FINISH APPLICATION
Although sealing or staining or painting your gate
does not prolong the life of the cedar, it is often a preferred aesthetic
while also helping to maintain the gate's dimensional stability. In most
climates, the calculated spacing between the gate and lock-side post is
enough, at 3/8", to allow for normal
expansion and contraction. This is compounded in certain areas such as
southern Florida or Hawaii where there is often rain and intense heat within
the same afternoon. These considerations are minimized by a wax emulsion
coating on all gates applied in the shop to the top and bottom end-grains
of both stiles.
When applying your finish, start with one side, brushing the bottom rail with the grain and then the vertical stiles with the grain to avoid the brush strokes over-lapping. This is for all horizontal rails, not allowing the brush stroke to dry before brushing the vertical stile. Do not apply stain to the edges of the pickets or upper pattern on this side or the stain will run down the opposite side and leave run marks penetrating the bare wood before you are able to finish the opposite side. For those with solid lower panels, do not stain the edges of your open slots until the back side is addressed. Once you turn to the other side, you can then apply stain to the picket faces and edges, knowing the run-off will not absorb against the already stained surface. Check, when finished, the direction of your brush stroke to smooth out any over-laps. Do not, with semi-transparent stains, natural oils, or clear seals, apply a second coat once this first coat is dry. The gate has been sealed, and further applications will not absorb evenly, resulting in a splotchy build-up.
Spray finishes: You can finish your panels with clear seal, natural oil, or semi-transpenrant stains using a common, rented, garden pump sprayer. This quickens the process considerably and although it may require some back-brushing, it is nevertheless much simpler than brushing a thousand pickets. This method is not adviseable for semi-solid stains and paints. Spraying these requires an industrial set-up and requires back-brushing. |