How to stain treated Pine on my retaining walls?

Katetaxicabs

I’m seeking advice on the best product to stain my retaining walls black. I prefer a very dark shade, as my aim is to minimize visual clutter, highlight my cypress posts, and make the greenery and colorful flowers stand out against the backdrop.

Eventually, I plan to paint the shed black as well.

Which product should I use? I am conscious of the risks associated with sealing timber and understand that it needs to breathe, so I am looking for a stain that doesn’t contain oil or water. 

Also, how should I prepare my older timber walls before applying the stain?

Thank you kindly.

Jason

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @Katetaxicabs. We're really pleased to have you join us and look forward to reading about more of your projects and plans for around the house and garden. Feel free to post whenever you need a hand or have a project to share. 

I'm sure our resident Bunnings D.I.Y. expert @EricL will be happy to recommend products for you as soon as possible. You're right to be cautious as we often see people who have painted retaining walls struggle to keep them looking good as the hydrostatic pressure can blow the paint coating off reasonably quickly. 

Many thanks,

Jason