Spring isn’t quite here yet, but it is certainly on the way. That means it’s nearly time to think about washing and staining your fence, so we’ve taken the time to compile a few fence staining tips so that you get more life out of your stain of choice. Who knows, maybe we’ll save you from having to go through these steps next year!
We’ve already covered the basics of how to stain your fence. However, there is some additional advice we can give you to help you achieve the best possible results.
1. Avoid Chlorine-Based Cleaners
Stain problems don’t always begin with stains. Sometimes, they begin with the cleaner that you used during the power-washing process.
Bleach is pretty hard on the wood, so you want to avoid products that have bleach in them. It does kill spores and mold, but on a microscopic level it’s doing damage on your fence’s wood fibers.
This microscopic damage makes it much harder for your stain to adhere to the wood, which greatly decreases the amount of life you’ll get out of the stain. It also decreases the amount of protection the stain is actually giving to your fence.
If you see any of these terms on the label you’re going to want to find a different cleaning product:
- Bleach
- Chlorine
- Sodium Hypochlorite
Instead, you’re going to want to look for a cleaner that uses citric acid instead.
Biowash Woodwash Restorer has gotten nice reviews from consumers. It’s capable of leaving fine wood fibers in-tact, but it’s still effective at killing both mold and mildew.
2. Strip Old Stain
Some people don’t take the time to strip the old stain before applying the new stain. This is a mistake, since the old stain will prevent the fresh stain from soaking into the wood like it should.
3. Use a Total Stain System
Each of the bleach-free wood wash products are typically offered as part of a line of cleaning, stain stripping, and wood staining products. Biowash, for example, carries all three types of products.
For the best results you should avoid jumping from brand to brand. Each company’s products are instead designed to work with one another on subtle chemical levels. Ultimately, this means you’ll get better results by opting to purchase and use the entire system.
Here at A-1 Fence we will continue to look for ways to ensure that you get as much enjoyment out of your fence investment as possible.
A-1 Fence is a trusted fence contractor in West Bend, Port Washington, Greendale and the rest of the Milwaukee metro area. Call us today for a free estimate on a new fence.
