Aug 7

Aug 7 Before & After: Porch Staining Project

3 things we learned after staining our deck, fence and porch.

The backstory

Nearly five months into our isolation situation, we’ve now sealed our deck, fence (+the neighbor’s side of the fence) and porch. One might say we’ve gone a bit stain crazy. Ba dum tss.

We bought the house last summer and knew the deck and fence were unfinished. Should we have stained it before the winter? Probably. Do we regret not doing it? Not really. Come winter, the exterior wood surface that got the worst wear and tear was our breezeway porch. You’ll see below that just one season of shoveling ended up shaving off the majority of the dark brown stain the seller’s chose. And I know what you’re thinking. Yes we used a metal shovel. And no we won’t use that this winter.

Luckily, we had the deck and fence under our amateur painters belts and we knew we could tackle the porch in a couple of days. Weather permitting, it isn’t a bad way to spend a weekend.

We stripped. We cleansed. We waited. We stained. Below are a few anecdotal things to consider if you’re planning a staining project. When it comes to the more technical details, read the reviews and follow the instructions on the bottles.

3 things we learned

DIY. You don’t need a pro.
If you’re like us and new to homeownership, anything that gets added to your mental list of home projects to do might be followed by a question of whether or not you can do it yourself. Trust us. You can do this one yourself. You might even find it a bit satisfying. E and I have quickly learned that painting, and now staining, is one of our favorite projects to do because it offers immediate and visible change. There aren’t many things in life where you can cover up the old with something new, see the difference and feel the instant gratification of a fresh perspective.

Stain for now. Not for later.
If you’re doing your research, you’ll begin to learn about transparent, semi-transparent, semi-solid, solid, oil-based, water-based, quick drying, mold resistant, yah dah yah dah. When it came down to the game-time decision, it was really up to the color we wanted, how much of the wood grain we wanted to see and how long the stain could last. We ended up going with the BEHR DECKplus Natural Clear Transparent Waterproofing Exterior Wood Finish. It gave us the look we wanted and that was worth the prospect of having to re-stain the surfaces again in two years. When you think about it, two years is a long time. We weren’t willing to justify a longer-lasting stain of a look we didn’t want. Talk to us in two years and see if we still feel this way.

You never regret a second coat.
Plain and simple, don’t skimp on the second coat. We know that the last thing you want to think about while you’ve just started the first coat is a second coat. And we know you might find ways to justify one coat being good enough. But honestly, the second coast goes on so much easier and quicker because the wood is no longer as porous and soaks up less of each brushstroke. Carve out enough time and give yourself some grace and patience. Have snacks nearby. Stay hydrated. And if you crack open a cold one, even better.