LETS STAIN THAT
DECK! Originally published in "Joe Magazine"
Call paint
contractors for a price to stain your deck and you may not even get a
call back. A wise painter knows what kind of jobs to stay away from.
How-to instructions all give differing advice--who do you trust? Just
choosing the right stain is often the most daunting task.
There are 4
types of stain formulations in solid or Semi-Transparent products.
Solid stain looks like paint but shows some grain texture.
Semi-transparent is more like a sealer with some colour that allows
tonal differences in the grain to show through.
Paint is
thicker than stain and lays on the surface. Stain tends to penetrate
into the grain. Why not use paint? Wood expands when it becomes wet and
contracts when dry. Since what you are trying to coat changes shape
constantly, paint tends to loosen and peel off in sheets.
Alkyd Oil
Based, you will need paint thinner to clean up your brushes, and don�t
spill this stain on concrete�it is hard to remove. We get 5-7 years of
durability on vertical structures using solid, and 2-3 years on
horizontal surfaces using semi-transparent.
Use oil
based product to stain materials prior to building your outdoor project
on all 6 sides.
Expect
less durability if you apply this product to an existing deck.
Latex,
has only been available for few years. Water clean up and rumored to be
quite durable. The stain companies are telling us that this finish
should be a match for oil in durability.
Use Latex
stain if you are new to painting since it cleans up with water. If you
are able to stain all 6 sides of the wood prior to installation this
product will work better. If the wood is damp or has already been built
you may find it last longer than oil.
Emulsions
are combination of latex and oil stains. These products are often
pricey and rumored to be the future for exterior coatings.
Manufacturers are boasting more durability.
I have had
wildly varying results with these products so get names of people who
have used it so that you can check durability before you buy. These
products are often suitable for wet materials�check with the
manufacturer.
Silicone
sealers will penetrate slightly and are designed to be applied yearly.
These are the products that you see water beading up on in commercials.
Silicone
products will give best results when applied to dry wood. Keep in mind
the finish will deteriorate quickly, but you can give it another coat
anytime to make it look good again. Try this product when you are
staining near a pool or spa. Pool chemicals are hard on most finishes.
For Cedar
Dry
materials will accept stain better. It takes about 2 weeks for cedar
lumber to dry and P.T. materials normally 3 weeks. If the pores of the
wood are full of water the stain simply cannot get in.
If you have
patience and a garage you could stack the material with thin strips of
wood between layers, boards spaced an inch apart. Prop the garage door
open slightly and place a fan so that air circulates between each
board. If you�re worried about theft you can lock most doors with vice
grips on the door track. In a couple weeks you are ready to stain.
To dry a
deck already in place --no sprinklers, water fights or rain for 2 or 3
weeks. In fact you are waiting for a drought. It happens rarely,
however it is worth the wait.
Sand the wood
with a random orbital sander loaded with 80 grit sand paper to open up
the pores. This will enable the stain to penetrate more deeply and last
longer. Always wear a mask to avoid being poisoned or becoming
impotent. Red cedar contains natural preservatives that are toxic to
insects and humans. Pressure treated lumber contains numerous chemicals
known to cause cancer. Wear a respirator and do all sanding outdoors.
It won�t really make you impotent, but wear a mask!
Use a roller
or brush to apply stain. Brushing in both directions after laying on
the stain will help force it into the pores and bring up the grain. A
good quality brush that is suitable for the product will make the job
easier with less mess. Why is it that a professional painter can load
up a brush and rarely spill a drop? The reason�mainly technique, the
other half of the story is the brush. Ask your stain retailer to
recommend a good one. (Normally about $30.00)
For Pressure Treated Projects
Formulations
have changed in the pressure treating process. Specially formulated
stain designed for P.T. materials may not be compatible with this new
P.T. formula. It may take a while for products to develop that work
well. Try a silicone-based product or call the manufacturer to ask
whether it is compatible with the new P.T. material.
But I
already have stain on my deck!
When the
stain is peeling; short of waiting for all the stain to flake off or
chemically stripping you don�t have many options. Removing loose stain
and giving the deck another coat of the same type of stain is best. Try
to make sure the deck is dry, sand the bare spots and give it another
go. Most products bind well to themselves, but not to other products.
Using 2
colours will save you work later!
Use 2 colours;
semi on the horizontals and solid colour for the verticals. When it
comes time to re-stain you may only have to redo the decking and
handrail caps.
Sunlight is the
Enemy of Stain Application
Wet down a
deck on a sunny day. Within minutes the surface of the deck is dry
again. The heat created by wet stain heated by sunlight will actually
separate the ingredients that make up the stain. You will have wasted
time staining, and also the time it will take to remove it next year.
Stain on an overcast day.
Have you have
ever wondered why some company hasn't created the perfect stain?
With so many
ways that the application can go wrong doing a better job applying your
finish may be more important than how much you spend on stain.
This is a
brief version. For the more comprehensive version please visit Exterior
Stain on Wood
Lawrence
Winterburn is the President of GardenStructure.com and has been
involved in the woodwork/contracting/design business for 15 years. His
work and writing has been showcased in numerous magazines newspaper and
television venues in North America. DIY and Professional Woodwork Plans
are available for purchase from http://www.gardenstructure.com
GardenStructure.com also designs and installs outdoor woodwork features
across Ontario through the GardenStructure.com Builder Group licensing
program.
For more
information please contact the company at 1 888 293 8938
|
