6 Wood Finishing Myths You Should Stop Believing

Time and material cost spent in a woodworking project have the ability to turn the final finishing stage into a stressed situation. There are range of ideas you can click when concerned about finishing. Take a look at the usual wood finishing myths along with the actual concepts. Do read it, as you may come across some really useful details about wood finishing products.

1. Myth:Finishing on both sides of wood prevents or decreases warping.
   Fact: Finishing only slows but doesn’t reduce or prevent warping that results from wood shrinking. This is because moisture vapor goes through the finish and leads to warping up to an extent. Warping that’s caused by compression shrinkage on areas open to wetting & drying are not hindered.

2. Myth: For better results, sand to #440 or finer grit.
   Fact: Wood sanded to #440-grit has high gloss as compared to wood sanded to #180-grit, as #440-grit polishes more than #180-grit. However, no major difference is seen after application of any film finish. How about trying it and seeing how many hours you save.

3. Myth:Slow brushing leads to best results.
   Fact: Slow performance isn’t appreciated anywhere. Hence, brushing needs to be done rapidly. Make sure maintaining the control.

4. Myth:Brush should be applied across the grain first and then with the grain.
   Fact: You can opt for slow-curing finishes, like varnishes. Though you may get a coat that’s little more even in thickness but it won’t be visible.

5. Myth:The longer deck stain colors are left on the wood, the deeper they soak in the wood and the darker the wood turns.
   Fact: Yes, wood turns darker when stain is left for longer but the reason is different. Actually, some of the thinner in the stain evaporates, which increases the ratio of colorant to liquid. With high concentrations of colorant, darker colors are produced.

6. Myth:Apply and wipe off stain with the grain.
   Fact: When excess stain is wiped off, direction of stain application doesn’t matter. Also, it doesn’t matter in which direction stain is wiped off. What matters is making final pass with the grain, to ensure that streaks left are not noticeable.

Stop following anything you just hear from someone. Trust the proven results that have been explained to you quite clearly. Good luck!

 

The Role Of Temperature In Staining Outdoor Wood With Perfection

Nobody could ever deny the importance of staining his outdoor wood assets. From decks and patios to benches and railings everything should be treated with superior quality of wood finishing products. It is essential not only for defending them from decay but also they appear as beautiful as new after this.

When homeowners are keen to add to the curb appeal of their property they can select the best from variety of deck stain colors and apply them on the lumber. For staining you can hire professionals or you may keep the job with you if you have got the right tools, enough patience and time and most importantly knowledge of temperature.

Did you read it right? Was it knowledge of temperature? Yes it is all about temperature at the time when you took up the task of staining your external wood. For beginners it can be perfect to plan it on a weekend. After you get up late in the morning, naturally because it is a holiday, you spend some leisure time with your spouse and kids in preparing luxury breakfast. Post breakfast it may again take half an hour to one hour in collecting the things that will assist you in cleaning and staining your deck. Stop if it is already 1 or 2 in the clock. Many of you may ask why?

Well it is important to look for an ideal temperature so as to get the best staining results. For many homeowners it may come as a surprise that they should make use of deck sealer and stain after looking the weather forecast.

Noteworthy Points That Relate Temperature and Staining

1. High temperature may not be conducive for staining schedule as stain may dry too quickly. This will not allow penetration of stain deep into wood and therefore it is important to choose a day when temperature is either less than 90 degrees Fahrenheit or stain early in the morning.
2. A cloudy day is much better choice than a sunny day to stain your outdoor wood, but if rains are predictable refrain yourself from staining. Moisture and rain will not let the stain dry and it might get washed away with a pour.

 

Summer Special Tips For Staining Outdoor Wood

For deck owners summertime is deck time. Modern American homeowners understand the significance of their decks and patios. They are not mere extensions of your living space but they are perfect spots for all family gatherings and BBQs. This is possibly why they buy best of stain colors to beautify the wood decks and keep them in best state.

