A Beginner's Guide: How to Stain the Exterior Wood?
Josh Richards • Dec 03, 2022
A Beginner's Guide: How to Stain the Exterior Wood?
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The exterior wood is exposed to several elements, including mold, mildew, and the sun's UV rays. There are several ways to protect the wood, and staining is one of them.
There are a few things you need to know before you plan to stain the exterior wood. This short step-by-step guide helps you start the DIY project with confidence.
This wood staining guide focuses only on how to stain the exterior wood.
Wood Staining Tools, Supplies, and Safety Gears
Every staining job requires some tools, supplies, and safety gear. Some can be reused on any wood kind or project. But for some projects, you may have to grab a few more or different tools.
Here is the list of staining tools you may require to stain the wood. You don't need all of these. These are the most common tools wood stainers often use:
Supplies you need for wood staining:
Choose a Perfect Day for Staining the Wood
Staining isn't a random job you can do anytime, any day. You need to look for ideal weather conditions to get the best result. The content needs to correctly set in the wood and dry before you re-stain or complete the job.
The best time to stain the outdoor wood is when the wood is at 12% moisture level and the temperature is between 50 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Since staining requires dry decks for safe application and a week of dry weather is better to stain your deck rather than during spring or summer humidity. In particular, the moderate temperatures in the early autumn are ideal for staining since the fall months later might bring colder temperatures which are cold enough for staining.
Rain is also an anti-staining factor. Don't stain the wood if it rained a few days ago or if there is a rainfall prediction in the next few days. The perfect condition for staining is when the moisture content is between 12% and 18%. Finally, the best time of the day is early morning. Keep all these factors in mind to get the best results.
How Much Stain does the Project Require?
The quantity of stain you need depends on the size of the wood, how old the wood is, and the stain you use. Some stain is a one coat with a stain and sealer all in one others may be 2 coats or not even have the sealer. So it is always a good idea to measure the wood before you buy the product and get a high quality stain and sealer all in one. Make sure you consider possible wastage you may encounter during the process.
Get the Station Ready
Before starting the job, place your tools near the site, protect nearby plants and trees, and remove things from the area that are not becoming part of the project.
We recommend putting the tools and supplies on a tarp, so you don't create a mess or leave anything behind. Also, cover nearby plants, trees, walls, etc., with a tarp/masking plastic or some old sheets.
Start Staining the Exterior Wood
Now that you're all prepared, let's start staining the outdoor wood. We have divided the process into six steps:
Step#01 - Stir the stain
Place your stain container on the tarp and open it. Get a drill and a paddle mixer attachment to mixer the stain and sealer. The stain is going to be very full so get another container about the same size as the stain container to dump half the stain in. As you mix stain want to create a vortex in the stain bucket. Make sure to mix for at least 2 minutes. It will bring any pigment that settled at the bottom to come up. Avoid shaking the stain can. Otherwise, you'll get bubbles and not get a fine finished job. Make sure to dump other stain back into the original container and mix again so all the stain will be the same.
Step#02 - Apply the stain
There are various stain types (oil-based, water-based, gel, etc.). For an understanding, we will use the oil-based stain. We usually start staining the edges with a brush and then use the sprayer to stain the rest. Make sure to mask everything close to your project so no stain gets on anything you don't want to. You can apply stain with an airless sprayer, 12 volt system, pump up sprayer, brush, and roller. Any method will work.
Step#03 - Wipe off the excess stain
Let the content soak into the wood. Oil-based stains may set in within 5 to 15 minutes. Others may take longer or a few minutes to soak in. Once the content is absorbed, wipe off the excess stain with a drop cloth.
Step#04 - Repeat the process
Once you have finished the job, look around the area and find any part that may require retouching.
If the finished job isn't good enough, you may also want to coat the wood twice. For that, repeat steps 1, 2, and 3.
If it's all good, move to step 5 if you want to apply the sealer or directly proceed to step 6.
Step#05 - Apply the sealer (optional)
Most stains now a days have a stain and sealer all in onw but if yours doesn't. Let the wood dry. The wood with an oil-based stain takes up to 6 hours to dry. Once done, you may apply the sealer.
Step#06 - Let it dry
Let the content dry before you move back the furniture on the station.
Hire a Professional Team
Staining isn't an impossible task. You can dive in and make it a DIY project with little knowledge. However, the entire process (preparing the staining stage and staining the wood) is a time-consuming task. It may also be a disaster if you don't do it like a pro. That's where the experts come in. We at Precision Staining LLC have been in the business for some time and know the perfect way to do the job. We reduce work effort and time by following a method to give the best results.
Contact us for more help.
What is a wood stain?
Wood stain is a specialized liquid that protects the wood from the harmful effects of UV rays, wind, and moisture. It also gives a new feel to the receiving wood.
Which stain type is best for my exterior wood?
Oil-based stains are easy to apply and deal well with elements such as wind, rain, and UV rays. The water-based stains last longer and protect the wood from mold, mildew, and algae.
Do I need to apply a sealant over the stain?
You may choose to apply a polyurethane sealer over the stain. But not with the product we use. Our staining product is a blend of stain and sealer.