Wood Stains and Cleaners: Proper Storage In Cold Winter Weather

Dec. 5, 2011 - PRLog -- World of Stains ships high quality wood finishes, stains, and other products to all corners of the country - from California to Maine and everywhere in between.  They are often asked by customers in Northern climates, or anywhere the weather gets cold, about the proper storage conditions for the products we offer.   In this article they’ll share their recommendations for safe storage of deck stains and wood maintenance products.

Most of the wood stain sold by http://www.worldofstains.com is oil based and contains no water.  You don’t need to keep these products from freezing, because oils will simply thicken with colder temps.  Make sure that all lids or caps on stain containers are tightly secured.  This will keep the thinners from evaporating from the stain and insure that the product does not gel or thicken with time.  Try to store oil based wood finishes in full or mostly full containers. If you have a partially filled pail or can, the “head space” or air above the liquid product can allow it to skin over or gel.  According to representatives from wood stain manufacturers Cabot and Messmer's Inc., "Properly sealed oil based wood finishes can have a shelf life of five years or more".  If in doubt, contact the manufacturer directly and they can often determine the age of a product if you supply the batch code from the packaging.

Waterborne or water-based products can be identified by label instructions referring to cleanup with soap and water.  These products have a shorter shelf life, often just two to three years even in good storage conditions.  Waterborne products need to be kept above freezing temperatures.  Manufacturers often formulate to allow for a few “freeze-thaw” cycles, but the products can break down and degrade if they are frozen and thawed more than once or twice.  Check the wood stain or coating for a gritty texture or lumpy appearance similar to cottage cheese.  If it shows signs of freezing damage then it should be properly disposed of.  Allow it to dry out completely on layers of newspaper, and then throw it away in your household garbage pickup. As always, be sure to follow any local regulations you may have regarding waste disposal.

Liquid wood cleaners, brighteners, or strippers should be kept above freezing, but are less susceptible to permanent damage.  If the product has gotten too cold or been frozen in the past, it may appear cloudy or have separated.  Before use, warm the product up and stir it back to a consistent mixture.  Powder concentrates are not harmed by cold temperatures and have an almost unlimited shelf life if kept dry.

With proper storage, you can insure that your wood stains, finishes and prep products are ready to use when the weather warms.  Make sure all products are tightly sealed.  Keep waterborne products above freezing temperatures, and be sure to follow all label directions on any product you use.

You can find many choices of the best wood and deck stains here: http://www.worldofstains.com/Deck-Stains-Log-Home-Stains-....  Also, see http://www.worldofstains.com/Wood-Cleaners-Wood-Brightene... for wood cleaners, brighteners, and strippers available from World of Stains.  If you have any questions, call the wood stain experts from World of Stains at 866-645-5544, or visit their web site at www.worldofstains.com.

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World of Stains ships high quality wood and deck stains, log home finishes, roof coatings, and associated products directly to the consumer. With expert customer service, in stock orders are shipped within 24 hours, and five gallon pails ship for free.