Tips for Maintaining Your Exterior Woodwork in Ottawa, Ontario

Maintaining your exterior woodwork is essential for extended durability and beauty. However, the procedure requires considering the condition of your wood and the product that best suits the desired appearance.
Here is everything you need to know about the maintenance and preservation of your exterior woodwork in Ottawa, Ontario.

You’re Product Options Stains

Stains are a translucent solution with protection against mold, moisture, insects, fungus, and sunlight.
Whether tinted or colored, it is the perfect protection solution to highlight the grain of the wood.
It does not form a film on the surface of the wood, rather infiltrating inside it.

As a result, the dye has the unique advantage of not flaking. It should be mentioned that colored stains cover the wood’s grain a little more than those tinted because of their opacity.
Note that there are several variants of stains.

Specifications

Protect against mold, moisture, insects, sun, and fungi
Highlight the grain of the wood
Colored dyes cover more than tinted dyes.
Do not flake
There are “ high protection ” formulas.
The application must be repeated every 3 or 4 years (every 5 years for exotic wood species)

Microporous fungicidal paint

If you prefer uniform woodwork and dark coloring, a fungicidal microporous paint is recommended for you.
The paint of this type is permeable to water vapor while being impermeable to liquid water.
The fungicidal property prevents the formation of mold on the surface of the wood.

It is also recommended to choose an anti-UV formula to protect the wood from possible discoloration overtime under the sun’s rays’ effect.

Specifications

Gives the woodwork a dark and uniform color
Is permeable to water vapor and impermeable to liquids
Prevents mold from forming on wood
Must be reapplied every 4-6 years

Varnishes

The varnish will allow more of the wood grain to show through. Therefore, it is an ideal choice if you want the wood to retain a more natural appearance.
They provide effective protection against heat, water, and surface scratches.

As the varnish can flake off over the years, a refinishing often redone after 3-5 years. The variety of finishes available include mat, gloss, and satin.
Allows the natural wood appearance to show through.
Provide effective protection against heat, water, and surface scratches
The application must be repeated every 3-5 years.
Available in several finishes (matt, gloss, and satin)
Do not provide effective protection against UV (an additional semi-transparent dye must be applied)

Some useful precautions for the maintenance of your exterior woodwork

Ideally, the application of any product intended for the maintenance of your woodwork should be made in the spring or early summer, when the temperatures are between 15 and 25 degrees Celsius;
Woodwork maintenance should not be carried out in direct sunlight, as the applied product (varnish, stripper, or stain) will dry too quickly, it will probably leave marks which will harm the final appearance;
Always keep in mind that chemical strippers are very harmful to the skin. You should therefore wear protective gloves at all times if you use this type of product. Then, wait 48 hours to walk on a freshly painted or stained patio;

Need Some Help?

If you need professional help with repainting and staining your home exterior, our team at Millers Painting Company can help.

We offer high-quality residential and commercial painting services in Kanata, Nepean, Barrhaven, and Westboro areas of Ottawa, Ontario.

To get started with us, book a FREE estimate or call us at 613-979-5435.

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