Staining a Deck with a Pump Sprayer

Can You Use a Pump Sprayer to Stain a Deck? 

A pump sprayer is a good option over a paint sprayer if you are on a budget.  They are much cheaper than a regular stain sprayer. 

Because they are built with less moving parts, maintenance and cleaning are minimal.  With less moving parts, the chances of something breaking and needing to be fixed are almost zero. 

A pump sprayer is also great if you don’t have any experience using a spray gun.  Think of it as a beginner sprayer.  Because it’s all manual, you have total control over the sprayer.  It can help build confidence. 

Pump sprayers can be used for many things other than stain.  You can use it for spraying water, fertilizer, herbicides and pesticides.  

You can find pump sprayers in several styles; some are handheld, others come on a cart, and there are even backpack models.

Depending on the tank size and build, they can get pretty heavy; some weigh over 16 pounds! Compare that to most stain sprayers, which typically weigh between 3 to 5 pounds, and it’s clear that a dedicated paint sprayer is often the easier option for applying stain.

And here’s something cool: you can now get battery-operated pump sprayers! Instead of manually pumping, the battery handles the pressure for you. Scotts makes one, and while it does cost about 3 to 4 times more than a standard manual sprayer, it’s a nice option if you want to save time and effort.

Pros and Cons of Using a Pump Sprayer for Your Deck 

Pros	Cons
Cheap	Heavy
No Compressor Needed	Slow Spraying
Multi-Purpose	Labor Intensive
User Friendly	Spray isn’t Uniform

Staining a Deck with a Pump Sprayer: How Do You Use a Pump Sprayer? 

As long as you’re prepared, staining your deck will be easier than you think.  You can then enjoy the results of your hard work and your deck for years.  Let’s go over the following things that you need to get in order before your start staining your deck.

• Preparation and planning
• Tools/supplies needed 
• How to Use your Pump Sprayer on your deck

Preparation and Planning for Staining Your Deck

You need to prepare and plan to stain your deck.  Follow our steps to get ready to stain!

You will first need to remove everything from your deck.  Chairs, BBQs, tables, decorations, lighting, anything that you’ve put on your deck needs to go.  Put it in a place where it’s protected from the elements and getting any overspray from your stain.  

Make sure to keep up on repairs to the wood, fixing cracks or broken piece when they happen. Make sure to pick a time when the weather will be clear, with high temperatures and lower humidity.  These are the ideal conditions in which to stain your deck.

Next, you have to clean the wood.  A power washer will do the trick.  This will remove all build up, mold, mildew, or any paint on your deck.  Don’t turn up the pressure too high or you’ll damage your wood. If you don’t have a power washer you can grab one online or use a sturdy bristle brush to hand scrub the gunk off your deck.

Use the pressure washer at an angle to your wood so it removes all the gunk that’s built up on your deck.  This prep work ensures that your deck will be protected from the elements and the coat of stain will last and last.

Once you’ve pressure washed your deck to look great, you need to wait for the wood to dry completely before staining your deck.  This can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days.  It all depends on the weather.  

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Tools and Supplies Needed for Staining your Deck with a Pump Sprayer

Here is a quick list of the tools and supplies you’ll need to go with that pump sprayer to stain your deck.

• Power washer or long handled hard bristle brush for cleaning fence before staining
• Gloves
• Paint Mask
• Safety Goggles
• Stain of Your Choice
• Pump Sprayer
• Rags
• Work Clothes or Paint Suit
• Putty Knife for scraping gunk off fence
• Repair supplies to repair any damage to your deck

How do You Use a Pump Sprayer?

A deck stain pump sprayer is different from a regular paint sprayer.  Paint sprayers use air (usually from a turbine or compressor) and mix it with the stain and shoot it out at pressure onto your deck.

A pump sprayer is a great tool for staining decks and fences without needing a compressor or turbine. Instead, you manually pressurize the tank with a hand pump and spray the stain through a hose or wand.

Step 1: Fill the Sprayer

Pour your chosen stain into the tank up to the fill line. Avoid overfilling; leave room for air pressure.

Step 2: Pressurize the Tank

Pump the handle up and down until the tank is fully pressurized. You’ll feel increased resistance as it reaches the proper pressure level.

Step 3: Begin Spraying

Start staining with steady, overlapping passes [about 50% overlap] to ensure even coverage. Always work in sections.

Step 4: Stain the Railings First

If your deck has railings, start there. Work from the top down using a full arm motion rather than just your wrist for better control.

Step 5: Move to the Deck Floor

Begin staining the floor boards farthest from your house and work your way back toward your door or stairs so you don’t box yourself in.

Step 6: Watch for Drips and Runs

As you go, check for excess stain that might run or pool. Wipe drips immediately with a clean rag or brush to maintain a clean, professional finish.

How do You get the Best Results from Deck Stain? 

When planning to stain your Deck with a brush or roller, pump sprayer or stain sprayer be careful.  Some stains are better applied using one method over another.   

The manufacturer will list the best way to apply their stain on the can.  You shouldn’t apply stain with a brush and roller that is made for a pump sprayer and vice versa. 

Stain that is made for spraying with a deck stain sprayer will be formulated for sprayers versus a brush and roller or a pump sprayer.  

How Long Does it Take to Stain My Deck? 

Obviously that depends on how big your deck is. It usually takes a couple of hours to stain a typical sized deck.  How does your deck stack up to the norm?  If it’s smaller or bigger, you will have to subtract or add time to your project plans.  

If you need to coat your deck twice, and you might, you multiply the time above by 2.  Don’t forget to include drying time between your coats!  This is especially true if you are using a semi-transparent stain, which is the most popular.  

Also take into consideration the type of weather that you’re staining in, it could take longer to dry.

Allow the stain to dry completely before applying a second coat or moving on to another section of the fence.

Logistics: Stain Dry Time and Coats of Stain 

In ideal conditions, warm weather and low humidity, stain will take about 12-24 hours to dry completely.  Depending on the type of stain you’re using, you could be looking at a longer dry time as well.   Stains that are solid colors are thicker like paint and take longer to dry. 

Thinner stains like semi transparent (which is the most popular) take much less time to dry, closer to the 12 hours.

With a solid color stain, 1 coat is usually enough.  With a semi transparent you may need to do 2 coats.  So, wait 3-4 hours after your 1st coat (before it’s completely dry) and spray on your second coat.

Conclusion 

Staining a deck with a pump sprayer might take a bit more time and effort than with a paint sprayer, but you’ll save money and have a tool that you can use for a ton of different applications around your home. 

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