Please help me decide

[Illumination 14]

Hello all and thank you in advance for your anticipated help and assistance.

First the details:

New Pressure Treated "weathershield" lumber pro-panel roofed 450 sq. foot deck

completed 10-01-09

6500' elevation

Some snow thru winter not much precipitation otherwise. (19" avg. yearly)

intense sun

Now have been reading and reading and reading I am overwhelmed so I humbly ask you professionals for advice. I own a karcher 3000psi 2.8 gpm pressure washer. What clean prep need I do? With what chems to use to clean? How many steps to the prepping? How long to wait after prep before staining?

I am leaning to Armstrong Clark rustic brown semi-transparent stain. Is this the correct choice? Should I spray it with my "paint crew plus" wagner airless?

Please tell me the hows and the whys...

Please excuse all the questions as I know I am asking a lot, but I want to have a gorgeous deck that will last. Everyone on this forum seems very knowledgeable helpful friendly and professional. Please tell me the specifics so I can stop all this reading and get to doing!!!

Thank you so very much for your help and valuable time.

[Adrian 155]

Max, welcome to TGS.

If I understand correctly, your deck is just a week old. Right?

When you say "roofed", it has a ceiling, arbor or awning over the deck. Right?

Your karcher is enough to clean and prep the deck as a DIYer, but, why, it is brand new?

There should be no prep required if wood is brand new. However I would suggest waiting for the wood to acclimate to it's new environment a while.

That's just my take on it. Others may say different.

Personally I would wait until next spring to treat the deck since it is brand new.

The stain will adhere much better. IMO.

A simple per carb cleaning in the spring is all you will need to prep the deck. Then stain it.

I have used a wagner paint crew many yrs. ago and it worked fine for what I needed to spray. I also ran a longer supply tube from the wagner directly into the stain jug.

The container on the wag was way too small and requires refill too often to suit me.

Many contractors here swear by the AC stain. You can contact some of the suppliers here on this forum and request some samples to test, just to be sure of the product you want to use.

Sidenote: you will want to dial down your psi on the Karcher to about 800 psi so no damage occurs to the wood.

again.... welcome to TGS.

another sidenote: this is the first year I have missed the balloon fest in ABQ. Man, what an awesome event. So much fun. esp. at night with the burnoff displays. So freaking cooooooool.

Edited October 9, 2009 by Adrian

[big mike 14]

Max,

I'll second what Adrian said concerning waiting to stain. Most PT lumber is too "green" to accept stain properly, and many times a finish fails prematurely. If you have intense sun, as you mentioned, I would recommend letting nature take its course and dry the wood a bit.

[Illumination 14]

Thank you for the advice and it is much appreciated Adrian and Mike. I hope to hear from others as to the AC stain. Looking at the AC semi-trans Rustic Brown. Would like to hear about ease of application as well as looks and durability. Further what is the stain you two guys prefer and why??

I have the Karcher for many uses so no it was not purchased solely for this. I live on a couple of acres with a lot of fencing structures and decks and a tractor etc. and so on.

I am mixed as to waiting until spring because of the snow. I am originally from southwest Louisiana (hence the "cajun" accordion avatar, yes I do play one LOL!) and have no experience with protecting from snow and arid sun. Tired of the humidity and bugs in LA and love everything about the rural NM views of the mountains and big sky!!! Hence the decks front and rear of my home!! I was going to purchase an inexpensive moisture content meter and see if it drops enough before it gets too cold. Which reminds me to ask what is the best temp to apply and what is the temp advised by your experience, not the manu's recommendation as I know actual experience is the reality.

I also have an old deck that I am about to strip and re-stain as I do not know what it was stained with, but luckily it is a pigmented stain and not a solid or paint. Recommendations as to stripper and prep would be appreciated. People I know I am asking a lot but I am disabled on a fixed income and have invested the last of my savings on this lil piece of heaven I have found. So I want it to be beautiful and last the rest of my days but limited funds so I must do it myself. Truly it is heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for your time and most valuable advice.

Yes the Balloon Fiesta is awesome and is occurring this week. Went to a mass ascension and night glow and love it. I really love this state and area with the ruins, desert, mountain, and culture. And the people are so laid back and friendly. Have only been here about 1.5 years and fell in love with it.

Again thank you all so much for your time and help.

[Adrian 155]

Max,

Check your local distributors for strippers that contain " Sodium Hydroxide" and wood brighteners that contains oxalic acid or citralic acid.

OR

Contact some of the vendors on this site i.e. Sunbrite, Sealer Store, espec among many others.

In my experiences I have stripped and stained in temps as low as 45 degrees.

BUT..... there are some here crazier than me that have stained in colder temps.

The downside to staining in colder temps is a longer cure time. Well, that and the cold itself.

The snow won't hurt the deck at all in it's bare condition. If it's new wood like you say, waiting until spring would actually be optimal.

I fear if you jump the gun on the new wood now, it may only lead to a quicker stain failure because of "lack of penetration, due to new, tight, wood.

However I really do understand and appreciate your situation.

Everyone here knows I prefer Ready Seal. But that is just me..... I have had some really nice projects over the years with the RS.

I also feel that some stains may be better than others due to geo location.

But again, that is just my take.

sidenote: I just got off of the road and saw a fellow Texan with a ABQ balloon fest bumper sticker from just last week. I'm jealous.

If you want, ( and it would be helpful for us) post some pics of your project so we can get a better feel for what you are up against. Although it sounds pretty cut a dried.

[Littlefield 65]

I agree with almost everything Adrian said, with one exception.

