Paint My Deck!
 
Samuel is a lost man. He has painted his deck three times and all the time there has been some glitch. "It just doesn't come out right," he groaned to his wife Kelly. "I need the perfect formula for staining my deck!"
Samuel started reading and talking to his friends who had perfect decks and here's what he came up with.
 
Prepare Your Deck

You need to prepare the surface of the deck before you start painting it. Scrub it and then clean it thoroughly dry. All forms of indentations and outcroppings should be minimized before the coating is applied.
 
Prepare the Stain

Before application, mix all requisite cans together to make a uniform mixture. If you have mixed it and gone off, lumps may have formed. Stir it again well.
During application, keep stirring it.
It is also a good idea to apply the stain to a small area before you stain the entire deck. See how your deck reacts to that particular stain color and type. Sometimes when the color dries it might look different than what it looks in the can. Let the temperatures be when you apply between 45 degree to 90 degree Fahrenheit. Try not to apply this test coat during rainy or very hot weathers. Wait for the color to dry off completely till you start applying over the entire deck.
 
Prepare Yourself

Try not to apply the stain after you have tired yourself after jogging, running after your dog, and mowing the lawn! Phew... Do it when your mind is fresh and ready to do a full day's work.
 
How to Apply

Apply the stain evenly over the surface. Once the first coat is soaked up, apply the next and the next. Try not to create a puddle of stain. Remove all excess stain at the earliest.
 
Specialized Tools

The tools used for application are a good brush, an airless sprayer, a good garden sprayer (pump-like), a handy stain pad or a roller, and a duster.
 
After Application

Your job does not end after application. You need to take care of the deck of you have painted. It would be a nice idea to keep an 'Off Limit' or 'Please Take Care' sign.
You would also need to reapply the stain every 2-3 years depending on the kind of weather around your home.
 
All in all, deck painting can be fun and the magic formula is to do it with loads of enthusiasm and preparing yourself well for the event.

For decking and patio ideas visit:
http://www.diypatiodecks.com