How to Prepare to Stain a House

Even the most well-kept house will need to be re-stained eventually. When the exterior looks a little gray, it is time to re-stain. So the finish lasts a long time, prepare the house for the stain by cleaning off debris and washing down surfaces with water as well as a homemade mildew remover. Finally, you'll need some sandpaper and maybe some caulk to shore up problem areas.

• 1

  Sweep and brush off any surface debris from areas to be stained. The cleaner the surface, the better the stain will adhere.

• 2

  Wash down all surfaces to be stained with warm, soapy water and a sponge to remove any surface dirt. Rinse with clear water.

• 3

  Mix together in a bucket 1 qt. of bleach and 3 qts. of water. This solution will remove any mildew on the surface of the area being stained. Let the area dry for 48 hours before staining.

• 4

  Check the entire surface being stained and look for any rough edges or splintered wood. Sand the areas that need smoothing starting with a medium-grain sandpaper, moving to a fine-grain sandpaper.

• 5

  Replace old or broken boards, caulk and seal all windows, and cover anything you do not want to be covered by the stain.