External wood especially that forms your deck is exposed to lot much of physical abuse. It is undoubtedly the highest traffic area of your house and is not spared from the Sun, wind, snow and much more on any given day.

What Comes Before Beautification of Deck?

Summer season is not difficult for human but for your wood too. While your expectations from your lumber patio and decks are high, they in turn need to be properly maintained and prepared for summer gatherings with the help of best quality of deck stain and sealer. You can do a lot like adding hanging pots to your deck for giving it a cool look. Some home owners prefer to shade it up with big and beautiful umbrellas while others bring some artificial fountains to give it special effects. From seating arrangements to lighting you can make it favorite spot for all because it is suitable to host friends’ reunion or family get together. But in absence of below mentioned small but very important steps it can all prove to be a failure.

Look out for dangerous signs. Your wood is subject to rotting and cupping. These when avoided can bring up the cases of injuries and tripping. Get them mended before you get into cleaning and staining your wood surface.

Ask questions to professionals. They know the best what kind of wood finishing products will suit the local climate. In many areas oil based premium wood deck finish will serve for two years or so.

Get engaged in cleaning. Don’t let the BBQ stains settle on wood surface. Clean the spills immediately as grease is not good for the finish. Make sure you don’t leave the debris over a week.

To help it look young and strong season after season you should do a lot when it comes to care and maintenance of timber deck.

Deck Staining Tips For Beginners

Have you moved into a new house that comes with a deck or patio? Or you have recently got one constructed for your family? Whichever is your reason to read this blog you certainly need tips related to wood finishing products to save your time, efforts and of course money.

Before you start with it even in your head, make sure you stick to the instructions given by manufacturer. Wood decks are beautiful but highly delicate. Their maintenance is highly important considering the physical abuse they are exposed to.

What All Deck Owners Should Know?

• Owning deck of your own means an extra space to enjoy and relax. Selection of right deck stain and sealer can rule the possibilities of having beautiful and well maintained deck.
  It is important that you pick quality stains from the myriads of options available in market. Don’t compromise with the quality of the stains and sealants you use. Use natural compounds that contain very low volatile organic compounds with deep penetration properties.

• Prepping up is most important. Your wood should be more than ready to be stained. You cannot only beautify your wood with cleaning and staining the wood deck but also add years to the life of your wood deck. How you can treat wood with sealants if it is not dried up. Allow the deck to dry for at least 48 hours. Clean the deck before staining. You must have adequate time gap between rain and staining process.
• Perform test stain. Before you apply the wood stain colors to the whole deck surface it is important that you test the stain on a wood sample. Allow it to set and dry down so that you can come to know the actual color during day light. This small but useful practice will help you decide do you need to apply a single coat or double for the desired results.

 

Choose The Right Brush For Wood Finishing

Are you planning to buy wood finishes to improve the life and enhance the beauty of your wooden furniture or deck? If yes, apart from buying the best finish, you need to be careful about few things. What are they? Read further to know it and so much more.

There’s no denying that finishing products are possible to be applied with brushes, clean rags and various other applicators. However, for best results and clear look, use the right brush is the best deal. Want to know what is special about a brush? Check out the below given reasons:

• High-quality brush is able to carry more wood finish
• It gives neat work with negligible runs and dips
• It does not leave bristles in the finish
• It responds very well to cleaning and storage
• It can be reused
• It lasts longer

So, any brush can do all these? Well, the answer is no. You have to be very careful in choosing the right brush. Want to know how to do that? Take a look at the below given characteristics:

• It gives a well-balanced feel
• It has flexible, silky and long bristles of varying lengths
• It has bristles with flagged or split tips
• It is made with a non-corrosive metal or plastic ferrule
• It has tapered and well-secured bristles

By now its clear that you need to be careful regarding the quality of the brush when it comes to get neat and appealing finish. However, you must keep in mind what kind of project you are going to undertake. For example, whether you are working with oil-based finish or water-based.

If working with water-based stains and finishes, use brush with synthetic bristles for water-based stains and finishes. As far as oil-based products are concerned, use good quality natural bristle brush.

