To choose a fence stain color in Georgetown, start with your HOA’s rules, then decide how much of the wood grain you want to see, then look at the colors on your own fence in your own light. Picking from a phone screen is the most common way to end up with a color you did not expect.
Here is how to work through each step before your fence gets stained.
What Fence Stain Colors Does Stain Guys Offer?
Stain Guys offers two stain lines: its own custom-mixed water-based stain and Wood Defender oil-based stain. Stain Guys is a Certified Wood Defender Applicator.
The water-based colors are:
- Signature Cedar, the best seller and the most-requested color. It brings out the natural warmth of the wood grain with a rich, consistent finish.
- Russet Brown, a rich red-brown.
- Mystic Black, a bold modern matte black.
The Wood Defender oil-based colors are:
| Color | How it reads |
|---|---|
| Cedar Tone | Warm golden cedar |
| Coffee Brown | Deep dark brown |
| Leatherwood | Warm tan-brown |
| Oxford Brown | Medium earthy brown |
| Dark Walnut | Rich espresso brown |
| Sedona | Warm desert red |
| Sierra | Deep warm brown |
| Sable Brown | Dark rich brown |
Every photo on the Stain Guys stain colors page is a fence the crew stained in and around Georgetown, so you can see each color on a real job.
Does Your HOA Limit Your Fence Stain Color?
Some HOAs do limit fence stain colors, so check your HOA’s approved colors before you pick one. The rules are not the same from one neighborhood to the next.
Two examples from neighborhoods Stain Guys works in:
- Teravista. The Teravista HOA’s FAQ names only one approved fence stain, and it says the HOA does not maintain your fence. See the Teravista fence staining page for how Stain Guys plans a job around that rule.
- Crystal Falls. The Crystal Falls HOA’s ACC FAQ says any fence stain needs ACC approval, and it posts a range of colors the ACC will approve. The Crystal Falls fence staining page covers the rest of what that FAQ says.
If you are not sure what your HOA allows, ask the HOA office before you settle on a color, and tell Stain Guys your neighborhood when you request an estimate.
How Much Wood Grain Do You Want to See?
The darker and more opaque a stain is, the less of the wood grain shows through. The USDA Forest Products Laboratory’s Wood Handbook chapter on finishing wood says added pigment maintains color and extends a finish’s service life, but gives a less natural look because it partially hides the wood’s grain and color.
The same Forest Service handbook says almost all pigments block ultraviolet radiation, so in general more pigment means more protection for the wood. Solid-color stains go furthest: the handbook describes them as opaque finishes that obscure the natural color and grain of wood.
So a fence stain color is also a choice about the look of the wood. Decide whether you want the grain to stay in view or want a more even color across the fence, and tell the crew at your estimate.
Why Should You See Stain Colors on Wood, Not a Screen?
Screens and phone photos never show stain color perfectly, which is why Stain Guys brings a physical stain sample board to every estimate. You can hold each color up against your own fence, in your own yard’s light, before you decide.
Which Stain Line Should You Choose?
Stain Guys picks the right stain line for your fence at the estimate, after looking at the wood. Each stain line has its own set of colors, so talk through the line and the color together at that visit.
If you already have a favorite color from the stain colors page, mention it on your estimate request so the crew can talk through it with you on site.
What If Your Fence Has Already Turned Gray?
A gray fence can still take a fresh stain color. The Forest Products Laboratory explains that weathered wood looks silvery gray because weathering removes colored components from the wood surface.
That is why prep matters before any color goes on. On a Stain Guys job, the crew cleans the fence and removes mildew and buildup so the stain can soak in, fixes loose boards and broken pickets first, and then stains every board, picket and post for one even color, top to bottom.
How Do You Get Started?
Stain Guys schedules every estimate through its request form, and the team reaches out within 24 hours to set up a time. The crew brings the sample board, so you can pick your color on your own fence.
If you live in Georgetown, Sun City, Round Rock, Leander, Cedar Park or Liberty Hill, send the estimate request form and choose your fence stain color with the board in hand.
