Exterior Stain

Exterior stain protects wood from the two things that do the most damage out here — sun and moisture. Semi-transparent formulas keep the grain visible while building in UV resistance. Solid stains cover weathered wood evenly and hold color longer on surfaces that have already started to gray. Water-based and oil-based options are both stocked, and the right choice usually comes down to the condition of the wood and how much prep you want to do. A deck or fence that’s cleaned and lightly sanded before staining will hold a finish two or three times longer than one that isn’t.