We're Experienced At Staining Wood Homes
Maintenance and restaining is the key to keeping your wood home beautiful and protected. We are the local contractor fully dedicated to chemically cleaning, preparing and staining fine wood homes at Lake Almanor.
Staining exterior siding presents many challenges not found in normal painting and is best done by a local professional that understands the nuances involved. We pay careful attention to mold and mildew removal, proper wood moisture levels, position of the sun for correct bonding and applying the thickest coat possible. Get any of these wrong and you may invite a permanent problem to reside under the finish of your home, and begin the dreaded dry rot process. No worries! Pro-Craft Painting is the exterior cleaning staining specialist and we enjoy keeping your home looking its best.
Steps We Follow
The following are the steps and procedures in properly preparing and staining your home:
A. Move everything away from the structure.
B. Dig a trench 4-6 inches around the structure so stain is applied below ground level.
C. Chemical wash using the appropriate cleaner to remove grey areas, black mold, mildew or other unsightly stains and scrub as needed, then rinse thoroughly.
* A NOTE OF CAUTION ABOUT CHEMICAL CLEANING. All cleaning chemicals can be harmful to wood siding and decks based on the strength of cleaning needed. The dirtier you allow the surface to become, the harsher the chemicals needed and the more stress on the tender wood fibers there may be.
Our favorite cleaning and wood brightening chemicals are in order of strength: detergent, tsp, sodium percarbonate, sodium hypochlorite, oxalic acid, sodium hydroxide. We always use the utmost caution when using chemicals on every project. Our job estimator will determine the proper chemicals that should be used and go over the pros and cons of each with you.
D. Power wash all surfaces to be stained, removing mildew, cobwebs and dirt to allow proper adhesion of all materials. Use a low pressure to keep the wood from being damaged.
E. Let surface dry. Test surface with moisture meter to approve a moisture level of 18% or lower to continue.
F. Renail any loose boards on siding and trim, remove any unwanted hooks, screws or nails, making sure that all surfaces are prepared and ready for staining.
G. Scrape, power sand and hand sand loose stain from all areas, if needed.
H. Sand doors and trim in preparation for proper bonding of the finish.
I. Repair and prime any special preparation areas listed in your contract, such as repairing holes, etc.
J. Seal new construction or prepared areas according to manufacturers specifications.
K. Caulk areas where needed. The extreme weather conditions at Lake Almanor cause your home to expand and contract more than normal, therefore we recommend caulking only where needed for moisture intrusion, and only a high quality caulking compound should be used.
L. Mask areas not to be stained, including windows, hardware, lights, decks, cement, plants, and where needed.
M. Apply finish coatings to the main structure, according to the manufacturers specifications.
N. Apply finish coatings to trim, doors and other accent areas.
O. Touch up areas as needed to complete job.
P. Clean up job site, removing all staining garbage, and put back items that were moved for staining.
Q. Call owner for a final inspection.
We look forward to working with you this season! Let's get it done. (530) 596-3170
