All About Exterior Stain

If your home has cedar shake or natural wood siding, you get to make the choice between paint and stain when determining how to protect it from the elements.  Many homeowners choose paint, which safely and completely seals the wood under the film of quality paint.  But what exactly is exterior stain, and how do you know if stain is the right choice for your house?

Benefits of Stain:

• It protects your home from the elements and water damage, just as other quality topcoats do.
• It’s easy to apply, and it doesn’t require the rigorous surface prep and primers that paint requires.
• It’s resistant to peeling.
• It showcases the wood’s natural grain or texture while still providing protection.
• It’s available in 3 major types, so you can find the best stain for your home’s exterior!

Types of Stain:

• Solid Color – These opaque stains behave much like paint and hide much of the wood grain and other imperfections on the home’s surface. Sanding is recommended prior to applying solid color stain.  Solid color stains offer high protection and a high-quality solid color stain application done by one of the best painting companies in the area can last for 5-7 years, and in certain cases, up to a decade!
• Semisolid / Semi-transparent – Semisolid stain, also known as semi-transparent stain, does not include as much pigmentation as solid color stain. Good quality semisolid stain generally needs to be reapplied every 3-5 years.
• Clear – Clear stains, also called clear toners, are extremely translucent. The pigments in clear stains block UV rays and therefore offer protection, and can offer a tint of warmth or color, but do not affect the wood grain.  You’ll need to reapply every few years, or even annually.

If your home has cedar shake or natural wood siding, exterior stain is a great way to keep it looking great and protected from the weather.  Paint is also a great choice, and there are many high-quality topcoats to choose from. But you must choose one or the other; if you leave the wood siding bare and uncoated, the wood will turn gray and rot, and water intrusion issues will occur, among other issues.  The best thing to do for your house is to hire the best local painting contractor to apply a high-quality topcoat to your house to keep it safe and looking sharp!

The Painting Craftsmen is the best painting company Jacksonville homeowners have relied on for years.  Here in Northeast Florida, we realize the importance of keeping homes protected against water damage, UV rays, and other issues, and our teams of expert painters excel at exterior painting.  We’re the trusted painting service for homes throughout Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra, Atlantic Beach, Riverside, and San Marco, and we’d love to take great care of your home as well!