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Is it better to spray or roll stain on a fence?
When it comes to deck staining, what’s best? Spray vs Roll vs Brush
The question we always ask is what is the best way to stain a deck. To start with, allow me to point out that staining your deck is not like painting a deck, and if you want it to look right, there is little room for error.
What’s The Best Way To Stain?
To begin, make sure that when staining, the stain penetrates deeply into the wood to provide a long-lasting stain that protects the surface. It will definitely assist you in correctly applying the stain with a brush and working it into the wood grain. When applying the stain, keep some extra rags handy to whip off the access stain until it puddles or begins moving.
Can Rollers and Sprayers be used?
Short Answer: Yes you can. But when using rollers or sprayers, there are several other things to remember.
A sprayer may also be used to apply a dye. If you're going to use a spray, make sure it's set to low pressure and that you remain close to the wood. Sprayers are extremely fast and can fit into tight spaces, but one of the main disadvantages of using one is overspray. We recommend using an airless sprayer if you're going to use one and taking the extra steps in your prep work to protect areas from overspray.
Rollers are also a popular way to apply wood stains because of the speed at which they can be applied. However, if you have hard-to-reach areas, using rollers can be a disadvantage. If you're going to apply the dye with a roller, make sure you have a brush on hand for hard-to-reach areas.
A few tips on if you’re going to stain a deck yourself.
1. Be sure to disinfect the deck using a deck cleaner if it's a new deck (yes, even if it's new). Here's why this is what we say: mill glaze.
2. Applying another coat of stain to a deck that has already been painted will not accomplish the purpose of preserving the wood. - time you reserve a deck, you should clean the old stain first. Adding more stains will not offer longer protection—it will only buy you another year—but it is important to remove the old stain first in order to produce the best results.
3. We recommend going board by the board when adding stain to the deck. The process of going board by board would help prevent "lap marks."
4. Brush back the stain when working it into the wood grain with a roller or airless sprayer. Spraying is a great way to go (just be careful not to overspray), but the magic brushes it into the back wood. It would go much more smoothly if you had another person with you who could brush the back while you spray.
How many coats does it take?
Transparent stains are a 1 coat scheme, but some may argue that 2 coats are the best in order to better protect the wood. With several coats of clear stain, we disagree, and here's why:
Two coats do not offer extra protection to the wood. Multiple coasts affect the paint, but not the protection, particularly when using an oil-based stain. Additional layers does not adhere to the wood grain in the same way as the first layer of stain did after it was applied. You'll be better off with only one hat. We're not saying you shouldn't wear several coats; we're just saying that if you need the extra security, one coat will suffice.
That is a 2 coat method if you are using a solid color stain. One of the advantages of solid color is that it's easier to preserve and if touch-ups are required. It's hard to touch a transparent stain and still make it look right.
Do You Need a Fence Contractor You Can Trust?
Why pay more when you can restore? That's our motto and the way we approach every project. Fresh Coat Restoration specializes in new deck builds, new fence builds, deck repairs, fence repairs, arbor restoration, fence restoration, deck restoration, pressure washing and sealing/staining. If it's in your backyard chances are we specialize in it! When you call FCR you will be working with a licensed, insured, honest and reliable contractor with years of experience and thousands of satisfied customers. We are the top Fencing contractor in the Vine Hill neighborhood of Martinez, California, serving the fencing installation and restoration needs of homeowners throughout Contra Costa, Solano and Alameda Counties. Contact us today to start your project!
