When I moved into my current house, I knew that there would be many projects I needed to undertake. Some required immediate attention, others could wait, and some I needed to wait until it was in the budget. The deck and stairs were one of the projects that needed immediate attention.
It seemed unsafe to me, and I was starting to buckle and fall apart—time to replace it.
![](https://mcusercontent.com/2fd77886a7d8157acf7a10a1c/_compresseds/cf03288d-3e2a-deec-6394-1196688edc0f.jpg)
Buckling on the deck
The previous owner’s dog chewed rails.
I would have loved to use trek decking, but it wasn’t in the budget, so I used cedarwood for the deck and vinyl for the handrails.
![](https://mcusercontent.com/2fd77886a7d8157acf7a10a1c/_compresseds/3ce74d9d-58bb-fa7d-fc41-6d4a1eb57770.jpg)
I had to wait a year before I could stain the deck. The wood needs to dry; otherwise, it could have a patchy area since the wood may not absorb the stain thoroughly. I used TWP wood stain in Cape Cod Grey. (It has since been banned in NY!!). I’m going to have to find another stain when it’s time.
![](https://mcusercontent.com/2fd77886a7d8157acf7a10a1c/images/6e661705-4d98-d40d-6a67-f1aea9db20bb.jpg)
![](https://mcusercontent.com/2fd77886a7d8157acf7a10a1c/_compresseds/532f687c-798e-7f97-25c0-af2f2c3c454a.jpg)
Aug 25 2022
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