Why stain fails early
Stain has to soak into the wood, and it can't do that through dirt, mildew, peeling old product or damp boards. Most decks that go gray and blotchy fast were stained on wood that wasn't clean or wasn't dry.
Picking a stain
Transparent stain shows the grain and needs recoating sooner. Semi-transparent and solid stains hide more and last longer, but solid stain can peel like paint when it goes on too thick. We show you what is on the deck now and what it can realistically change to.
Fences
Fences take stain the same way decks do, with one difference: both faces and the posts get weather. The quote says which sides are included, so there is no question at the end.
How A Job Runs
- 01
We Walk It With You
Room by room or wall by wall. We look at what is under the old paint, because that is what decides the price.
- 02
You Get It In Writing
Surfaces, prep, primer, number of coats, and the product line by name. One price, and what would change it.
- 03
We Protect The House
Furniture moved and covered, floors down, trim and glass masked, plants and hardscape sheeted outside.
- 04
Prep, Then Paint
Wash, scrape, sand, fill, caulk and prime. The part nobody sees is the part that decides how long it lasts.
- 05
You Walk It Before We Leave
We go around together in daylight with a pot of paint still open. Anything you point at gets fixed then, not scheduled.
Deck & Fence Staining: common questions
How often does a deck need restaining?
It depends on sun, shade and the product, and the boards you walk on wear fastest. When water stops beading and the color starts to gray, it is time. Waiting longer usually means more stripping next time.
Can you stain a new deck right away?
New wood usually needs time to dry out first. We check the moisture and tell you when it is ready, rather than staining on a schedule.
Can you stain over the old stain?
Sometimes. A similar product in decent shape can be cleaned and recoated. Peeling solid stain or a film finish usually has to come off first, and the quote says which yours needs.
Painting homes throughout Clackamas County
Most of our work is in Clackamas County and the neighborhoods around it. Exterior slots fill up before the dry season, so if you are thinking about the outside of the house it is worth calling early — inside, we work year round.