# Which stain to use for fence?



## Matthewt1970 (Sep 16, 2008)

The Semi-transparent will give you a good 5 years or so and maybe longer seeing as how it is a vertical surface. Semi-transparent stains are also a lot less likely to chip or flake as they sok in the wood real well. Latex has come a long way, but it still has a ways to go before I would say it will out-perform oil based. I have just seen too many failures with latex stains.


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## housepaintingny (Jul 25, 2009)

Semi-transparents and semi-solid stains come in 100% acrylic and oil. All most all stains are only going to give you a few years, you need to recoat every few years. Semi-transparent and semi-solids are only recommended that you apply one coat. I am not familiar with pittsburg, but we use either sikkens or cabot and have never had a problem, our work is also guaranteed in writing, so I think if you went with cabot in you choice of translucentness, you'll be fine. Adventually semi-solids and semi-translucents fail too. A solid or semi, it will all last about the same on a fence, and translucents do crack and flake down the road too


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## housepaintingny (Jul 25, 2009)

They have made 100% acrylic stains for a few years now in semi-transparent, semi-solid, and solid. they last just as long as oil does, they actually have more elasticity, retain color better, resist mildew, and crack less. There's a difference between acrylic and latex, even though there both waterbourne.


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## ironsprings (Aug 26, 2009)

*go solid . . .*

# 1. use a solid stain. last longest. best to look at. your lumber's not so pretty where you're better offer seeing it's grain. cover it w/ a solid stain.

#2. use a sprayer if you must. but stain makers will clearly instruct you to have a follow brush/brusher to make certain stain gets in grain. I say get a couple cheap hired hands, big brushes, and get busy w/ a couple of cans.

#3. your prep sounds thorough. but one coat w/ a semi doesn't. go 2 coats w/ a solid (cabot) and I predict you can snooze on it for 15 yrs. 

#4. forget matching your neigbors color. be uniuqe. not wild. just different. cabot has 35 (approx.) colors.

#5. summary. 2 coats of solid stain, brushed, and you'll be golden. anything less and it'll be a recurring issue in short order. good luck.:whistling2:


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## housepaintingny (Jul 25, 2009)

*Fence Staining*

Cabot has over 75 colors to choose from for solid, semi solid, and semi transparent stains, unless your using there ProVt line then its less color choice. There ProVt line is usually a one coat application over already stained substrates and its a solid. Solid will last a long time, its got the most pigments in it, especially if you get the acrylic formula which retains color better, it will flex, and its mildew resistant. I have personally never heard of any brand of stain lasting 15 years. I am very familiar with Cabot and use it frequently. If your familiar with a sprayer that will be the quickest application method and depending on how good you are with it will depend on the amount of back brushing you'll have to do.


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## ironsprings (Aug 26, 2009)

*fence stain . . .*

'Less about the stain BRAND - then it is about 2 SOLID STAIN COATS - for a 15 yr. run. Any comments indicating 2 coats isn't worth it is hogwash (IMHO). Spend twice the time up front for 3 times the wait til you gots to do it again. That's the way I see it. :thumbup:


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## housepaintingny (Jul 25, 2009)

Cabot Semi-Solid is only recommended to apply one coat,(ask your service rep) the purpose of the semi-solid I'd to highlight the grain, on bare wood 2 coats of solid stain is recommend and if its pre stained you can use Cabot ProVt for one coat of a solid, we have probably already used over 500gallons of cabot stain this year along, not including any other brand of stain or paint.


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