Timber & Decking · Perth, WA
Specialist timber restoration and staining across Perth. We clean, sand and restore greyed, weathered timber, then stain and UV-seal it. Free quotes.
Timber & Decking · Perth, WA
Timber Restoration & Staining across Perth
Natural timber gives a home warmth and character that paint can't match, but left exposed to Perth's sun it doesn't stay that way for long. The timber screens, battens, pergolas, exposed beams and feature cladding that make a home stand out will grey, dry out and lose their colour within a few seasons if they're not looked after. Timber restoration brings that weathered, silvered timber back to life: cleaned, sanded, re-stained and sealed so the natural grain and colour return, and protected so they last.
At LA Painting & Decorating, restoring and staining natural timber has been part of our exterior work across Perth for 18 years. We work on timber screening and battens, pergolas and patios, exposed beams, feature timber and naturally finished cladding, bringing greyed and faded timber back to a rich, protected finish. We finish the timbers common on Perth homes, from WA jarrah to merbau, spotted gum, blackbutt and treated pine, matching the stain and sealer to the species and its exposure. Every job is cleaned, prepared and finished with products chosen for the timber and for Perth's climate, so the colour lasts and the timber stays protected rather than fading again in a season.
kelly bullPerth, WA“Luke and his team are professional, well mannered and highly skilled. Not one drop of paint out of place. The team meticulously inspects their work, they all go above and beyond to ensure the customer is 100% satisfied.”
Gloria WestawayPerth, WA“Luke is just magic. Our window frames came up so much brighter and the whole room feels lighter. I'll definitely be back for more.”
Restoration is about protecting and enhancing natural timber, not painting over it. Staining and sealing let the grain show through while shielding the timber from UV and moisture, where paint hides it completely. If the timber you have in mind is painted weatherboard cladding rather than a natural finish, our weatherboard restoration & repair service is the right fit, and for a full painted exterior see exterior painting. We'll always tell you honestly which finish suits your timber before we quote.
The difference between a stain that holds its colour for years and one that greys off within a season is almost entirely in the preparation and the products. In 18 years finishing timber across Perth, that's the part we've learned never to cut.
A look at recent timber restoration and staining work. Real paint jobs by LA Painting & Decorating across Perth. See all our recent work
Why LA Painting & Decorating
Natural timber is a specialty of LA Painting & Decorating, not a sideline. Here's what that means for your home.
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Natural timber behaves differently to painted surfaces, and finishing it well takes specific experience. With 18 years restoring and staining timber across Perth, we know how different timbers weather and which finishes hold on each.
As a Dulux Accredited Painter we specify premium timber systems such as Intergrain, with stains, oils and sealers that carry real UV protection, matched to your timber and its exposure rather than whatever's cheapest on the shelf.
The cleaning and sanding nobody sees is what makes a timber finish hold. We take the surface back to sound timber every time, because on timber it's the only way the colour and protection last.
Even colour worked into the grain, clean edges around screens and battens, and a consistent finish across every timber element, so the result reads as one rather than a patchwork.
We'll tell you honestly whether your timber suits a stain, a clear finish or an oil, and whether staining or painting is the better call, rather than pushing one option. Getting the finish right is half the result.
Fully licensed, insured and accredited, and focused on timber that still looks warm and protected years down the track, backed by a workmanship warranty and a 4.9-star record.
Warning signs
Timber tells you when it's losing the battle with the sun, and catching it early keeps the job simple. Here's what tells you the natural timber on a Perth home is due for restoration.
The classic sign. Timber left exposed to the sun gradually goes silver-grey as the surface fibres break down under UV. It isn't rot, and the timber underneath is usually still sound, but the grey layer has to be cleaned and sanded back before the natural colour can be brought out again.
Stained or oiled timber that's gone flat, patchy and washed-out has lost its colour and, with it, much of its protection. Once the rich tone has faded to a dull grey-brown, the finish has worn through and the timber is due to be restored and recoated.
Perth sits under some of the highest UV in the country, and it's the single biggest enemy of exterior timber. UV breaks down both the finish and the surface of the timber itself, which is why sun-exposed screens, battens and beams always weather years before shaded ones.
Timber that's dried out looks parched and often shows fine surface cracks (checking) or splits along the grain. A dry, unprotected surface soaks up water and moves more with the weather, so restoring and sealing it helps keep the timber stable as well as good-looking.
