Wood Deck Staining & Maintenance in Rock Hill

Do you have a deck, fence, patio, Pergolas, or archways around your house? Then you know that constant exposure to outdoor weather can take a toll on your wooden surfaces. If you don’t take good care of them by sealing and staining them at the right times, they can become a costly repair expense that can decrease the value of your home. The longer you wait the more costly this can be.

The CertaPro Painters^® of Rock Hill deck staining team has years of experience resurfacing, sealing, and staining decks to protect them from all types of weather. Depending on your project, our professional surface prep and deck staining process might include:

Power Washing and Cleaning

Your deck or fence must be completely clean prior to applying a new stain. Pressure washing the surfaces will remove dirt, mold, and mildew, as well as help to remove any peeling coatings. Using a wood cleaning solution is also an option depending on the condition of the deck or fence etc. For wood that’s going to have a completely different finish applied, a full chemical stripping or sanding may be required.

Deck Preparation

After a thorough cleaning, any remaining loose coatings must be scraped or removed with a wire brush or scouring pad. Depending on the desired finish, sanding may also be necessary. Any popped nails, loose screws, or boards must also be secured.

Deck Staining

Paint is simply not an option for deck flooring, using a quality stain is the best option. If paint is used on vertical surfaces, any bare wood should be primed prior to applying the paint. Stains come in various finishes: transparent, semi-transparent, semi-solid, and solid. Stains do not require a prime coat and should always be applied to bare wood with a brush and roller. If a stain sprayer is used, a back-brushing or back-rolling may be performed to create an even finish as well as work the product into the wood grain.

Deck Maintenance

With mild weather conditions in the Rock Hill area, having a nice deck or fence is like having a nice yard, it still requires fairly regular upkeep. A simple wash, using a basic deck cleaner, should be performed at least annually. Depending on the kind of stain used, horizontal surfaces such as flooring and railing tops will likely need a fresh coat every 1-4 years. Vertical surfaces will usually hold up longer because they are not walked on and water does not sit on them for extended periods of time. Fresh coats are usually completed on these, every other time the horizontal surface is refinished.

Stain Finishes you can choose from for your outside wood surfaces

Transparent Stains 

These types of stains are what most people think of when looking at stained interior wood floors or wooden furniture. They can be clear or tinted but will leave most of the natural wood grain showing after being applied. They are usually oil-based so that they penetrate deep into the wood grain and are therefore single coat applications. The wood surface must be bare to use these products in most cases. These are often the best products to use on new decks or fences. Colors choices are generally limited and changing colors will require removal of the previous stain down to the bare wood.

Typical maintenance cycle (horizontal surfaces) = 2-5 years.

Semi-Transparent (Semi-Solid) Stains 

These stains are in between transparent and solid (allowing some wood grain to show). These products are usually water-based and don’t always require the removal of previous coatings to be used. Depending on the desired outcome, one or two coats may be applied. There are many color options when using these stains and custom colors can be created. Changing colors with these stains usually limits your options to similar or darker colors from what you currently have. Some applications call for a “wet-on-wet” approach when applying two coats. This requires applying a second coat before the first coat has had time to fully dry.

Typical maintenance cycle (horizontal surfaces) = 1-4 years

Solid colored stains

Solid stains have the same appearance as paint (no wood grain showing). The bonding process for these stains gives much higher durability to walking surfaces than paint would. Solid stains are usually water-based and can be applied over almost any existing coating. Any color can be made with solid stains. Changing colors from one solid stain to another can be done, but generally requires 2 coats depending on the color. Wear and tear are more visible with solid stains, but repairing any marks is easy by simply performing a quick touch-up.

Typical maintenance cycle (horizontal surfaces) = 1-3 years

Tips For Deck owners in Rock Hill

Having a beautiful deck only requires a little periodic maintenance. Here are some tips for keeping your deck looking good all year round:

1. When initially finishing your deck, it’s all about the preparation and stain products. There are knowledgeable experts who can consult with you to help decide the best process for your deck.
2. Moisture is the enemy of your deck. You can always use a long-handled squeegee to clear off any standing water or give it a quick blast with a leaf blower. a quick inspection to identify and touch up any bare spots due to weather or wear & tear is recommended. This will not only prolong the lifespan of the stain but will protect the wood as well.
3. Horizontal surfaces such as flooring and the tops of the railing are where moisture sits the longest. This is where failure will inevitably happen first. We recommend cleaning and re-staining these surfaces usually every other year. Vertical surfaces will hold up longer so re-stain these every other time you do the horizontal surfaces.

If you have questions on staining your deck, pergola, fence or other exterior wood structures contact us for a free estimate.