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Deck and fence staining in North York
Lots are wide and driveways are deep, so the crew parks on site and sets up sprayers and scaffold in the garage without blocking the street. 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 imageryNorth York, on the ground.
North York holds postwar bungalows with plaster ceilings and stained trim on the same streets as new rebuilds with nine and ten foot ceilings and builder flat paint. 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. Full interior repaints of new rebuilds, trim and door enamelling in older bungalows, tall foyers and stairwells, and cabinet refinishing.
A new build in North York looks finished and is not, because builder flat paint needs a primer coat before any real colour will sit evenly on it.
Read more about painters in North York 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 North York
How early can you stain a deck in North York?
Once North York 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 North York fence on both sides?
Yes, with your neighbour's agreement for their side. It is the most common fence request in North York because the colour and finish match from either yard. We mask their plantings the same as yours.
How do you paint walls that are ten feet tall without damaging the floors and furniture?
Furniture is moved to the centre and wrapped, floors are covered end to end, and the crew works from extension poles, ladders and a plank for the cut line at the ceiling. On a stairwell or a two-storey foyer a small scaffold goes up instead of a ladder. The height adds time and equipment, which is why tall rooms are listed separately on the quote.
Our new North York house still has builder paint. Why does it need a primer before the new colour?
Builder flat paint is applied thin and is usually a low-grade product, so it absorbs the next coat unevenly and the finish dries blotchy, especially in a deep or saturated colour. A tinted primer coat seals it and gives the two finish coats a uniform base. On a new house that is the difference between a wall that looks sprayed and one that looks patched.