HOME & GARDEN :: AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2007
CertaPro Hits the Summer One Deck at a Time
Rotten wood, mold, mildew, and even splinters have been known to put a stop to enjoying any backyard during summer nights. Is your deck a guilty culprit when it comes to curb appeal? Well lucky for you, CertaPro Painters is here to help! Armed with top of the line deck stains, our skilled painters can transform any tired deck into the outdoor oasis that you have always wanted. Here are some tips to help you protect your wood surfaces.
Decks take a beating from the sun, the wind, rain and snow all year round. Isn’t it time that you started protecting your investment from the elements? The first step to protection is keeping your deck clean and mold-free. This can be achieved by power washing regularly and keeping all of the build up from growing. CertaPro Painters specialize is power washing and can handle any project. Power washing is also great for keeping other wood structures in your yard mold-free such as swing-sets, fences, and sheds. Just with minor up keep you can extend the longevity of any wood structure.
One of our recent projects was the swing-set pictured in this article. Believe it or not, this playground is actually four years old! With a new coat of stain, the wood was brought back to its original luster and now it looks like a brand new swing-set. The added protection of the new stain will have this swing-set protected for the next four years.
Power washing is an important first step to preparing your wood surface for staining or painting. Before stain is applied, it is imperative to make sure the surface is clean (no dust, dirt, wood fibers or grease), dry and free from mildew. When a surface is not clean, stains and other finishes have trouble sticking and may end up peeling.
The next step to a beautiful deck is staining. Picking the right stain could make or break your overall look. There are four major types of stains available varying in durability and transparency. All are made to resist fading, UV rays, water, as well as mold and mildew so you will be sure to get ultimate protection for your wood. Clear Stains offer the least UV protection, but provide an optimum view of natural wood grain.
Toners provide a light color that highlights wood grain and provides good durability. Semi-Transparent Stains provide very good durability as well as a rich, pigmented color that allows the natural wood grain to show through. For severely weathered natural wood, we recommend that you apply two coats of semi-transparent stain. Solid Color Stains help cover up wood blemishes or unsightly grain while offering maximum durability. Advanced technology makes Solid Color Stain a perfect choice for composite decking.
Depending on what condition your wood is in will determine what type of stain you want to use on your project. Sherwin Williams offers this advice:
Q. Should I use semi-transparent or solid color stain on my house?
A. To some degree, this may be an aesthetic consideration. A semi-transparent stain will show wood grain, while a solid or opaque stain will hide the grain but still allow the texture of the wood to remain visible. If the wood is sound and has a nice grain, it may be a matter of what is more pleasing from a visual standpoint. However, when wood is aged (with a potential for uneven wear), excessive porosity and/or extreme color variances, a solid or opaque stain will hide these imperfections. Please note that in some cases areas are damaged beyond repair. Such wood may be soft and excessively cracked or cupped. Such wood will not hold the stain over the long term and may need to be replaced prior to staining the whole surface.
The above picture is a recent job which used solid color stain to successfully hide blemishes of the wood. The end result was a flawless finish which livened up the whole look of the house, while still letting the wood grain show through.
So stop sitting on that old, worn deck, patio or swing-set and give Certa-Pro Painters a call! There is still plenty of summer left to get your deck ready for your next BBQ. We provide free estimates year round and would love to be involved in your next staining project.
CertaPro Painters proudly serves New Castle County and the surroundings areas. To schedule a FREE interior/exterior painting, power washing, or staining estimate contact us at 1-800-GO-CERTA or visit www.certapro.com.
Here is what some recent customer’s have been saying about their experience with CertaPro Painters:
“The guys were great, they were there on time, they were fantastic, and they were extremely accommodating and nice guys too!” ~ Resident of 19807
“Continue your personal touch & immediate responses.” ~ Resident of 19701
“Excellent timeliness of response to initial inquiry, great timeliness of arrival each day of the painting team. The communication between the painting team and me was great. The cleanliness of the workers and the job and the overall professionalism of the organization added to the overall experience.” ~ Resident of 19703
“Quick and efficient staff. Great customer service. Excellent end product.” ~ Resident of 19805
