Staining is my least favorite part (ok, actually painting is my least favorite). It seems around here, if they call you to clean the deck they also want you to stain it. I’ve never had it go any other way except this past week a lady did want a quote on both a cleaning and a cleaning & staining. First time though. But even then, she still wanted a staining quote.
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That’s terrific news! You dodged a bullet on that one
It worked for me recently. Just a notice of intent did the trick. It’s worth a try. Not sure that I would do it in this particular situation seeing as the results weren’t as expected. Good luck
I am trying to switch everything to staining. I put out 29k in wood cleaning/stripping/staining quotes alone in the last 4 days.
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When staining old decks or older fences, you need to go with a semi solid or solid color stain. I will allow customers to occasionally go semitransparent and that’s as weak as I reccomend. Those stains last much longer than the typical toner or deck sealer. I very seldom let my customers choose a toner anymore.
When cleaning an older project, you don’t have to be perfect if you plan on staining with those types of stains because they cover so well.
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I wish you was closer to me lol. I could refer you a good amount of work. Nowhere near that much though.
What brand of stain are you using. Ive only used bear, cabot and Olympic. All have been thier high dollar options.
I only recommend oil based penetrating stain. I prefer Stain & Seal Experts out of Nashville, or Wood Defender. I never put on a solid unless that is what it already has and is peeling. Clean and go over the top of it. I would still prefer to strip a solid and go back with a quality oil based but most people don’t want to pay for that.
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Do you you ever have to back brush with those?
@SurfaceTherapy Where do you purchase those from?
On fencing no. I use airless sprayer and lay it on heavy with a 521 tip. It self levels and turns out beautiful. If I spray a deck I back brush the horizontal surfaces.
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Why, that should have been a goldmine for you?
I just got sick and tired of the call backs. For instance I had this fence stained and received a call the next day from the fence company explaining the lady was very upset a section of fence didn’t look the same as the rest.
I was told to go and restain it. I went and took a look and couldn’t figure out why it turned out the way it did. I struggled coming up with a answer. I knew all too well to not restain it. She of course wouldn’t stand for it and I knew full well she was going to force me. I caved and shot it again and it looked worse. It was twice as dark as the rest at that point. Took me 2 hours to figure it out, despite it being the same species of cedar it came from another mill likely from another part of the country. She was able to complain enough to have that section of fence replaced. I was sent back over there to stain it a third time lol. Numerous customers had this notion that I was painting and not staining and their pine fence is supposed to be the same color as their neighbors spruce fence. It was constant issues from the guy that had a solid stain yelling at me that I was to stain his fence with a semi- transparent oil based stain. A major percentage of the well to do in DFW have some major control issues and it was demeaning at times the way my crews and I were treated.
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I almost quit staining completely earlier this year until I purchased an airless sprayer. It’s definitely a must have tool for staining. I haven’t been doing it for long and have mainly been using Super Deck. @MDA1775 has been talking me into moving to an oil based penetrating stain just like you mentioned. You’re in Kansas, correct @SurfaceTherapy ? How do you go about getting your stain? I’m in Central IL so not too awfully far from you and there just isn’t anything local to me. Do you order online?
I don’t think anyone should give up on staining until they try an airless sprayer and especially something as easy as fences just because there isn’t much to plastic and tape off.
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With oil based stain the overspray doesn’t dry. On a 7-8 mph day we did a fence in a alley. The alley side was about 50’ and half way through I went and checked the neighbors recycle bins 100’ away and it was covered in a oily mess. Yeah that was fun to clean. That stuff carries and carries and eventually lands somewhere and gets you to hate life.
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@dperez that is true. Plastic and soapy water are my friends on staining day. Also cheap throwaway car covers off Amazon.
Window sills, my white truck, anything light colored I am randomly checking while staining
@marinegrunt yes I am in KS. Anymore I get most of it from Stain & Seal Experts. I truly believe their product is currently some of the best on the market. Has decent contractor pricing and will ship it free. I just text Caleb Roth the owner and it is usually sitting on my front porch in 2-3 days.
Anybody interested in staining should consider joining the Facebook group Stain & Seal Experts Staining University. Their is a ton of knowledge on there.
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Yep. I love the penetrating oil stains and all I ‘ll use, but learned my lesson the hard way, one kind of breezy, day. Got to pay top have 3 cars detailed from a neighbor who was well over 200 ft away when they came home while I was spraying. I had checked to make sure no one there when I started, was a 15’ high fence, so couldn’t see over it. It was dark when I finished that day, so when I went back the next day to finish it up neighbor had already been to see my client and 3 cars were covered, one being a 2 day old Lexus.
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The stuff is a mess! The conditions have to be downright perfect even running a 12v plunger pump at 45 psi. Hated covering neighbors pools, their pools and keeping every lil drop off the stone and concrete. I was nervous on just about every job lol
