I am planning to stain my ~5 year old wood fence – probably charcoal gray in oil-based Solid Color (or semi-transparent?) stain…

I don’t like the solid look of paint, and I’d like a bit of texture to show through the stain. I’d like minimum upkeep and do not like the concept of paint chipping or flaking off as time goes on. (We live in a temperate climate with no snow, little rain, and not much sun – San Francisco Bay Area).

I’ve reviewed many HOUZZ threads on this topic (some of which do not agree with each other!) and want to make sure I have it all correct.

As I understand it: (looking for your and competing opinions here!)

1. For stain, there is solid stain, transparent stain and semi-transparent stain. (Solid Color will make the fence look like it’s painted?)

2. Transparent stain will make the darker knotholes still show up prominently in the fence boards?

3. Semi-Transparent stain will better mask the appearance of knotholes

4. Stain (oil vs water?) is absorbed by wood – paint just sits on top of the wood

5. Oil-based stain will hold up better than water-based stain

6. when stain wears out, it doesn’t peel off in clumps like paint can do

7. Oil-based semi-transparent stain will hold up better than oil-based transparent stain

8. Solid stain will hold up better than transparent and semi-transparent stain (but looks like paint?)

9. UPKEEP: with semi-transparent: one person said you need to stain every 6 months; others say from 3-7 years. ???? Another post said: “by wanting a dark stain, I will have to do a fresh coat once or twice each year.” (“Solid stains, when they go, wreak havoc”)

10. brands of stain which have been recommended: Cabots, Olympic, Thompson Water TWP, Sikken solid, Sikkens SRD, & Penofin (UV) Red or Blue-label, Sikkens good fence stain w/UV properties

11. Process: pressure wash (low pressure sprayer?) followed by spraying the stain (and brushing on the stain at the top lattice fencing, so the stain doesn’t bleed over to the neighbor’s side of the fence.)

12. Sealer or primer required? One post: “He should have used an oil based slow drying primer.”

13. What else do I need to know???

Your time in sharing your comments is very

much appreciated. Kathleen