Deck & Fence Staining Libertyville, IL

How a staining job goes

Two visits, sometimes three, because the wood has to dry between the wash and the stain. Anyone who does it in one afternoon is staining wet wood.

1. Walk the deck with youWe look at the boards, rails, stairs and any soft spots, and confirm the stain type and tone before anything gets wet.
2. Clean and brightenA sodium percarbonate deck cleaner lifts gray oxidized wood, mildew and old failed finish. A brightener follows to neutralize and open the grain.
3. Dry and sandTwo to three dry days depending on weather. Raised grain and rough spots get a light sand so the stain goes on even.
4. Stain and back-brushApplied by pad or sprayer and immediately back-brushed into the wood. Rails, spindles and stair risers are brushed by hand.
5. Second coat where it countsHorizontal boards that take the sun and foot traffic get a second pass once the first has soaked in. Rails usually need one.

When we work

Our season runs roughly late April through October. Stain needs the wood dry, temperatures between about 50 and 90 degrees, and 24 to 48 hours without rain afterward. In Lake County that means spring and early fall are the best windows, with midsummer jobs scheduled around heat and pop-up storms. We book spring work early because the good weeks fill fast.

Stain types explained

• Transparent and toner: Shows all the grain, least UV protection, shortest life. Best on new cedar and hardwood.
• Semi-transparent: Our most common choice. Adds color, shows grain, three to four years on horizontals.
• Semi-solid: More pigment, hides weathering and mismatched boards, still shows some texture. Good on older decks and fences.
• Solid: Opaque like paint but breathable. Longest UV life, but it will eventually peel and needs stripping to change. We use it when you want a color.