How to Stain a Front Porch

A front porch usually gives the first impression of a home. By keeping your porch in good repair, you present a neat and tidy home to the world. Regular coats of stain also help protect wood from the sun and the elements, minimizing decay and deterioration. Stain a front porch during the summer before cold winter weather sets in to keep it attractive and inviting.

50- to 80-grit sandpaper
Tack cloth
Garden hose
Chlorine bleach
Powdered detergent
Bucket
Scrub brush
Water-repellent preservative
2-inch paintbrush
Stain

Instructions

- 1
  Remove any existing stain, and sand the weathered surfaces from the wood on the front porch, using sandpaper. Sand the wood thoroughly with the sandpaper, getting in each corner, nook and cranny. Wipe down the wood surfaces with a tack cloth to remove excess sawdust.
- 2
  Use a garden hose to remove dirt, dust and debris. If you find mildew on the wood, mix 1 qrt. of bleach with 3 qrts. of cold water in a bucket. Add 1/3 cup of powdered detergent and mix well. Brush the cleaning solution onto the wood to clean off the mildew. Rinse the wood thoroughly with plain water and allow the wood surfaces to dry for about three days before proceeding.
- 3
  Seal the wood with a water-repellent preservative. Apply the preservative with a paintbrush in a thin and even layer. Allow the preservative to dry for the time recommended on the label.
- 4
  Apply the stain to the wood with the paintbrush in an even layer. Cover all exposed areas of wood where you applied the water-repellent preservative.
- 5
  Allow the stain to dry completely according to the package instructions. Apply a second coat of stain, if you desire.

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