Helping You Understand the Purpose and Functions of Different Fences

2 Questions You May Have About Sealing New Cedar Fences

4 November 2021 by Devon Ramos

If you are planning to have a cedar fence installed around your property, know that you've made a great choice by picking this natural wood material. However, the fence should be sealed to prevent the wood from deteriorating over the years. Here are some questions you're likely to have about this part of the installation process.

What Are Your Sealant Options?

You essentially have three options when it comes to sealing a cedar fence. Using a clear coat stain is a popular choice because it allows all of the natural grains of the wood to show through when you are finished. It is the best way to highlight the beauty of the cedar fence material. However, a clear coat stain is going to last the least amount of time when compared to the three options, so you'll need to seal the fence again after one or two years. 

A solid body wood stain is going to hide all of the natural grain of the wood, but it allows you to make the fence a very different color if you want. Many people use a solid body stain when they want to give their home a certain look that can't be accomplished by keeping the cedar its natural color. 

There is also an option for a semi-transparent stain, which mixes the two previously mentioned forms of stain. You get some of the transparency that allows you to see the natural grains, but you'll still get some slight coloring as well. The benefit of a semi-transparent stain is that it will last longer than all of the other stains.

How Do You Apply a Sealant?

Sealing a cedar fence is done much like painting. The stain can be applied with a sprayer to speed up the process. Just make sure to spray the paint in the direction of the grain so that it gets in the small crevices of the wood. 

You can also use rollers to get the job done. The key to using a roller is to use a thicker nap when you have a rough fence material since it allows the paint to get into the rough edges that are sticking out. A new fence will likely not require any sanding to prepare the fence, but sequential applications of a stain will require sanding the material to get the wood ready to accept the stain.

Reach out to wood fence installation services if you'd prefer that they apply the sealant for you.

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