When your fence needs stain, here's what that looks like with RKC: Same company that installed it (or that has stained RKC jobs for years) shows up. Semi-transparent penetrating products, spray + back-brush on every board, written re-stain schedule on the invoice. 30 days after every new install, 2 years for cedar, 3 for PT.
A properly stained cedar fence stays the color it was the day it dried. The color holds. The schedule is tracked on our calendar. The same crew comes back for re-coats. Four outcomes worth naming.
Three years in, a properly stained cedar fence still looks like cedar — not the silver-gray weathering you see on unstained fences. The back-brushed stain penetrated and the top coat still sheds water. The south-facing run holds up as well as the north.
Same RKC crew that installed the fence handles the re-stain. No new subcontractor walking the yard, no relearning the layout, no separate point of contact. Maintenance and install live under one roof.
The re-stain date sits on our calendar. When the window comes up we reach out, quote the refresh, and book the visit. Tracked from our side, not yours.
Stain color is chosen from sample boards on site before any spraying starts. Cedar-honey, chestnut, walnut, or clear — whichever color gets picked is what goes on, consistent across every board on the run.
PROBLEM DIAGNOSIS
You already know your fence looks tired. What you need is a clear read on why, and what fixing it costs. Kansas City’s intense summer UV, 40+ inches of annual rainfall, and 80+ freeze-thaw cycles break down wood finishes in predictable ways. Here are the five patterns we see on most staining calls — and how we restore each one.
When KC fences need stain most. Cedar silvers out in 12–18 months of unprotected sun. Pressure-treated pine needs sealing within 30–60 days of install. Summer UV takes the biggest toll — south- and west-facing runs fail first. Fall is the heaviest staining season because it’s the window before the first hard freeze locks the surface. Whichever stage your fence is in, we’ve restored it before.
Symptom: Cedar has turned uniform gray or silver across the whole face. Grain still looks intact but color is gone.
Cause: Unstained cedar loses color in 12–18 months of Kansas City sun. Once surface tannins oxidize, the wood looks aged. Structurally it can still be sound — but visually it reads "neglected fence."
How RKC fixes it: Pressure wash on low to strip the oxidized surface layer, 24–48 hour dry cycle, then apply semi-transparent penetrating stain via spray and back-brush. Color returns close to original cedar tones. Schedule re-coat every 2–3 years going forward.
Symptom: Old stain is lifting, bubbling, or peeling off in strips. Bare wood showing through in patches.
Cause: Film-forming water-based stains (often entry-level products) sit on the surface instead of penetrating. They tend to fail early under UV, especially on south- and west-facing runs. Moisture gets trapped under the film and pushes it off.
How RKC fixes it: Full stripping of the failed product — pressure wash plus chemical stripper on stubborn patches. Sand where needed. Then re-stain with a semi-transparent penetrating product that soaks into the grain. Film-forming products won’t peel if they can’t form a film.
Symptom: PT lumber has turned a dull greenish-gray, blackened in spots (especially near irrigation), and feels dried-out to the touch.
Cause: Kiln-dried PT needs sealing within 30–60 days of install, and every 2–3 years after. When skipped, the chemical treatment migrates unevenly, surface checks form, and UV darkens the lignin.
How RKC fixes it: Deep wash with a wood brightener to neutralize the darkening, dry cycle, then oil-based semi-transparent stain (oil penetrates PT better than water-based). Re-oiling every 2–3 years keeps PT looking like cedar-quality for its full 10–15 year life.
Symptom: Two-tone fence — one section darker or glossier than the rest. Brushwork visible. Stain pooled at picket bottoms.
Cause: The last re-stain used a different product brand, a different color formulation, or was spray-only without back-brushing (which leaves drip lines). Often the work of a subbed-out staining crew working a different schedule than the original install.
How RKC fixes it: Re-wash the whole fence to level the surface, color-correct with a toner if the tones are too divergent, then uniform re-stain with spray and full back-brush. One product, one crew, one finish.
