Red-Brown Deck Stain Refinish in Bellevue, WA

How this Bellevue deck was refinished

The goal

The deck itself was sound, but years of sun and rain had turned the boards gray and spotted. The aim was to bring back a rich, even color on every board without replacing the deck or the railing, so the house kept its view deck with a fresh face.

The challenge

This is a long deck. It runs as a narrow walkway between the siding and a white lattice railing, then opens into a wide corner by the sliding door. Stain on a deck this size shows every patch that was missed or cleaned unevenly, and the narrow walkway leaves little room to work around the wall and the railing.

The solution

The boards were cleaned first, so the old gray surface and the dark spots came up before any color went on. Once the wood had dried, a deep red-brown stain was applied board by board along the full run, from the walkway into the corner. The white lattice railing stayed in place and the stain stops cleanly at its base, so the white trim still frames the deck. The corner by the sliding door, the long walkway and the strip along the windows all got the same color, so no part of the deck reads as a patch.

The result

The finished photos, taken on April 15, 2021, show the whole deck in one consistent tone. In shade the boards read almost dark brown, and in full sun they glow red, which suits the white railing and the light siding. The deck looks cared for again without the cost and time of new framing or decking. The layout, the railing and the view are all unchanged; only now the wood looks finished instead of worn.

Questions about this project