We all talk about not wanting to apply a solid

[Integrity Curb Appeal 64]

Have you ever convinced a homeowner to strip a solid and apply a semi-transparent... then asked yourself WHY?????? did I do that?

The test spot was promising, but there were areas of multiple coats that we found after getting down and dirty.

Well.... It is now stripped and ready for sanding tomorrow!

But after it is all said and done... I will have to say. Great choice!

This is gonna look good.

[bigchaz 157]

wow what a great project

Ive gotten mad at solids before but would never concede to putting one on. Semi trans just looks too good to pass up

[PressurePros 249]

good Lord, Scott. You stripped a solid from that monster of a deck? You are a brave man. Nice job. Look sweet so far.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

What color was it, and what color are you putting down?

Beth

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

We made that mistake once despite our trying to convince the homeowner that the strip would not be 100% and that come would remain in the cracks of the wood and in between some boards. They still wanted to go away from the solid look.

Well, they weren't happy and finally they decided to go with a wood toned solid.

It's become an adage that we tell a customer once you go to a solid, more than likely, you can not go back (w/o re-skinning the deck) to a semi-transparent.

A reason to strip a solid is the imminent failure of it, but it will have to be primed and re-coated with another solid.

Rod!~

[Integrity Curb Appeal 64]

What color was it, and what color are you putting down?

Beth

It was a tannish yellow before, and we will be going with a light brown.

[James 625]

I've stripped many solids getting 80 to 90 % off. Depending on the color that was down it blends in to the scape of things after putting down RS in a month of two. It's in the first week or so that it's noticeable and dissipates as the product cures.

[sealwizeofatlanta 14]

Anothe point to consider with solids, they do not allow the boards to breath and create an environment for rot, mold, etc. and will fail. I do not believe solids should ever go on deck boards. Is this a shared view?

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

You could wet an area to see how much pigment from the prior coating jumps out at you. BUT...if you are putting down a brown semi-trans, it will not show as much with the wet test as it will when you put the stain down, going from a light solid to a darker semi-trans....

Beth

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Anothe point to consider with solids, they do not allow the boards to breath and create an environment for rot, mold, etc. and will fail. I do not believe solids should ever go on deck boards. Is this a shared view?

Yes, provided it is a coating that doesn't breathe, such as paint.

Decking stains are not the same as a paint.

Beth

[sealwizeofatlanta 14]

Just curious as to how much time you are allocating to sanding that monster deck and how you chared the HO. Major undertaki for you and HO finances!!

[bigchaz 157]

you know its a beast when you walk a quarter mile away just to frame it in one shot

[PressurePros 249]

Anothe point to consider with solids, they do not allow the boards to breath and create an environment for rot, mold, etc. and will fail. I do not believe solids should ever go on deck boards. Is this a shared view?

I share your view on putting solids because the homeonwer is married to it once they are laid down. The other reason is aesthetics. It doesn't look like wood again. A solid can last fairly long with lower maintenance costs provided the deck is prepped right, an oil based primer and two topcoats are applied. The customer has to be committed to a maintenance coat every 2-3 years. The deck also has to have adeqaute ventilation. Not having that ventilation is the bigest cause for premature peeling.

Fast forward to twelve years and the deck has 5 coats of a solid stain. Vapor transmission through the coating is probably history and stripping is not even an option. I never have and never will put a solid on a deck that doesn't already have one. I'll pass on the job if the homeowner is adamant about using one. Its not worth it.

[MMI Enterprises 289]

Anothe point to consider with solids, they do not allow the boards to breath and create an environment for rot, mold, etc. and will fail. I do not believe solids should ever go on deck boards. Is this a shared view?

For most part it would be shared view if considering only the horizontal decking boards. Such boards are never done on all sides and must be allowed to transfer/evaporate their moisture in and out in a timely way.

That said, I can not at all support applying such views for verticles such as railing systems and porch/pergola systems. Not only do verticles not wear comparably to the horizontals but they can be sealed on all sides and don't tend to rot from what I have seen anyway.

