When the time comes to apply stain to your wood fence, you want to make sure you do the work properly. Otherwise you will need to do the job all over again much sooner than you might expect. Fence staining in Fort Worth seems like a simple thing, but you do need to keep a few important things in mind before you get started.
Assessing Any Damage
Simply put, you don’t want to stain a damaged fence. What’s the point? You’re just going to have to get it repaired or perhaps even replace some or all of it in the near future. Why waste your time working on surfaces that are in disrepair? So ahead of picking up a brush, give the fence a close inspection. Check for any cracked or broken boards, pest infestation, mold, mildew, or rot.
Be sure your boards and posts don’t have any soft spots and the joints are firmly attached. In the event that you find any of problems with your fence, fix them first. Then you can revisit the idea of applying stain to your wood.
Cleaning the Wood
You can’t put any stain on your fence until you give it a good thorough cleaning. You might consider turning to a pressure washer to help you there as it will be highly effective at clearing away years of caked-on gunk, dirt, dust, and mildew. The force of pressure from the water will also eliminate the top layer of dead wood cells to revitalize the wood and provide a new texture to help the stain bond to it.
Don’t discount this step of the process as you should not attempt to apply stain on top of dirty wood. The stain won’t stick and you’ll notice the fence has a patchy, uneven appearance. Then, guess what, you’ll be back out there doing the work all over again. Don’t waste your precious time by cutting corners and trying to do this job on the quick.
Applying the Stain
If you’ve done the previous two steps, now you’re ready to get to the task at hand. But one last word of warning, if you’ve power-washed the fence you will need to allow it to fully dry before you get to work. Most wood fencing takes roughly a day or two dries completely and be sure it’s dry, not mostly dry but a little damp. Absolutely bone dry.
If the fence is ready to go, you want to get started on your first coat. Apply it evenly to the entire fence. Go with an oil-based stain to be sure your fence is well-protected and preserves that sheen you really want. Consider the condition and species of your wood to decide if you should apply a second or third coat over the first to help keep moisture from getting into the wood and safeguarding it from the elements.
Don’t be stingy with the stain either. You can lay it down in thick strokes so the stain absorbs well into the surface and forms a strong bond with the wood. You want this stain to last for years not months.
