Professional Deck Restoration
Bay Area’s Most Trusted Wood Care — Since 1989
Restore, protect, and extend the life of your deck without costly replacement.
Licensed (#711308) · Bonded & Insured · Satisfaction Guaranteed.
Restore & Protect Your Deck Without Full Replacement
At Cal Preserving, we know your deck is where Bay Area life happens. Over time, sun, moisture, and everyday use break down the wood and its protective finish. Our deck restoration process brings it back to life with professional cleaning, repairs, sanding (when needed), and high-quality staining and preserving that protects your wood and restores its natural beauty.
Why Bay Area Homeowners Trust Cal Preserving
Over 35 Years Restoring Bay Area Natural Wood
We’ve restored and protected decks across the Bay Area for more than 35 years. Our team understands how sun exposure, coastal fog, and seasonal moisture affect wood and we tailor our process accordingly.
Quality Stains and Proven Products
We use high-quality stains and proven products that are a good fit for the wood, condition, and exposure of your deck.
Proper Preparation and Staining Done Right
Great results start with proper prep. We thoroughly clean the wood, sand when needed, and apply stain evenly so your deck looks great and holds up over time.
Clear Communication
We explain the process and keep you informed as the work progresses.
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What Our Customers Say
Rated 4.9/5.0 from 50+ verified Google reviews
How Our Deck Restoration Process Works
- Free Consultation & Inspection:We inspect your deck, railings, stairs, and associated wood. Then we recommend a plan and the plan for our recommendations. Then we discuss and come up with the plan that best meets your needs.
- Preparation & Protection: Our team will assess the work sight and take precautions to minimize any potential issues.
- Cleaning + Surface Prep: We typically power-wash first than assess if sanding is needed based on the results of the washing. If we have already decided sanding is a good idea, we will prep the nails or screws for the sanding. This is also when we assess in case repairs are needed.
- Repairs: If repairs are needed then this is when we will do those. Typically repairs are done on a time and materials basis for our hourly rate plus the costs of materials and old material disposal.
- Wood brightening: After any repairs and sanding are completed we apply a wood brightener to make the wood look as new as possible and rinse it off to remove any remaining marks and touch up any anomalies from construction and the process of sanding.
- Staining / Preserving: We apply the best solution for your wood type and deck condition — to protect against UV damage, growth that can occur due to sustained moisture, and premature cracking.
- Final Walkthrough + Cleanup:When work is completed, we review the work with you, handle finishing details, and leave your space clean, safe, and ready to use. You should typically allow for 48 hours of dry time before working on any surface we have treated.
Why Homeowners Trust Us for Deck Restoration
Exterior Wood Specialists
Preserve, Don’t Replace
No Payment Until You’re Happy
For residential work, you don’t pay for the job until you’re satisfied with the result.
Deck Frequently Asked Questions
Do you handle both cleaning and refinishing?
Yes. Our process covers cleaning, prep, repairs where needed, and refinishing steps for exterior wood
What areas of the Bay Area do you serve?
We serve greater Bay Area. Share your address and we’ll confirm coverage.
How often should I maintain my deck?
Decks/ horizontal surfaces require more maintenance than siding/ vertical wood surfaces.
Maintenance periods depend on exposure to the elements, chiefly the sun. If in full sun all day the stain will lose its preserving qualities in a year or a bit longer. The other factor is if the deck has debris such as leaves that drop on it regularly. This also depends on your preference, budget and desire to have the wood looking as good as it can. Regular maintenance will help avoid more costly repairs.
Maintenance periods based on exposure to the sun.
- Full sun exposure: Every 1-2 years
- Partial sun: Every 2-3 years.
Maintenance periods based on having debris that falls on the deck regularly.
- Debris falling on the surface: Clean to remove debris every year. Clean and preserve every 2-3 years.
Does my deck need to be preserved, stained, or sealed?
“Sealing” your wood is not necessary. Water does not travel through wood and destroy it. If water or moisture persists for a long period of time growth can begin to take place and the growth will harm the wood. Stain is the preservative and should contain UV protection and an anti-growth factor to best protect the wood.
Your deck should be preserved with an oil-based semi-transparent stain with low levels of color. This will protect the wood and make maintenance as easy as possible.
- Light pigment (UV protection)
- Mildewcide (prevents growth)
- Resins (prevents drying)
Simply sealing water out is ineffective.
What stain do you use on decks?
We mainly use stains made by Messmer’s as well as Preserva-products.
We can use other stains and the choice depends on specific conditions with your wood.
Do you offer multiple stain colors?
We do offer variations of lightly pigmented stains. We recommend that you keep it as natural as possible to make maintenance as easy as possible.
If you would like an opaque stain we do offer that we well, but you will lose the natural looks of the wood.
Do you apply one coat or two coats?
We typically apply one flood coat only. By “flood coat” we mean that we flood the wood cells with stain such that they will not take more without the stain sitting on the surface and leaving it shinny and sticky. There is a fine line with this and you may have smaller areas that are a bit shinny or sticky but that will fade and dry up in a short period if time.
Will you spray the stain?
No.
We use rollers and brushes to prevent overspray onto:
Plants
Windows
Cars
Neighboring property
Spraying increases risk of damage.
How long should I stay off my deck after staining?
Stay off for 24–48 hours
You may walk lightly sooner but residue may transfer to shoes
Do I need to preserve IPE decking?
Yes, this is still a dead tree. It’s harder but that will not help it much against the elements.
- It turns gray if untreated
- It can and will cup, crack, and split if neglected.
Regular maintenance protects appearance and structural integrity.
Why shouldn’t I power wash my deck myself?
Improper power washing can:
- Gouge wood
- Tear fibers
- Cause irreversible damage
Professional technique and lots of practice is critical.
Why does my deck look blotchy or uneven after staining?
This is not the case with all wood, but can be normal. If the wood has knots or is a lower grade this is more common.
Wood varies in density and grain pattern. In these cases the appearance usually evens out a bit within a few weeks.
Can you work if the deck is wet?
We can power wash in wet conditions.
Sanding and staining requires dry wood.
We do like to wash in the rain as it gets that part of the process completed and keeps us working.
Ready to Restore Your Deck?
Discover how we can enhance and preserve your wood structures. Fill out our Estimate Request Form to receive a detailed evaluation and personalized recommendations—absolutely free.
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Contact
- 866-350-9663 (office toll-free)
- 650-966-9663 (office)
- 650-966-9664 (fax)
- 1906 Plymouth Street
- Mountain View, CA 94043