Archives for Deck Refinishing

What You Need to Know About Maintaining Your Exterior Woodwork

What You Need to Know About Maintaining Your Exterior Woodwork in Richmond, MI

Maintaining your exterior woodwork in Richmond, MI, is essential if you want to extend your woodwork’ she beauty and durability.
However, the maintenance procedure requires taking into consideration the condition of your wood and the product that best suits the desired appearance.

This article shares everything you need to know about your exterior woodwork she maintenance and preservation.

Maintain Your Exterior Woodwork: The Products Available

By exterior woodwork, we mean all the elements constructed of wood located on or around the exterior of your house.
These include cornices, siding, window frames, decks, casements, doors, fences, pergolas, and more.

Microporous Fungicidal PainSeveralal types of protective products can provide wood with optimum protection against the elements.

For those who prefer uniform woodwork and dark coloring, a fungicidal microporous paint is recommended.
The paint of this type is permeable to water vapor while being impermeable to liquid water.
The fungicidal property prevents the formation of mold on the surface of the wood.

It is also recommended to choose an anti-UV formula to protect the wood from possible discoloration overtime under the sunrays’ effects.

Stains

Stains are a translucent solution with protection against mold, moisture, insects, fungus, and sunlight.
Whether tinted or colored, it is the perfect protection solution to highlight the grain of the wood.
It does not form a film on the surface of the wood, rather infiltrating inside it.

As a result, the stain has the unique advantage of not flaking.
It should be mentioned that colored stains cover the wood’s grained a little more than clear ones.

Note that there are several variants, including “high protection” types that are rich in resin.
These are known to be particularly effective in providing high-level protection to wood against external elements’ effects.
In general, the stain’s application should be repeated every 3-4 years unless the wood is of the exotic type.

Varnishes

The varnish allows more of the wood grain to show through compared to paint.
It is therefore an ideal choice if you want the wood to retain a more natural appearance. They provide effective protection against heat, water, and surface scratches.

Since the varnish may flake off over the years, refinishing is recommended after 5 years.
The variety of finishes available (matt, gloss, satin) leaves some latitude in the wood’s final appearance.

We should specify that the varnish alone is not sufficient to ensure the wood’s e optimal protection and preservation against sunlight.
Apply a semi-transparent stain on the bare wood along with the varnish for better protection.

Refinishing a Painted, Varnished, or Stained Surfaces

For varnished, painted, or stained woodwork, you will need to clean the surface with f trisodium phosphate solution e to remove traces of encrusted dirt, while bleach will effectively remove mold.
In either case, the wood will have to be stripped if it is particularly damaged.

To do this, use a heat gun or chemical stripper. Also, fill in the holes or cracks with a wood filler of an appropriate color if necessary.

Once the surface is clean, dry, and repaired, you can sand it down with a fine-grit sandpaper.
Then be sure to dust the surface carefully before starting the application of varnish, stain, or paint.

Then you can apply the first coat within the prescribed drying time before going ahead with a second application.
If you are using varnish, you will need to sand an additional time between the application of the first and second coat.

The Bottom Line

If it’s been years since you last repainted your home’s exterior, you should consider a new paint job.
If the exterior paint shows signs of paint peeling, fading, chalking, bubbling, flaking, or cracking, you need a new paint job.

Need professional help with your home exterior repainting or staining project?
Our highly skilled and experienced team at Eason Painting can help.
Our services are currently available in Macomb Township, Washington Township, Ray Township, Rochester, Rochester Hills, Romeo, Armada, Troy, Shelby Township, Harrison Township, Chesterfield, and Clinton Township, MI.

Call us today on 586-465-5081 for a FREE painting estimate.

You May Also Like:

Interior Painting Richmond, MI: 6 Ways to Add Color into Your Home

8 Signs That Your House in Macomb Twp. Needs To Be Renovated

How Do I Know It’s Time To Repaint My Home’s Exterior?

 

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Five Pro Tips for Staining Your Deck

Your deck’s finish takes quite a beating from different elements, whether it’s pounding rain, piles of snow or foot traffic. Over time, the protective qualities of your deck stain tend to reduce, and this often manifests itself through discolorations, wood splinters, and inability to repel water. Poor quality stains will often start failing after a year, but the best brands can last up to five years before requiring refinishing.

There’re many different types of stains in the market, from oil-based and alcohol-based to solid and transparent stains. If you have an aging deck that is showing sign of splintered wood, a solid stain might help hold the splinters in place and fill in the cracks. After assessing your deck, here are the five steps you need to properly apply stain to your wooden deck.

  1. When to Stain
    Just like paint, the stain won’t adhere well to damp surfaces. It will often show signs of cracking and peeling a few months after application. Consider staining at a time when it hasn’t rained for several days. The forecast should preferably be indicating at least two days of dry weather ahead. While at it, avoid staining in direct sunlight as the stain will dry too fast before it gets a chance to be absorbed.
  2. Prep the Surface
    Before you even open that stain can, make sure that the surface to be stained is free of dirt, grime and stains in order for the stain to be absorbed properly. Start by sanding the splintered spots, sweeping the debris and cleaning in between the boards using a putty knife. You can clean the wood by applying a deck cleaner or using a pressure washer. If you choose to pressure wash, give the deck up to two days to completely dry before painting.
  3. Choose your Brushes Wisely
    When it comes to staining, most pros prefer using synthetic brushes, especially when dealing with water-based stains. Natural bristles tend to be hollow and as they absorb more water from the stain, they become less rigid. If you choose to use a roller, favor the one with a ¼ inch nap or shorter as it will allow you to apply thinner layers of the stain and minimize pooling.
  4. Choose the Right Stain
    As earlier mentioned, there’re many types of stains to choose from, and each has its own pros and cons. If you have previously applied a solid stain, a transparent or semi-transparent stain won’t be one of your best options. Solid stains plug up the wood pores and prevent a clear or semi-transparent stain from soaking into the wood. You can, however, use a solid stain on any type of previously stained deck surface.
  5. Apply Thin Coats
    The one thing with stain application is that more is not always better. But before you even start applying the stain, mix all the gallons of the stain together to achieve some color consistency. Then when applying, use long, smooth strokes to stain an area of 1.5 to 2 feet at once.
    For solid stains, apply in thin coats and even thinner coats for clear or semitransparent stains. Applying thick layers of stain or too much of it will lead to the formation of poodles which later leads to stain flaking once the stain is dry. So instead of one thick coat, you should preferably apply two thin coats for better uniformity and durability.

Bottom Line
Deck staining is not as difficult as you might imagine if you follow the above simple steps. However, if you don’t have any prior training and experience in wooden deck refinishing, you might end up making costly mistakes. In such a case, consider hiring a professional painting and deck refinishing company such as Eason Painting for quality and durable results.

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