How to Stain a Deck With a Compressor
- 1). Thoroughly wash the deck using a pressure washer, or dust will cause absorption problems. Improper use of a pressure washer may cause a deck to splinter. Easily avoid this by using a wide angle spraying tip and by moving the sprayer toward the grain of the wood. Let the deck dry for a full 24 hours to prevent moisture penetration from preventing stain absorption.
- 2). Pour three gallons of oil-based stain into a 5-gallon bucket. Attach the spray gun to the compressor. Dip the spray pump into the stain.
- 3). Spray stain onto the deck; hold the spray tip no closer than two feet from the wood. Spray only a three-foot wide portion of the deck at a time.
- 4). Stop and set the spray gun down on an unfinished portion of the deck. Wipe the freshly stained wood with shop rags.
- 5). Continue the application process until the entire deck is stained. Let the stain dry for three hours.
- 6). Clean the spray rig by pumping at least two gallons of mineral spirits through it.