Decks, porches, railings and fences finished for properties in Spartanburg, Boiling Springs, Valley Falls, Inman, Greer and Greenville.
Stain, or paint
This is the decision that matters, and it is worth making deliberately rather than by defaulting to whatever is on the deck now.
Stain soaks into the timber and leaves the grain visible. Because there is no film sitting on top, it cannot peel. It wears back gradually and thins where the traffic is. Recoating is a wash and another coat, with no stripping.
Paint holds a film on the surface, covers timber that is past looking good, and opens up any color you like. It lasts well on railings, risers and anything that is not walked on. On decking boards that flex underfoot it will eventually lift at an edge, and once it starts, the repair is stripping rather than recoating.
Painted rails with stained boards is a legitimate answer and a common one. We will tell you what we would do on your deck and why; you decide.
Applying it
The deck is washed and then left to dry properly. Applying a finish to damp timber is how deck jobs fail. Surrounding siding, foundations and planting are masked. The coat goes on slowly and in full board runs, because lap marks last as long as the finish.
Before any of that, the boards
A finish is not a repair. It will not stiffen a springy board, hold down a fastener that has worked loose, or stop rot that has already started. It will cover all three, which is worse, because it hides them until the next time somebody stands on that spot.
So we walk the deck before quoting: boards underfoot, the ledger where it meets the house, the posts at ground level, the rail joints. If something needs replacing you hear it then, with a reason, and you decide what to do about it.
Drying, and why it takes longer here
Timber that looks dry on top can still hold moisture a fraction of an inch down, and a coat applied over that can lift within a season. In a humid climate the wait after washing is longer than most people expect, and it is not padding in the schedule; it is part of the work.
Horizontal surfaces take more punishment than anything vertical: standing water after a storm, full summer sun on the same boards, and mildew pressure in the shade. Expect a deck to want attention on a shorter cycle than a house exterior, and expect the boards to want it before the railings do.
Getting the deck back
A deck is usable again long before the finish has finished curing, and the gap between those two moments is where most of the damage gets done. Light foot traffic comes back first. Furniture, and especially anything with feet that concentrate weight onto four small points, wants longer, and we will give you a number for your deck and the weather that week rather than a rule.
Planters are the usual casualty. A pot sitting directly on new boards traps moisture underneath it and leaves a ring that no amount of washing removes, so feet or a saucer under each one is worth the trouble. Grills and fire pits want something under them too, for reasons that have nothing to do with the finish.
What affects the price
Square footage, the amount of railing and the number of spindles, the condition of the timber, how much washing and sanding is needed, and whether the steps and the underside are in scope. Estimates are free and carry no obligation.
Request an estimate, or read how we handle decks. You can also see exterior painting in Spartanburg or everything we do in Spartanburg.