Deck & Fence Staining in Fort Pierce, FL

Deck and fence staining in Fort Pierce, FL

Wood is a challenging material to maintain in St. Lucie County, and yet it remains the most common choice for fencing, pergolas, privacy screens, and backyard decks throughout Fort Pierce neighborhoods from the waterfront properties near North Beach to the fenced yards of Lakewood Park and Sunland Gardens. The reason wood fails quickly here is almost always the same: it was either left unprotected, treated with a film-forming product that eventually peeled and trapped moisture underneath, or not cleaned before the stain was applied.

What the right stain does

A penetrating oil-based stain soaks into the wood fiber rather than building a film on top of it. When the wood expands and contracts with Florida’s temperature swings — and it does, significantly, between a January morning and a July afternoon — a penetrating stain moves with the wood rather than cracking and lifting. Film-forming products like porch and floor paint look great initially but tend to fail in two to three years in this climate, often lifting in large sheets.

For Fort Pierce waterfront decks that get splash or spray from the inlet or lagoon, we specify a stain with additional mildewcide and UV-blockers. For standard residential fencing, we clean, allow full dry time, and apply one to two coats of a semi-transparent or solid stain depending on the wood’s age and condition.

Our process

Every project starts with cleaning — pressure washing or chemical stripping of any old failed coating — followed by a minimum 48-hour dry period before stain application. We apply stain by brush and roller for even penetration rather than spraying, which pushes too much product to the surface and reduces penetration into the wood fiber. Every Fort Pierce deck and fence staining project is backed by our 5-year workmanship warranty on the application.

Questions Fort Pierce homeowners ask

My deck boards are silver-gray from the sun. Is that too far gone to stain? Gray weathering is UV oxidation of the wood surface, and in most cases it does not mean the wood is compromised — it means the surface cells have oxidized. We use a wood brightener/stripper to open the grain and restore the surface before staining, which allows the stain to penetrate properly. If the boards have soft spots or checks deep enough to indicate rot, we will flag those for replacement before we stain.

How often will I need to re-stain my Fort Pierce fence? With a quality penetrating stain and proper prep, most wood fences in Fort Pierce need re-staining every two to three years. Fences on the east or south side of a property — getting direct afternoon sun — tend toward the shorter end. We can do an annual condition check if you want a second set of eyes before deciding whether it is time.