Stain a House Exterior: national average cost The national average materials cost to stain a house exterior is $0.55 per square foot, with a range between $0.29 to $0.80. The total price for labor and materials per square foot is $2.54, coming in between $1.49 to $3.59.

Pressure washing typically costs between $60 to $100 an hour, according to Fixr.com. For example, a 1,200 square foot home takes about six hours to pressure wash and costs between $360 to $600.

Power washing a house costs $173 to $358, while pressure washing a deck or driveway ranges from $108 to $262. The average cost for power washing is $0.35 to $0.77 per square foot, and your total price will depend on the size of the job. Get free estimates from pressure washing companies near you.

Most stains come in 1-gallon containers and provide around 200 to 300 square feet of coverage per can.

Another important reason why stain lasts longer than paint on cedar siding is that they are durable enough to take foot traffic. Due to its durable nature, stain protects wood better than the normal paint. Solid stain actually protects wood better by letting the moisture escape if moisture is allowed into the wood.

STAINING CEDAR WOOD: THE BASICS OF PROTECTING YOUR SIDING According to Networx, “wood siding should be repainted every 3-7 years, or stained approximately every 4 years.” How often you’ll need to restain or repaint will depend on your region’s weather conditions as well as how often your home suffers damage.

Semi-Solid – Semi-solid deck stains will almost completely hide the wood grain and natural color. These stains provide more UV protection than a semi-transparent and are a better representation of the stain’s actual color. Solid color stains will “film” on top of the wood, masking the grain, while looking like paint.

Power washing can be used to clean cedar as long as the sprayer is set at a low pressure to prevent damaging the wood’s soft surface. For cedar siding with a smooth surface, scrape the paint and clean the cedar before painting.

After cleaning your cedar to bring back its color, apply a clear exterior varnish to help sustain it. A quality weatherproofing product will prolong the fresh look of your cedar and help limit algae growth. If you would prefer your siding stained another color, choose a stain that is darker than the cedar.

The answer is: YES, pressure washing absolutely can damage vinyl siding if done incorrectly. Pressure washing is not good to use on any kind of soft surface, like window screens, for example. Vinyl siding is a hard surface, but it’s not as hard as, say, brick.

A safe deep-cleaner for wood siding is oxygen bleach. It is a powder that mixes with water. It is non-toxic to vegetation and trees and will not remove any natural color from the siding. You simply keep the wood siding wet with the oxygen bleach solution for 15 minutes.

As cedar ages, the wood slowly changes color. Tannins ordinarily leach from cedar wood, and do not normally cause any problems. However, when tannins mix with metal and iron, a chemical reaction occurs and a black stain can form. Cedar, along with any other wood, is a natural habitat for mildew and mold.

OxiClean is just one of many different brands of oxygen bleach cleaners. Oxygen bleach, aside from being great at cleaning siding covered in mold or mildew, is perfectly safe for you and the environment.

Vinegar can also be used to rid of algae. Use a mixture of water and white vinegar to spray down the area and kill the algae.

Fight the Mold: 10 Ways to Keep Your Home Siding Mold-Free

1. Schedule Regular Cleanings. Use the garden hose and a soft-bristle brush to clean your siding surface every few months.
2. Allow for Direct Sunlight.
3. Eliminate Climbing Vines.
4. Mitigate the Moss.
5. Be Swift.
6. Mind the Sprinklers.
7. Invest in Good Insulation.

Green stains on siding are usually the result of mold, mildew, algae or moss. When house siding begins to turn green, it diminishes the exterior appearance of the home.

To Prevent Mold Growth in Your Home

1. Keep humidity levels in your home as low as you can—no higher than 50%–all day long.
2. Be sure the air in your home flows freely.
3. Fix any leaks in your home’s roof, walls, or plumbing so mold does not have moisture to grow.