Never Peel Again: The Sand & Stain Blog

Every post, recommendation, and product we discuss is to help you on your journey maintaining your deck, fence, & exterior wood so it never blisters, cracks, or peels.

Never Peel Again: The Sand & Stain Blog

Brand new deck / old faded wood / peely previous stain—no matter where you are in your deck & fence staining journey, we’re here to help. Scroll & enjoy!

Deck Cleaning, Deck Staining, Prep, Maintenance, Wood Markian Pergat Deck Cleaning, Deck Staining, Prep, Maintenance, Wood Markian Pergat

Is It Bad To Leave Your Deck & Fence Wood Unfinished? (Mill Glaze Explained)

You’ve got new wood and you want to protect your investment. But you’ve heard horror stories of peeling decks and dread the thought of endless maintenance. Perhaps you even like the faded gray look. What are your options? Can it be possible to leave your newly built wood deck, fence, or siding entirely unfinished… Forever?

Here’s a quick dive into the pros and cons of unfinished wood followed by an explanation of mill glaze and what you need to know about the first time finishing wood.

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Markian Pergat Markian Pergat

5 Reasons You Should Never Pressure Wash Your Wood Deck

You want the best for your deck in care, protection, and aesthetics. Washing seems like a no-brainer to maintain it, so why not make your job easier with the power of a pressure washer? Here are 5 reasons we don’t pressure wash decks in our business, and why we think you shouldn’t pressure wash your deck either.

NOTE: We focus on the maintenance and care of wood decks and do not recommend pressure washing any of them (Cedar, Ipe, Accoya, Kebony, Thermory Ash, etc.) Pressure washing may be perfectly fine for your composite or PVC deck.

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How To Maintain Your Deck So It Never Peels

Your deck turned out beautifully. You’ve made memories with your family, hosted gatherings, dined friends, and appreciated a quiet place to escape with a book. You followed the Sand & Stain System to prep and finish your deck. Only that was last year. Maybe even two years ago…

So how do you keep your deck looking fresh and properly protected without pulling out the sanders or hiring contractors every year?

We’ll show you exactly how to get the most out of your deck for as long as possible before sanding again with no blistering, cracking, chipping, or peeling. Guaranteed.

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Maintenance, DIY, Wood Markian Pergat Maintenance, DIY, Wood Markian Pergat

5 Reasons You Should Never Sand Pressure Treated Wood

You’ve got pressure treated wood and you want to maintain so it lasts and looks its best in the process. You may have heard or read in our articles that sanding prep work is essential before staining, sealing, or finishing a deck.

This is true to remove mill sheen on new cedar lumber, removing peeling stain from a deck, or periodically (after several years or re-coats with a penetrating oil) to restore it before staining it again. The exception to this is: pressure treated lumber.

Here are five reasons reasons you should never sand your pressure treated wood…

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