Symptom: Fresh stain beads up, sits on top, wipes off with a rag. Wood still looks pale. Crew likely stained too early.
Cause: New cedar and PT hold 20–30% internal moisture when installed. Stain needs dry wood (ideally under 15% moisture) to penetrate. Apply it on day one and it sits on top and flakes off in months.
How RKC fixes it: 30-day cure for new installs is our standard. Check moisture with a meter before stain day if in doubt. If stain is already beading, wash off what hasn’t absorbed, let the fence cure the remaining 2–3 weeks, then apply properly.
RKC is the Kansas City fence contractor that installs, repairs, and stains every type of fence — wood, vinyl, chain link, ornamental iron, aluminum, and commercial security — plus gates, automatic openers, and in-house staining. Staining applies to the wood products: cedar, pressure-treated pine, and wood gates.
HOW IT WORKS
Most residential stain jobs finish in 1–2 days on-site. Day one is wash and prep. Day two is stain application, once the wood has dried to the right moisture level. Larger fences over 300 linear feet or restoration-grade jobs run 2–3 days.
Pressure wash on low pressure (1,500–2,000 PSI) to strip surface oxidation, dirt, mildew, and any loose failed stain. Patch-sand where needed. 24–48 hour dry cycle depending on weather — we check moisture with a meter before stain day.
We carry Cabot, Sikkens, Ready Seal, and Benjamin Moore semi-transparent penetrating options. Color samples applied to an inconspicuous board show the color on the actual fence before we commit. Oil-based for PT, water-based semi-trans for cedar unless oil is preferred.
Two-person crew: one sprays with an airless pump for uniform coverage, the other follows immediately with a brush to back-brush into the grain. Spray alone leaves drip lines. Brush alone is uneven. Spray + back-brush gets deep penetration with no runs, drips, or thin spots.
We walk the full fence with you — check coverage, check edges, check picket bottoms and top caps. Any thin spots get a second pass. We leave you a written re-stain schedule on the invoice, typically 2 years for cedar and 3 years for PT.
STAINING STANDARDS
Every fence-stain job RKC performs follows the same six standards — same product class, same method, same cadence. These aren’t upsells. They’re why a semi-transparent penetrating stain holds for 2–3 years in the KC climate while entry-level film stains tend to peel in 12–18 months.
Film-forming stains (most solid stains and lower-tier water-based products) sit on the surface and tend to peel under KC UV. Semi-transparent penetrating stains soak into the grain — they weather by fading, not by peeling. The re-coat is simple: wash and re-apply. No stripping. We standardize on Cabot, Sikkens, Ready Seal, and Benjamin Moore.
Sprayers alone leave thin spots at picket bottoms and tops. Brushing alone leaves streaks. We run two-person crews so every sprayed board gets back-brushed within 60 seconds — while the stain is still wet. Coverage is uniform, penetration is deep, finish is clean.
Every RKC wood fence install ships with a 30-day stain date on the invoice. Fresh cedar or PT is too wet to take stain properly — the product sits on top and flakes off in weeks. 30 days lets the internal moisture drop to where stain penetrates the grain and holds for years.
KC’s 80+ freeze-thaw cycles, 40+ inches annual rainfall, and intense summer UV degrade stain faster than drier climates. Re-stain on cadence and a 20-year fence looks like a 20-year fence. Skip it and a 20-year fence looks like a 10-year one.
We log your stain date, product, color, and next recommended re-coat on the invoice. We keep a customer record on our side too — so when you’re due, you’re not guessing. Same company, same color, same method on every subsequent visit.
Every stain job ends with a walkthrough. We check every picket bottom, every post cap, every panel top. Thin spots get touched up before we pack out. You sign off before final balance is due.
Post depth matters here too. When we set replacement posts during a stain-plus-repair scope, every new post goes 36 inches deep in poured concrete, below the KC frost line. Stain protects the face of the fence; 36-inch posts protect the base.
