Staining your deck is a good way to protect it from the elements and keep it looking good. But sometimes, deck stains can go wrong. One problem you might encounter is that your deck stain can start to look orange.
There are a few reasons why this might happen. In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the reasons why your deck might start to turn orange, and what you can do about it.
Did you just finish staining your deck and realize that it looks a little bit orange?
Staining your deck is a great way to improve the appearance of your deck and help it last longer. You cåan choose from different stain colors depending on what color would best complement your home. Sometimes even when you choose a color you like, it can come out too orange.
In this article, we are going to talk more about why your deck stain might look orange and what you can do about it.
Why Does Deck Stain Turn Orange?
When choosing your deck stain, you can choose one with a color that appears to complement the color scheme you are looking for. There are stains of every shade and color depth including warm tones like yellows, oranges, and reds, and darker stains in shades of gray and brown.
Sometimes even if you choose a stain that is not supposed to look orange, it can turn orange. This depends on how much stain was applied and the type of wood you are staining. It’s hard to predict exactly the way that the wood will pick up the stain, so sometimes even a red or brown stain will end up looking orange.
How Do You Fix Deck Stain That Is Too Orange?
If you finished staining your deck and realized that it is too orange, there are some things you can do to fix it. The way that you fix the orange stain will depend on how much you want the color to change.
Here are some of the best ways to fix a deck that is stained too orange:
Apply A Darker Stain
If your deck has a light orange stain and you were hoping for a deeper red or brown, you should consider applying a darker stain over the stain you have just applied. This works best if you are comfortable with the possibility of the stain being much darker than it is now.
To counteract some of the orange tones in the stain that you don’t like, choose a cool-toned brown stain. You can go right over the existing stain with this new stain. Once it dries, it will likely be much darker than it was originally but it should fix the orange tones that you are trying to get rid of.
Paint Over The Stain
Maybe once you saw the orange tone of the stain, you decided that you want to change course entirely and paint your deck instead. Painting is a much more predictable option to do because it will look exactly like the color that you choose once it’s done.
Painting your deck is labor-intensive because it requires priming and may require multiple coats, but it is a great option for many homeowners who want the painted look. You don’t need to do much prep before painting over the stain as long as you buy the right materials to do the job.
Pressure Wash To Remove The Stain
If you want to remove the orange stain entirely and start from scratch, pressure washing is a great option. Most decks made of standard lumber can withstand pressure washing, but check to make sure the type of wood that you have isn’t too porous or delicate to hold up to it.
You can easily remove the remnants of the orange stain with a pressure washer, and once the deck is dry you are free to try again with a different color.
The great thing is that even if you don’t have a pressure washer at home, they are easy to rent from a local hardware store. With just a few hours, you will have a clean slate to re-do your stain in a new color of your choice.
Use A Stain Remover
Sometimes you need to consider using an actual stain remover like a wood stain stripper to remove orange-toned deck stain. A stain stripper is a product that you can apply using a large roller directly to the deck and it will dissolve and remove the existing stain.
Stripping the wood is a popular option if your deck is made of delicate wood like cedar that cannot withstand pressure washing or if the wood is very old. Many homeowners also choose this route if pressure washing is taking too long or not giving you the results that you wanted.
It’s important to remember that you may need to use a wood brightener on your deck after stripping it to prepare it to stain again. Follow the instructions on your deck stripper and make sure to wait a few days before you try to stain it again.
Can I Lighten My Orange Deck Stain?
Sometimes even if staining your deck doesn’t come out exactly as you planned, you might be able to fix it. If the orange look of your deck is just a little too bright and you think you can live with it, you might be able to lighten the stain a bit.
To lighten deck stain that is too orange, you can use a rag or paint roller to apply mineral spirits or paint thinner directly to the deck. This should break down some of the stain and minimize the intensity of the color. This process is usually enough to make it look less orange.
Final Thoughts
It’s difficult to know exactly how your deck stain will look until the project is done. Make sure you choose a high-quality stain that has the right tones to complement your home’s color scheme. Sometimes even if you choose a good stain that you think might be a pretty red or brown color, it sometimes turns out to be bright orange.
If that’s the case, there are plenty of things you can do to minimize the orange color or remove it and start again. There is no one right way to fix orange deck stain. The choice depends on your budget, your preference, and how much time you have.
