March 5, 2011
There are two primary types of wood stain available. 

First there is the penetrating wood stain that actually "stains" the wood.  This is applied and wiped dry after approximately 20 to 30 minutes, actually leaving the wood stained in the most correct and common sense of the word.

Second is the coating wood stain that functions more like a paint, is applied like a paint and doesn't usually penetrate the wood nearly as much as a real stain.  Different brands and different formulas of course exist and there are relative degrees of this, but basically this how it is.

I prefer and recommend a penetrating wood stain such as my current favorite brand which is Penofin .  Once the application and wipe down is done, you've got about 1/16th of an inch of the wood saturated with the stain as really the most ideal protective layer and finish!

As opposed to a coating stain which is really just a paint, there is no wipe down performed after application.  Thus you have a coating on the outside of the wood.  This will inevitably shrink, crack and flake off.  Just give it enough time.  Some are better than others.

The penetrating stain is more of a permanent preservative for your investment.  Restaining is recommended when you examine your wood project, and you see and feel (by touching) that the finish is no longer up to your standard. 

Application is very simple in either case.  With the coating type of stain, you just apply it like paint.  This is not a painting tutorial so I'll leave the advice to professional, experienced painters.  The internet is full of them.

Penetrating stain application is done with sprayer, roller or brush; to get enough stain on the surface to penetrate the grains, and all the nooks & crannies.  Follow this immediately with back-brushing.  Back brushing is spreading the stain on the surface and working it into the grains and nooks & crannies.  Your strokes should be long, and always with the grain (in the same direction as the grain).  When you back-brush, work the stain liquid into the wood as quickly but as thoroughly as you can.  Get it done so it can soak into the wood and penetrate.  Then give it 20 to 30 minutes and wipe it all completely dry to the touch.

You probably want to go buy some latex or nitrile gloves to keep your hands clean.  It takes a week or two for the stain to finally wear off my hands even when I wash them often.  Or use a solvent or special hand cleaner and a stiff bristle brush and scrub like crazy and it will come off!

Wipe with the grain, in the same direction as the grain.  When your rags get saturated get a fresh one.  Be prepared, you will use up many rags so go buy a bunch!

There are directions on the can too.  Follow them.  Be extremely careful of those used rags because oily, stained soaked rags very easily catch fire all by themselves due to the chemical reaction if let sit too long.  Yes it's true, I've had it happen to me twice!  Luckily I caught it in time both times!  Put them in a can of water so they're drowned.  Dispose of them in accordance with your local, state and federal disposal regulations.  Or call up your garbage company and they'll tell you where to take them.

Get a jobsite scrap piece of wood and test the stain color there first, before you do the whole project.  This way you make sure you get just the right color tone you want.

Make sure to mix the stain very well.  Many ingredients fall to the bottom of the can, such as color pigment particles and others.  As you stain your project keep mixing the can so you don't lose anything by letting it sink to the bottom.  You want all the goodies in the stain formula protecting your wood project!

Just one single application of a good penetrating stain will add years to the lifespan of your wood fence or gates.  Do it right and enjoy the look and benefits to their full potential!

Of course if you don't have the time or inclination I am also available to stain your project after the build.  If wet wood is used it's best to let at least 2 weeks of uninterrupted warm weather dry out the wood so more will soak in.  If dry wood is used you can get right to staining as soon as the build is done.


Let Me Help You Build It Right!

Get My Full, Undivided Attention on Your Project With a LIVE 1-on-1 Phone Consultation with Me!  

Step 1
Sign up for a Dwolla account, like PayPal but much better!
Set up Your Dwolla account and put enough money in it to
cover the time block that you want.
Here's the link!  https://www.dwolla.com/

Step 2
Email me a couple of photos and/or drawings if possible, send them to me at Stefan@WoodFenceExpert.com

Step 3
Purchase a Time Block for your LIVE 1-on-1 Phone Consultation with me.
15 (Fifteen) Minutes: $20.00
30 (Thirty) Minutes:  $40.00
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After you've got your Dwolla account you can pay here:
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Step 4
Call me on my cell at 310-717-2000 to schedule our LIVE consultation. 
Please remember I'm in Los Angeles, so I'm in the Pacific time zone. 
I'll need up to a day maybe two, to verify your payment and
review your photos and/or drawings.

Step 5
I will call you at our scheduled time with your photos and/or drawings right in front of me.  Please have a pen and paper ready so we can go fast and not waste your money.  It also may be best to be at your laptop or computer with a high-speed connection.   

Note 1:
If we don't use all of your time block on the call, I will note and track the unused portion for you to have on account with me for a future 1-on-1 consultation with me!  
Note 2:
I'm in construction, I'm not an accountant.  Please don't ask me to transfer an unused, left-over slice of your time block to somebody else.  Pizza?  Sure I'll take a left-over slice.  But let's not pass around slices of time blocks.
Note 3:
You early birds got it for free (You know who you are!).  No problem, I love to build them right; I also love to help other people build them right too!  But now this is part of my job so I've got to charge you like everybody else.  
Note 4:
I promise to do my very best with you!

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