Wood Fence Staining Help and Tips
Wood fences can certainly add appeal and value to your property. Wooden fences have long been used for marking boundaries, adding curb appeal, and providing privacy. To ensure a wood fence lasts a long time it is important to shield it from the elements.
Vertical surfaces like wood fences are less prone to water damage and sun fading than a horizontal surface like a deck floor, but over time they too will begin to wear and eventually fail. Wood fence stains will not only lock out moisture and block out harmful UV rays, but will enhance and add beauty to the fence as well.
Whether you want a natural wood look or a particular color for your wood fence, there are plenty of fence stains on the market to meet your needs. One particular factor in choosing a wood fence stain is future maintenance. All wood fencing stains will fail in time and will need attention so it is best to choose a stain for fence structures that is easier to maintain.
For wood fences we like the semi-transparent penetrating wood stains that do not darken and will fade as opposed to peeling or flaking once it fails. A penetrating wood fence stain is much easier to maintain in comparison to film forming or heavy pigmented wood stains.
Once a semi-transparent penetrating wood fence stain begins to fail or fade, the wood can simply be washed using a wood cleaning and a recoat of stain can be applied. Regular maintenance like this keeps the wooden fence looking good all the time and will ensure it lasts for many years.
Other types of wood fencing stains like the film forming type sit on top of the wood surface and do not penetrate as well. When these wood stains begin to fail they crack, peel, and flake off. You cannot wash and recoat the wood in this situation because the older bottom coat will continue to peel and flake and the new stain will fall off with it. For maintenance you have to completely remove the old failing stain with a wood stain stripper before recoating.
Besides easy maintenance, we also like the semi-transparent look of the penetrating fence stains because they allow the wood grain to show through enhancing the wood's beauty. These wood fence sealers and stains come in a wide array of color and tints that provide adequate protection from the elements and add a level of beauty to a wood fence that is hard to beat.
Please ask any questions as to what stain would work for your fence and wood type.