Exterior Staining: Deck, Fence, & Siding
Here in Southern Oregon we love the look of stained wood decks, fences, and siding, but they take a beating. With constant exposure to the elements and regular traffic, these surfaces will face wear and tear quickly, especially decks. Maintaining the stained finish keeps your deck or fence looking its best and prevents costly repairs or finish restoration. If you are looking to maintain or restore the strength and appearance or your natural exterior wood in the Grants Pass area, give us a call today.
What Do We Stain?
- Decks & Fences
- Trellises & Gazebos
- Beams & Pillars
- Logs & Siding
- Front Doors & Entryways
- …you name it!
Why Invest in Exterior Staining Services?
- Improved Appearance: Perhaps the most obvious benefit is improving its appearance. Stain can bring natural wood back to life with a deep, rich color that creates a bold accent for your home.There are many colors available, and we’ll happily help you choose the right one.
- Moisture Protection & Dry Rot: New stain helps seal out moisture in the winter, inhibit the growth of mold, and prevent the wood from splitting and rotting.
- Pest Resistance: Staining can also protect against insect damage and infestation, helping you save money in the long run!
Let’s Dive Deeper
The Deck Stain Life Cycle
Applies to siding, fences, and exterior wood
Your deck will have a natural progression from the time it’s new to when it’s fully worn out and in need of replacement. Laying out this progression will help you understand where you’re at in the progression and what it will take to accomplish what you want.
New Deck
So if you just built your deck, most likely you love the natural wood look and want to maintain that as long as you can. This means you are looking for a Transparent or Semi-Transparent Stain. These stains have minimal pigment, allowing the grain to show and bringing alive the beauty of your wood. Because these stains have minimal pigment they are more susceptible to UV degradation. To maintain that beautiful look, make sure you are lightly washing and restaining every 1-2 years. When these stains are allowed to weather beyond 1-2 years the wood can gray, discolor, and grow mold and mildew which in turn requires a combination of sanding and chemical washing/brightening, to bring the wood back to its original luster
Aging Deck
As your deck ages, wears, and discolors a semi-solid or solid color is an natural, easy option to help hide the imperfections of the wood. These stains cover most or all of the grain and require less prep-work to look good. These heavily pigmented stains also generally last a little longer (2-4 years). However, as the film is built up over time they are susceptible to peeling.
Old Deck
When your deck is on it’s last leg, the wood is cracked, it’s splintering, and it’s been re-finished so many times that it won’t survive another sanding…then it’s probably time for a new deck…However, if you need to get a few more years out of it, a thick, solid-color deck coating can get you there. These heavy duty deck restoration coatings help to fill cracks, hold down splinters, and provide a smooth finish that will make your deck usable again until a replacement can be done.
What If I want To Go Backwards In The Progression?
Going forward in the progression is fairly easy, but going backward can be pretty labor intensive. Say you have a solid color and you want to take it back to a natural transparent look. This requires removal of all the existing finish using a combination of chemical treating, pressure washing, and sanding. Doing this to every little crack and crevice before staining can add up to an extensive project.
What Product & Why: Water-Based or Oil Based
When it comes to stain products it isn’t as easy as just one or the other, so let’s break it down:
Transparent & Semi Transparent Stains
For transparent and semi-transparent stains on horizontal surfaces, such as a deck, we always use oil-based stains. Oil-based penetrating stains provide the most vibrant color and age gracefully by wearing off over time…not peeling. However, they are generally more susceptible to mold and mildew. To counteract this, make sure to add a mildewcide or buy an oil stain that is pre-formulated with mildewcide. Oil-based penetrating stains are also generally a one-coat product…you only want to apply as much as the wood will absorb. If over-applied, you will have shiny, sticky spots that never dry and seem attract every bit of pollen and dust.
Water-Based transparent and semi-transparent stains are generally 2-coat, film building products, so they peel when they begin to age. They also don’t highlight grain and color of the wood like oils do. Water-based stains, in general, do provide better mold and mildew resistance, but are best suited for vertical surfaces such as siding and sometimes fences.
Solid Color & Semi-Solid Stains and Restorative Coatings
For solid color and semi-solid stains on all surfaces including decks, fences, and siding a water-based product is the best option. These products use an acrylic polymer that will far outlast the alkyd solid that is used in oil-based solid-color stains and coatings. The oil-based alkyds are very brittle and will crack, flake, fade, and get chalky very quickly. Water-based acrylics will provide superior fade resistance and longevity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are you licensed, bonded, and insured?
Yes, we are fully licensed, bonded, and insured.
CCB# 235704
Can You Use Water-Based Paint Over A Surface That Was Previously Painted With Oil?
Yes, but it requires proper preparation and the correct primer. Oil based enamels or varnishes are hard and slick, requiring sanding and/or adhesion primer for water-based paints to adhere properly. Exterior Oil-based penetrating stains must be primed with slow-dry oil-based primer before painting with a water-based product. There are also a couple other exceptions when it comes to this process, so it is best to talk to us directly or to a trusted, knowledgeable paint supplier.
Ready to Get Started?
If you have a project on the horizon, we invite you to contact us today. With an unwavering commitment to customer care and satisfaction, we’re proud to have become one of the most trusted local painting companies in Grants Pass and Southern Oregon. We look forward to sharing our expertise with you.