Fence Stain That Moves In
Up to 10 years of protection. No peeling. No sanding to reapply.
Most fence stains sit on the surface. That's why they fail.
Film-forming stains coat the outside of the wood. Sun breaks the film down. Rain gets underneath. Then it peels, cracks, and flakes — and you're back on a ladder with a sander.
C2 Guard doesn't film. It penetrates into the wood and forms a barrier from within. The protection doesn't sit on top. It becomes part of the wood.
That's why it lasts up to 10 years on fences — and why you'll never need to sand or strip before reapplying.
Up to 10 years on fences. Most stains give you 2 or 3.
Fences take less abuse than decks — no foot traffic, no furniture. That means Guard's penetrating protection lasts even longer on vertical surfaces.
When the color eventually fades from sun exposure, the waterproofing underneath is still working. Ready to refresh? Clean. Reapply. Done. No sanding. No stripping. No drama.
16 colors that let the wood show through.
Guard is a semi-transparent stain. That means you get color and grain — the natural character of cedar, pine, or pressure-treated lumber stays visible. Choose from 16 stain colors or go clear for waterproofing with no color shift.
Not sure which color? Order a free sample and test it on your fence before committing.
Your fence borders your life. Guard is built for that.
Less than 50 g/L VOC — below the strictest U.S. standard. Safe around children, pets, plants, and aquatic environments.
Fences line gardens, play areas, and backyards where your family actually lives. We formulated Guard so you don't have to think twice about what's soaking into the wood next to your tomatoes.
Four steps. One weekend.
Step 1 — Clean
Remove dirt and debris. Use C2 Wood Cleaner (with or without a pressure washer). Let the fence dry.
Step 2 — Apply
Brush or spray(we love a garden sprayer) the first coat. Work from top to bottom in manageable sections.
Step 3 — Recoat
Apply the second coat while the first is still damp (wet-on-damp). Guard self-levels on vertical surfaces, so puddling isn't a concern.
Step 4 — Complete
Dry to touch in about an hour. Full cure in 24 hours. That's it.
Brand new fence with wooden posts? We recommend coating those posts with Guard before putting them in the ground. The end grain absorbs the most water of all. If you're using treated wood, make sure it is either Kiln-Dried/Heat Treated or has time to dry before applying Guard.
Common questions about staining a fence with Guard.
Most stains form a film on the surface that eventually cracks, peels, and fails. Guard penetrates into the wood's cellular structure, forming a breathable barrier from within. The protection doesn't sit on top — it becomes part of the wood.
Up to 10 years on vertical surfaces like fences, siding, and shingles. Stain color will fade over time from sun exposure, but the waterproofing protection stays strong underneath. If you want to keep the color looking fresh, you'll need to recoat more often.
Yes. Perform the water test first - if water penetrates the wood, so will Guard.
Yes. Guard has less than 50 g/L VOC, which is below the strictest U.S. standard. It's safe for use around children, pets, plants, and aquatic environments.
Clean the surface with C2 Wood Cleaner, let it dry, and apply a fresh coat. No sanding. No stripping. The non-film-forming formula means there's nothing to remove first.
We would generally recommend Guard for Wood. Fusion adds polyurethane for abrasion resistance on foot-traffic surfaces like decks and outdoor furniture. Fences generally don't need that — Guard for Wood gives you the penetrating waterproofing and stain color a fence requires. If you're after a slight sheen on your fence, that would be the one reason to use Fusion.
