Help! Rain on New Finish...What to do?

[Dublin 14]

Hiya Folks,

I'm currently trying to get sealer/stain on my new deck I constructed. The decking is tatajuba which is similar to Ipe in many respects but honestly that doesn't matter all that much. Anyway, I'm using Armstrong Clark and had a pretty good coat down for about 2 hours before the rains came. Forecasts this time of year in the mountains of NM are always "chance of thundershowers" so it's a bit of a crap shoot whether it will rain or not. In any case, it came down hard (hail too!). When it was all over, I went to survey the damage to the deck. The AC finish definitely was doing it's job at keeping water beaded up but after a while I started getting a whitish slimy material showing up here and there on the deck. I've seen it before with motor oil and water so I figure I have a problem. I sponged off as much water/slime as I could and am now looking for advice on where to go from here. I have a couple of thoughts and was hoping for some advice. 1) I can wait for the deck to dry out and then do a wipedown with rags to remove whatever slime is left and then add another coat or b) am I relegated to washing with Percarb/Citric again and then another coat? Or are there any other ideas out there? Thanks very much for the help. I'm on a tight timeline so I'm hoping this isn't a big deal but realize it might be.

Cheers,

cc

[TNRoofCleaner 16]

Try this link and ask the MFG directly.

Introduction To Contractor Inspiration Center!

[Dublin 14]

Thanks. I've already been in touch with Jake in the past on other questions but was hoping this was a fairly typical thing as I won't be able to talk to him until Monday and was hoping to do some work on this tomorrow. I may just have to leave it for a few weeks until I can return to it at which point, a wash will be in order anyway given the stuff being dropped from the trees.

Cheers,

cc

[PressurePros 248]

If you didn't touch it at all, you probably would have been fine. Don't over react yet. you may still be okay. We have had it happen five minutes after we finished and the deck was fine other than a couple of water drop stains that we touched up.

[Dublin 14]

Thanks for the confidence. I'm listening now to the rain pounding on my metal roof and thinking I'll have to probably at least wash it and try another coat. I really don't want to have to strip and start over and am hoping that's not the case. The oil is beading/sheeting the water very well well so I'm convinced there's plenty that got into the wood before the rains came.

Cheers,

cc

[bigchaz 157]

After 2 hours I don't know if I believe you'll have to wash it again. Thats good drying time. We did a deck where as soon as we pulled away it started pouring and it came out fine. There were 3 or 4 of those white slimy spots you mentioned that we ragged up and it looked great

[Dublin 14]

That's encouraging Charlie. Maybe I'll sleep a little better tonight! I need to leave tomorrow so I'm hoping the deck dries out by then so I can get a good look at how it survived.

Cheers,

cc

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Welcome to TGS Dublin.

Please go to your MY CONTROLS and add a signature.

Thanks.

Beth

[RPetry 564]

James,

As Ken and Charlie stated, I would not lose sleep over harmed stain. This summer, we were applying a 2nd Ready Seal oiling to ipe'. I was inside an enclosed, covered porch, my helper was outside finishing some stairs. It started raining, I did not know it.

My helper finished up the last few steps before informing me that the oil looked "milky". Sure enough, it was a whitish mess. Packed up and went back to the barn.

The next day I stopped by, expecting the need for serious touch up or possibly stripping. The finish was perfect.

[Dublin 14]

So as a quick update, I awoke today after listening to nothing but rain all night to find the deck looks great. Still wet and it looks like more rain is possible but overall, I think I'll be ok. Since I won't get back up here for another few weeks, I'll just plan to do a quick wash and a final thin coat after that. This was my second coat and I put it on pretty heavy so based on what I see out there, I think I'll be fine. Nothing like a bit of panic to get the blood pumping! Thanks for all the help and reassuring words!

Cheers,

cc

[PressurePros 248]

Overapplication of stain is a sure fire way to get premature failure. Let it cure and be done with it until next season.

[James 624]

Do not put more ArmStrong on. Most problem on hardwoods are from over application of product.

[Dublin 14]

Actually, after seeing the deck after a bit of sunshine, I don't think I need to do anything else. I don't see any bare spots and it sure was shedding water great last night so I'm planning to leave it until I have to re-do it (Jake is estimating maybe 6 months based on the location of this thing but we'll see).

Cheers,

cc