Deck & Fence Staining
Stripping, brightening, sanding and re-staining decks, fences and pergolas for the Ontario freeze-thaw cycle.
- Free walkthrough
- Fixed written quote
- 1,000+ homes painted
A clear painting scope
- Moisture check before any product goes on, wet wood will not accept a penetrating stain
- Stripping of failed film-forming coatings where present
- Cleaning with a wood-appropriate cleaner, then a brightener to neutralise and reopen the grain
- Sanding of horizontal walking surfaces and railings, which is where the wear shows
How we deliver it
- 01
Wood assessment
Species, age, moisture content and existing coating. New pressure-treated lumber has to weather for months before it will absorb anything, staining it early is money burned.
- 02
Strip and clean
Failed film coatings stripped. Then a wood cleaner to remove grey oxidised fibre, mildew and embedded dirt.
- 03
Brighten
An acidic brightener neutralises the alkaline cleaner and reopens the grain. Skipping this leaves the wood chemically hostile to the stain you are about to apply.
Questions
Full FAQShould I stain or paint my deck?
Stain, in almost every case. Paint forms a film on top of the wood, and when a film on a horizontal surface fails, which it will, under standing water and freeze-thaw, it peels, leaving you with a full stripping job before you can recoat. A penetrating stain soaks into the wood and wears away by fading instead of peeling, so recoating is a wash-and-apply weekend. Paint can make sense on vertical fencing or railings that never hold water.
How often does a deck need re-staining in Ontario?
Every two to four years for horizontal walking surfaces, four to six for vertical fencing. The difference is entirely about standing water and direct sun. Anyone promising you a five-year deck stain in this climate is describing a product datasheet from a milder place, not an Ontario backyard.
My deck is brand new. Can you stain it now?
Not if it is pressure-treated and recently installed. New PT lumber is saturated with treatment chemicals and mill glaze, and it will not absorb stain, the stain sits on the surface and wears off within a season. It needs roughly six months of weathering first. Cedar is more forgiving and can usually be stained after a light sanding within weeks.
Get a fixed quote for deck & fence.
Free walkthrough, a fixed written quote, and no obligation to go ahead.
- 1,000+ homes painted
- Free walkthroughs
- Fixed written quotes
- Serving Toronto and the GTA