Deck & Fence Maintenance
Maintaining and protecting your decks and fences is important to ensure you get the longest life out of your investment! Though it may seem to be a daunting task, maintenance is important to keep your wood in good shape. Wood rot can become dangerous and is costly to replace. In our climate horizontal and/or walking surfaces typically need maintenance every 1-3 years depending on weather, usage, and quality of wood and materials. Vertical surfaces don’t hold moisture as easily and have a longer maintenance schedule. Make sure to wait at least 30 days before sealing a brand-new deck or fence to ensure the wood is dry from the inside out!
The top reasons to seal your decks and fences
· Protect and prevent wood rot
· Protect against weathering from the sun’s UV Rays
· Keep out wood-loving pests
· Keep up your home’s good looks!
The difference between sealers and stains
· Sealers are used to protect against moisture. They contain water-repellent or waterproof properties. Though a great product to repel water, sealers or waterproofers are clear and do not protect against UV rays. The pigments or color in the product are what has the UV protectant and why we use stains for our projects.
· Stains are always pigmented and act as a sealer as well. Stains add color to the wood, seal, and protect against UV damage. There are a few different types of stains to choose from.
1. Transparent you can see all the wood grain and has the least amount of color to still protect against the sun. It typically comes in natural wood colors. This is the best option if you typically would want a clear sealer but need to protect against the sun.
2. Semi-Transparent shows most of the wood grain and has more color options to choose from. This is our most popular type of stain used and requested. Semi-Transparent and Transparent is the easiest to maintain in the long run because they fade away gradually and don’t peel.
3. Semi-Solid covers most of the wood grain and has multiple colors to choose from.
4. Solid Stain covers all the wood grain. It looks like paint but has penetrative qualities, so it soaks into the wood and is longer lasting than paint that sits on top of the wood. You can have any color in a solid stain.
Paint latex or oil-based will protect against UV and moisture damage, but generally doesn’t hold up as long as a sealer or stain. If there’s any moisture in the wood during application, it is susceptible to bubbling, peeling, and chipping. Also, as the paint endures the hot sun, rain, and snow it will peel typically off in large sections where moisture was able to enter that will need scraped and sanded before you can recoat. Which makes painting a more involved maintenance process.
During your estimate, we will inspect the deck and recommend the best prep steps and product for your current deck or fence to ensure your wood surfaces are protected!
