How is this for starters? We don't recommend staining your fence.
Yep, you read correctly. We don't recommend STAINING your fence. Why? Because staining your fence is not the best way to extend the life of your fence. Your fence is going to fail where the post contacts the ground and where the pickets contact the stringers. The last point of failure is going to be the pickets themselves, which is what you are primarily treating when you stain a fence. Plus, in Texas, the stain is going to last about 1-4 years before having to be stripped off and reapplied. Unlike paint, a stain can not be applied over an existing coat without the previous coat being properly cleaned and prepared or removed entirely. This is because a stain is designed to be absorbed into the wood, unlike paint which is designed to adhere to the wood's surface and can be reapplied without removing it. Over the lifetime of a fence staining is expensive and can easily cost the same as replacing your entire fence once or twice.
There are now water based stains on the market called latex stains that are designed to be applied in two parts - a primer coat followed by a stain coat. Basically, this is working the same as a paint but without the long term benefits as it should be re-coated every year or two, and when it does begin to fail, it has to be completely stripped off before reapplying. We don't recommend latex, or water based stains for any reason.
We DO recommend treating the fence yearly with a water sealant in order to prolong it's life.
Locations such as where the stringer attaches to the post and where pickets attach to the stringer are where water from rain or sprinklers will accumulate. These areas take a long time to dry out, allowing mold and fungus to grow which ultimately weakens the wood. It also is encourages ants and termites to enter at these points. A water sealant with UV protection and mildewcide is the best choice.
If you just can't stand a silver/gray fence, we can restore a lot of it's natural color by treating it with an environmentally friendly, wood bleach / cleaner and pressure washing it. And if you still aren't happy, then we can then either stain it or paint it.
We began our business cleaning and staining decks and fences, so we are experts in the process. Give us a call and we'll be glad to discuss any of your questions.
