methods for applying stain to your deck. And if you lot'd similar to bank check out our total review (and get-go video–so exist kind to the dopes on camera), nosotros've conveniently placed it just beneath this judgement!