Stain and Your Pergola: What you need to know

When it comes to maintenance and your pergola, there are many factors to consider. This includes things like staining versus painting, color, finish, products, and what steps to follow. Our team at CertaPro Painters® of Indianapolis would like to share some insights with you to help you make the best decision for your pergola.

Staining vs. Painting

While you don’t have to stain your wood pergola, doing so can actually help you elongate its lifecycle and better protect it from outdoor weather. Without taking the time to stain the wood, over time you will notice discoloration, ultraviolet damage, and even wood rot‌. When selecting a product to stain your pergola with, you may want to consider the natural wood look you’d like. For example, you can use a clear, semi-transparent, or solid product, each providing a different tint to your wood. Generally, the less transparent the material, the more protection your pergola will get from the elements.

If you choose to paint your pergola, it’s important to make sure that the products you use still offer protection to your wood. Since paint isn’t designed to penetrate the wood like staining products are, you will want to use a wood primer before painting. If you’re unsure what’s best for your pergola, our team is always available to help.

CertaPro Painters® of Indianapolis’s Approach to Pergolas

At CertaPro Painters® of Indianapolis, we know how to maintain your pergola so you can enjoy it for years to come. Our team typically begins our process by power washing to remove all dirt, algae, and mildew to ensure a clean surface prior to staining. The type of stain we then use is usually determined by whether the pergola has been stained before or not. This allows our team to offer you the best protection possible and help to achieve the aesthetics you are looking for. Additionally, if your pergola needs to be painted, we can work with you to ensure the surfaces and both primed and painted.

If you’re planning to stain or paint your pergola, it’s best to do so when precipitation isn’t forecasted because most products require 24-48 hours to set after application.

Interested in working with CertaPro Painters® of Indianapolis?

If you’re interested in working with our team at CertaPro Painters® of Indianapolis, we’d love to hear about your upcoming project. All you need to do is send us a message via email at ​​[email protected] or over the phone at (317) 252 – 0334.