STAIN COLORS & PRODUCTS
Every product on this page is semi-transparent and penetrates into the wood grain. None of them form a film on top. That’s the difference between a stain that fades gracefully over 2–3 years and one that peels in 18 months. Four product lines, roughly 20 stocked colors across them, custom tints available.
Oil-based semi-transparent · Penetrating
The workhorse for cedar. Rich natural-wood finish with deep grain show-through. Penetrates 5+ mm into dry cedar. Flagship colors: Natural, Honey Teak, Mahogany Flame, Jarrah Brown.
Best for: Cedar privacy, cedar shadow box, cedar gates.
Oil-based semi-transparent · Penetrating
Flexible oil-based formula that handles KC’s freeze-thaw without cracking. Great on fences with mixed materials (PT posts, cedar panels). Standard colors: Natural, Cedar, Teak, Dark Oak, Black Walnut.
Best for: Mixed-material fences, PT lumber, south-facing runs.
Oil-based semi-transparent · No back-brush required (we still do)
Goof-proof oil-based product that self-levels and doesn’t require back-brushing. We still back-brush for uniform penetration. Colors: Natural Cedar, Light Oak, Pecan, Redwood, Dark Walnut, Mesquite, Burnt Hickory.
Best for: Large linear-footage projects, PT pine, budget-conscious restorations.
Water-based semi-transparent · Penetrating
Water-based option for customers who want lower odor, faster cure, and easier cleanup. Performs well under KC UV with proper prep. Range runs natural through deep grays for modern aesthetics.
Best for: Cedar, low-odor preference, modern gray finishes, HOA-mandated colors.
Color samples applied to an inconspicuous board on your actual fence before we commit. See the finish in your sun, your angle, your material — not on a 2-inch laminate card.
IN-HOUSE VS SUB-CONTRACTED
Most KC fence contractors install the fence and then hand you off to a separate business for staining — or worse, a rotating cast of handymen. RKC keeps staining in-house. Same company, same crew standards, same product on file, same phone number to call if something goes wrong. Here’s what that actually means on the ground.
| Factor | RKC (In-House) | Sub-Contracted / Handyman |
|---|---|---|
| Who does the work | RKC crews. The same company that installed or has been stained RKC jobs for years. | Sub-contracted staining crew from a separate business, often rotated year to year. |
| Accountability if something goes wrong | One phone call to RKC. We come back and fix it under our workmanship standard. | Original contractor calls the sub, the sub may or may not still be in business. |
| Product consistency across years | Same product line on file. Your Year-2 re-stain matches your Year-0 stain exactly. | Whatever the current sub happens to stock. Two-tone risk on re-stain visits. |
| Scheduling and cadence | We track your install date and prompt the re-stain when you’re due. No guessing. | Original installer hands you off — no one tracks your fence. You have to remember. |
| Back-brushing and quality control | Two-person crew standard — spray plus immediate back-brush. Walkthrough before you pay. | Often one-person, spray-only, paced by per-linear-foot sub pay. Drip lines common. |
| Pricing transparency | Line-item quote, included in RKC install packages, stand-alone re-stain at published rates. | Marked up by the original contractor, upcharge layered on sub’s base rate. |
| Record of your job | We keep it. Date, product, color, linear footage — filed to your customer record. | No one keeps it. You are starting from zero on every future visit. |
STAINING PRICING
Per-linear-foot pricing. Every quote is itemized before work starts. Ranges below cover standard residential fences in the KC metro. Restoration-grade jobs and heavy prep scoped separately. First coats on new RKC installs often bundled into the install package at a discount.
$3 – $6 / LF
Included: Applied at the 30-day mark after new install. Semi-transparent penetrating stain, spray + back-brush application, full walkthrough. Included or discounted when bundled with RKC install.
Changes price: Stain color selection, product line, height of fence, gate count.
$4 – $8 / LF
Included: Pressure wash, 24–48 hour dry, semi-transparent penetrating stain, spray + back-brush, walkthrough, 2-year re-stain schedule on invoice.
