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How to protect your deck
against old man winter
 (NC)-As
the heat of the summer winds down to eventually give way to fall rains, it's now
the perfect time to start thinking about applying a stain to your deck to
protect it against the oncoming punishment of our harsh Canadian winter.
Contrary to what many homeowners currently
believe, experts say the late summer or early fall is the best time to apply a
protective stain to your deck.
According to Philip Caron, technical trainer
at Sico Paints, the late summer or fall is the ideal time for a stain
application of your wood surfaces. "A lot of people are not aware that the
spring is not the best time to apply stain to wood surfaces such as a wood
deck," says Caron. "You have to give your surfaces the time to properly dry and
recover from the excess humidity left by the ice and snow."
So to rejuvenate and protect your deck for
this winter season, take advantage of a beautiful sunny fall afternoon and try
these following helpful tips to give your deck a face-lift.
Surface preparation
"The ultimate fine finish and durability of
your staining project begins with the proper preparation of the surface,"
explains Caron.
For wood that requires routine
maintenance
The first step is to clean the surface with an
exterior wood restorer such as Formula 22, to eliminate loose grey wood fibres
and stains caused by mildew, dust and moss. Let the solution work for about 15
minutes. Rinse the surface with a pressurized clean water jet. Let the surface
dry for 2-3 dry sunny days. Sand the surface to remove any residue. If the wood
is new it must be sanded to eliminate glazing from the planning process during
manufacturing.
For wood that requires stripping
beforehand
For wood previously stained, painted or
varnished, strip the stained surface with the exterior remover Polyprep or
Formula 44, a softer acting stripper especially formulated for exterior wood
surfaces with stains that are deteriorating and already peeling. Rinse, then let
dry and sand the surfaces. It is important to use 80 grade sandpaper as any
grade lower will lead to poor results.
Staining
Sico's alkyd translucent exterior wood stain
will take care of almost any and all of your exterior wood care needs. This
stain is a beautifully effective product for several exterior applications.
"Gone are the days of buying different
products to stain your shutters, balconies, decks and fences," says Caron. The
multi-surface stain allows do-it-yourselfers the ability to complete almost all
of their exterior wood staining projects simply and efficiently with one
product.
Caron says the translucency of the stain's
finish creates a very "trendy wet look" and highlights the beauty of the wood
grain. "It adds unparalleled richness and depth to exterior wood, including
popular and rich grains such as Cedar and Sequoia."
The stain, which is offered in 24 exquisite
wood colours, also provides superior durability. "The specialty selected alkyd
resins formula creates a water resistant micro-porous film that provides
unequalled protection against weather and UV rays and makes it exceptionally
resistant to cracking, peeling and fading," he explained. More information on
exterior wood staining is available at www.sico.ca.
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