The order a deck gets stained
A deck gets stained in order: clean and brighten with the grain, wait until a water droplet soaks in rather than beads, then stain 2–3 boards their full length to keep a wet edge, back-brushing the stain into the grain and wiping the excess so it can’t get tacky.
What this diagram shows
A four-panel walkthrough of staining a deck. Panel 1: the boards are washed with the grain at low pressure and brightened, with cleaned boards next to dirty graying ones. Panel 2: a water-drop test — a droplet that soaks in means the wood is ready, while a droplet that beads means to wait. Panel 3: stain is applied to two or three boards along their full length so the leading edge stays wet. Panel 4: the stain is back-brushed into the grain and the surplus is wiped off.
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