Changes price: Prep intensity (how weathered), product line selection, access and terrain.
$3 – $7 / LF
Included: Pressure wash, brightener treatment for discolored lumber, dry cycle, oil-based semi-transparent stain, spray + back-brush, walkthrough, 3-year schedule on invoice.
Changes price: Degree of discoloration, brightener cycles needed, access.
$6 – $12 / LF
Included: Heavy prep on failed or peeling existing stain — chemical stripper, sanding, wash cycles. Then full re-stain with semi-transparent penetrating product. Best for fences 8+ years with no recent maintenance.
Changes price: Extent of stripping, square footage of peel, existing product compatibility.
WHAT STAINING CUSTOMERS SAY
The in-house approach, the spray + back-brush method, and the 2-year re-stain cadence all show up in the reviews. Nine staining customers below, from 30-day new-install coats to 5-year restoration-grade rescues. Full 77+ review archive on Google.
“RKC stained our entire 250-foot cedar fence and it looks brand new. The crew was clean and professional. They prepped, back-brushed every board, and left the site cleaner than they found it.”Cedar Re-Stain
“They installed our fence last spring and came back at day 30 to stain it like they said they would. The color is exactly what we picked off the sample board. No one else even called to remind us about the re-coat.”30-Day New Install Stain
“Another company had stained our fence two years ago with what looked like a film product. It was peeling everywhere. RKC stripped it clean, did a full wash and dry, and applied penetrating stain. It’s been 18 months and it still looks great.”Peeling Stain Restoration
“Our PT fence had gone that greenish-gray color. RKC brightened it up, let it dry, and put down a warm brown oil stain. It doesn’t look like pressure-treated anymore — it looks like a real wood fence.”PT Brightener + Stain
“The fact that they do the staining themselves — same company that installed it — was a big deal to us. Our last house we had a different company install and then tried to hire a stain guy separately. Total mess. This is cleaner.”In-House Staining
“The two-person crew approach was impressive. One sprays, one brushes right behind. Every board got both. No drip lines, no dry spots. Invoice even had the next re-stain date written on it.”Spray + Back-Brush
“Had some sun-bleached sections on the south-facing run. They did a touch-up color-matched to the rest of the fence and you can’t see a line at all. Quality work.”Color-Matched Touch-Up
“Third time RKC has stained this fence. They’ve tracked every visit — same product, same color, same crew standards every time. Makes scheduling easy. They just text me when I’m due.”Re-Stain Cycle (3rd visit)
“Refinished a weathered cedar fence that was close to replacement age. RKC got five more years out of it for a fraction of the replacement cost. Looks better than it did two years into the original stain.”Restoration Re-Stain
RECENT STAINING PROJECTS
Every photo below is a real RKC stain job. 30-day new-install first coats, 2-year cedar re-stains, 3-year PT re-oilings, and full restoration jobs on weathered fences from Olathe to Independence.
OUR SERVICE AREA
We stain fences in 56 cities across the KC metro, both sides of the state line. Every new RKC install gets a 30-day first-coat stain. Every re-stain gets the same spray + back-brush method regardless of what neighborhood you’re in.
Johnson County is home base for staining. Bonner Springs , Gardner , Leawood , Lenexa , Mission , Olathe , Overland Park , Prairie Village , Shawnee , Spring Hill . Tracked install records across every RKC customer — we prompt your re-stain when you’re due.
Cross-state-line service for every Tier 1 city. Belton , Blue Springs , Grain Valley , Grandview , Greenwood , Independence , Kansas City , Lee's Summit , Liberty , Oak Grove , Peculiar , Pleasant Hill , Raymore , Smithville . Oil-based options for Independence and Blue Springs older PT fences; water-based for cedar throughout the KCMO suburbs.
Recent Staining Work Across KC
STAINING QUESTIONS
Common staining questions that come up most on estimate calls. If yours isn’t here, call (913) 286-1091.
Ready when you are
