Staining near you

The three products protect wood in different ways. A clear sealer or water repellent mainly slows water absorption and keeps the natural colour for a while, but with little or no pigment it does little against the sun, so the wood underneath still greys. Stain adds pigment that shades the wood from UV rays while leaving its texture visible. Paint forms a full film that hides the wood entirely, and on a walking surface that film is the most likely to peel.

Opacity is the main decision with stain. The more pigment a stain carries, the better it shields the wood from the sun and the longer its colour holds, but the less of the grain shows. Lighter stains fade and wear away rather than peel, while the most opaque ones behave more like paint.

Both types can perform well; what matters is choosing one suited to the wood, the existing finish and the conditions on application day. Switching from one type to the other over an old coat is where trouble often starts, so the existing product should be identified or removed first.

Stain can only soak into wood that's clean, open and dry. Grey, weathered fibres, mildew, old coatings and the smooth glaze on some new lumber all keep it on the surface, where it wears or flakes quickly. If the job includes washing, read the cautions on the pressure washing page first: excessive pressure raises and splinters the grain, and stain then soaks in unevenly.

Every stain label sets its own limits for air and surface temperature, humidity and the rain-free period needed after application, and those limits are the rule for your job. A careful crew checks the forecast for the following night and day as well as the working hours, because a shower on stain that hasn't set can spot it or wash it out.

Deck boards in direct sun can get far hotter than the air, and stain on a hot surface can dry before it soaks in, leaving lap marks. Crews often start on the shaded side, work in the morning once the dew has dried or later in the afternoon, and stain a few boards at a time along their full length. In most of Canada, that confines staining to the warmer months, and a wet summer can shrink the window further.

No honest painter can promise a fixed number of years. How long a stain lasts depends on its opacity, the wood, the quality of the prep and, above all, exposure. Manufacturers sometimes give their own estimates on the label, but the wood itself tells you when it's time.

Rags, cloths and pads used with oil-based stains, oils and varnishes can start a fire with no flame or spark nearby. The fire safety guidance of the District of West Vancouver explains that oily rags give off heat as they dry, and that when they're piled up or folded, the trapped heat and oxygen can lead to spontaneous combustion. The fire prevention service of the Ville d'Alma describes the same chemical reaction with oxygen in the air, which can build up enough heat to set the cloth alight.

West Vancouver advises hanging used rags outside to dry in a safe area or spreading them flat, weighted down if outdoors, or soaking them in water in a metal container with a sealed lid, then taking them to a disposal facility that accepts them. Alma recommends self-closing, airtight metal containers and a hazardous waste collection service for disposal. Never leave rags balled up in a pail, a garbage bag or a corner of the garage, and ask the crew how they deal with theirs at the end of each day.