Sand & Stain

The two biggest reasons a deck peels are: 1) inadequate (or zero) prep work The most common reason a deck fails is the prep work is not done properly-- if at all. Wood needs to be sanded deeply to remove all the previous thicker stain that peeling, remove any sun-faded or grayed wood, and remove the thin invisible layer of mill glaze for new wood before getting stained. This heavy sanding is essential for the stain to penetrate deep into the wood pores so it doesn't build up on top of the wood to form a film or thick layer like a paint. When using an oil based stain, the wood needs to fully dry before applying stain. Avoid using high PSI pressure washers that can damage or split the wood, leave "tiger stripe" marks, raise the wood grain, and leave dead wood fibers stuck to the wood after use. Wait a few days after rain before applying and try to avoid staining too early or late in the season. Use a less-is-more attitude when applying penetrating oil stains and refrain from applying thick layers or several coats at once. 2) poor quality product Film forming stains, clear top coats, and most water based or hybrid stains are designed to form a layer on top of the wood. This layer may protect for some time, but eventually peels, blisters, cracks and needs to be stripped before anything else can be done. We recommend using true penetrating oil stains that are transparent / translucent that can be re-coated for years before needing to be sanded again (if ever.) Avoid all opaque / solid water based stains and thicker semi-solid or semi-transparent to prevent peeling. Even hybrid stains have issues lasting over the winter or if applied in too many layers or in the direct sun.

We believe that a true penetrating oil stain is a superior product to water-based stain. With oil stains, only one coat is needed at a time as the wood becomes saturated and does not need top layers as it protects the wood from inside out from oil lubrication. If you really want two coats, it is safe to coat once the spring/early summer and once again in late summer or fall to get the most protection out of the penetrating technology. Water-based stains typically need two coats which tend to peel because they protect more like a paint by leaving film forming top layers which blister and crack over time. In the winter months, this water-based stain freezes and expands creating cracks in your wood and of course, peels off.

If a deck is poorly prepped or a poor product is used, it will typically fail within the first year. This is commonly noticed in the spring after its first winter snow melt if it didn't peel before then. Our system promises that your deck will never peel, however, it will fade quickly if not re-coated as needed. You'll want to re-coat using the same penetrating oil stain every year (one coat per reapplication) or perhaps every 2 years if deck or porch is covered or hidden from the elements, experiences little wear-and-tear, etc. It’s recommended to use cleaner and brightener for the deck floor before re-coating to maintain the rich look of freshly oil stained wood, although a true penetrating oil stain will still properly soak into the wood if you are more concerned with protection and less concerned with aesthetics.

We are pleased to provide you with a free wood analysis and custom quote to help you with one or more of our services. Since each deck, fence, and wood project is unique, we must take into account size, horizontal vs vertical surfaces, level of difficulty, materials and equipment needed, special considerations (if any), geography, logistics, safety, etc. As you can see, we require an awful lot more than the square footage of the project to give you an accurate quote. For example, a 400sqft deck that is brand new will have a different cost than a 400sqft deck that is 25 years old. Same as how a 400sqft deck with a floor and no trim will have a different cost than a 400sqft deck with a floor, steps, skirt, railing, pergola, and privacy fence. We pride ourselves on being the type of professionals that only change the price if the job changes. We don't like it when contractors charge more after a job starts, so we don't apply that to our practice.

Our 100% "Never Peel Again" guarantee is something we've stood by from day 1 and will stand by forever. We've never had a project peel and never will. Most (if not all) other companies or painters will have a clause that does not guarantee any exterior stain-- especially deck floors, whereas deck floors is our favourite project to tackle. The second biggest differentiator is our proprietary 'Sand & Stain System' where we restore, (re)finish, and maintain your exterior wood project-- hopefully forever. Most other companies don't like doing this type of work because they don't have a firm system of their own. At best, they try to do the restoration part (more expensive) and disappear on the maintenance front. We pride ourselves as the business that hopes to serve you, our valued customer and cherished members, for as long as you have a deck, fence, or any exterior wood project. Easy ongoing maintenance is our specialty whether we take the stress out of your backyard deck maintenance or you purchase the DIY products you need from our online store. As long as you're using the Sand & Stain System, you're in the best hands you could be when it comes to wood restoration and maintenance.

Simply fill out the form below and submit the form when you're all set. You'll hear from one of our customer service representatives within 24hrs to schedule your free online or in-person wood analysis and quote. If you're confident in our method, our ability, and think our quote is fair, you'll be able to lock into our schedule for our technicians to get to your job as soon as we they can that's convenient for you. Go ahead, the quote is free so you've got nothing to lose and a never-peeling deck to gain!