Deck Restoration & Staining
Full strip, sand and re-stain, including railings, stairs and the detail work most crews rush.
- Stripping and board inspection
- Mechanical sanding
- Railing and stair detail
Deck details →
Services
Exterior wood, restored and stained. Below is what each service covers, how we work, and what your week looks like while we are there.
Fence Restoration & Staining
Cleaned, brightened, stained and sealed. Quoted by the linear foot so long runs stay predictable.
- Cleaning and brightening
- Both sides where accessible
- Priced by linear foot
Fence details →
Outdoor Furniture Restoration
Teak, cedar and other outdoor wood sanded back to clean grain, refinished and sealed.
- Hand and orbital sanding
- Refinish and seal
- Quoted from photos
Furniture details →
The Process
The same five steps on every surface
A fence takes less time than a deck and furniture takes less than either, but the order does not change. Preparation is most of the job.
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Step 01
Powerwashing
Lift off the grey layer, the dirt and whatever finish is left, at a pressure that cleans without scarring the grain.
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Step 02
Chemical Brightener
Neutralise the wash and pull the colour back out of oxidised wood. Skip this and the stain goes on blotchy.
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Step 03
Sanding
Knock down the raised fibres and open the pores so the stain has somewhere to go.
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Step 04
Staining
Back-brushed into the grain rather than sprayed on and left to sit on the surface.
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Step 05
Final Touches
Railings, cut-in edges and hardware, then a walk-through with you before we pack up.
What to Expect
How the week actually goes
- Before we start — you get a written quote with the scope, the product we plan to use and a colour to sign off on.
- Day one — we clear the surface, cover plants and siding, then wash and brighten. The deck will look worse before it looks better.
- Drying — wood has to come down to the right moisture content before stain goes on. Usually a day, longer if it is humid.
- Sanding and staining — sanding, then stain and seal. Most residential decks are a two to three day job start to finish.
- Before we leave — we walk it with you, put back what we moved, and tell you when furniture and grills can go back on.
Recent Work
A few from around the metro
Real jobs, real finishes. More going up here as the season goes on.
Questions
What homeowners usually ask
On a horizontal surface that takes full sun — a deck floor — plan on two to three years before it needs attention. Railings and vertical surfaces hold longer, often four or five. Fences can go five or more because they shed water instead of holding it.
Our winters are the hard part. Freeze-thaw drives moisture in and out of the grain all season, which is why a finish that only sits on the surface fails here faster than it does further south. The prep work is what buys you the extra year.
Late May through September is the working window. We want daytime temperatures in the 50s or better, no rain in the forecast for 24 to 48 hours after staining, and overnight lows that stay above the product's minimum.
Early summer books out first because everyone looks at their deck the same weekend. Late August and September are usually easier to schedule and the wood is dry, which is good for us. Spring jobs are possible once the ground and boards have properly dried out.
Yes — furniture, grills, planters and rugs all need to come off before we start. Take down anything hanging from the railings too.
If you are not able to move it yourself, tell us when you book and we will handle it. We would rather know in advance than show up and lose an hour to it.
You can usually walk on it in socks after 24 hours. Furniture goes back after 48 to 72 hours, and we would rather you waited the full 72 in humid weather. Rugs, planters and anything that traps moisture should stay off for a week.
We will give you the exact numbers for the product we used before we leave, because it varies by stain type and by the weather that week.
We move you. Staining damp wood or getting rained on inside the cure window ruins the finish, so we do not gamble on a forecast to stay on schedule.
You will hear from us the day before either way — including when the answer is that we are pushing to later in the week. Rescheduling for weather never costs you anything.
Usually close, rarely exact. Old stain has faded and the wood underneath has changed colour with it, so a fresh coat of the original product will not look like what you are looking at today.
We bring samples and put them on your actual boards in your actual light before anything else happens. A colour that looks right on a card in the store often looks wrong on cedar in the afternoon sun.
Free Quote
Not sure which one you need?
Describe it and send a photo. We will tell you what the surface actually needs — and if it does not need us yet, we will say so.