Roofing & Exterior
Wood Wants to Breathe. Paint on a Deck Won't Let It.
Staining and sealing for cedar siding, fences, decks, pergolas, and exposed timber — the right stain for the surface, applied on a recoat cycle that keeps PNW wood protected instead of peeling.
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Signs to watch
Is this you?
A deck or railing that's gone gray and rough
Silvered, fuzzy wood is UV and rain breaking down the surface fibers. It's not too late, but it means the last finish wore off a while ago and the wood has been drinking weather ever since.
Paint or solid stain peeling off horizontal boards
Film-forming finishes on a deck or a fence cap fail from the top down — water gets under the film, can't dry out, and lifts it in sheets. Horizontal wood needs a finish that soaks in, not one that sits on top.
Cedar siding that's faded and blotchy
Cedar looks best under a semi-transparent stain that shows the grain, but it recoats on a schedule. When the color goes flat and uneven, the stain has worn thin and the wood is starting to weather underneath.
A new fence or pergola you want to keep looking new
Bare cedar and pressure-treated timber both weather fast here. Sealing early — once the wood is dry enough to take it — is far cheaper than restoring gray, checked wood later.
Your options
The right stain for the surface, not one bucket for everything
Wood finishes aren't interchangeable. Semi-transparent stains show the grain and are the usual call for cedar siding and quality decking — they wear thin and recoat without heavy stripping. Solid-body stains hide the grain and last longer on fences and rough or aged wood, but they behave more like paint and can peel if water gets under them. Penetrating oil or alkyd stains soak into decks and railings so they wear rather than flake. We match the stain to the wood, the exposure, and the look you want — and tell you which one your surface actually wants.
The method
How we do it
- 01
Assess the wood and its moisture
We check what's on there now, whether it needs stripping or just a clean, and read the moisture — stain won't bond to wet or over-wet wood, and in this climate that's the step people skip.
- 02
Clean, strip, and prep
Wash off mildew and gray surface fiber, strip failing film finishes where they exist, sand rough and raised grain, and let the wood dry to a stainable moisture level before anything goes on.
- 03
Stain, seal, and set a recoat date
Apply the matched stain and sealer at proper coverage, back-brush where it counts so it penetrates, and hand you a realistic recoat window — decks come up sooner than vertical siding, exposure decides the rest.
Straight numbers
What staining and sealing comes down to
The number is driven by how much prep the wood needs before any stain goes on — a deck that just needs a wash and a fresh coat is a different job than one that has to be stripped of failing solid stain and sanded down first. Square footage, horizontal versus vertical surfaces, railing and spindle detail, the stain type, and how weathered the wood already is all move it. Wood you stay ahead of costs a fraction of wood you let go gray and check.
Where we do this work
Exterior Wood Staining & Sealing: straight answers
Should I stain my deck or paint it?
Stain, almost always. Paint and solid film finishes on a horizontal walking surface trap moisture underneath and peel — then you're scraping and stripping instead of recoating. A penetrating stain soaks in and wears thin over time, so maintenance is a clean and a fresh coat, not a strip job.
How often does exterior wood need recoating here?
It depends on exposure and finish. A sun-and-rain-exposed deck or fence cap often needs attention every couple of years; semi-transparent stain on protected vertical cedar lasts longer. We give you a realistic window for your specific surfaces instead of a one-size number — the wood tells us more than the calendar does.
What's the difference between semi-transparent and solid stain?
Semi-transparent lets the wood grain show and wears thin gradually, so it recoats easily — the usual pick for good cedar. Solid-body hides the grain and covers weathered or mismatched wood, and lasts longer, but it films over the surface and can peel like paint if water gets behind it. The wood's condition and the look you want decide which.
Can you fix a fence or deck that's already gray and rough?
Usually yes. Gray is weathered surface fiber, not necessarily rot — a proper clean or brightening wash and a sanding often brings sound wood back before we stain. Where boards are actually punky or split we'll flag those for replacement first. We'll tell you honestly whether it's a restore or a few boards short of one.
Do I have to wait after a wash before you can stain?
Yes, and in the PNW that patience is the whole job. Stain won't bond to wet wood, and a deck washed on a damp week can hold too much moisture for days. We read the moisture before we coat rather than chasing a calendar date — staining over damp wood is how a finish fails its first winter.
Get the exterior wood staining & sealing conversation started.
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