How to re-stain a weathered Merbau bench?

[judessc]

Dear Bunnings/All,

My merbau backyard garden bench was built about 7 months ago and I need to stain it. It has been exposed to sun/rain. 

Should I sand paper or clean it in anyway before I stain it?

Any advice on the sandpaper,cleaning products and decking oil I should use

is appreciated.

Attached are some pics for you. Thanks!

 

 

  

[JacobZ]

Hi @judessc,

Thank you for your question about finishing your outdoor seating.

Nailing your prep work will always help to ensure you get the best result possible when staining and coating timber.

In your case, the timber looks weathered, but it still looks to be in good shape. 

I would suggest you give it a quick sand with some 120 Grit Timber Sandpaper. Nothing crazy, just a once-over to remove any imperfections and splinters.

After sanding, give it a good clean with some Cabot's Deck Clean and a scrubbing brush. This will remove any dirt or leftover sawdust from the sanding process.

When the timber is dry, apply your choice of stain. Check out How To Stain A Deck for some guidance on the process.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Jacob