Fence Staining & Weather Treatment in Lubbock, TX

What does stain do for a cedar fence?

Bare wood does not last long under a West Texas sun. Within a season or two an unsealed cedar fence starts to grey, dry out and split. An oil-based stain soaks into the wood so it sheds water instead of absorbing it, gives the boards an even, richer color than bare cedar, and protects the money you put into the fence in the first place.

Wood that stays dry moves less. That means fewer cupped boards, fewer split pickets and fewer fasteners working loose, which is why staining is as much about the life of the fence as about how it looks.

What do sun, wind and rain do to bare cedar?

Sun breaks down the surface of the wood first, which is what turns new boards grey. Wind-blown dust scours the face of the pickets. The occasional hard rain soaks into dry wood and makes it swell, then it shrinks again as it dries, until boards cup and nails back out. Low humidity pulls moisture out of unsealed wood faster here than almost anywhere in Texas. A good oil-based stain slows all of it down.

New fence stain or re-seal?

There are two jobs here, and the prep is what separates them.

Staining a new fence is the first coat. Once the cedar is dry and clean, we apply the stain so the fence is protected from the start. Details and colors are on the fence staining page.
Weather treatment is the rescue for a fence that has already gone grey. We clean it, replace the boards that are past saving, re-fasten loose pickets and work the treatment back into the wood. See fence weather treatment.
Pergolas get even more sun than a fence, because the top slats face the sky all day. We stain them the same way, usually at the same visit as the fence: pergola staining.

Which colors are available?

We use Wood Defender fence stain in nine colors: Cedar Tone, Redwood, Leatherwood, Oxford Brown, Desert Sand, Rustic Oak, Sierra, Sable Brown and Coffee Brown. The stain is translucent, so the grain still shows through. If you are not sure, ask Blake during the estimate which tones hold up on a south-facing run.

Why spring is the busy season

Most Lubbock homeowners call about stain in the spring. The fence has come through winter looking dry and grey, the wind has worked on it for months, and the weather is warm enough for the stain to cure before the summer sun hits. If you want the fence sealed before summer, call early in the season so we can get you on the schedule.

We fix the fence before we seal it

Sealing a broken board just preserves the break. Before anything is stained, loose pickets get re-fastened, split boards and soft posts get replaced, and the gate gets squared up. During the estimate Blake pushes on the posts, checks the rails where they meet the posts and tells you honestly whether sealing makes sense or whether that money belongs in a new section. Either way you get a price before any work starts.

What customers say about staining

Steve M. wrote on Google: "Determination to get the job done right! Thank you to Blake and his crew for their attention in getting our fence/pergola re-staining project competed. Both look new...keeping your fence and pergola treated/stained is the ticket to them lasting a long time (plus looking great)."

Get a free in-town staining estimate

Call (806) 535-5351 or request an estimate online. We are open seven days a week, 7:30 AM to 8:00 PM, and we stain fences and pergolas in Lubbock and the towns around it.

Fence Staining and Weather Treatment services

How the job runs

Call or send the form

You will usually talk to Blake, the owner. He asks a few questions about the fence, wood or chain link, what broke, roughly how long the run is.
Free in-town estimate

We look at the fence in person, check the posts, measure the run and talk through what you want. Estimates inside Lubbock are free.
A quote before work starts

You get the price before anything is torn out or built. Reviewers have pointed out that the final bill matched the quote.
The crew does the work

The crew repairs, builds or stains the fence, works around gardens and pets, and cleans up when the job is done.

Fence Staining and Weather Treatment: common questions

What kind of stain do you use?

An oil-based penetrating stain. It soaks into the cedar and seals it so water beads off instead of soaking in, rather than sitting on the surface like paint. We use Wood Defender fence stain in nine colors: Cedar Tone, Redwood, Leatherwood, Oxford Brown, Desert Sand, Rustic Oak, Sierra, Sable Brown and Coffee Brown.

How soon should a new cedar fence be stained?

As soon as the wood is clean and dry, which in Lubbock is usually within a few weeks of the build. Sealing it early keeps the boards from greying before they are ever protected.

Can a grey fence be brought back?

Usually. If the posts and rails are solid, a clean and re-seal brings the color back and stops the boards soaking up water. Soft posts or split rails get fixed first, then the fence is treated.

When is the busy season for staining?

Spring. Fences come through winter dry and grey, and the weather is warm enough for stain to cure before the summer sun. Call early in the season to get on the schedule.

Do you stain pergolas too?

Yes. We stain and treat pergolas as well as fences, and it often makes sense to do both at the same visit with the same stain so the yard reads as one color.

Fence Staining and Weather Treatment in Lubbock, TX