3 Questions To Ask Yourself When Selecting an Exterior Wood Stain

Categories: Blog

by Caroline March-Long for Sansin

Do-it-yourselfers often struggle to decide what wood finish is best for their deck, siding or furniture project. But selecting an exterior wood stain really boils down to three key questions, according to Sjoerd Bos, Vice President of Sansin, a leading environmentally friendly wood stain company:

What is your climate?
How much are you willing to put into the workmanship and maintenance cycles?
Do you want to end up with a natural or glossy finish and a clear or solid color when you’re done?

 “Exterior wood stains are made to protect wood, but they also are developed to meet specific climate conditions and deliver the ‘look’ you want to achieve when your project is complete,” says Bos. “But, you need to be upfront about how much time you want to spend either applying the stain or maintaining the surface. These expectations can help steer you to the right product.”

Today, consumers can find high-performance, penetrating woods stains in low-VOC formulas. So, to get the best product, consider how much time you want to invest, how much UV exposure and moisture the wood surface must withstand, and how you want it to look when you’re finished.

“Stain shopping with these things in mind will take the confusion out of the process,” says Mr. Bos. Check out more tips for your outdoor living space.