Professional fence staining in San Diego. Prep matters more than paint.

Every 2–3 years for semi-transparent stain, 3–5 years for solid-color stain. Inland and east county sun fades stain faster, 2-year cycles there. Coastal humidity shortens the cycle too. You'll know it's time when water no longer beads on the wood.

Oil-based penetrating stains like Ready Seal, Defy Extreme, or TWP 1500-series. They soak into the wood, protect from UV and moisture, and never peel because there's no film to peel. Avoid water-based acrylics and anything labeled "paint", they form a film that cracks in sun.

No on both counts. Stain needs to soak into dry wood. Stain over wet wood gets trapped in the grain and never cures properly. New fences need 30–60 days to acclimate and dry. Pressure-washed fences need 48+ hours before restaining.

Stain. Paint creates a surface film that cracks, peels, and traps moisture under the film. Wood needs to breathe. Solid-color stains give paint-like color coverage while still letting the wood release moisture. We won't paint a fence, it's not the right product.

Professional fence staining covers four steps: pressure-wash, a 48-hour dry, light sanding of any gray wood, then a penetrating oil stain sprayed and backrolled so it soaks evenly. Sealing is the same penetrating coat, it locks out UV and moisture so the wood doesn't gray or crack. The crews in the San Diego network seal new wood within 60 days and re-coat existing fences on a 2 to 3 year cycle.