Protecting Exterior Woods Properly is a Growing Challenge

Homeowners have made wood the top choice for exterior surfaces. So keeping it properly protected is important and a growing challenge, it’s not just siding, but decks, furniture and all the other accessories that are part of the extended outdoors lifestyle.

Homeowners are upgrading their outside living and garden areas with a lot of zeal these days. Americans spend $40 billion annually on their terraces, decks, patios, cabanas, pool houses, gazebos, and outdoor kitchens. This means there is a lot of outdoor wood in our yards that needs protecting.

What's necessary to keep all of this wood in tip-top shape as it faces exposure to the deteriorating effects of Mother Nature?

One of the ways to maintain a natural wood look and protect your wood at the same time is to use outdoor wood stains. When it comes to stains performance is the main thing a consumer should look at and the two main things it should protect from are water and UV rays. It needs to stop water from penetrating into the wood where it breaks down the cells, causing the wood to go soft on the inside and eventually rot. UV rays are what changes the color of the wood and they work on the surface of the wood to break it down and cause it to rot.

Responding to this growing focus on the expanded outdoors lifestyle paint companies have developed new technologies that protect and beautify just about every wood surface. These collections offer a multitude of extraordinary hues, often inspired by organic life and the outdoors world. These stains come in solid colors and translucent (which allows the natural beauty of the wood to come through. When choosing the color of the stain that is best for your house the best way is to make sure it blends well with the existing colors around your house. So you should consider things like the color of your roof, siding, trim, driveway, and surrounding plant life.

When it comes to finishes, a clear finish is ideal for new or well-maintained wood. As I said it reveals the natural beauty of the material without obscuring either its grain or texture. With more opacity, the additional pigments provide additional protection and color selection, but mask the grain of the wood while still highlighting the wood's natural texture. Stains with more opacity are a good choice for older wood that is not in pristine condition or when additional color selection is desirable.

For every type of wood no matter its condition-new, worn, or plagued by mildew or mold, there is a preparation coating that is available and recommended. Woods like redwood or cedar have natural wood protectants right in the wood and stay looking good for a long time. Even though this is true they also can use some help from time to time. To ensure your exterior wood assets are protected, they should be coated evenly with a clear finish, relatively soon after installation. Remember, proper preparation is the ultimate determinant of how long the beauty of a staining job will last.

For the best advice on selecting an exterior stain and preparation appropriate for the type of wood on the exterior of your home or other outdoor project, speak to an experienced professional at the paint store you prefer dealing at.

One last tip: Be sure to test your color selections on the surface to be stained to see if it's accurate and exactly what you want. Remember that the natural color or grain pattern of the wood itself can greatly influence the final color.

Protecting exterior woods “by the yard”