My deck looks awful. I stained it a little over a year ago and much of the
stain is gone already. From the looks of it, it was more of a thin paint
than a stain because it didn't soak into the wood.

I'm planning on sanding the whole thing down and restaining.

So... What brands should I look for? What to avoid?

Deck is cedar and I'm located in Calgary, AB, Canada.


BTW... Is there a trick to removing BBQ grease from a wooden deck?