I’ve posted about this before and will continue to do so a couple of times a year because I strongly believe in what you should or shouldn’t stain your playset with!
If you purchased a playset from us, I may have told you to stain it after the first year. However, you can actually wait longer depending on where your playset is placed in your yard. Sunlight is what really wears down the playset. If it’s in full sun, you’ll likely need to stain it the following year. But if it’s in a shady area, you can probably wait another season before staining.
Once your playset is built, you’ll start to see wear on high-traffic areas like the steps, rock wall, and deck right away. Don’t worry, though—just wait until you see more wear all over the playset. The areas not showing wear won’t take the stain well anyway. Save yourself some money and time by waiting a bit longer to get the most out of your investment.
This advice applies to all wooden playsets, not just the ones we sell. No matter where you got your playset, you should stain it at least once every few years, but you can probably wait a few seasons in between. Again, Sun is what really beats the playsets up so if yours in direct sunlight then you may have to re-stain more often.
What should you use when it’s time to stain your set?
We’ve been using Superdeck by Duckback products for 28 years. It’s a one-coat application modified oil-based stain. We use semi-transparent Pigment color Heart Redwood. We prefer the semi-transparent because it covers a bit more but still lets the grain show through. We sell it at our store in Cedar Springs, MI or you can get it at Sherwin Williams. The Heart Redwood pigment matches Rainbow playsets best, but there are many colors to choose from. Most sets need 1-2 gallons, but it’s a good idea to buy extra just in case. Make sure you can return any unused ones or at the very least store it in a place it can’t freeze.
I have seen a lot of people use this big hardware store brand stain that is a water sealant Please Please Please do not use this product on your playset! It is a water sealant, but the problem is that the parts that are not stained is where the water will seep in and then the water can’t get out so it ends up rotting your set from the inside out.
Tips on staining.
You can go over the hardware while stain HOWEVER make sure you have a rag to wipe it off immediately or else if it dries it’s very difficult to get off.
If you have a Jacobs ladder save your paper towel & toilet paper rolls – cut them and put them over the ropes because if you get stain on the ropes it’s there for life.
If you start one board finish that board before you walk away – if you start and stop on a board you might be able to tell.
It’s a dirty job but it’s worth it and you don’t have to do it every year.
If you have any questions just ask even if you don’t have a Rainbow or you didn’t buy from us I am more than happy to help make sure you get the longest life out of your playset you can.
Visit us at BackyardFunZone or call today at 616-785-7383.
