Any Idea What This Old Stain MIght Be?

[fireandrain 39]

Looked at this one this afternoon, lots of failing finish, redwood deck, scratch it and it seems to get to bare wood. Obviously not an acrylic, hope its gonna come off without too much abuse...

[jeffex11 121]

is it white or gray? looks like a thin coating. what are they trying to re stain with? same or semi trans?

[RPetry 564]

Matt,

What is the matter with people in N. California? They have a gorgeous wood, redwood, and slap some crappy brown-purple solid stain on it. You can't find a redwood deck back here on the east coast. Beth said it's illegal to sell the wood in MD! Somebody should be slapped upside the head!

Looks like some kind of solid oil. If not layered, should be able to strip most off with a touch up sanding. The lattice will probably not strip out enough for a semi-trans. If the customer is going that way, replace it with new wood.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

HD-80 will take it. Give it a 30 minute dwell time on the rails and keep it wet, scratch everywhere to check for progress and do it to it!!

Rod!~

[PressurePros 248]

Purple and green deck.. interesting. Matt, one thing you will learn the hard way with wood.. don't ever "hope" what's on there will come off. Sometimes what appears to be an easy strip will take twice as long as you expected. Put together a little test kit of spray bottles with a diluted stripper (the strength of something downstreamed) and a more potent version you would have to apply direct. Also mix up some acid. Put them in a little hand held cart like the house cleaners and janitors carry and do a test spot. Sometimes what appears to be very faded stain could be the last remnants of an acrylic that will stick to the verticals and drive you crazy. The extra few minutes are well worth the surprises that can cost you in the end.

[fireandrain 39]

Purple and green deck.. interesting. Matt, one thing you will learn the hard way with wood.. don't ever "hope" what's on there will come off. Sometimes what appears to be an easy strip will take twice as long as you expected. Put together a little test kit of spray bottles with a diluted stripper (the strength of something downstreamed) and a more potent version you would have to apply direct. Also mix up some acid. Put them in a little hand held cart like the house cleaners and janitors carry and do a test spot. Sometimes what appears to be very faded stain could be the last remnants of an acrylic that will stick to the verticals and drive you crazy. The extra few minutes are well worth the surprises that can cost you in the end.

As always, wise words Ken. I have been thinking about putting together such a test kit, think I will do that this week. Thanks for the input, and I agree, always better to subtract as much guesswork out of the equation as is possible BEFORE quoting a project and booking time for a HO. Indeed, wise words. Thanks

[MMI Enterprises 289]

Couple test spot on horizontal with a couple strengths as well as a couple on low exposure areas of the rail system where the spindle meet the rail will let ya know. If the horizontal comes right off but the other is tougher it can still work out easy enough if ya plan for some spot stripping with meth cloride or straight stripper after the innitial strip....just take maybe an extra 10 min to an hour to get it...If it seems the rails not come off hardly at all during a test then I sell it as a resolid. Sometimes rails are done on purpose at some point in a decks history with a tougher product on rail areas. Like I might use a urethane or acrylic fortified or solid oil on rails or pergola but then use a paraffinic on the deck below. I pity the fool that goes in half cocked down the road on those.