Fence and Deck Restaining
Restore vs Replace
A common question we've been asked has to do with weather beaten decks & fencing and if there was a way to correct the damage done by years of exposure to the elements. Most of the 'graying' you see in natural wood is caused by sun exposure, much like a sunburn on your skin - many of the sealants used on fences don't have UV protection, or the UV protection has worn out. The dark watermarks you see near sprinkler heads are also a sign on decay - the sealers have lost their ability to repel water. Although some discoloration is inevitable, most of the damage can be corrected with pressure washing. Pressure washing removes the decayed wood particles and accumulated pollution and restores the original color of the fence or deck to make your back yard more inviting for those outdoor activities.
Picking the Right Stain
SuperDeck, Moorewood, Thompson's, Cabot's, Joe's Discount Deck Stain - It seems there are as many brands of stain as paint, maybe more. Choosing the right stain can be difficult - which one covers best; which one lasts longest; which one offers the most protection; which one is the cheapest? As with paint - and most other things in life - the bottom line is you get what you pay for. When you choose to use a discount brand, the durability and waterproofing are probably not going to be as good. Or the products in the stain can actually harm the wood itself - some lower priced products contain parafin (wax) or silicon to protect against water, but ruin the wood's ability to absorb new stain when the old stuff wears out.
When it comes to overall performance, SuperDeck was the leader in independent testing, but costs more than most deck stains. In the same tests, Thompson's was found to be very water-repellant due to the parafin in the product, but made re-staining very difficult for the same reason. Our choice in normal circumstances is Moorewood by Benjamin Moore. It is more cost-effective than SuperDeck but ranked nearly as high in performance. The most important thing is to read the label - what products is it made of; what kind of warranty does it have; what does it say about re-staining?
Another thing to consider is UV protection. Wood, like skin, can become sunburned. Constant exposure to the sun (especially a mile above sea-level) can dry out the wood and cause it to discolor and, more importantly, wear out prematurely. It is vital to pick a stain that offers UV protection. Stains typically come in three varieties - transparent, semi-transparent, and solid-body. Transparent stains are popular because they allow the grain of the wood to show, but they offer no UV protection. Expecting a transparent stain to slow the sun damage would be like expecting your hand lotion to stop a sunburn - not very effective. Solid-body stains offer the most protection from the sun, but cover the wood's natural graining completely. In addition, the pigments in oil-based solid-body stain can actually be tracked off the deck and into your home for months after being applied. The water-based equivalent doesn't track, but doesn't soak into the wood as readily and wears out faster. Our preference is usually an oil-based semi-transparent stain - it has moderate UV protection, doesn't track, and adheres to the wood better.