Sanding and staining cedar is always a bit of a challenge since is A. less commonly used so we have less experience with it than redwood and B. more difficult to deal with than redwood. Bottom line for us is we have to take a bit more time to make sure everything is perfect.
This deck was coated with a semi-transparent, bluish stain which did not wear evenly. After attempting to strip the deck with chemicals at maintenance, the previous painter decided to add pigment with a solid type stain in order to even out the old coating. A common mistake that can lead to a painted looking deck that shows none of the wood grain. This type of coating is particularly bad for cedar, which needs to breathe in order to stay healthy.
The pattern of this deck did not make it any easier to sand, but it is a nice look.
Our solution was to start with Sikkens cape cod grey SRD and wipe the entire deck. The result was a light, highly transparent/breathable coating that will increase in grey patina with successive coats without obscuring the natural beauty of the wood. The trick to getting an even application with these types of stains is multiple thin coats, ideally spread out over 6 months or more. The result is a longer time frame between sandings, ideally 6 years or more. Not that I didn't enjoy this job, but the client and I are definitely making it our goal to not have to sand this deck any more than absolutely necessary.
I will update in the spring when we are slated to put the second coat on. That coat will be the sweet one in terms of getting a really nice grey color that is super weatherproof.
