Toronto Fence Painting & Staining
Professional fence painting, staining & restoration services

The main difference between staining and painting is how both products adhere to the wood. Paints sit on top of the wood, providing a protective film which covers the wood. This means that as the paint weathers, it will start to peel and flake off. Stains on the other hand tend to penetrate the wood and prevent water and UV from entering and damaging the wood. As stains age, they fade or very lightly flake unlike paint.

Solid-stains and paints are almost identical in appearance. However, we find that solid-stains are superior to paint for fence applications. Solid-stains are more cost effective, less prone to peeling and easier to maintain than paint. If you have a new fence and want a solid-colour, we would almost always reccomend a solid-stain over a paint

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We would only recommend painting a fence if the fence was previously painted or if you desire a certain colour or finish. Paints can achieve truer colours than solid-stains and can come in different sheens if you want a shiny look.

A: Solid stains are best suited for when you want a specific colour (they can be tinted in many colours just like paint), when the wood is ugly, old or has previous coatings. Solid stains can go over top most other stains without looking stupid and do not require excessive prep-work. They can also be applied to bare wood surfaces without needing to be primed (unlike paint). Another reason that homeowners choose solid stains is because they do not peel as they weather; instead they fade or lightly flake like other stains.

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Transparent stains are sometimes also called natural stains or even called sealer. These stains protect decks and fences from water but do not to alter the natural colour and appearance of their wood. With that being said, most transparent or natural stains still add a slight pigment and give the wood a "wet" look. Transparent stains work by penetrating the wood and preventing water from absorbing into the wood.  However, due to the stain having minimal pigmentation, it does not protect the wood against UV rays. As such, you will notice that the wood will patina over time (the wood greys out from the UV).

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Semi-transparent stains are similar to natural stains except they can be tinted to achieve different colours while also showing the natural wood grain. The additional benefit of the added colour is that the pigment protects the wood from the sun's UV rays.

A: If you are using a natural stain, we would recommend using oil-based stain. They last longer, look more natural, don't peel and can usually be easily recoated (this depends on the product). Oil stains penetrate the wood and as such they fade instead of peel as they age.

Good solid-stains are almost always water-based. We have found that water-based solid stains last longer, look better and are easier to touch up than oil-based solid-stains.

A: The cost of painting or staining a fence is affected by:

1. The size of the fence. The taller or longer the fence, the more work and material will be required.

2. The pattern of the fence. Flat fences are easy to prep and paint/stain. Lapped fences, lattice and other patterns which require more detail will increase the cost.

3. The condition of the fence. New fences or bare wooden fences generally cost less to paint or stain because they require less prep. Fences that are greying, dirty or have existing coatings require more prep and thus cost more to paint or stain.

4. The type of coating being applied. Solid-stains tend to be the most cost effective product for your fence. Paint requires the additional step of priming which increases the cost. Natural & semi-transparent stains require significantly more sanding and prep so they tend to be the most expensive coating to apply.

A: In general, existing coatings need to be removed prior to applying a natural or semi-transparent stain. That is because natural & semitransparent stains work by penetrating the wood and existing coatings could prevent the penetration. However, some products such as Cutek Extreme Wood Oil could be reapplied without stripping if the wood was previously coated with Cutek.

Solid-stains can usually be applied overtop previous stains without having to remove the prior coating. That is because the new solid-stain products are "hybrid" or latex and partially behave like a paint. That means they penetrate but can also adhere to a surface without penetrating.

A:  In Toronto's climate, stains on vertical surfaces should last 5+ years depending on the conditions they are exposed to. Horizontal surfaces on your fence will last around 2 years. Toronto & the GTA experience has a harsh climate for decks (sunny summers & wet winters). which makes frequent maintenance unavoidable. The name of the game is to reduce the overall lifecycle cost and there is no product which will last forever.

A: We offer a 2 year warranty on exterior painting jobs. However, this does NOT include horizontal surfaces such as decks and hand rails. These areas take a beating and it is unpredictable how they weather.

A: When unprotected wood is exposed to UV, it begins to develop a patina (the fibers turn grey). Some people like the natural patina whereas others find it unsightly. The patina can be sanded off or restored using a deck revive solution. Natural stains do not prevent the patina from developing because there is no pigment in the stain. Semi-transparent stains and solid-stains can protect the wood from UV and prevent greying.

A: Solid stains are best suited for when you want a specific colour (they can be tinted in many colours just like paint), when the wood is ugly, old or has previous coatings. Solid stains can go over top most other stains without looking stupid and do not require excessive prep-work. They can also be applied to bare wood surfaces without needing to be primed (unlike paint). Another reason that homeowners choose solid stains is because they do not peel as they weather; instead they fade or lightly flake like other stains. Solid stains are very easy to maintain. They do not peel like paint and do not require intensive prep to recoat. When the product begins to weather, all you need to do is clean the surface, lightly sand it and then apply the solid stain.

A: Transparent stains are best used when you have nice wood and would like to highlight natural look of the wood grain while providing water protection. Some instances where transparent stains are used are on cedar decks or exotic decks or on front doors with high grade wood. Using a transparent stain is a pricey way of protecting your deck/fence/door.  Due to the wood grains being visible, a larger amount of prep-work is required to make the finish product look beautiful. This is especially true if there is an old coating which needs to be stripped. However, new surfaces that are bare and clean do not require a ton of prep. Transparent stains need to be frequently recoated due to the lack of UV protection (lack of pigmentation). As such, they patina (grey) quickly and need to be recoated to restore their natural look. The only product we recommend for transparent stains is Cutek Extreme be cause it can simply be washed with a cleaner and then directly recoated. If you use a different product, you may have to do more intensive prep just to maintain the surfaces. With that being said, the process for applying natural stains is the same as that for semi-transparent stains. The only difference is that you have to be even more thorough.

A: Semi-transparent stains are used in similar situations to natural stains. They are perfect when you have nice wood, want to highlight the grains AND want to add a colour to the wood. The pigment in semi-transparent stains help them provide additional UV protection when compared to natural stains.