Preparation
Without the proper surface and substrate preparation, staining wood is a waste of time and money. Whether refinishing fine furniture or a deck, stain appearance and lifetime depend on correct wood preparation. This is one factor that separates professional wood restoration companies from handymen, painters, and "do it yourself" homeowners.
Particular treatments depend on the condition, age, and species of wood, as well as if an old stain is still on or in the wood. If no stain or old, weathered stain is present, a specialty wood cleaner is used to remove surface and substrate dirt, mold / mildew, and remaining stain. With more intact stains, specialty wood strippers are applied to emulsify the stain and permit easy removal. Chemical concentrations, types, and dwell times vary. Correct exterior wood preparation is an art, learned through experience.
A low pressure wash is used to remove the wood cleaner or stripper. Low pressure with maximum water flow protects wood from damage and prevents harm to surrounding foliage. An acidic neutralizer / brightener is next applied to all wood to neutralize the caustic treatment and insure the wood is at a proper pH prior to staining.
Staining
Stain selection also separates the pros from the amateurs. We will not apply inferior, consumer grade wood stains. Windsor WoodCare will only use two specific brands, one semi-transparent paraffinic oil based, and one solid oil based stain. Why? In our, and other quality contractors experience, everything else on the market is deficient. Some of these stains turn black from mildew infestation, many must be stripped every other year, and virtually all others do not condition the wood. For further information on wood preparation and stain, please visit our products page.
Maintenance
Maintenance is a long term issue. Once exterior wood is prepared and stained correctly the first time, how much effort and cost will be needed to maintain it? With Ready Seal stains, maintenance is a breeze. Contrary to other products on the market, Ready Seal will never need to be stripped. A simple cleaning and replenishing of the stain is all that is required. No pressure washing, deep cleaning, or stripping is needed. Homeowners can easily do this work themselves with cleaning materials readily available at local stores. Windsor WoodCare provides written instructions and have an arrangement with our distributor to provide stain to our customers. Ready Seal also has on-line stain ordering from their website. For DIY homeowners, this is ideal.
Other services
Windsor WoodCare offers a complete job. Furniture and deck items removal, sanding of any splinter hazards and handrails, and resetting of "popped" fasteners is included in our normal services. Wood replacement, concrete cleaning, partial housewashing, and other exterior cleaning you may require while we are onsite is available. Just ask.
To take advantage of our experience and services, and make your home look the best it can be, please contact us.