Learning how to stain a deck can be a fun project. If you have the know-how and the right equipment and supplies the job is well underway before you ever begin the work.

Before your deck can be properly stained, it must be prepared. Following are the steps for preparing decks to be stained:

1. Start with a clean surface. Remove all furniture, plants, toys or whatever else is lying around. The deck should be as clear of "stuff" as it was when it was first built.

2. Sweep the deck thoroughly to ensure it's free of dirt. If there are any paint spots, crayon marks, etc. gently scrape or lightly sand (with the grain of the wood) to remove them.

3. Examine the deck carefully and locate any rough areas, loose boards, stains or other areas that should be repaired. Rough areas can be gently sanded with 80-grit sandpaper to a smooth finish; loose boards can be reinforced with a few well-placed nails; and stains can be lightly sanded. Replace rotted boards. Fill boards having splits and cracks with wood filler then lightly sand to blend the repair.

4. Next, you'll want to clean your deck with a commercial deck cleaner such as sodium percarbonate. The wood cleaner will remove mildew stains and the graying color the wood turned from sun exposure. Mix the deck cleaner with water as suggested by the manufacturer and either spray or mop it on. Leave the cleaner for 10-15 minutes, rinse thoroughly and allow to dry to 24 hours.

5. When dry, apply a wood brightener to improve penetration and restore old weathered wood to a like new appearance. Spray the brightener on, wait a few minutes and rinse it off. Allow the wood to dry for another 24 hours.

6. Decks look best when stained with semi-transparent product because it allows the grain of the wood to show through. Before starting the stain application, read the can. Find out how many coats of stain to apply and how long to wait between coats.

7. Though spraying or rolling on the stain is faster, the paint brush remains the most effective method. No other can work the stain into the wood like a paint brush.

8. Apply stain only to the point of saturation. Over application causes a buildup, which results in a waxy, sticky surface that doesn't dry properly and peels and cracks.

9. When the stain is completely dry a clear finish can be applied to protect your deck. This can be applied by pump hand-held sprayers, which must be followed by back brushing or back rolling the finish. This distributes the finish evenly and eliminates drips and lap marks. Follow the manufacturer's directions.