Far as the project displayed here goes... depends on what camp your from on whether it looks better with a semi or with a solid slash two tone setup. I would tend to think that most HO would wish it two tone railed based on conflicting contrast to the house. Most ranch type house like that are drab to begin with and could use some spicing up by it's own trim getting a makeover firstly to break things up and then its decking system having similar color and shading to match or also break things up. As it is now the contrast of a one color deck is the only thing in contrast making for two single things snatching attention individually. Anyone understand what I am saying here?.. needs to be either all same color and shade or each single thing needs broke up by accentuating trim on either house, deck, or both. That just me though.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

I share your view on putting solids because the homeonwer is married to it once they are laid down. The other reason is aesthetics. It doesn't look like wood again. A solid can last fairly long with lower maintenance costs provided the deck is prepped right, an oil based primer and two topcoats are applied. The customer has to be committed to a maintenance coat every 2-3 years. The deck also has to have adeqaute ventilation. Not having that ventilation is the bigest cause for premature peeling.

Fast forward to twelve years and the deck has 5 coats of a solid stain. Vapor transmission through the coating is probably history and stripping is not even an option. I never have and never will put a solid on a deck that doesn't already have one. I'll pass on the job if the homeowner is adamant about using one. Its not worth it.

Ken, if you haven't tried it, next time talk to them about a two tone. Rails hold up differently than floors, steps and caps and if you can get the semi-trans on the horizontals it's a nice sharp looking job.

Beth

[Integrity Curb Appeal 64]

Ken, if you haven't tried it, next time talk to them about a two tone. Rails hold up differently than floors, steps and caps and if you can get the semi-trans on the horizontals it's a nice sharp looking job.

Beth

I am doing the house directly next door as well. It is a two tone. The decking is semi and the rails were actually painted. The homeowner insists on repainting the rails. pic attached.

[Integrity Curb Appeal 64]

Just curious as to how much time you are allocating to sanding that monster deck and how you chared the HO. Major undertaki for you and HO finances!!

Let's say the sanding alone is about 26 hours. We will not talk about the labor for stripping. I was only onsite 12 hours of the stripping process, but I had 2 guys there 3 days straight.

I talked to the homeowner about changing back to a solid, but she insisted that it could never look as bad as it did before we started. My goal is 100% stripped, and we may come in about 99.5% The underside of the top layer took 3+ coats of boosted stripper.

I will apply 30 gallons of sealer the beginning of next week.

[SWB1969 14]

I talked to the homeowner about changing back to a solid, but she insisted that it could never look as bad as it did before we started.

She's right. That previous look was hideous.

[Integrity Curb Appeal 64]

This is the finished look. The stain is still damp in a few places.

Thanks again for the advice Rick Petry!

[RPetry 564]

Scott,

Real nice job, what an improvement. Just keep after the customer for maintenance every two years. That wood will look even better in the future.

[RPetry 564]

Scott,

We are going to be tackling a similar job next month. Old PT lumber, stained with a solid back in 2002. Full strip and sand, followed by Ready Seal, probably medium red.

I do know there are 357 spindles. We will be tearing out the old ones and installing new, after dipping them in Ready Seal. Got to find a trough or tub for that. This is one ugly brute of a job that will look great when finished.

[Integrity Curb Appeal 64]

I can completely understand the spinde deal. I am curios to know how you charge when replacing spindles for a job. It must be less labor intense then cleaning them. Do you ever save the good ones and strip them in a chem bath for the next job?

SJ

[RPetry 564]

Scott,

The labor and materials on the job were quoted as a regular "hard strip oil solid and sand" job. Then discounted the labor by 1/2 the price of 2x2 new spindles, about $160. Customer pays for the rest of the spindle lumber.

Thought is this. We all know that 2x2 spindles are very tough to strip off an oil solid as one cannot get a regular random orbital on the insides. In addition, with the tear out, the remainder of the balustrade is flat wood. Much easier to strip and certainly to sand. Even with tear out labor, mitre cut and reinstall with screws, I think labor wise as well as project wise, we are ahead of the game.

[Integrity Curb Appeal 64]

Scott,

The labor and materials on the job were quoted as a regular "hard strip oil solid and sand" job. Then discounted the labor by 1/2 the price of 2x2 new spindles, about $160. Customer pays for the rest of the spindle lumber.

Thought is this. We all know that 2x2 spindles are very tough to strip off an oil solid as one cannot get a regular random orbital on the insides. In addition, with the tear out, the remainder of the balustrade is flat wood. Much easier to strip and certainly to sand. Even with tear out labor, mitre cut and reinstall with screws, I think labor wise as well as project wise, we are ahead of the game.

Next one of these, I am on it!

[RPetry 564]

Scott,

Do you ever save the good ones and strip them in a chem bath for the next job?

No. It is old, trash wood with a garbage stain. New PT Southern Yellow Pine 2x2's are near dirt cheap. Not worth the effort or stripper expense. Dumpster material.