This exterior porch is beautified with TWP®  from Gemini Coatings.

Posted by Diane Capuano

It’s hard to believe with so much snow on the ground, but exterior stain season is just around the corner. Will the market rebound? The conventional wisdom says yes, given the pent-up demand and the homeowners’ need to protect the investment that they have in their decks and other exterior wood surfaces.

Paint & Decorating Retailer magazine asked major suppliers of exterior wood coatings for their opinion of the market outlook. Here are some of their responses:

Russ Neale, Marketing Director, Cabot: “There were some shifts in 2009 and 2010 due to the slow economy, but the overall exterior woodcare market held up relatively well. We expect 2011 to be a period of 2- to 3-percent growth, with upside as the housing market recovers. Existing home sales benefit our category on both sides of the transaction: Home sellers need to stay on top of general maintenance to attract buyers—and that includes their deck, fence and other exterior wood surfaces—and home buyers seek to make their house purchase a home with a fresh coat of paint or stain.”

Jeff Spillane, Senior Product Manager, Benjamin Moore: “As most know, the coating industry has struggled the past few years and exterior stains are no different. With the improvement in the housing market, we can expect modest growth in 2011.”

Mike Kozlowski, Director of Marketing, Thompson’s Water Seal: “We continue to believe that retailers who truly get behind this category, merchandise it and educate their sales staff, can do better than average. … There is a great deal of growth to be realized in the cleaning and wood prep segment of the market, and retailers can still make solid gains in this segment. Of (more…)