Part 1 - Things You Should Know Before Getting Started 

Photo courtesy of Legendary Log Homes of Jackson Hole/RCM Cad Design

It is believed by many that sanding alone is the answer to any black dots that appear in the wood. While sanding will definitely remove the black, it does not eliminate any dormant spores that could show up later under the finish.  An easy and very quick solution is a mildew cleanse prior to the home being stained.  This new way of cleaning wood is environmentally safe, and, in addition to cleaning the wood, it removes the greying due to sun damage.  It also creates the right pH balance to ensure the finish looks its best and lasts.

Over time, all unprotected wood will turn grey as the sun’s UV begins the process of breaking down wood fiber.  While this is thought to be an attractive look by some, it signals the damaging effects of UV on wood, and where there is a lot of rain and snow this process is speeded up.

Fortunately, there is a proven solution of wood finishes that will not only protect wood from the elements, it will highlight the natural beauty of the wood as well.

Photo courtesy of Comfort Log Homes

The Three Basic Types of Wood Finishes (Stain)

There are three basic types of wood finishes on the market today.  They are:

• Water based
• Solvent based
• Waterborne

Both water based and solvent based finishes are surface coat products, meaning that, like paint, they coat and surround the wood surface.  Waterborne products use water to carry the resins that protect the wood into the surface layer of the wood.  Water based and waterborne products share one similarity: they can both be cleaned up easily with soap and water.  Solvent based products require a solvent to clean them, and the by-product is considered a hazardous chemical that needs to be handled accordingly.

We, at Finishes 1st, are convinced that waterborne technology, which is both environmentally safe and extremely effective, is the way of the future for wood finishes.  Waterborne finishes penetrate into the wood, allowing for a life expectancy far greater than that of the other two types of finishes which will blister and peel over time.  Solvent based products last a maximum of 20 to 25 years before they will need to be stripped and refinished.   However, by 2010 the Government of Canada will be lowering the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) level from 750 to 250.  This means that maintenance products for solvent based products will no longer be available, limiting the stain life to about 7 or 8 years after 2010.  Water based products, which are softer, last no longer than 17 to 20 years before they, too, will need to be removed and refinished.  Waterborne finishes, because they get into the surface layer of the wood, have a much longer life, providing the home with protection for decades to come.

A common, but very easy-to-deal-with characteristic of wood is that it attracts mildew. Mildew is air borne and finds its way into the wood as spores.  It is invisible to the human eye while it is dormant or active.  It becomes visible when it dies, leaving black dots in the wood.  Mildew lays dormant until the right conditions of moisture, temperature and humidity occur.  Each time this combination of factors is repeated, mildew comes to life.  When the temperature and humidity are reduced, the new spores go back into hibernation and the original spores die off and turn black.