If you use a penetrating stain like Readyseal or Woodrich Timber Oil, you can clean and stain now, get a light coat in, and help the wood acclimate slower, helping to reduce the cracking from a quick dry down. Then, in the spring, say around early May, soap the deck and lightly rinse, and get the second coat into it, building up the protection.

Max, in my experience, if you have the time, you are in a position to have a showpiece deck by doing what most homeowners are not willing to do, and that is to apply multiple coats of a parafinnic oil stain a few months apart, and build up the oil in the wood.

Trying to "lock it in" results in stripping down the road 90% of the time in my opinion.

[Adrian 155]

Wow Rich,

Great to see you surface after a 1000 yrs.

Sure do miss the "lunch box" meetings in ATL we used to go to at Sunbrite.

Those were a blast ( except for Tracy's burnt burgers) lol.

Great advice as well. Build up the protection over time.

You know me, get it done and onto the next.

Max, Rich has several good points I had not considered.

You ARE in a good position to apply stain "over time".

Take care.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

I agree with almost everything Adrian said, with one exception.

If you use a penetrating stain like Readyseal or Woodrich Timber Oil, you can clean and stain now, get a light coat in, and help the wood acclimate slower, helping to reduce the cracking from a quick dry down. Then, in the spring, say around early May, soap the deck and lightly rinse, and get the second coat into it, building up the protection.

Max, in my experience, if you have the time, you are in a position to have a showpiece deck by doing what most homeowners are not willing to do, and that is to apply multiple coats of a parafinnic oil stain a few months apart, and build up the oil in the wood.

Trying to "lock it in" results in stripping down the road 90% of the time in my opinion.

+1...what he said.

Beth

[Illumination 14]

Thanks Adrian and Littlefield, as this seems to be the direction I feel most comfortable pursuing.

Also please tell me as to your experiences with ready seal as I am now reconsidering and no one seems to want to explain as to why they would prefer Armstrong Clark over Ready Seal or visa-versa, so I humbly ask your opinion and why. So please if u care to r have the time please tell me all you know about these stains.

So clean the new deck with what??

Again thank you all so much

[Littlefield 65]

Max, I have used AC some on some timber and log samples, used RS extensively, and gone through pallets of WR Timber Oil.

I simply like the way that a non filming stain/sealer works. What I have found is that even in the realm of non resin stains, the mix of oils that are available in the stain, as well as the type and amount of pigment, (the only real solid in a stain like this, if you don't count the oil) is the really important thing. I think all the stains mentioned are quality products, but I appreciate the fact that the Timber Oil has a high load of transoxide pigments, and alkyd oils that help keep the pigment in suspension.

Converse to common sense, the more solids (pigments) in a stain, the further it spreads as well. You'd think a thicker stain would not go as far, but not so.

Anyway, any other questions, feel free to ask away.

[Illumination 14]

So it seems u r recommending Woodrich Timberoil applied lightly in about three weeks, and then again in spring and then again when? What should I clean the deck with prior to application of the stain? Is Timberoil really as easy to apply as advertised? You know goof proof for an amateur like myself? What is the durability of this stain? Have read that it turns black rather quickly.

Is ready seal as easy to apply as Woodrich? There are so many who swear by it that it must be beautiful as well as durable.

I also see that you have reservations about Armstrong Clark. What are they and what makes you feel this way? Isn't it also a penetrating stain with high pigment, solids content?

Thank you so much for your advice. I Appreciate all of your valuable advice. And you are very observant and honest as you pointed out I am in the position to have a gorgeous deck and have the time to do as you suggest. Looking forward to hearing from you all.

Again thank you.

[Littlefield 65]

So it seems u r recommending Woodrich Timberoil applied lightly in about three weeks, and then again in spring and then again when?

Apply next fall, say Early October.

What should I clean the deck with prior to application of the stain?

If you're using Woodrich Timber Oil, EFC-38 will get it clean. Also want to acid wash with Citralic acid to brighten up, then rinse.

Subsequent cleanings can be easily done with..........bleach and car wash soap, as long as you are washing stain, and not wood.

First time, Is Timberoil really as easy to apply as advertised? Yes

You know goof proof for an amateur like myself?

Yes.

What is the durability of this stain? As good or better than Readyseal.

Have read that it turns black rather quickly.

That hasn't happened to me. Like I said, I've literally received and applied pallets of this material.

Is ready seal as easy to apply as Woodrich?

Yes, RS is just as easy to apply as the Timber Oil. It looks great when applied. I've used it many times and still do sometimes for maintenance on existing jobs where I want to keep the color exactly the same.

There are so many who swear by it that it must be beautiful as well as durable.

Its a good product for many to use in their business. It needs regular re-application on deck surfaces just like I recommended with Timber Oil. I would hesitate to call it durable until after several coats are applied, esp. on a deck surface.

I also see that you have reservations about Armstrong Clark. What are they and what makes you feel this way? Isn't it also a penetrating stain with high pigment, solids content?

I wasn't the one that mentioned reservations about AC. But, I haven't jumped on the bandwagon with everyone yet and switched off of Woodrich products. I understand some of the reasons others felt the need to switch, but I personally like the WR products, and have been using them consistently for the past 3-4 years.

As a business owner with several employees, consistency in what I use is important for consistency of application, etc. I don't like to change around that much. That's why I tested but didn't feel the need to switch to the AC products 3 years ago when I first tried them.

Thank you so much for your advice. I Appreciate all of your valuable advice. And you are very observant and honest as you pointed out I am in the position to have a gorgeous deck and have the time to do as you suggest. Looking forward to hearing from you all.

Again thank you.

See my insertions above in green.