About the service
I refinish outdoor wooden decks, porches, and stair treads so they stop absorbing rain and start shedding it. Most decks that look «beyond saving» just need the old finish stripped back to bare wood — I use a wood brightener (oxalic-acid based, not bleach, so tannins in cedar and redwood don't blotch) followed by a random-orbit sander at 80 then 120 grit on the field boards, and hand sanding in the corners and around baluster bases where a machine chews the wood.
Once the surface is open, I match the stain to the species and to how the deck is used: semi-transparent oil-based stain for pressure-treated pine that still shows grain, solid-color acrylic for older boards with heavy UV grey that sanding can't fully remove, and a penetrating oil formula for hardwoods like ipe and cumaru that resist absorption. Every job gets a topcoat of spar urethane or a dedicated deck sealant rated for UV and standing water — applied by brush and back-rolled with a lambswool applicator so it doesn't pool and skin over in the sun.
Timing is the part clients underestimate: stain needs 48–72 hours of dry weather with surface moisture under 15% and no rain in the forecast for at least 24 hours after the final coat, so I schedule against the weather window, not the calendar, and I'll reschedule rather than lock in a coat that will lift in the first storm. Railings, stairs, and any structural boards showing rot or cupping are flagged and swapped before finishing — sealing over damaged wood just traps moisture underneath it.
I bring my own sanders, HEPA vacuum for dust containment near flower beds and pools, pump sprayers and natural-bristle brushes, drop cloths for siding and glass doors, and masking for hardware and light fixtures. Typical turnaround is 3–5 working days for a mid-size deck depending on dry time between coats. Portfolio available on request: cedar decks, pressure-treated pine, and a recent ipe hardwood restoration with before/after moisture-meter readings. Twelve-month workmanship warranty against peeling or flaking on properly prepped surfaces.
Once the surface is open, I match the stain to the species and to how the deck is used: semi-transparent oil-based stain for pressure-treated pine that still shows grain, solid-color acrylic for older boards with heavy UV grey that sanding can't fully remove, and a penetrating oil formula for hardwoods like ipe and cumaru that resist absorption. Every job gets a topcoat of spar urethane or a dedicated deck sealant rated for UV and standing water — applied by brush and back-rolled with a lambswool applicator so it doesn't pool and skin over in the sun.
Timing is the part clients underestimate: stain needs 48–72 hours of dry weather with surface moisture under 15% and no rain in the forecast for at least 24 hours after the final coat, so I schedule against the weather window, not the calendar, and I'll reschedule rather than lock in a coat that will lift in the first storm. Railings, stairs, and any structural boards showing rot or cupping are flagged and swapped before finishing — sealing over damaged wood just traps moisture underneath it.
I bring my own sanders, HEPA vacuum for dust containment near flower beds and pools, pump sprayers and natural-bristle brushes, drop cloths for siding and glass doors, and masking for hardware and light fixtures. Typical turnaround is 3–5 working days for a mid-size deck depending on dry time between coats. Portfolio available on request: cedar decks, pressure-treated pine, and a recent ipe hardwood restoration with before/after moisture-meter readings. Twelve-month workmanship warranty against peeling or flaking on properly prepped surfaces.
