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.

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.

 

Experts Advice: Water-Based Or Oil-Based Stain Color For Your Deck

Stain colors are slowly gaining the attention of their consumers as they have proved their worth by saving the wooden furniture, floor and walls due to the application of some of the best products. Having a deck that lays around like a wrecked ship will only make your house look untidy and you don’t want that people should avert your house for parties and get together. Stain Colors will come to your rescue and bring peace to your life. But how do you come to a conclusion that which type of stain is best suited for you?

From a long time, water-based and oil-based stains are fighting the battle to get the tag of being the best but the science differs and both of them get the fair chance of being the number 1 choice of the customers.

Let’s look down to the circumstances when one of them is favored:

1. Water-Based Products

   These days, the experts are openly favoring water-based exterior wood stain as it has the following list of benefits:

   • Last longer than any other as their effects retain on wood surface
   • Protect the wood from UV rays and color fading
   • Doesn’t peel off that easily even after several footsteps or wiping
   • Inhibit the growth of pests, algae and mold

   • Easier to maintain due to longer durability

   The only problem here would be the tough application. This needs right equipment and skills to apply the stain on the deck in proper order and stay patient while doing the task.

2. Oil-Based Products

   Wood deck stain that are affordable and easily penetrates into the surface without many efforts are oil-based. If you are not looking out for something too durable rather more affordable then this is the apt choice. However, due to certain resin contents, you might expect pests growth. This makes the cleaning process more important due to which early peeling off occurs. Rest assured, if you’re a great care taker then these won’t trouble you at all.

Be conscious about your choice and needs before making a purchase. Experts are the best people to consult in case of any doubts.

How Wood Stains Work?

You may not realize the importance of staining your wood until there comes a time when you have to spend your weekend doing it. Seeing a porch or log home that needs staining badly is also a situation when you have no choice but staining.

Let’s explore how these stains work and why are they important…

Protection of the wood

Before talking about the way stains work, let’s discuss what makes them important. The most vital thing they do is protecting the wood from water. Moving on to other benefit, it is protection of wood against rotting and deteriorating. What else? Well, protection from the harmful sunlight.

How stain works

Generally, stain colors are available in three forms. Resin, oil and alkyd act as binders and attach to the pigment present on the wooden surface. The stain sinks in the wood in order to protect it deep into the layer.

NOTE: Softwoods such as cedar accept stains more readily than hardwoods such as oak.

As far as excess stain is concerned, it can be wiped away after the pigment once absorbed in the binder. This extra stain occurs after the solvent evaporates. After completing the staining process, finishing the job with a protective coat is essential to wrap up the task. Few options available are wax, varnish and polyurethane.

How often staining is needed?

To achieve the best results for the wooden surfaces, make sure staining smaller area every single year. For log homes, staining is needed every 2 years; however, you need to do less of it at times because it all depends on the stain used.

When staining and caring for the wood, preparation is the key. Here, it is useful to know that staining done in the afternoon gives good results because there’s neither morning dew not extra moisture.

If you don’t have time to do the staining on your own, there are many professionals who can help. Be it your porch, log home, deck or any other wood outdoors, they provide the exterior wood stain solutions for all.

Bring Colorless Wooden Surfaces To Life With The Right Stain Colors

Staining wood is not just a job to make the wooden stuff look appealing but also a colorful and fun experience. Choosing the right colors and working like a pro does not need any special trait, as it is all about playing with the right textures. Opacity and stain palettes are best to try when one is beginning their coloring journey.

When staining, it is very important to determine the appropriate opacity, as it ranges from lightly pigmented to complete coverage. Besides protecting the deck and wooden surface, they also enhance the overall look. ‘Mix and match’ is the best strategy for a smooth and pleasing curb appeal. One can explore the infinite world of wood stain colors and let their natural wood shine throughout. Simply cover the wood blemishes with the right grain colors and restore the new and attractive look forever.

How to stain a deck
When it comes to stain a deck, knowing the right technique plays a crucial role. If you are planning
to stain your deck, check out the helpful guidelines below:

1. Don’t powerwash: Powerwashing needs a very sharp eye and practice as well. This is because this technique when done improperly, results in gaps, splintering and warping.
2. Proper cleanliness: The surface should be cleaned thoroughly using a long arm brush and deck cleaner.
3. Let it dry: Dry the surface for at least two days to ensure moisture does not gets trapped while staining.
4. Begin with staining between the slats: For this, 2 edging pads with properly trimmed plastic edges are needed. Besides this, a paint tray and an extension pole are the other needed essentials. Place the edging pads opposite from each other and dip them in stain. Remember swiping in between slats. Now, use a roller and roll over the surface to prevent the paint drips from drying on the surface.
5. Stain the nails: Doing this is easy and less time consuming when staining the slats with the help of side of the roller.
6. Get the smooth finish: For the expected results, it is good to roll with an extension handle.

These simple steps will help you with the desired results besides improving the life of your deck.