Playsets are one of the best things you can get for your kids. However, once you have them for a few years, it starts to show signs of the wear and tear it has endured at the hands of mother nature. But fear not, with a few easy steps, you can have your wooden playset look as fresh as the day you bought it.
So, how do you stain a playset?
- Remove all non-wood accessories.
- Clean the playset (power wash if there is mold or mildew, otherwise a simple garden hose will do the job).
- Fill any cracks, holes, etc. with wood putty.
- Sand any rough areas.
- Cover the ground/work area, unless you don’t mind getting stain on it.
- Cover anything else on the playset you don’t want to stain.
- Start staining, start from the top and working your way down wiping any drips as you go.
Before we get into a detailed description of the steps above, here are few things you should know:
- This post is assuming that you have an aged playset. If you don’t, then you can still follow these steps however, you might have to skip a few if you’re just looking to stain your playset.
- If you want your project to go smoothly, make sure you have all the tools and equipment you need handy.
- You have arranged other activities for your child/ren. The playset needs at least a couple of days to dry completely before you can let them play on it.
- Make sure you check the weather conditions before-hand. You want to do this when you have at least 2-4 days of dry sunny weather. This will ensure all the water and stain will dry completely.
- If you are using a power washer and you’re not sure of the settings, please make sure you consult your manual or ask an experienced person. You do not want to cause any damage to the wood.
- Lastly, make sure you have the necessary protection for yourself.
Now that we have gotten these necessary house rules out of the way (I might repeat some stuff below), let’s get into the details of the steps above so you have a better understanding of what needs to be done when you are ready to tackle your wooden playset.
Related: How to Mulch A Playset
Step 1: Remove All Non-Wood Accessories
This is as simple as it sounds.
Most playsets come with different plastic accessories that enhance the kids play experience. These include telescopes, ship’s wheel, tic-tac-toe blocks, etc. Make sure you remove these accessories so that stain doesn’t get on them.
You may also want to remove the swing seats and slides while you’re at it. If your playset comes with a canopy covered roof, you want to remove that as well.
It can be very difficult to remove the stain from these items if you get any on them by mistake. So, take the few extra minutes to take them off.
Step 2: Clean the Playset
Once all the plastic is removed, clean those items and store them in a safe and dry place. Then look around the playset and determine if it needs a power wash or a simple hose down from your garden hose.
Power Wash Vs. Hose Down
The way you can determine this is if there is any mold or mildew on the surface of the playset, then a quick power wash will wash that right out.
If the playset looks ok and it’s just messy with bird droppings, dust and other normal outdoor related mess, then you can clean that up with an old rag dipped in a vinegar and water solution. Then just use your garden hose to spray water all over to get rid of everything.
You can still use the power wash, but if you don’t have one and you don’t really need it, then there is no need to go out and buy/rent one.
Again, please be very careful when using the power washer. Make sure you’re using the correct setting based on your power washer manual. Improper use of power washer may cause damage to the wood.
Let it Dry
Once you’ve washed everything, let it dry completely before you being step 3. If the playset is not completely dry, it will prevent the stain from sinking into the wood and this will not produce the results you want. Hence, check the weather so you don’t start the project if you won’t be able to give it time to dry.
Step 3: Filling-In Any Cracks and Holes
Once your playset is dry, give it a once over to see if there are any cracks and holes that you need to fill. If there are, then you can use wood putty to fill these up.
Wood putty is similar to regular putty, only this will blend in with the wood and can be stained once dried.
Step 4: Sand Any Rough Areas
Go over any rough areas with a 100 to 120 grain sand paper. You can either use regular sand paper or you can use a machine to help you sand over the playset.
If you think you have to sand down quite a bit of the playhouse, then I’d suggest getting the electric sander/mouse sander. This will make things go faster.
If there are only a couple of places that need sanding, then just buy the paper and do it by hand. It will be much faster that way.
Don’t forget to go over the wood putty, if you have used any.
Step 5: Cover Your Work Area
This is an important step if you want to protect your surfaces and yourself from getting stained on.
Covering the Ground
Get a large plastic cover or tarp to cover the ground underneath the playset. Unless you’re ok with stain getting on it.
