Staining and Painting Fences, Decks, Steps, and More
We are the Canadian Specialists in Staining and Painting Decks
At University First Class Painters, our student painters specialize in deck painting and staining in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. Decks may be hugely different from one home to the next, but share one common aspect – visibility. This main exterior space of your home can create an eyesore if the proper maintenance schedule is not followed.
They are highly visible and an essential area of your home and business. As the outdoor living space of your home and business, it is important to have them looking good. The Canadian climate is very hard in these areas, so painting and staining are more important than just making them look good.
Painting and staining decks successfully rely on selecting the right products for the surface, proper preparation, and regular maintenance.
Our deck staining and painting services start with:
1. Selecting the Right Product For Your Deck:
Stains come in two types: solid and semi-transparent. Solid stain resembles paint and is opaque and semi-transparent shows wood grain. In most cases, it is a matter of personal choice and desired outcomes as to which product suits the job.
Solid Stains:
- Opaque (Shows texture not grain)
- Can be applied over semi-transparent
- Alkyd, acrylic or emulsion base.
- Self Priming
- Life Span 2-5 years before recoating
- easy application similar to paint
Semi-Transparent Stains
- Shows wood grain
- Cannot be applied over a solid stain
- Alkyd or emulsion base
- Alkyd for new wood or a recoat
- Self Priming
- Life span 1-2 years before a recoat
- Requires more expertise in the application.
There are paints available to coat deck surfaces such as polyurethane, floor emulsions, acrylics and alkyds. For the most part, they are only used if the previously existing coating is paint. However, these are the least favored products because the issue is that when they fail, they peel and require extensive, time-consuming scraping.
2. Preparing the Surfaces for the Stain or Paint:
Proper preparation enhances the look of your deck areas, our services include:
- Washing (power washing and hand washing)
- Scraping Priming (all stains are self-priming)
- Sanding Caulking
3. Application of the Product:
- Solid stains can be applied by brushing, rolling or spraying.
- Semi-transparent needs to be brushed, although there are accepted methods of rolling combined with a brushed finish that is commonly used.
4. Maintenance:
Like the rest of your home, decks are totally exposed to the weather. Decks are a high maintenance item; and, to keep them looking good, you will recoat more often than other exterior surfaces. In Canada, the weather is very tough on all outside surfaces. However, unlike other exterior surfaces of the home, rain and snow sit on them, they are walked on, shovelled off, have heavy items sit and dragged across them, have plants grown on them, and a whole lot more activity in general. The bottom line is that they need a lot of TLC. In order to keep them looking good, they need maintenance.
The University First Class Painters Upkeep Program
To keep your deck looking its best, we would suggest:
- Every 1-2 years: clean and recoat your deck floors, steps and rails (tops only)
- Every 3-5 years: clean and recoat your rails, posts, deck skirts and any other additional area
Our professional student painters would be happy to provide you with a prearranged maintenance schedule for your exterior deck painting and staining needs. Please inform your painting contractor at the time of your estimate or contact us directly via email.
