Here’s How to Extend the Life of Your Exterior Painting & Staining Jobs

Your outdoor paint or stain project may look great once completed, but will it stand the test of time? Our extreme climate of wet, hot, and freezing weather is tough on exterior finishes, so you want them to be like a coat of armour protecting your home and property against decay and expensive repairs. Choosing the right product for the job and applying it properly to a well-prepared surface is essential. Doing it right the first time will also save you time and money in the long run.

How to Choose the Right Paint

Oil-based alkyd exterior house paints, once favoured for their durable, hard-shell coating are giving way to latex products. Today’s water-based paints are as good or better than alkyd paint for most outdoor purposes, and just as tough. Everything from application to cleanup is easier with a high-quality, 100% acrylic latex paint. More often now, oil-based paints are reserved for specific tasks and surfaces.

How to Choose the Right Stain

As with exterior paint, the choice again is between oil-based and water-based products. Oil-based wood stain is recommended for outdoor projects because it penetrates deeper into the wood, providing better protection and a richer appearance. Oil-based exterior stain out-performs water-based products for both weather-resistance and long-term durability. Water-based stains are more eco-friendly, easier to use, and quick-drying but may break down more quickly and require a recoat sooner. They are also thinner and expose more of the wood grain.

Wood Sealers

A topcoat of wood sealer completes the task of protecting your staining project from moisture and sun damage. Use an oil-based sealer on softwood lumber for maximum penetration. A water-based sealer is recommended for hardwood furniture projects. You can also find specially-formulated end cut wood preservatives to seal up the raw ends of timbers.

You can achieve attractive results that are also durable by investing a little time and energy upfront to prepare your wood surface properly. Using high-quality materials under the best possible conditions will improve the odds too. Attention to detail will pay off in outdoor projects that look great even years later.