As the finish fails and the surface weathers, timber goes rough and fibrous to the touch, sometimes lifting into a furry grain. That degraded surface won't hold a new coat properly, so it needs cleaning and sanding back to sound timber first.
On healthy sealed timber, water beads and runs off. When it soaks straight in and darkens the timber instead, the seal has worn through and moisture is getting into the grain, which speeds up greying, splitting and mould.
Black or green spotting and dark watermarks take hold on timber that's lost its protective finish and stays damp. It's common on shaded, poorly ventilated screens and pergolas, and it needs treating as part of the clean before any new finish goes on.
Where an old film-forming coating has failed, it lifts and flakes rather than wearing evenly. Those failed patches have to be stripped and sanded back so the new finish bonds to sound timber, not to a coating that's already letting go.
What we do
Whatever state your timber is in, and whatever finish you're after, there's a restoration path for it. Here's how we bring natural timber back across Perth.
The heart of what we do: cleaning back greyed, tired timber and re-staining it to bring the natural grain and colour back. We match the stain to the timber and the look you're after, from a light natural tone through to a rich, deep finish, and apply it so the colour is even and lasting. It's the quickest way to turn silvered, weathered timber back into a feature.
For timber that's weathered and silvered but still sound, rejuvenation restores it rather than replacing it. We strip back the grey surface, treat and prepare the timber, and bring it back to a warm, natural finish. It costs a fraction of replacing screens, battens or beams, and keeps the original timber that gives a home its character.
Sealing is what keeps water and moisture out of the grain once the colour is right. We apply the correct sealer for the timber and its exposure so the surface sheds water, resists mould and stays stable through Perth's wet winters and dry summers. Without it, even a good stain greys off far sooner than it should.
Where you want the timber to look like timber, a clear or natural finish protects it while letting the full grain show through. We apply clear coats and natural-look finishes that guard against UV and moisture without adding colour, for a clean, contemporary result. It suits pale timbers and modern homes where the grain is the feature.
Because UV is the main thing that greys timber, we finish with products that carry UV protection built in. These slow the fading dramatically compared to an untreated or basic finish, which is what keeps sun-exposed timber holding its colour for years rather than months. On Perth's most exposed timber it's the difference that matters most.
From timber screens and battens to pergolas, patios, exposed beams, timber entry doors and feature cladding, we restore the natural timber elements that give a home its character. Everything is finished to one consistent standard so the timber features read as one, sharp and protected across the whole home. It's the detail that lifts an exterior from tidy to considered.
Why it happens
Timber is a living material, and the finish on it is what stands between the grain and the weather. Understanding why it breaks down is what makes a restoration last.
Perth's intense, year-round UV is the number-one reason exterior timber greys and fails. It breaks down both the finish and the surface fibres of the timber, and the screens, battens and beams that catch the most sun always show it first.
Driving winter rain, dew and general damp soak into timber once the seal has worn through. That moisture swells and shrinks the timber, feeds mould and lifts the grain, and it's a big part of why an unprotected surface deteriorates so fast.
Perth's long, hot summers dry timber out, drawing moisture from the surface and leaving it parched and prone to checking and splitting. A good finish slows that drying and keeps the timber more stable through the heat.
Timber swells when it's wet and shrinks as it dries, and Perth's swing between wet winters and dry summers works it hard. That constant movement is what opens splits and breaks down a finish that isn't flexible enough to move with it.
Timber finishes are sacrificial by design; they wear so the timber doesn't. Left too long between maintenance coats, the finish wears through completely and the timber itself starts to grey and degrade, turning a simple recoat into a full restoration.
Older timber, and timber finished years ago with a basic or worn-out product, reaches the point where the surface has degraded and the old finish has failed. At that stage it needs restoring back to sound timber before a new finish will hold.
Between the high UV, the summer heat, the winter downpours and, near the coast, the salt air, Perth is one of the harsher environments in Western Australia for keeping natural timber looking its best. It's exactly why the preparation and the finish you choose matter so much.
How we do it
A lasting timber finish is a sequence, not a quick coat. Every timber restoration we take on follows the same seven stages, from the first inspection to the final walkthrough.
We inspect the timber, identify the species and its condition, check how far the old finish has worn and look for any splitting, mould or damage, so we know exactly what your timber needs before we quote.
We assess how weathered and sound the timber is and test how the existing finish is holding, which tells us how much stripping and sanding is needed and which stain or sealer will suit the timber and the look you want.
The timber is thoroughly cleaned to strip dirt, grime, mould and the degraded grey surface layer. Cleaning back to sound timber is essential, because a new finish applied over a weathered or mouldy surface won't bond or last.
