Between family barbeques and long weekend celebrations, your backyard and deck need to look their best for the summer months. Staining your wooden deck and fences can be an easy and fun weekend project that will let you enjoy them for years to come.

When choosing a stain, always test a small area first to ensure you will be happy with the colour. For cedar, redwood and hardwoods, a clear stain gives a beautiful natural finish that highlights the wood grain. A tinted, or semi-transparent, stain gives extra colour and coverage and is useful for older woods that may be slightly discoloured. A solid colour (or opaque) stain provides complete coverage of the wood. A grey stain can be used to achieve a traditional, weathered look.

If your deck or fence has been exposed to the elements, untreated, for any period of time, you need to begin with a pressure-wash, or at least a good scrub (previously stained or painted surfaces should first be stripped with the appropriate wood stripper). For new constructions, you can forego this step for a good sweep to ensure that there are no insects or debris on the surface you are going to stain.

The best time to stain is after a few days of heat, when there hasn’t been any rain (or, after a few days of heat after washing the surface). This will allow any moisture to evaporate out of the wood, so that the stain can penetrate properly. However, keep in mind that if the wood is too hot to touch comfortably, it is too hot to stain.

Tape off any areas that you do not wish to stain and dampen nearby plants, grass, brick, patio stone and other surfaces with water to protect from any accidental spatters. Use either a brush or a roller when applying stain to a deck or fence. A brush generally provides more accurate, professional-looking results, though tends to be more time consuming than using a roller. Also, brushing on stain can minimize spatters and puddles that can leave streaking and drip marks.

Match the size of applicator to the dimensions of the surface being stained for optimal results. For example, 4"-wide fence boards can be stained using a 4" stain brush or a 4" mini roller, while 6"-wide fence boards can be stained using a larger brush, 6" mini roller or a larger roller, and 2" x 4" decking and handrails can be stained using a 3" stain brush or a 4" mini roller. Dynamic offers brushes specifically designed for applying stain, as well as low pile rollers suitable for smooth boards and higher pile recommended for rough boards.

To maintain stained decks and fences, clean the wood at least twice a year (late spring and early fall) with an appropriate wood cleaner. The length of time stain lasts depends on exposure to direct sunlight, weather conditions, and the type of wood. On average, a typical stain will last about 3 years, though darker-coloured stains and UV-resistant stains will last longer.

For more painting and staining tips and tricks, visit www.getpainting.com or visit a Dynamic dealer near you!