Did I screw up staining my deck?

As the title suggests, I just finished staining/sealing my deck and not super-pleased with the result. As you can see in the photo below, some parts appear darker than others and I'm not sure if I need to give it more time (took this photo 10 hours after finishing in approximately 90F weather), or if I screwed it up.

The stain is Olympic Maximum semi-transparent and I did just a single coat as the instructions specify.

If it does not improve, what can I do to fix it? I see that Olympic advises against a 2nd coat... should I try one anyway, or would I have to strip and re-stain? Or, should I try to cover it all with a solid stain?

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

I think your deck looks quite decent. I've seen lots that are worse.

Stained wood decks will never be perfectly uniform in appearance. Too many variations in wood density, grain pattern, etc. If you want it to be completely uniform, slop a heavy coat of paint on it (and be prepared to do so on a regular basis, after lots of prep work, when it starts peeling). Or replace the wood planks with Trex or some other "fake" wood.

 

Looks like lap marks to me. They are caused by not keeping a wet edge as the stain is applied. It's best to only stain however many boards all the way to the end so it won't start to dry before you apply more to those boards. Hotter temps, direct sunlight and/or slow painting all require you to stain fewer boards at a time.

Did Olympic say why they advise against another coat of stain? Some stains have a specific recoat window and if recoated outside of that window the stain may not adhere well. With those types of stains you must either remove the new stain or wait for it to weather off before recoating.

 

From what I read on their (Olympic) web site, the concern is that the first coat seals the wood, so the 2nd could be more prone to peeling. That being said, talked with the best paint guy at the local Lowe's and he felt like it might be worth trying a 2nd coat, realizing that it would probably not last as long as stripping and starting over.

So, I'm on the fence about which option makes the most sense right now...

 

Paint depts don't always have real knowledgeable help What does the label on the can say about applying a 2nd coat? I'm not big on sanding decks but a light sanding may alleviate any bonding issues.

 

The can doesn't address a 2nd coat positive or negative. Just says to apply one thin coat.

 

The can doesn't address a 2nd coat positive or negative. Just says to apply one thin coat.

 

So it sounds like it's just supposed to get the one coat. I'd either live with it or sand it some and apply another coat.