What kind of treatment do I need to stain/paint this deck

• First you need to remove the masking tape and the label prior to painting, or they will show through on the finished surface. Use Goo Gone or Goof Off as BMitch and Tester suggest. (I've never used Goof Off, so I can't vouch for how well it works, but I have firsthand experience on how well Goo Gone works.)

• Next you need to clean the surface, at least with a damp cloth. Let it dry.

• If you really want a clean edge for the parts you're not going to paint, you can use blue painter's tape to mask it off.

• Next, prime the surfaces that you are going to paint. This will help the paint adhere to the trunk and reduce the chance of the paint peeling on down the road.

• Finally, paint. I use latex for most of my projects, since it's easy to clean up. Pay attention to what type of finish you want. A roller will give you a slight orange peel effect, while a brush may leave brush strokes. If you want a smoother finish, you can add some Floetrol to latex paint to minimize any brush strokes. Buying a high quality brush can also help. You may have to do several coats of paint, but I'd do a minimum of two.

• If you used painter's tape, carefully pull it up. If you have problems with the paint sticking to the tape, gently score along the edge of the tape with a razor blade.

I wouldn't bother painting the bottom.

For the main deck, I would recommend a floor sander, similar to what's used for finishing hardwood floors. Put a 100-120-grit belt on it and take it back and forth along the deck in the same direction as the planks until you see bare wood. Once you have bare wood, I would apply whatever stain or sealant you want very quickly thereafter, as you have just removed a large portion of both the artificial and natural weather and bug resistance the wood had.

A handheld orbital or belt sander will get most of the stuff off the vertical components (handrails and pickets). You'll need a "corner cat" or other detail sander, or some elbow grease, to get the paint out of crevices and detail work.

You will not be able to avoid taking off some wood along with the paint. Paint (especially a product designed for this kind of outdoor application) will seep into the grain of the wood, and you will be removing wood before you see the color disappear and bare wood show through.

By the way, you will still need to maintain the deck after staining and sealing. The stain will last for quite a while, but you'll need to re-apply the water seal at least once a year, once every 6 months if you get a lot of rain.