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The key to long-term durability and aesthetics is surface preparation. In most cases, power washing is insufficient. It cleans dirt off the surface but does not remove any dead wood fibers without gouging the decking. If the dead wood fibers are not removed, there is not enough profile for the stain to penetrate the wood. Remember the purpose of stain is to penetrate the wood. If you have dead wood fibers on your decking, the stain will not penetrate and will have an uneven, blotchy appearance when finished. On new decking, the same reasoning can be made for a different problem. The milling process can leave a glaze on new wood that inhibits penetration of stain. This is commonly referred to as "mill glaze".
 We have state-of-the-art floor machines able to mechanically sand any mahogany, ipe, nerabu, cedar, or oak to ensure uniform appearance and optimum penetration of the stain. All floor equipment is equipped with a HEPA vacuum system to minimize dust. The more time and care taken in preparation, the better the final results will be.
In addition to thorough preparation, we use a high solids version of an alkyd with the addition of synthetic resins. These coatings offer a combination of durability and penetration that many products on the market cannot match. |
