Fence Staining and Cleaning in Medford, Oregon
Cleaning, prep, and stain that protect your fence from the sun and the rain.
Free estimate, no obligation.
Get a Free EstimateStain is the cheapest way to make a wood fence last longer. In the Rogue Valley, wood takes a beating from two directions. The long summer bakes it, pulls out its natural oils, and turns it gray. Then the winter rain soaks into the dried-out grain and starts the rot that eventually takes down posts, rails, and boards. A good stain slows both of those down. It blocks UV, keeps water from soaking in, and keeps the wood from checking and splitting. We clean and stain fences across Jackson County, from newer cedar fences in White City to older fences in Talent that haven't seen a fresh coat in years. Done right, a stain job can add years to the life of the wood.
Request a Free Estimate
Below, we cover how to tell when your fence needs stain, the different types of stain and what each one does, how we clean, prep, and apply it, and how often you should plan to restain. Most of the work in a good stain job is the prep, not the stain itself. If you find rotted boards or loose posts along the way, our fence repair page covers fixing those before the stain goes on.
Signs It's Time to Stain
The easiest test is water. Sprinkle a little on the wood. If it beads up, the old finish is still working. If it soaks in and darkens the wood within a minute or so, it's time to stain.
Color is the next clue. Wood that has turned silver gray has lost its protection and is starting to break down at the surface.
Look for small cracks along the grain, called checking, and boards that are cupping or splintering. Those are signs the wood is drying out and taking on water.
Check the bottom of the fence first. The lowest boards and the bottom rail sit closest to wet ground and sprinkler spray, so they lose their finish long before the top of the fence does.
If you can see bare wood through an old stain, you're overdue.
Types of Stain and What They Do
Stains run from clear to solid, and the more pigment a stain has, the more it protects against sun.
Clear and toner finishes show off the wood grain but offer the least UV protection, so they wear off quickly in strong sun.
Semi-transparent stain is the most common choice for fences here. It adds color, lets the grain show through, and gives solid UV protection. It also wears away gradually rather than peeling.
Solid stain looks more like paint and covers the grain. It hides weathered wood well and offers the most UV protection, but it can peel over time and is harder to redo.
Oil-based stains soak deeper into the wood. Water-based stains dry faster and clean up easier. Both can work well when the prep is right.
How We Clean, Prep, and Stain
- Inspection. We check for loose boards, popped nails, and soft spots, and fix or flag anything that needs repair first.
- Cleaning. We wash the wood with a wood cleaner to remove dirt, mildew, green algae, and old gray fibers. If we use a pressure washer, it's at low pressure, since high pressure tears up the wood surface.
- Brightening and drying. A brightener restores the wood's color, and then the wood has to dry completely, usually a day or two.
- Staining. We apply the stain in even coats, working with the grain and back-brushing so it soaks in instead of sitting on top.
- Cleanup. We protect plants, siding, and concrete as we work, and clean up when we're done.
Some homeowners just want the fence cleaned. A wash and brightener alone will take years of gray and green off a fence and make it look close to new, though without stain it will start to gray again within a year or so.
Staining needs dry weather, which in the Rogue Valley means late spring through early fall works best. We avoid the hottest afternoons in July and August, when stain can dry on the surface before it has a chance to soak in.
How Often to Restain
Plan on restaining a fence every three to four years with a semi-transparent stain. Fences are vertical, so rain runs off them and they wear more slowly.
Fences in full sun, especially ones facing south or west, wear faster and may need a fresh coat closer to every two or three years.
New pressure-treated wood needs to dry out before its first coat, often a few months. Use the water test: when water soaks in instead of beading, the wood is ready.
Solid stains last a little longer between coats but are harder to redo when the time comes.
Waiting too long costs more. Once the wood is gray and checked, it takes more cleaning and more stain to bring it back.
If you'd rather stop staining altogether, our vinyl fencing page covers fences that never need it.
Common Questions
Yes, as long as the wood is still solid. Older gray fences take stain well once they're cleaned properly. We wash off the dirt, mildew and loose gray fibers with a wood cleaner, brighten the wood, and let it dry for a day or two before staining. Any soft boards or loose posts get fixed or flagged first, since stain won't save wood that has already started to rot.
Semi-transparent is the most common choice in the Rogue Valley. It adds color, lets the grain show and gives solid UV protection, and it wears away gradually instead of peeling. Solid stain looks more like paint, hides weathered wood well and blocks the most sun, but it can peel over time and is harder to redo. Clear and toner finishes look natural but wear off fast in our summer sun.
Staining needs dry weather, so late spring through early fall works best here. We avoid the hottest afternoons in July and August, when stain can dry on the surface before it soaks in. New pressure-treated wood needs to dry out before its first coat, often for a few months. A few drops of water on a board will tell you: once they disappear into the wood, it's ready.