Exterior Staining of a 120-Year-Old Home in Oak Bay, Victoria

On a 120-year-old wood-sided home, the first decision is not the color, it is stain or paint. Solid stain bonds to older, weathered wood and stays flexible as the boards move through the seasons, which reduces the peeling that a paint film can develop on aging siding. For this exterior staining project on a character home in Victoria, BC, the siding was finished in Cloverdale SharkSkin Solid Stain.

This exterior staining covered the full exterior of the 1,569 square foot home, including the siding and the detached garage. The stain was sprayed for an even, consistent finish, with careful masking to protect the windows and hold clean lines. Where the goal was to show the wood rather than cover it, a natural-tone oil stain was used instead of the solid color.

The exterior house painting and staining work took one week from start to finish. On a home this age, most of the care goes into preparation and masking, since the finish is only as durable as the surface underneath. The result is a protected, refreshed exterior that suits the character of the home.

Background Story:

This 120-year-old home sits in the Oak Bay neighborhood of Victoria, an area known for its early-1900s character houses. Homes like this one were built with wood siding that rewards the right coating and suffers under the wrong one.

Rather than cover the exterior in a paint film, the plan used a solid stain that bonds to aged wood and moves with it through the seasons. Solid stain provides the color and protection of paint while holding up better on older, weathered siding.

The siding and detached garage were sprayed for a uniform finish, with masking to protect the windows and trim. Select wood details were finished in a natural tone to keep the grain visible instead of hiding it.

Scope of Services:

• Full Exterior Staining: The siding and detached garage were finished in a solid stain for durable color and lasting protection.
• Spray Application: The stain was sprayed to give the siding an even, consistent finish across the full exterior.
• Masking and Surface Prep: Windows, hardware, and edges were masked and prepared before staining to hold clean, protected lines.
• Trim Painting: The trim was painted to frame the siding and define the home’s edges.
• Natural-Tone Wood Finishing: Select wood details were finished in a natural-tone stain to keep the grain visible.

Paint Products Used:

• Cloverdale SharkSkin Solid Stain (siding and detached garage)
• Dulux Wood Professional Oil Stain, Natural Tone (wood details)

Results:

After the work, the home has a clean, protected exterior that still looks true to its age. The solid stain gives the siding even, durable color, while the natural-tone wood details keep the character that makes a century-old home worth preserving.

Solid stain was the right call for wood this old. It delivers the look of a finished exterior while standing up to the movement and weather that a paint film often cannot on aging siding.

If you own an older or character home with wood siding, the choice between stain and paint is worth making carefully. On the right home, a quality solid stain protects the wood and the character at the same time.

Call us at 778-200-7756 for a FREE estimate today.