We believe that to achieve great results on any staining and sealing job it is important to prepare the surface and apply the product properly.
Wood must be dry and ready to receive and absorb the stain. Curing time varies for different woods and many factors influence the rate in which wood dries. (weather, time on the job, deck vs. arbor, etc...) We have a moisture content meter that we use that helps us determine if wood is ready to stain and seal. We can determine if your project is ready by running a simple test in a few areas on the deck with our meter.
Although there is no hard and fast rule to this process, we typically try to take a minimalist approach in this area. What this means is we prefer to use things like bleach, dish washing detergent, watered down degreasers, and a high pressure washer to remove old product. We will test an area to determine which way will best remove the old product, while minimizing wood damage due to the use of harsh stripping agents.
If your outdoor wood surface does not currently have a sealer on it, the surface may appear gray, moldy and mildewed. We use bleach and high pressure washer to remove mold, algae, and dirt that is locked within the wood. We also use a special brightening rinse to wash out the gray and other stains contained in the wood to bring it to a like new appearance.
Once the wood is prepared we apply our product in a special two coat method. Our first coat includes a special emulsion product which helps the product adhere to the wood surface. The first coat is rubbed into the wood with a foam pad to get the product into and
around the wood grain surface. Once this coat is dry, we apply a second coat of stain for extra protection and longevity. All stains are applied with an airless spray system to ensure good even coverage over all surface area.
