How Outdoor Staining Works

Outdoor staining is an effective way to protect the exterior of your home from the harsh UV rays of the sun and the general weathering process. Over the years, you’ll enjoy looking at a beautifully stained home, whether you choose a stain which enhances the natural look of the wood or a colored stain.

At Colorful Concepts we can help you stain any part of your home, but if you’d like to go it alone, check out the information below.

Things which can be stained:

There are a number of different parts of your exterior which can be stained, from decking and railings, to fences, as well as siding, doors, windows and trim.

Depending on your tastes, you might choose to stain these things with something nearly invisible, or choose a solid color stain to really make it stand out!

Tips & Techniques for Outdoor Staining

1. Types Of Stain

When choosing a stain, you need to know what your current surface needs. If your wood is bare, you can use a film or penetrating stain. If your wood currently has a film stain, a penetrating stain won’t work so you’ll need to use film again. Similarly, water-based stains can go over oil-based stains, but not the other way around.

Solid color stains work best on new wood, but clear, semi-transparent and semi-solid stains are good for older wood. The less color the stain has, the more grain you’ll see.

2. Preparation Tips

Once you have your materials, spray down the wood with a hose – don’t use a pressure washer – then apply a wood cleaner to make sure any mildew is removed. Let the wood cleaner sit for a few minutes, then scrub it off with a stiff-bristle brush. Hose off the wood again.

Be sure to remove any physical debris, such as that between deck boards.

Then, sand the wood once it is dry. Use a medium-grade sandpaper for this, and blow the dust off once finished.

3. Application

Generally, you’ll want to apply with a brush which is about the width of the deck board, or 4-6 inches on a different surface. With decking, apply stain to three boards at a time all the way down the deck before starting the next set of boards – this helps prevent overlapping. With other surfaces, try to be very careful not to overlap.

4. Finishing

After the stain has set for about 20 minutes, wipe it up with rags. To avoid an unfortunate accident – stain-soaked rags can spontaneously combust on their own, without an outside heat source – put the stain-soaked rags into a water-filled, sealed metal container immediately or alternatively lay the rags flat outside on a non-flammable surface to dry for at least two hours. Never ball them up or keep them in your home, garage or outdoor trash bin without taking these precautions.

5. Maintenance

Fading. Peeling. Mildewing. These are all problems which can occur over time and can be caused by a flaw in the application of the stain or by the stain wearing out over time.

It’s important to keep an eye out for any of these problems and address them right away. If you see peeling, fading or mildew in one spot, be sure to check over the rest of the surface before acting, as it may be a sign you need to re-stain the entire area.

Advantages To Choosing Colorful Concepts Painting

Having an expert at your beck and call is always a distinct advantage. Our outdoor staining professionals have years of industry knowledge and skill to make your exterior staining project true to the finish.

Our crew knows just how to give your home the look and feel you’re going for and will advise you through the entire process to make sure it’s exactly what you want. Plus, we do all of the hard work for you, saving you time and effort, getting you back to living your life faster.

Give us a call, we’re happy to talk with you about your next outdoor staining project!