Deck and fence staining in King
Long private driveways give room for a van, a lift and scaffold, so the crew confirms the gate code, the site contact and where the lift can park before arriving. The wood is washed, brightened and left to dry, failing stain is stripped, the surroundings are masked, and the stain goes on by brush and pad with railings done by hand. Deck and fence staining starts with clean, dry wood and ends with the stain and opacity that suit the species and the weather it takes.
Concept imageryKing, on the ground.
King runs to estate lots, rebuilt farmhouses and large houses on acreage, with tall drywall rooms, heavy millwork and stucco, stone and painted wood exteriors. Older yards carry cedar decks and fences that have greyed and need brightening, and newer subdivisions carry pressure-treated decks that must dry out before a first coat. Whole-house interiors with sprayed millwork, three-storey exteriors, shutters and garage doors, and cabinet refinishing make up most of the King work.
Rural addresses in King are booked as consecutive full days with the same crew, because the drive makes half days a waste of your time and ours.
Read more about painters in King or the full deck and fence staining page.
On the quote, from the start.
- 01A moisture check on the wood and a look at the old finish to decide between a refresh and a strip
- 02Wash with a deck cleaner, then a brightener to lift the grey and open the grain
- 03Old stain stripped where it is failing, and smooth boards sanded so the new coat soaks in evenly
- 04Loose boards and popped screws reset, and badly rotted boards flagged for replacement before staining
- 05Stain applied by brush, pad or sprayed and back-brushed, with railings, spindles and stairs done by hand
- 06Plants, siding and patio stone masked, and a final walk around with you once the deck is dry to use
No figures published. The drivers, in order.
| Driver | What we look at |
|---|---|
| Square footage and railing length | The deck surface goes quickly. Spindles, stairs, lattice and the underside of a raised deck are brushed by hand and take most of the time. |
| Condition of the old finish | Bare or lightly weathered wood needs a wash and stain. A peeling solid stain needs stripping and sanding first, which can double the prep. |
| Type of stain | Transparent and semi-transparent stains go on in one coat and show the wood. Solid stains behave like paint and often take two. |
| Fence length and both sides | A fence is measured in linear metres, counted twice if we are doing your neighbour's side too. |
Weather sets the schedule. Stain needs dry wood, a dry forecast for a day or two after, and a surface that is not too hot, so a July heatwave can wait just as a wet May does.
Deck and fence staining questions from King
How early can you stain a deck in King?
Once King has a stretch of dry days with temperatures above the product's minimum and the wood reads dry on the meter, usually from [late May]. We book spring decks over the winter because the window fills quickly.
Can you stain my King fence on both sides?
Yes, with your neighbour's agreement for their side. It is the most common fence request in King because the colour and finish match from either yard. We mask their plantings the same as yours.
Our house in King is three storeys with a stucco exterior. Can you reach all of it safely?
Yes. Three storeys on a sloping lot takes a boom lift or a tall scaffold rather than ladders, and we plan that at the walkthrough by looking at where the ground is firm and where the lift can park. The stucco is washed, cracks are patched, and two coats of elastomeric go on from the lift. The equipment is its own line on the quote so you can see what the height adds.
How long is the crew on site for a whole-house repaint on an estate lot?
Long enough to finish without coming and going. We book King jobs as consecutive days with the same crew, work floor by floor so you always have finished rooms, and set up a sealed area for spraying trim and doors that stays in place until the trim is done. [John confirms the number of days once the room list is final.] A gate code and a site contact are confirmed the day before we arrive.