Wood Staining 101: Key Considerations for Your Next Wood Staining Project

As a Lewes homeowner, you're bound to require wood staining services from a reputable painting company at some point. When you're ready to stain a wood fence, deck, furniture item, or floor, reaching out to knowledgeable painters is best. Additionally, you should consider key elements of wood staining such as wood stain finishes and the factors that influence the appearance of stain colors.

Types of Wood Stain Finishes

• Clear Sealer - Clear sealers have little or no pigment, and many homeowners apply them when they want the natural grain of their wood surfaces to remain visible. Clear sealers will have to be reapplied every year.
• Semi-Transparent - Semi-transparent stains allow some of the natural wood grain to peak through but still deposit some color. Typically, these stains last 2 to 3 years on a deck.
• Solid - Solid, or opaque, wood stains are usually the most durable and last 3 to 5 years on a deck. These opaque stains cover the natural wood grain entirely. However, they're known to chip, peel, and crack like paint when a film builds up on the wood surface.

Factors That Affect the Perception of Stain Colors

• Wood Color and Substrate - Your painting company may mention how the wood color and substrate influence the appearance of a stain color. For instance, porous wood tends to absorb more stain, allowing more of the substrate to show.
• Color of Light - The color of light shining on your stained wood can alter the undertone or hue of the stain color, so expect the color of your stain to change slightly during different times of the day.
• Subcoats - Because your painting company will likely apply two coats of stain, you shouldn't be alarmed if the first coat appears lighter than you expected. The second coat will darken the stain.

Do You Need Help With Wood Staining?

If you need assistance with wood staining projects around your Lewes home, contact the qualified team at Lamb's Custom Painting, a trusted painting company. A painter will be able to offer recommendations for stain finishes and colors so that you're confident about your wood stain selection.