Deck Treatments

Wood decking needs to be maintained to prevent the elements from rotting the wood. Whether it merely needs a good washing and sealing or a sanding and new stain to bring out the wood grain, Billy Bear's Painting can do the job.

What Finish Do I Use on My Deck?
Other than an epoxy based application, anything you use on your deck and rails will need reapplication every one to four years. The leading options include:

• Armorpoxy Armor Restore Lifetime Deck Coating A specially formulated environmentally-safe liquid coating that is applied to your decking to bring it back to life, and avoid expensive deck replacement. Armor Restore is not a paint or stain, but a 1-part water based coating that is designed to be applied to wood surfaces with minor surface imperfections and damage caused by moisture, UV, cracks, mold and discoloration.
• Clear waterproofing sealers. Most often, you will need to use a clear sealer every year or two to protect your deck from damaging ultraviolet rays, mildew and water damage. They will add no color to the wood and will allow it to turn gray naturally.
• Semi-transparent wood stains. These tend to be a little longer lasting than sealers and add color. Many oil-based wood stains can be mixed in colors from natural cedar or redwood to decorative blue and green. Think long-term if you choose an unnatural color. If you decide to go back to wood tones, the previous stain will have to be removed.
• Solid-color wood stains. These penetrate the wood and allow some of the texture and grain to show. The main disadvantage of solid stains is that they tend to show wear on heavy-traffic areas, and when the finish starts breaking down, it can peel and look bad. A semi-transparent stain won't peel; it will just start looking very faded.

Tips
The darker the color, the quicker the wood will start to wear, because the surfaces will get much hotter. This is a real consideration in Southwest Idaho, not to mention the discomfort of walking across dark decking barefoot. If you have a dog or cat, bear this in mind. They are always barefoot.

If you opt for color, there is no rule that every surface has to be the same. The rails can be stained darker, the rail caps and decking light. If you have a multi-level deck, consider doing different levels in varying shades of stain. You can even get very creative and stain the edging boards dark and leave the decking natural with clear sealer.

For a free no obligation quote please use our contact form.