With this, it’s a wrap. Get up now and buy the proven and environment friendly wood finishing products. And yes, keep these points in mind for the best brush.

3 Reasons To Buy Superior Wood Finishing Products

While planning and building wood-based structures and flooring, paying attention to wood finishes is as important as paying attention to the design and materials. Finishes come in a wide variety of preparations including liquid, paste or gel and are mostly applied thinly on the wooden surface.

As far as general types of finishes are concerned, they have two general types:

1. That create a thin coating in the wooden surface
2. Mixtures that penetrate in the wooden material

It’s good to know that best products cost a few hundred dollars and may consume time. However, when it comes to preserve or enhance the value of wooden surface, this is a major requisite.

Let’s take a look at three reasons buying quality wood finishing products makes sense.

1. To keep the floor clean: If the wooden flooring is prone to heavy foot traffic as well as plenty of household activities, dirt and grime can easily accumulate and clog the pores. Not only it will give an unattractive appeal but also pose health risks owing to bacteria. With a reliable finish, the porous surface can be sealed, thereby, giving a clean look.
2. To enhance the look: To protect the material’s texture, the coat must be thin, as it gives the natural look. To achieve this, use varnish or lacquer. Talking about changing texture of the wood, fill the pores and apply multiple coating before scraping.
   Not to forget, finishes also add a dash of color in the wooden materials, which is possible through staining.

3. To stabilize wooden material: Always invest in high-quality wood coating and finishes. There are many products that are exclusively designed for various surfaces including decks. They create a protective shield against distortion and cracking. Don’t forget, thicker coat refers to limited moisture exchange.

Adding a finish and coating can be done anytime you are ready. You may find the project expensive and time laborious but it is essential to keep your wooden stuff lively for long. Just like finishes, be careful when working with wood stain colors. Take ample time and buy the best ones.

How Hiring Deck Staining Professionals Save Your Money?

Home owners who have decks at their homes enjoy advantage of additional living space. While in cold evenings they can enjoy a mug of coffee there, summer evenings witness cool indoor games sessions played among family and friends. Wood decks add to the aesthetic appeal of your property from the selling point of view too. However you cannot ignore the deck maintenance as the consequences can be multiple and serious. Besides purchasing eco-friendly deck stain and sealer there is a lot you can do for your wood. Don’t go anywhere and check it out right below.

How To Maintain Well Stained Deck?

A properly maintained wood deck enhances its beauty. Staining deck is the best way to extend the lifespan of the wood deck too. Of course wood finish used should be of premium quality but would you be able to complete the process of staining on your own? You can either consider it as a DIY project trying your hands on it or professional assistance can be sought.

Looking at it superficially you may think that hiring professional will be an expensive affair. On the contrary hiring a deck staining expert will help you save lot on your side. It will save enormous stress that you will go through while taking up the job. You will have to start from scratch like cleaning and buying the tools.

Since you do not have professional exposure of staining you will not be able to get the desired results even from the best of wood stain colors. Deck staining is a long procedure that needs lots of patience to perform the job with consistency. As mentioned earlier you might not have all the required tools also. Moreover the time consumed in the whole process can be better utilized by you. Deck staining professionals can stain your deck in less of time and with less of wastage of stain colors and other products.

Wood Stains Are Worth Spending Money & Time

To improve the look and overall appeal of outdoor wood projects, wood stains are the best way. A number of advantages are offered by them along with cost-efficiency and convenience.

Want to know these wonderful reasons? Want to know why wood stains should be used on outdoor furniture, fences, decks and other projects? Check out the below given points:

1. Prevention of Rotting

   Wood when used outdoors without sealing, is highly prone to rotting. Apart from giving the unpleasant look, it creates a hazard of collapse. Though rot develops in many ways, mildew, mold and termites are the common reasons. Staining help to avoid rotting; however, you have to be careful regarding re-application of coats.

