Western North Carolina Green Building Council
Wood FinishWood Finish Deck StainDeck Stain Floor FinishFloor Finish Non-Toxic PaintNon Toxic Paint Mold AbatementMold Abatement

How To Stain A Deck With Rainforest or Mountain XT


DECK STAINING INSTRUCTIONS


Read MSDS and TDS at www.earthpaint.net for detailed technical and health information.

1.) Wear protective goggles, clothes, gloves and respirator. Cover plants and furnishings. Use a high quality natural bristle brush and roller.  

2.) Apply uniformly with a brush or roller. As the wood absorbs nourishment it will richen. Use a Brush to go back and forth over the surface to spread product evenly and insure it is not too thick.

3.) Keep a wet edge to avoid lap marks.

4.) Occasionally Monitor wood as it absorbs deck stain. Check surface after a couple
hours. Make sure there are no runs, drips, uneven areas. Typically this is the knots and burls that accept stain at different rates and need another brushing. On any areas that are too thick go over with a Dry Brush.

5.) Oil Soaked rags in piles can self ignite. Make sure any oil soaked rags are put in water and not piled up.

6.) Check for drips and flashing before leaving the end of the day. If there is any flashing (shiny spots), back brush them or wipe them off with a rag soaked in Corn or Citrus Solvent. (unless, of course, you are using the Clear 00 System).

General Points of Consideration Before Deck Staining:

  • Wash with Lime Clean Wood and Deck Cleaner
  • Apply to raw, absorbent, dry weathered wood.
  • Dry below 18% moisture content if applying more than one coat.
  • Brush, Spray or Roll & always Back Brush to push product deep into the wood.
  • Do a test before starting. Make sure your chosen method of application allows the product to soak fully into the wood you are coating. If you see shiny spots after 24 hours: Add 16 oz per gallon of Pure Citrus Solvent. This will help it soak in deeper.
  • Dry Brush Excess Before Leaving Job, Use a dry brush to catch drips or to spread out thick areas. Re brush knots, board ends and thirsty areas that soak up the product faster than other areas.
  • If doing one coat on decking use Rainforest Sealer or Mountain XT.
  • If doing two coats on decking apply Rainforest first then Mountain XT. Rainforest breathes and flexes with the wood and must penetrate fully to do so.
  • Mountain XT will form a strong weather barrier top coat but is also excellent for a one coat application on wood.
  • For recoats do proper prep and apply Mountain XT or a penetrating coat of Rainforest.
  • Put Oil Soaked Rags in Water do not leave piled up.
  • Clean up with Citrus Solvent.



Basic Materials to Gather: High Quality Natural Bristlle 3” Brush. Plastic Sheeting to Cover Plants, Long Drop Cloth to Protect Decking Floor While Staining the Rails, Drill Mixer, Five in One Tool, 80 Grit Sandpaper and Hand Sander, 6’ Extension Pole, ⅜ “ nap Roller Sleeve and Handle, Rags, Five Gallon Pail, One Gallon Work Pot, Ladders, Stiff Bristle Scrub Brush, Hose...

Theoretical Coverage: Rough and Dry 250-300 sft / gl. New and Smooth 500-800 sft / gl.

PREP: Wash surfaces with Lime Clean Wood and Deck Cleaner. This is a natural, sustainable cleaner made from the mineral lime. It works very well to remove Mill Glaze, Black Mold and Mildew Stains, Algae Stains and prepare exterior wood for staining. Bleach & TSP or Oxalic Acid are similarly strong but Lime Clean is better and less damaging to the Earth. Oxygen Bleach is fine for brightening wood but it is not strong enough to prepare wood for coating on it’s own. Wash with Lime Clean Wood and Deck Cleaner. This opens the wood pores, neutralizes tannic acid, insures contaminants are addressed and that the wood is properly prepared for coating.

DRYING AND RAIN: Allow the wood to dry sufficiently. 3 dry days is typical after washing and before coating. Once the stain is applied 24-72 hours of dry weather is best to allow the product to dry. Weather does not always cooperate with deck staining.  It can be helpful to keep in mind that the most important thing is to have dry wood before you apply the stain to. As long as the wood fibers are dry first they will soak up the stain and be protected. If rain occurs after the stain is applied this typically does not result in damage. If a relentless downpour occurs for many hours or days, occasionally a whitish haze could appear. If this doesn’t disappear as the deck dries, simply wipe off and apply a freshen up coat. Rain will not remove Rainforest or Mountain XT. Any hazing is simply topical and can be easily fixed with a freshen up coat.

MOISTURE CONTENT: Water vapor will leave wood slow and even, reducing splitting and warping when one coat of Mountain XT or Rainforest is applied. One coat is breathable. Two or more coats is not. Do not apply two or more coats to wood above 18% moisture content. If you have high moisture content apply one coat this year and in 1-3 years apply one or more coats. Wood Assure is a breathable system.

APPLICATION TEMPERATURE: Do not apply below 45F. (70-80F is ideal for faster drying). Products are not freeze sensitive and can be applied as low as 32F however, this will slow drying significantly.


DILUTION: None necessary on weathered wood. Use Corn Solvent or Pure Citrus Solvent up to 1 qt / gl. on new wood, unweathered wood, covered porches and non porous hardwoods.

STIR: There is a generous porting of Minerals on the bottom of the can. Stir this up with a drill mixer for 3 minutes. Using a stir stick will work as well but takes longer.

AVOID FLASHING: Areas that do not penetrate fully will be have more shine. Avoid this. Simply add 16 -32 oz per gallon of our Corn Solvent or Pure Citrus Solvent to Mountain XT and then apply. Product will now soak in properly. If you are applying a top coat of Mountain XT Clear 00, then it is ok to go over the shiny spots, provided they are thin and dry. Do not apply a top coat over puddles or thick wet areas.

THEORETICAL DRY TIME: Stains are generally dry overnight or in 24-72 hours. Slow drying aids flexibility and long term durability. Dries to touch in 24 hours @ 75F & 50% R.H. Typically recoating can be done after overnight dry but Colorant, Surface Porosity Rain, Humidity and Coldness WILL significantly slow drying.

CLEAN UP: Earth Clean and water.

MAINTENANCE: Wash once or twice a year with a hose or pressure washer. Use mild detergent as needed. Every spring inspect surface. If areas are worn or weathered wash with Lime Clean and apply a freshen up coat of stain.

TOP COAT MAINTENANCE: (For surfaces top coated with Mountain XT Clear 00) After on year wash with Earth Clean and apply a clear freshen up coat. Wash dirt off surface at least twice a year. After 2-3 years wash with Earth Clean and apply another clear freshen up coat.  Repeat as needed. Inspect surface every spring and re-coat as soon as signs of weathering and fading occur.

Background on Maintaining Deck Stain Over the Years.

Surface Density: If this is your first time using an Earthpaint Wood Finish please take a few minutes to understand the basic principle of Surface Density that our formulas are based on.

This means we seek to achieve fully saturated wood fibers in their driest most absorbent state with high density resin content. When this is done with a rubbing oil or penetrating stain the wood becomes saturated with high resin content. Future maintenance coats will sure up the surface even more and provide a petrification effect. The surface will be so dense with resin that it hardens much more than if your stripped the coating and applied a new coat. This makes future maintenance less frequent and less labor intensive. This is why its important to make sure the wood fully absorbs the coating.

We optimize the coatings for the most common wood but all wood is different. For this reason you should do a test before beginning the job.