to prime or not to prime....

[rambo 14]

Hi guys,

Before applying a (solid) stain to a wood deck surface, would I have to first put a primer on the surface, then apply the stain?

Is priming the deck that necessary? by not priming, would the stain fail prematurely?

with this extra step it would seem that the final price might get out of hand for the customer...

any help would be great

thanks,

Ramie

[James 624]

You should buy some wood care books by the " forestry labs ". Solid stains trap moisture ! So over time it premotes decay.....

[Dale 16]

If the prep is done right there should be no problem with a solid as long as its a quality product. Most all coating failures are caused by moisture and the testing of coatings has been in relation to buildings. The main cause of peeling paint or stains is from a process called "moisture drive" where the moisture thats generated in a building from living..cooking, bathing, breathing, heating, etc. is trapped in the building and must have a way out. If there is not enough ventilation the moisture will actually force itself thru the substrate of the walls and push the paint or stain off the surface. But this is not the environment of a deck which should have plenty of air movement around all surfaces. If the moisture content of the wood is at or below recommended specs it should be fine. The only difference in a soild vs. semi is looks..if you're going to use a soild stain or a paint you loose the beauty of the wood.

[Paul B. 523]

Flood sells a product called E-Bond (Emulsi-Bond), they also have it in some of their solid stains which eliminates the need to prime if you are using a latex.

I try to stear my customers AWAY from using solids on the deck floors and if they want solids, I push toward the 2-tone (pricing accordingly), where the solids are only on the vertical surfaces. Then I recommend an oil based stain like Ready Seal for the floor. This way you end up with a very nice finish, cleaning their deck every year, staining the floor every other year and only need to strip after 6-7 years.

Each manufacturer has different requirements for priming. Read the labels and follow direction to obtain best results and lengthy finish.

What I tell my customers is that the Flood solid on vertical surface is less expensive but most likely will last about 7 years.

With Cabot solid stain, by priming and applying 2 top coats, I can increase the life of the finish to 13-15 year range (on vertical surfaces only).

My preference is oil primer and latex on top.

[Dale 16]

Hi Paul,

I agree, I try to recommend semis on horizontal surfaces but some people are set on a solid color...there are quite a few folks in this area that want their decks to be the same color as their house.

[James 624]

Dale your information is for a building not a deck. A deck has major moisture issues to contend with. I never use film forming finishes on a deck ( floor ).

[Dale 16]

James,

How so?, compared to an "box" that generates moisture on a daily basis?

[James 624]

Weather , rain , snow, ect - Heat and cold , Two days ago it was 25 degrees to day its 80. Relative humidity, This changes all the time. Where and how the deck is built. Horizontal areas are prone to mold.

[Dale 16]

James,

I agree with that..up here in N. Wis. the temps range from -40 to upper 90's...I was just wondering about your comment about moisture in particular. Another stress on deck coatings is the subtle flex from walking.. but all these things are taken into consideration when formulating the products and if using a quality product ,the right prep, prime..if needed, a solid should hold up very well. Those same forces..rain,snow,heat,cold, being prone to mold etc.are present regardless of the coating. I still prefer semi's.