what part should be white?

[bigchaz 157]

Doing a two tone on a deck that I was unable to remove all the behr solid off of. Rails will be white and WHG WTW on the surface

Im wondering what part do I paint white though? The fascia board still has a bit of behr on it so I was hopeing to do that that white, but will it look better stained? I can sand it off if necessary. And the supports? Should they be white or warm honey gold? Same with the stringers for the stairs?

Basically I was just planning on staining the part you actually walk on (ie the step treads and the decking boards) and everything else (verticals) in white, but Im worried it might be too much white.

The picture shows the parts im not sure about. The white circle is stuff that is getting done in white. The spindles, rails, rail cap and rail posts. The yellow is what im not sure about.

[PA Dutchman 14]

I hope I'm not "out of line" on my comment here but I think you have to do some more work before I'd stain that deck. Maybe my monitor needs adjusted but.....Is this "marked" photo the before picture?

[bigchaz 157]

The pic was after one of the strippings. It was stripped three times and not neutralized in this photo. Keep in mind when I say "stain" im talking about a solid color white that ill be using on the railings. It is designed to go over existing finishes (namely this solid behr crap). Surface has been completely sanded to remove all remaining behr solid.

[Tracy Handl 108]

Usually when doing a two tone only the horizontals get the stain. Everything that can be seen from standing in the front gets "painted"white. But it always comes down to customer preference, and sometimes, just what seems to look the best. With different configureations of rails, there may be times that the set-up will dictate a particular way to do it. There is no real right, or wrong answer.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Ask the customer what they want, get it in writing and go from there. Of you don't and they don't like it (this can happen) they will forget what they decided on. If it is in writing their choice is clear and you won't have an issue.

A few years ago we had an owner change her mind after we had started the two tone process. Luckily we had not gotten too far and the part we had stained she wanted to keep the same color. But, needless to say she recognized that she would have been locked in if she had not spoken up when she did. We adjusted her choice and moved on, and they loved it. Having it in writing was helpful.

Beth

[jquick77 14]

I remember seeing a picture of a 2 tone that was gorgeous. It may be on this site somewhere. I think it was done by Reed's deck care. You could try and do a search for that on google.

[MMI Enterprises 289]

yea it was real deep dark look with plenty of contrast.mighta been a ipe deck?..unsure..I do know personally I like the top rail done same as deck surface... but yea some pictures need drug out here..

[MMI Enterprises 289]

Everett's Mahogany two tone:

[yazbird8 17]

Beth...I would think that if the customer changed their mind after you applied a natural stain to an area it wouldn't be a big deal to appy a solid over that........But if it was the other way around and you had to re-strip a solid so you could re-apply a natural it would be a major PITA and cause you to come back to the job for yet another day.....How would you charge them for something like that?

YAZ

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[MMI Enterprises 289]

Celeste's IPE in ATO Mahogany Flame:

[MMI Enterprises 289]

Reed's Wood Tux and Cuprinol:

[dpaull 80]

Maybe this can help...

Next time, send me a photo without all those white and yellow lines on it lol...

[MMI Enterprises 289]

Charlie, Are you going to prime then paint?...what paint you gonna use?

[bigchaz 157]

Well I did it today. Everything but the horizontals are white. It was cabots pro vt solid stain?/paint/acrylic thing

Originally planned to use cabot problem solver oil primer but couldnt find it anywhere. Then I saw the pro vt which is self priming. Covered over what was left of the red behr solid on the rails. Its a rought looking deck but its coming along alright.

Afternoon thunderstorms are killing me though. The white needs time to set. Had to redo parts of it from yesterday

[jeffex11 121]

do your self a favor and sell them on the frame of the railings[posts and stringers] white and the pickets natural. the outer frame of the deck and step stringers should be white too. you could also do the top of the rail too. A solid acrylic STAIN WILL do the job you are asking of it. NO primer is necessary . I would do the semi- trans stain first then the white. tap the pickets away from the frame slightly and the solid will go easier. when your done just tap them back and touch up where necessary. Use a wood block and hammer to tap.

[Greg R 82]

do your self a favor and sell them on the frame of the railings[posts and stringers] white and the pickets natural. .

I wouldn't myself.... your creating alot more work by getting so complicated and if you would like to keep this customer for future work that's a whole heck of alot of cut in to have to do. If you account for the time involved financially so be it but from a business standpoint "we" want to make these easy to maintain when it comes to future maintenance.

....thats not easy to maintain :)

[bigchaz 157]

I already mentioned the entire reason I even did white is because the solid behr didnt come off fully on the rails. Maybe if I was doing some high level deck and actually getting paid for the two tone I might try something nice like this.

It was my error telling the customer I would be able to remove the old stain. When I couldn't, the next best option was offering a two tone free of charge for them.