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Deck and fence staining in Scarborough
Driveways are wide and front doors open onto a short hall, so the crew can park on site and stage ladders, planks and sprayers in the garage. 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 imageryScarborough, on the ground.
Scarborough is largely postwar bungalows and side-splits with drywall walls, textured popcorn ceilings and brick or stucco 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 ceilings, stairwells in side-splits, trim and doors, and exterior brick, stucco and trim make up most of the Scarborough work.
In Scarborough the ceiling is often the biggest decision in the house, so we price painting the texture and removing it as two separate options.
Read more about painters in Scarborough 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 Scarborough
How early can you stain a deck in Scarborough?
Once Scarborough 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 Scarborough fence on both sides?
Yes, with your neighbour's agreement for their side. It is the most common fence request in Scarborough because the colour and finish match from either yard. We mask their plantings the same as yours.
Should we paint our popcorn ceiling or have it removed?
Both are done in Scarborough bungalows. Painting is the smaller job: the texture is sealed, stains are blocked with a shellac primer and the ceiling is rolled with a deep-pile sleeve. Removal means scraping, skimming the drywall flat, sanding and priming before paint, which is more days and more dust but leaves a modern ceiling. [Texture applied before 1980 may contain asbestos and should be tested before scraping.] We quote both so you can choose.
How do you reach the tall wall above the stairs in a side-split?
With a plank set between a ladder on the landing and a ladder on the stair, levelled and secured, or an adjustable stair ladder where the flight is narrow. The crew masks the railing and protects the treads before anything goes up. It is routine for us, but it is a reason the stairwell is listed as its own line on the quote.