What surfaces can be painted?
The first and most important question to ask when deciding on painting your home, is should this surface be painted? Certain surfaces such as porches and decks, if they are new or unpainted, should not be painted but stained. When given the option on floor surfaces, even if you want the painted look, a solid stain should be used as it will penetrate the surface better and peel less often.
Vertical wooden surfaces that are not a porch or deck, and are a part of your home, such as windows, soffits, fascia, tudor boards, are generally painted. This is generally because they are already vertical surfaces that are unlikely to peel often, but also because they are decorative parts of your home, that you want to stand out. Unlike solid stain which only comes in matte, paint comes in a variety of sheens (matte, low lustre, soft gloss, semi gloss, gloss) , which allows these decorative features to stand out and be admired.
Any material that is not wood, has to be painted and cannot be solid stained because it wont penetrate. It is possible for any metal, fibreglass, plastic, or PVC to be painted, but they need special preparation and special products to ensure longevity
What's the difference between paint and solid stain?
Paint naturally sits on the surface, which is often why primers are required. Primers act as a bonding agent or glue, allowing the paint to adhere properly and last longer. When the paint starts to fail, it often fades, then peels. The key to maintaining painted surfaces is to repaint prior to it peeling, making the job more affordable and with less ridges from peeling. Paint comes in a variety of sheens including matte, low lustre, soft gloss, semi gloss, gloss. The higher the gloss chosen, the more the imperfections can be seen.
Solid stain still partially sits on the surface, but also penetrates the first layer of wood, making it less susceptible to peeling, and more likely to fade. It will likely also go longer before it fades or peels as it is always a matte finish and with greater penetration. Solid stain cannot be used if the surface is already freshly painted. Solid stain is recommended for any porch or deck surface, where a solid painted look is wanted and it has not already been painted.
How do you prepare the surface?
When a surface is unpainted, washing/light sanding is often the only prep required. Different primers are required for unpainted surfaces, whether they are metal, PVC, plastic, or wood. When a surface has already been painted, if it is peeling profusely, often a power wash will be required to get the most amount of paint off of the surface. After the surface has dried, it will then need to be hand scraped/wire brushed, sanded either by hand or with machine, and then spot primed on all bare areas. For walking surfaces that are painted, they will always peel; the key is how long before they peel again. This is why it is suggested to prime on any high traffic areas of walking surfaces.
Full Exterior Makeover
“Calling them “the Deck People” doesn’t do this team justice. We had the team do an entire exterior makeover including cleaning and staining cedar shake, sanding and painting deck, painting siding, window frames, gutters, and doorways. They did it all. And they did it quickly and well! You will never regret working with them!” -Lauren
Top Notch "Care Factor" In Quality Work & Customer Service
Questions & Answers
Depending on the services needed for your deck, our services vary between 5 hours to 2-3 days.
We use a variety of products depending on your specific needs!
However, for new wood or wood that has been oiled before, we use the highest grade oil from New Zealand that guarantees to never peel. It comes in a variety of colours.
We use all premium Benjamin Moore products for all of our paints and sikkens or our solid stains.
We offer a 3 year guarantee on anything that is not a walking surface.
No! You do not have to be home.
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If you require cleaning, pressure washing, sealing or staining on your deck, patio, stone or fence, we have you covered.
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