Covering Nearby Plants
You may also want to cover up any surrounding plants and trees that might get stain on them. Getting stain on plants is bad and might cause them to die.
Cover Yourself
Apart from covering up the work area, you may want to cover yourself as well. Wear an old t-shirt and pants you don’t mind getting dirty. Otherwise, you can get some cheap painter overalls to protect your clothes.
If you want to go the extra mile and be even more careful, you can get yourself a pair of gloves and wear protective eye wear. But if you’re brave and want to skip the extra-ness, then by all means.
Step 6: Cover Anything Else on The Playset You Don’t Want to Stain
You can use painter’s tape to cover up any joinery, nuts and bolts, chains, etc. that you don’t want to stain. This is an important step to get a clean look.
This is also imperative in order to maintain the integrity of the parts. You want to make sure you’re still able to access them easily to tighten them and replace them when needed.
Sometimes if you paint over them, it can be hard to unscrew them and can cause unnecessary damage.
Step 7: Stain
Once you’ve done all the preliminary steps, this is the last and very important step. But first, let’s talk about the stain, before we get into the how-to.
Picking the Color
When it comes to staining your playset, the first thing you want to do is check to see if it’s pre-stained. This way you can match the color of the playset when purchasing the stain, unless you want to go for something darker.
If you are working with natural wood, then you can skip to the part where I talk about the stains.
If you are planning on changing the color of your playset and want a really clean and professional finish to your playset. You can do a mini step before staining the playset. You can get a stain stripper and use that to remove the old stain. All you have to do is put the stain stripper all over the playset, wait about 5 to 10 minutes and wipe off the stain.
Basically, start from the top and work your way downwards. By the time you reach the bottom you should be ready to start wiping the stain off the top.
Stain Vs. Sealant
Then, you want to determine if you want to use a stain or a sealant.
A stain is a form of coating that you apply over your wooden playset to protect the wood from damage caused by too much sun, wind and wetness from rain and/or snow (depending on where you live). Stains come in clear or in different wood shades ranging from light to really dark.
A sealant is a clear liquid that “seals” the wood and gives it extra protection from the weather elements, especially water. It also helps prevent rot, fungus, mold and mildew.
If you want to use double protection, you can use both together. Just make sure you stain the wood first, then seal it with a sealant after the stain is completely dry. If you use the sealant first, then it will resist the stain and you don’t want that.
Water-based Vs. Oil-based
Both stains and sealants come in oil-based and water-based forms. Oil-based products give the wood a thick coating and protect it for longer period of time. While water-based products give it the protection it needs but you’ll need to re-do the stain annually or every two years.
With water-based products you can use two coats to give you an additional layer of protection.
Again, you want to make sure that you give everything plenty of time to dry before you continue. This will give time for any fumes to evaporate so it doesn’t affect your kids.
Choosing between oil and water-based products is simply based on your preference. Ultimately, both provide the same kind of protection and are not much different price wise.
Final Step:
Now you’re ready to stain. There are a few ways you can do this.
Use a Sprayer
You can get a paint sprayer and use that; trust me it makes life so much easier.
Start at the top and work your way to the bottom. The good thing about the sprayer is that you don’t have to worry about drips. Since it releases a little product at a time so it doesn’t get a chance to pool at the bottom.
Use Brush
If you don’t have a sprayer, no problem. Get yourself a good quality paint brush and a roller brush.
Make sure you wipe or brush off any drips. This is necessary for clump-free work. Otherwise, all the drips are going to pool at the bottom and it won’t look pretty.
There is no need to rush. Take your time and make sure you try and paint in all the nooks and crannies of the play house. Try and get in between the boards as well.
Let it Dry
That’s it! You’re done. Now just allow for the stain/sealant to dry. It takes a good 24-hours of sunny and dry weather for the stain to completely dry.
Final Walkthrough and Assembly
Take this opportunity to check the “nuts and bolts” to make sure they’re tight and not rusty. Replace anything that needs replacing and also go ahead and put back the plastic elements of the swing set. Viola! Your kids are ready to get back to their brand-new looking playset.
