Dear Glenn: I hope you can help us. We had a new deck installed about four years ago. We applied oil-based deck stain, and the next year it blistered and peeled. We cleaned the deck, reapplied stain and the same thing happened again. This has happened every year. My husband is in the process of taking off the stain now, doing the three-step process. What can be causing this, and what can we do to prevent the blistering from happening again? This has become a time-consuming and expensive process. We have used semi-transparent oil-based products. We are looking at applying Sherwin-Williams but will use whatever you suggest. We are using Sherwin-Williams products to take everything off the deck. We live In Grand Haven on the lake, so the deck takes a beating. We have an older deck in front that is doing fine, using the same products.

Diane, Grand Haven

Dear Diane: Adhesion versus penetration. The semi-transparent stain that you have used is an absorbing style. After the wood has been stripped, you need to apply a mill glaze remover. Wait 12 hours, then check the moisture level in the wood. You want to read less than 14 percent. Then apply the stain.

I would expect your deck to be at least 36 inches off the ground. Any closer will cause a severe wicking problem with moisture. Your best fix is to replace all horizontal lumber with PVC decking, not composite.