2. Protection from Sun and Moisture
   Water when enter inside the wood not only leads to rotting but causes other issues too. Yes, that’s right and one of the possibilities is breakage of wood. If this happens frequently, complete damage of wood is also possible. Also, sunlight destroys unsealed wood and results in discoloration. To preserve appearance, seal the wood with deck stain colors.
3. Cost Efficiency
   Wood is an exceptional surface for outdoor walking areas like decks. However food traffic leads to strain, which can be protected with sealant. Apart from being easy to apply and affordable, it lasts longer.
4. Preservation of Aesthetics
   Curb appeal of wood remains in its natural look. Stain keeps the grain visible. Moreover, it is available in variety of tints and colors; hence, customization can be expected. Uncolored stain can also be used to get the natural look.

You can get many other perks when working with stains. Best part is that they are easy to apply; thus, implementing the right technique can help you get the needed results. Take a look at the collection available and buy the best deck stain. Keep your wooden stuff look like new and maintained for years.

The Many Benefits of Hiring Deck Staining Professional

Deck owners are so much soaked in the pleasure of having deck that they forget that lot of responsibilities come with this part of ownership. They sometimes think that buying wood finishing products will preserve and protect their wood. Unfortunately it does not happen. Your external wood gets abused and exposed to many harmful elements like harsh Sun, heavy rainfall and much more.

Why to hire professionals?

Deck maintenance is no choice but is obligatory for every wood deck’s long life. By maintaining the wood deck you will not only beautify your wood, but also you will extend the life of your wood.

Deck maintenance requires lot of attention. Your outdoor decks need to host guests and hold family dinners too. Enjoying barbecues in the greatness of the outdoors is out of this world experience. Compromise with the quality and beauty of your deck can be an unsightly sight. Of course quality wood finish paint can help you get rid of temporary stains but for the finest staining results you need to hire the professionals.

They are worth hiring for the experience and exposure they have gained over number of years. They not only get your outdoor wood the best exterior wood finish but also they have the tools and technique to complete the staining project.

Your deck is part of your home and overlooking its health for long will affect your whole house’s appearance. Hiring professionals have some clear benefits such as saving time. You being an inexperienced person cannot do justice to the staining job. It demands high level of knowledge and proficiency to complete the staining project. Moreover it is very difficult to carry out the project with consistency throughout the period. It requires a lot of patience and focus. In the absence of which you will find unevenly stained surfaces with patches.

On the other hand if you hire the professionals to do the job, you will be able to enjoy a weekend with your family.

 

Smart Homeowners Hire Deck Staining PRO

A well-stained deck is a necessity of every modern American home. Deck staining is since not only about buying premium wood finishing products and using them. You need to use them in the right way and moreover the deck staining project requires a lot of time and energy. These two might not be available to you in abundance is you are like most of the homeowners-working and busy.

Why to stain your deck on time?

If you are a true American, you cannot say no to enjoy the wonderful outdoors no matter it is spring or falls. Overlooking the fact that your wood deck gets exploited by Mother Nature’s agents can cause irreparable harms to your patio or deck. Even the greatest deck sealer will do no good to protect your outdoor timber after certain period of time.

Eventually with the lots of foot traffic and surviving through all the odds of changing weather your wood needs to be restored. Overlooking the fact can prove to be very expensive to you. From heavy deck repairs to renovation costs it can take the lazy and careless homeowners anywhere.

What to prefer between DIY deck staining and hiring pros?

While almost every American family enjoys to host summer evening parties in their houses, decks and patios take the center everywhere.  They like to sit back to enjoy drinks and relax in their leisure time. For this they need to be very particular about deck care and maintenance.

Question arises at this very point is whether to hire an expert for doing the job and giving away his valuable suggestions on which wood finish oil to buy or save money and do it yourself. Many would understand the possible damages of carrying out the staining activity on their own from this post and rest will learn from their own mistakes.

Having the ample patience and time for staining deck and fences is not a layman’s cup of coffee. Moreover he lacks the eye for details and hands-on experience. Neither you have the tools nor the knowledge of the right staining practices.

Those who claim to be internet educated get their eyes wide opened while looking at the practicality of the staining project.