Because I'm cheap I'm staining our deck myself

[yeahdisney]

DS paid over $1000 four years ago to have her deck stained, our deck is at least twice her size if not larger.

We have not stained our deck for, I think, 4 years. Last time DH and I did it together I think it took 2 full days and a really ouchie sun burn for me. I really wanted to do it last year but the weather was bad then it was suddenly too hot to do it. My sister did do her's last year, she does live close to us and it took over a week to her deck to dry because it was too hot and humid and it stayed sticky wet in places longer.

So today I decided to start the job. Or course we waited for a sale to purchase the stain, got six 5 gallons buckets, we could not remember how many buckets it took last time. I'm off two days. Today I got the sides of the deck done and most of the balusters done and I only got a sun burn on my backside where I didn't cover well with lotion. It was over 85 degrees for awhile.

Lucky for my neighbors they don't live close so they weren't scared by my attire. DH works full time and farms, it was rain rain rain here so I'm doing this alone, he is finally in the field planting. Tonite he called and said possible rain tomorrow so I don't think I will do the large flat work tomorrow, I'll just finish the balusters and maybe the steps. This weekend I want to finish the job. Saving money, I try to be frugal where I can, so of course, I have more for disney fun.

 

[EcbLovesMickey]

good luck, i hope the weather cooperates!

 

[shirleyb]

I always do jobs like this myself. I can't imagine paying someone to paint when it's something I can do. DH and DS will even be putting a new roof on our house this summer. That will really save some serious $$.

 

[rock_doctor]

I always do jobs like this myself. I can't imagine paying someone to paint when it's something I can do. DH and DS will even be putting a new roof on our house this summer. That will really save some serious $$.

Sign up for the sale papers from Harbor Freight. They have a very nice roof nailer for $99 every once and a while and if you don't have a compressor they also have those on sale every once and a while. Having the proper tools will make the job much less work.

 

[briand1023]

Why pay someone else when you can do it yourself...your time is free, a painters is expensive. Good decision!

 

[ceecee]

We always stained the deck, $1000 seems really steep! We used a sprayer and it went faster, we had a two level deck that was fairly large. Of course we still had to do brushing, but it cut down on the time. I did the playset a few times too, we have since moved, but it still looks great at our old house.

 

[kirstenb1]

I always do jobs like this myself. I can't imagine paying someone to paint when it's something I can do. DH and DS will even be putting a new roof on our house this summer. That will really save some serious $$.

Ditto. We do as much as we can ourselves, and have saved a lot of $$$ over the years.

OP, for the floorboards, the guy at Home Depot showed me a thing that attaches to your extended paint stick. It's very porous, and is a rectangle shaped piece of fabric. You just dip it in the paint tray and go.

Anyway, my point is it did an amazing job of filling in all the cracks and knots in the floorboards. I used to use a paintbrush (duh!!) and it took me hours to just do the floorboards. Now the entire deck takes me a couple of hours. I wait 2 days, then apply a second coat and done.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

I wish I could get DH motivated to get out and get some thngs done in our yard. I was going to work on them myself, forcing him to have to help, but I have torn the ligaments on both side of my left ankle and I am down for the count.

We need all the hedges cutback around the house and I have paint (redwood stain, actually) for our back fence which there isn't much of, it just goes around or patio area. I may have to put this foot in a large plastic garbage bag and get out and do the fence myself, anyway, I'm tired of begging. And I refuse to pay anybody to do it, when he can put down the video game and give me an hour or two.

Suzanne