I've been down this road myself, and honestly, I'm not convinced stain is always the better choice. Sure, paint can trap moisture if you're rushing prep or painting damp wood (been there, done that...), but a quality exterior paint applied correctly can actually seal and protect the wood pretty effectively. I've got windows I painted about 8 years ago—still holding up strong with minimal touch-ups.
Stain does breathe better, I'll give you that, but the fading drives me nuts. Seems like every couple of years I'm out there reapplying it just to keep things looking decent. Maybe it's just my climate or something, but stain maintenance feels like a never-ending chore.
Not saying paint is perfect—far from it—but if you invest in proper prep and use a high-quality product, it can definitely hold its own long-term. Just my two cents...
Interesting points here, but I'm wondering if climate plays a bigger role than we realize. I stained my deck railing about three years ago, and it's already looking pretty rough—faded and patchy in spots. But my neighbor painted his around the same time, and it still looks almost new. Could it be that stain just doesn't hold up as well in areas with harsher sun exposure or heavy rain? Curious if anyone else has noticed something similar...
I've noticed something similar with staining, especially on surfaces exposed to direct sun. A few years back, I stained some wooden window frames on the south side of my house—thought it'd look nicer than paint. Within two summers, they were faded and patchy, just like your railing. Ended up sanding them down and repainting with a good exterior paint, and they've held up way better since. Seems like stain just doesn't have the same UV protection as paint does...
I've had similar experiences with stain fading quickly, especially on south-facing surfaces. Paint definitely seems to offer better UV protection, but I've wondered if anyone's tried those newer UV-blocking clear coats over stain? They're supposed to help preserve the wood's natural look while adding durability. Curious if they'd hold up better or if it's mostly marketing hype...
"They're supposed to help preserve the wood's natural look while adding durability."
I've seen those UV clear coats advertised too, but honestly, I'm skeptical. My neighbor tried one last summer, and his deck still faded pretty noticeably. Maybe windows fare better than decks...? Has anyone had better luck?
Decks get way more direct sun and foot traffic, so maybe that's why your neighbor's faded faster? I did my windows with a UV clear coat about two years ago, and they still look decent—not perfect, but better than expected. Still skeptical long-term though...
Interesting point about the UV clear coat holding up better on windows. I've noticed similar results on some projects, but it seems to depend a lot on the exposure and wood type. Have you noticed any difference in durability between south-facing windows versus north-facing ones? In my experience, orientation makes a pretty big difference in how quickly finishes degrade...
"In my experience, orientation makes a pretty big difference in how quickly finishes degrade..."
I've definitely noticed this too. My south-facing windows seem to take a beating—UV clear coats or not. North-facing ones hold up surprisingly well. Maybe it's the direct sunlight intensity or heat fluctuations...? Curious if anyone's tried different wood species to combat this.
I've had similar observations with south-facing windows, and honestly, I'm not convinced wood species alone would make a significant difference against UV exposure. Even hardwoods like mahogany or white oak eventually show degradation under intense sunlight. I've seen some clients opt for aluminum-clad wood windows on the southern side, which seems to hold up better. Has anyone tried combining exterior-grade stains with UV-blocking films? Curious if that might help...
- Totally agree on the hardwood thing—my south-facing oak windows faded faster than my hairline.
- Tried UV-blocking film once...it helped a bit, but honestly, wasn't a miracle fix. Still saw some fading after a couple years.
- Aluminum-clad wood sounds promising though, wish I'd thought of that earlier.
- Might give exterior-grade stains another shot next summer, but expectations are low. Sun always wins eventually...