Wood Care Faq

Whether your deck is old, new, grayed, painted or stained it is exposed to elements which will decrease the useful life and beauty of your deck. UV rays from the sun oxidize wood fibres and result in fading, discolouration and graying of the wood.
The combination of water elements and temperature changes will cause cracking, cupping, splintering, warping, nail popping, mold and mildew. As the temperature changes and water is absorbed or evaporates out of the wood, the wood will expand and contract accordingly – resulting in many of the above problems. The end result of these problems is wood decay and wood rot.It is possible to prolong the life of your deck and beautify it through the staining & sealing process.

The most important step in the wood staining process is preparation. If the wood is not prepared properly than it will not accept stain. The Deck Doctor considers the type of wood, condition & history of your wood structure, as well as the chosen stain when choosing a preparation process. Depending on the mentioned variables, the preparation could include: cleaning, stripping, brightening, sanding or powerwashing the wood.

A transparent stain will show off the natural colour of the wood, but it will provide little UV protection, compared to a semi-transparent or solid stain.

• A transparent stain may be preferable if you want to protect your wood in the short term, but are unsure if you want to continue maintenance in the future.
• A semi-transparent stain will enhance wood tones and textures and will leave your deck with a natural glow. A semi-transparent will give your deck a natural look, but requires maintenance at least every 2 years.
• A solid stain stain will put a solid colour on the wood and will give it the highest UV protection. A solid stain requires the least amount of maintenance, will give the best protection and last the longest out of all the types of stains.

 

Stains are made out of a variety of materials, these include: water based, latex, acrylic, epoxy, alkyd and oil based. The Deck Doctor only uses penetrating stains that do not form a film. We use penetrating stains because they give a great look with the highest quality and longest lasting protection. Stains that form a film sit on the surface of the wood, and as the stain will peel, chip, and flake in a short amount of time.

The difference between staining and painting can be understood by how both products interact with wood.

• Wood expands and contracts naturally with the temperature because it is a porous material.
• Stain is designed to transport pigment into the pores of the wood, unlike paint, which will form a film and sit on the surface of the wood.
• Because stain resides in the pores of the wood, it will be more flexible with the expanding and contracting of wood. The deeper the stain penetrates into the wood, the better the stain will be able to protect the wood. In particular, oil stains penetrate deepest into the wood providing the best possible moisture protection.
• Paint fluctuates at a different rate in response to temperature change than wood, and can actually cause wood decay and rot. This is because the film formed on the surface of the wood traps in moisture. Paint alsorequires more difficult maintenance than stain.
• Because paint resides on the surface of the wood, it will crack, peel and flake. It is also unsafe for horizontal surfaces, as it can be very slippery.

There are many different ways to apply stain, these include: sprayers, rollers, brushes and pads.

• If you remember from a previous section (’What is the difference between staining and painting and how do they work?’), stain works by penetrating into the wood pores. This is very important to consider when choosing an application method.
• While spraying is the fastest method for application, it does not give very good penetration into the wood pores and consequently does not provide good protection for the wood.
• When not done carefully, spraying stain can be unsafe and messy. A careless or inexperienced operator can spray stain on the surrounding area, which could damage vegetation and greenery or create a difficult to remove stain on a house.
• A roller is another quick method for applying stain, but will also not penetrate deeply enough to be effective. In addition, it will apply the stain unevenly and when going over problem areas a roller will create streaks – resulting in a non-uniform finish.
• A pad is a good application method as it is more effective than spraying or rolling, but is also fairly efficient.
• Using a brush, and in particular a staining brush is the best method for applying stain. While it is the most labour intensive method, it provides control for the amount of stain being applied and the brushing action allows the stain to be worked into the pores of the wood. With this method, a uniform appearance is achieved and the stain will deeply penetrate into the wood.
• The Deck Doctor uses a combination of staining brushes and pads for staining, as the combination of these application methods are the best method for applying stain.
• Before hiring someone to stain your wood structure, remember to ask them how they are applying the stain.

• Powerwashing is an important step in our process. We also do powerwashing for concrete, patios and interlocking bricks, see ‘Our Services’.
• Powerwashing alone will damage your deck. In particular, powerwashing with a high level of PSI will scar and damage your wood. The key to powerwashing is the correct combination of chemical cleaners, PSI and GPM (gallons per minute).
• Only an experienced operator should use a powerwasher on wood.

Yes we do sanding, while sanding is not required in every situation – it is an important part of the preparation process

Yes, we offer this service. Although having two tones is not required for all wood structures, it adds a ‘wow factor’ to the beauty of your wood structure.