If you’re a homeowner who has a deck, you’re probably enjoying it as much as possible, and more than ever now that summer is here. If you have a beautiful deck, you may want to upgrade it with home staining services. According to IBISWorld, there are almost 250,000 painting businesses in the United States, so you have many options to consider. If you’ve never hired related services to enhance your deck, here are some tips you should follow to make sure things go smoothly.
1. Pick the Right Time
When it’s time to make this type of outside upgrade, be mindful of the time of year that you do it. You want to call professional home staining services when the temperature is around 50 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. You also shouldn’t wait until the weather is too humid. Waiting for an ideal temperature and humidity level is best so that the deck won’t be in harsh direct sunlight as you don’t want the stain to dry too quickly and unevenly. So if you live in an area with harsh seasons, you probably shouldn’t have your deck stained in the middle of wet or extra-hot seasons. If you really want to get your deck stained this summer, check the weather forecast to see what the projected humidity levels are for your area, and if you can get a contractor to come out soon.
2. Prepare the Deck Area
When professional deck stainers arrive, make their job as easy as possible by not having a lot of clutter in their way. In other words, they shouldn’t have to spend an hour removing a lot of crap from your deck. If you have your grill, furniture, old paint, and toys on your deck that could get in the way of proper staining. Do what you can to move those out of the way first to make things easier for them.
3. Pick the Stain
Before work begins, you have to take the time to pick the right stain for your deck. Deck stains are not all the same, and the type you choose is based on your personal preference. These stains may be water-based, oil-based, solid, clear, or semi-transparent. If you’re not sure which stain is best for you, you’re professional home staining services are there for professional consultation. They’ll show you examples of different stains look on decks that they’ve worked on before. The type of stain you choose will affect how durable your deck will be and the way it appears.
4. Find a Professional
Make sure you find an experienced staining professional for the job. Like any other contractor, an amateur can mess up the work and may take longer to do the job. Find someone who has the experience, expertise, equipment, and a good reputation. So how do you go about finding such a professional for this service? The best thing you can do is start in your inner circle. Do you have friends, family, or neighbors who have a deck and have used deck staining before? Ask them their opinion on the contractor they used and if they’re willing to give you a referral. Even with a referral, check their credentials by way of online reviews. You can also use online reviews to find your own leads by checking Reddit, Yelp, Google, and Trust Pilot. The Better Business Bureau is also a great site that provides information about the level of credibility any contractor has, including deck-staining professionals. The BBB grades each contractor on a letter grade from A through F and also list any unresolved complaints former customers have.
5. Get a Written Estimate
Once you’ve picked a professional to do your deck staining, get a written and itemized estimate of the cost and a contract. Be sure that the scope of work, cost, project timeline, and payment terms are all to your liking. Make sure you are also clear on any warranty issues. A warranty protects you in case the deck staining project doesn’t go to your liking. With a warranty, the service professionals will have to come back to redo the work for free within a certain time frame. In lieu of a warranty, they may have a money-back guarantee within 30 days.
6. Check for Insurance
Your home staining services should also come with insurance for their workers. Insurance protects both you and a contractor in case a worker is injured during the project. If something happens during the job, insurance will cover the worker’s medical needs and hospital fees. The insurance means you won’t be held liable if such an issue occurs while work is going on in your home.
7. Follow Instructions
Once the job is finished, your home staining services may give you a list of advice to follow to ensure that your deck work remains solid. They may tell you to stay off the deck for a period of time after the staining is done. After all, the stain has to be set in and dry properly for it to be permanent. Don’t touch or move anything around on a deck until the professionals tell you it’s safe to do so. Failure to adhere to their recommendations may result in messing up their work.
8. Inspect It
Take the time to thoroughly look over your deck to make sure it adheres to your standards. Does the stain look the way it looked in the photo? Is it the color or transparency that you asked for? Did workers, by chance use the wrong stain or transparency and need to come back and redo the work? Did the workers adhere to the agreed-upon timeline? How about conduct during the job? Did workers respect your home and an area while they were doing the service? Make note of all of these issues and provide professional feedback to the contractor. At this time, ask any questions or concerns that you may have. If you’re not 100% sure about their recommendations for upkeep, make sure you ask it again so that you don’t mess it up.
9. Plan for Maintenance
Once the stain has dried and you can begin to enjoy it, don’t forget you’ll have to maintain it just like you do any other part of your home. Staining isn’t just for aesthetics. It also helps to protect your deck from the elements, insects like termites, mold, and other issues. So if you enjoyed the services that were provided, contact the contractor to schedule ongoing maintenance and plan for that accordingly. According to experts, you may need to restain your deck every few years to keep it looking nice and protected.
With professional home staining services, you have a way to keep your deck looking beautiful for years to come. Your deck is a great part of your outdoor living space, so you must protect it from the elements. In addition to this protection, you can enhance the color by making it transparent or opaque with whatever hue you like. Don’t trust your deck with just any professional. If you live in the Minneapolis, MN area, contact The Magic Painting Company for a range of services, such as interior and exterior painting, color design, and deck staining. We look forward to hearing from you!
