Exterior Staining

Prep is the whole game with stain

Stain penetrates; it doesn't sit on top like paint. That means whatever is on the wood before we stain — dirt, mildew, gray oxidized fibers, an old failing coat — blocks penetration and shortens the life of the finish. So we start by cleaning the wood properly and, where needed, brightening or stripping it back to a sound surface. Decks get sanded where boards are rough or splintered. Then the wood has to dry to the right moisture level; staining damp wood is a guaranteed early failure.

Product choice is the other half. Transparent and semi-transparent stains show the most grain but offer less UV protection; solid stains cover like paint and last longest on weathered wood. We use premium exterior stains and sealers matched to the surface — a horizontal deck floor that gets foot traffic and standing water needs different product and expectations than a vertical cedar fence.

Built for the Texas sun

UV is the number one enemy of exterior wood in North Texas. Unprotected cedar goes gray in a season or two, then the surface fibers break down and the wood starts to check and split. Add our heat cycling — triple-digit summers followed by winter cold snaps — and unsealed fences and pergolas age fast. A quality stain with UV-resistant pigment slows all of that down dramatically, which is why stained cedar fences in DFW look years younger than their bare neighbors.

Cost factors are straightforward: the size of the job (fences are measured in long runs of linear footage), the condition of the wood, whether an old coating has to be stripped, and the opacity you choose. We'll also be honest about maintenance — horizontal surfaces like deck floors wear faster than vertical ones and need recoating sooner. We'd rather set that expectation up front.

Frequently asked questions