Are you looking for the best ways to finish your Vancouver decking, fence, or exterior wood structure? While it can be tough to know the right solution for your home or garden, it’s crucial to choose the right method of finishing your project in order to ensure that your backyard not only looks fantastic, but that your wood is protected long-term.
To help guarantee that you can protect your wood and create the perfect aesthetics in your backyard, we thought we would take a closer look at two of the most popular options in Vancouver. Let’s jump right in:
Leaving it natural
While staining, oiling, or painting your wooden decking or fencing is often the first thing many people think of, you can also consider leaving your wood natural.
Leaving your wood untreated will let you enjoy its original colours for the first few months before natural exposure to the elements will see it start to turn into a beautiful silver colour.
The constant exposure to sunlight and water will turn the wood silver after around six months. While this does change the colour of the wood, it doesn’t weaken it, meaning that your investment will still be able to last for many years.
Don’t like silver? Thankfully, the effects are not permanent, and the colourization can be reversed with a wood brightener. This liquid solution simply needs to be sprayed onto the wood and left to sit for thirty minutes. When washed off, you will find your wood is back to its natural beauty.
Staining your wood
If you want to protect your wood’s natural colour or enhance its appearance, then staining is one of the most popular solutions in Vancouver.
There are dozens of different styles of stain that you can choose, each coming in varying states of opacity, from transparent, translucent, semi-transparent, and semi-solid to solid solutions.
The right type of stain for you will depend on the wood you are looking to protect and the overall aesthetics that you are looking to create. If you are opting for one of the more translucent solutions, it’s essential to remember that recent regulation changes have resulted in many of them now featuring wax.
While film-forming stains such as SuperDeck can help repel rainwater, it is not the most straightforward solution. It will eventually break down, requiring it to be removed before reapplying. That is why many homeowners instead opt for a stain that can penetrate the wood, like Penofin. A penetrating stain is a far more beneficial solution, creating a superior finish alongside helping to protect the wood more effectively from the elements. This type of stain is also far more durable, and, although it does require almost yearly maintenance, it does not need the previous coating to be removed.
That isn’t to say that film-forming stains aren’t helpful: these can be a prevalent solution and can even last a little longer than penetrating colours without requiring as much maintenance. However, when they begin to wear they often require a removal or stripping preparation before reapplying.
Looking to protect your wood?
Here at Pro Crew Painting, our dedicated team is here to help you create a beautiful and long-lasting finish that will transform any outdoor space.
For over 15 years, we have been transforming homes, stratas, and businesses across Vancouver. We guarantee the highest standards in everything that we do, giving you complete peace of mind.
When it comes to wondering how you should finish your decking, fence, or exterior wood, don’t leave things up to chance: get in touch today for a free, no-obligation quote!
