How Does Stain Protect Wood?
16 Apr 2020 Painting Services
Understanding how stain protects wood will help you make an informed decision about whether or not you should stain the wood elements on the exterior of your home. At Dunbar Painting, they understand the vital role that wood stain plays in increasing the lifespan of wood, especially exterior wood that is constantly exposed to the elements. That is why they offer a range of wood staining services for home exteriors.
How Stain Protects Wood
Some of the ways in which stain works to protect wood include:
Protection Against Moisture
Water can cause all kinds of problems for wood surfaces. Since wood siding and wood decks will be exposed to a lot of water in their lifetimes, it is important to try to prevent water from seeping into the wood and causing damage to it. The best way to protect wood from water is to use a wood stain. Wood stain works to form a protective barrier over the surface of the wood, making it waterproof so that the water will flow harmlessly away without affecting the wood.
Protection from Rot
Wood is vulnerable to rotting, which can be quite dangerous since rotten wood may not be structurally sound. While the only way to fix rotten wood is to replace it, you can easily prevent wood from rotting in the first place by staining the wood. Wood stain can help protect wood surfaces from all kinds of rot by creating a protective seal and by keeping out termites, mould, mildew, and other pests that can cause wood to rot.
Protection Against Sun Damage
Wood elements on the exterior of your home will be repeatedly exposed to sunlight, which can cause damage to the wood. The only way to protect exterior wood elements, such as wood siding or wood decks, is to coat them with wood stain. Using wood stain will create a protective seal that will help prevent the wood on the exterior of your home from becoming discoloured.
How Often Should Wood Stain be Reapplied?
Since wood stain is meant to degrade, it is important to keep in mind that it will need to be redone fairly regularly in order to provide the best level of protection for your wood. In most cases, wood decks will need to have stain reapplied once every two years and wood siding will need to have stain reapplied once every five to seven years, depending on exposure and whether or not the stain was applied with a clear coat.
If you would like to learn more about how stain protects wood, or if you are interested in their wood staining services, please contact the wood stain experts from Dunbar Painting at 604-788-3382 or by filling out a contact form on their website. Their team would love to help you select the best wood stain product for protecting the wood on the exterior of your home.