We sand the timber back to a smooth, sound surface, removing the greyed fibres and any failed finish and opening the grain up to take the new coat. On timber this preparation is what the whole result depends on, so it's never rushed.
We apply the chosen stain or clear finish in the correct number of coats, worked into the grain for even, lasting colour. Matching and applying the finish well is what brings the natural timber back to life.
A protective, UV-resistant sealer goes over the finish to lock in the colour and shield the timber from sun and moisture. This is what turns a good-looking result into a lasting one.
We check the finished timber with you, confirm the coverage and consistency, tidy the site, and make sure you're happy. The job isn't done until every timber element reads as one warm, even, protected finish.
The finish
Stains add colour while letting the grain show through, from light natural tones to rich, deep finishes. They penetrate the timber rather than sitting on top, which is why they wear gracefully and are ideal for screens, battens and feature timber where you want warmth and grain together.
Where you want the timber to look untouched, a clear or natural finish protects without adding colour. It's the choice for pale timbers and contemporary looks, though clear finishes generally need more frequent maintenance because they carry less UV-blocking pigment than a stain.
A sealer is what keeps moisture out of the grain and holds everything stable. The right sealer for the timber and its exposure is what stops water penetration, mould and the swelling and splitting that follow, so it's a key part of any lasting timber finish.
On some timbers a penetrating oil is the right call, soaking in to nourish and protect the timber with a low-sheen, natural look that's easy to maintain and re-coat. Where an oil suits the timber and the setting, we'll recommend it.
Because UV is what greys timber, the level of UV protection in a finish is often the single biggest factor in how long it lasts. We favour finishes with proven UV resistance, which is what keeps sun-exposed timber holding its colour for years.
There's no single best finish; the right one depends on the timber, its exposure and the look you want. Getting that choice right is where a specialist earns their keep, and it's the difference between a finish you recoat every few years and one that greys off by the next summer.
Questions
In most cases, yes. Greyed, silvered and faded timber that's still structurally sound can be cleaned and sanded back to fresh timber, then re-stained and sealed to bring the natural colour and grain back. Only timber that has actually rotted or structurally failed needs replacing.
It depends on the look and the timber. Staining keeps the natural grain visible and wears gracefully, which suits screens, battens, beams and feature timber. Paint gives a solid colour and hides the grain, which suits weatherboard cladding and trims. We'll advise honestly based on your timber and the finish you want.
On exterior timber in Perth, a quality stain typically holds its colour for a few years before it needs a maintenance coat, depending on the exposure and the product. Sun-drenched, unshaded timber needs recoating sooner. Staying on top of maintenance coats is what avoids a full restoration later.
Yes. Sealing is what keeps moisture out of the grain and protects the timber from mould, swelling and splitting. Even a stained or oiled surface relies on the sealing and UV protection in the system to last, so it isn't a step to skip on exterior timber.
Largely, yes. Cleaning and sanding back the greyed surface reveals the fresh timber underneath, and the right stain brings back a rich, natural colour close to the original, or a new tone if you prefer. The exact result depends on the timber and how far it has weathered.
There's no single best finish; it depends on the timber, its exposure and the look you want. Penetrating stains and oils with good UV protection tend to perform and maintain best on exterior timber in Perth's sun. We match the finish to your timber rather than applying a one-size-fits-all product.
Most exterior timber benefits from a maintenance coat every couple of years, sooner on heavily sun-exposed elements. A quick clean and recoat before the finish wears through completely is far cheaper and easier than a full strip-back and restoration.
Yes. As long as it's sound, old and weathered timber can be cleaned, sanded and refinished to look warm and rich again. Rejuvenating existing timber screens, battens, pergolas and beams is a fraction of the cost of replacing them.
It depends on the amount of timber, how weathered it is and the weather itself, but most timber restoration jobs take a few days. Cleaning, sanding and drying time all matter, and we won't rush the preparation that decides how long the finish lasts. You'll get a realistic timeframe with your quote.
The key is a quality finish with real UV protection, applied over well-prepared timber, and kept up with maintenance coats before it wears through. UV and moisture are what damage timber here, so a UV-resistant stain or oil and a good sealer are your best protection.
Yes. Natural timber cladding, screens, battens, pergolas, patios and exposed beams are exactly the kind of work this service covers. For painted timber weatherboards rather than a natural finish, our weatherboard restoration & repair service is the better fit.
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