Sean Kelley, owner of Mountain Woodcare, a contractor business in Boulder, Colorado, began working at the operation in 2018 and took the business over in 2022. Paint & Decorating Retailer spoke to Kelley for insight into exterior wood care and best practices your customers need to know.
Sean Kelley began working at Mountain Woodcare in 2018 and took the operation over in 2022.
Always Prep
When applying a new exterior wood care product, DIYers may not know where to start.
“It is important to always clean first; being outdoors, dirt will build up on the wood,” Kelley says. “If the wood isn’t washed off and the product is applied on top, the dirt gets trapped underneath. The finished result will not look good, and the product will fail earlier.”
There is a trick to applying stain on new exterior wood.
“New wood should be seasoned, or be left bare for a month or so, unless it’s kiln dried,” Kelley says. “Allowing it to sit and then pressure washing it will allow the wood grain to open up and accept stain better.”
After the wood is clean, the surface needs to be dry.
“The wood can’t be wet; if the moisture content is too high, it will not accept stain,” Kelley says. “I like it to be at a 10% moisture content or below. I measure the moisture content of wood with a moisture meter.”
Moisture levels are not the only weather-related factors that can impact the outcome of a project. Temperature, too much wind and too much sun can also negatively impact the end result.
“I like the temperature to be 40 degrees or above,” Kelley says.
“The temperature a product excels best in can vary depending on the product. Following the guidelines provided for whatever product is being used can be the difference between a successful project and a failed one.”
When it comes to products, recommending the more quality option will achieve better results and happier customers.
The quality product, though potentially more expensive, will last longer and is the easiest to maintain, Kelley says.
“Different products require different cleaning. For example, my stain just requires a light pressure washing, and I can reapply the stain,” Kelley says. “Some products require you to strip the entire finish off to the bare wood grain in order to have an even finish. This process requires a chemical stripper and hot water pressure washing.”
Upkeep Often
When it comes to how often exterior wood care products should be used, Kelley says the answer depends on two considerations.
“The frequency of care depends on what product is used and the surface’s exposure to weather,” Kelley says. “For my product, I tell people on average it’ll last between five to seven years on vertical surfaces and around two years on horizontal surfaces. A lot of factors can affect horizontal surfaces like if it is under a roof, how much foot traffic it receives and the weather it endures.”
A key part of exterior wood care is paying attention and assessing how exterior wood looks, not just relying on a time estimate.
“When stains lighten and fade, they tend to need to be redone sooner,” Kelley says. “If looked at closely, you can tell it is no longer fully applied, especially when comparing wood that received different weather exposure levels.”
Once the wear of the exterior wood care product is detected, time is not your friend.
“Time is of the essence once the effectiveness of the product starts wearing off,” Kelley says “If not taken care of right away, weather will begin to make a more significant impact on the wear of the wood, and water will start absorbing into the wood, rotting it from the inside out.”
Quick Pro Tips
Kelley shares words of advice about exterior wood care. Apply this knowledge to your operation to improve customer satisfaction and loyalty.
- Semi-solid or solid body stains are more likely to show brush marks if not back brushed properly to make sure the coat is evenly applied.
- Oil-based stains tend to work better because they can absorb into the wood, and oil repels water, keeping wood from holding water and degrading.
- To avoid discoloration and decay, tell your customers to position sprinklers away from fences or other exterior wood surfaces.
- Because the grain on hardwoods is so tight and close together, it has a harder time accepting stains, and they don’t penetrate as deeply.
- Hardwoods need to be re-stained more frequently than softwoods, especially when the stain doesn’t penetrate deep enough.
What’s Popular In Exterior Wood
Jackie Mosher, COO and co-founder of Dzinly, a residential exterior architecture and design company, spoke with Paint & Decorating Retailer about exterior wood trends.
“We are seeing an increase in the use of wood on the exterior of homes and expect this to continue,” Mosher says. “We are seeing more use of wood accents such as header beams, window sill detail, pediments and even wood plank siding. Weathered wood, barn wood and faux mimics are popular, and new trends such as burnt wood are also gaining steam. People are going back to an authentic look, which also means stains are more popular than paint on exterior wood.”
Gain more insight into exterior wood and the products you should be carrying to stay on trend.
STAINS
Light gray and blue-gray stains that look weathered are going to be hot in 2023.
FENCING
Horizontal fencing and tight shadow slat fencing are popular.
SIDING
Board and batten and nickel gap shiplap with varied joint wood widths are trendy.
