Looking for a solid stain for two-tone deck railings & balusters

[TomInKY 14]

I am renovating an 18 year old deck that had the railings and deck surfaces done in a solid stain many years ago. The deck boards are most likely going to be replaced, so I will be starting with fresh wood there and will most likely go with a semi-transparent oil-based stain. However, I would like to avoid replacing all of the railings and balusters, and therefore would like to go with a solid stain in an almond color to match the siding on the house. I like white also, but the house has no white trim, so white railings would be like wearing white socks with a navy blue suit.

Can anyone recommend a solid stain that would work well in this application? The existing solid stain is actually in very good shape - all of the vertical surfaces held up quite well on this deck - no peeling or checking. I was hoping to go over it with a light sanding or scuffing (after thorough cleaning, of course) and then either applying the solid stain over it, or using some type of primer. I have seen a "Problem Solver" primer made by (I think) Sherwin Williams mentioned in some other threads - would this be a good solution? I tried some chemical stripper (Lowes) on some solid stain on a scrap baluster, and it pretty much laughed at it. Stripping to bare wood will be difficult at best.

Thanks in advance for any recommendations!

[Beth n Rod 1,278]

Is this for your personal home?

Beth

[TomInKY 14]

Yes, so I guess if I mess it up all I am out is my time and the cost of the stain. (And extra points for the aggravation!)

[TomInKY 14]

Beth, do I need to move this to the homeowner's forum? I just realized that I posted it in the other forum.

[Adrian 155]

Tom, after you clean and prep properly, why not stick with the same product and tone that is on it now if you are happy with the tone? That approach would be much easier for a DIY rather than try to strip. Verticals always hold up better than horizontals.

Some box store strippers won't do justice to the term "stripper". You will work yourself silly.

You may not even need to sand if the product adheres to itself sufficiently.That is, if it cleaned and prepped correct.

Got any pictures you can post?

Edited February 10, 2012 by Adrian

[TomInKY 14]

Hi Adrian,

Thanks for your reply! That's part of the problem - neither me or my wife are crazy about the color. I've seen worse, but it's kind of "blah". I could live with it, but she's pushing to switch to something more attractive, especially considering how far I've gone with it already. I guess I'm earning my "beer drinking with my buddies" brownie points early for this "Honey-Do" project.

I posted a picture that shows one of the railings with the solid color on it. Wish I could do something about that split in the post short of replacing it, but that is a different issue. I would assume that it would take two coats of a lighter color solid beige stain to cover the light tan on the balusters. Let me know what you think. I might be better off to just buy all new balusters after you factor in the labor of stripping them, if that is what has to be done.

[Adrian 155]

If you are not happy with the color then you will have to strip the old off. Or at the very least, you will have to sand to create a better surface for the new stain to adhere to for a darker tone as long as it is a solid tone that will cover the older tone.

I doubt that you have sodium hydroxide or oxalic acid just laying around. That is stripper and brightener ( neutralizer).

That's what most contractors use in bulk to apply for stripping.

As far as the spilt in the 4x4 post. You can fill it with hardener but it is likely to show.

That is not an uncommon split in the wood. We see it alot. Dried out, or foundation settling can cause this.

Just remember if replace any wood it will have to acclimate for a few months before any treatment should be done to it.

Plus you always have the option of hiring a professional to restore the project for you if turns into a monster.

This only SOME advice, others may chime in and have other solutions but I think you already know what you are up against.

Keep us advised on the project and good luck.

[Adrian 155]

Hmmm, hope I didn't scare him off.

[TomInKY 14]

Hey Adrian,

Naw, you didn't scare me off. The weather turned bad around here so I switched to a few inside projects while I waited for things to improve outside.

Right now, I am leaning towards replacing the deck boards, going with a semi-transparent oil based stain on those in a medium brown, and then going with an almond color on the railings and balusters. I may go deck color on the top rails because I like the way it looks.

As far as stripping the balusters, I am leaning away from that. At a buck a piece, it really doesn't make a lot of sense to go through the trouble of stripping each baluster. I do think the existing solid stain on them is in good enough condition to clean them and scuff them with a red scuff pad, and go over them, but I may run into an issue with brand compatibility. It's tempting to try them and see how they hold up - worst case is that I would have to unscrew the rails and replace them, but I'm still thinking it through.

Shouldn't the solid stain sufficiently "hide" the darker color underneath with a couple of coats? I thought that was the whole idea of a solid stain.

What kind of hardener were you referring to for the split in the post? It wouldn't bother me if it was slightly visible - almost anything would look better than a big split! I thought about using some Marine grade 3M 5200 in the crack. That is the strongest bonding compound that I know of. If you join anything with that stuff, don't plan on ever separating it.

Thanks for the help!

[ayetti 14]

Tom, after you clean and prep properly, why not stick with the same product and tone that is on it now if you are happy with the tone? That approach would be much easier for a DIY rather than try to strip. Verticals always hold up better than horizontals.

Some box store strippers won't do justice to the term "stripper". You will work yourself silly.

You may not even need to sand if the product adheres to itself sufficiently.That is, if it cleaned and prepped correct.

Got any pictures you can post?

I agree completely by the time you strip everything and try a new stain you are just asking for trouble. If you are happy with what you have and just want to refresh it, go for it.

[Everett Abrams 501]

Problem Solver is the Primer made by Cabot. Cabot has an excellent line of solid stains for these type of issues. The primer will act to give you a "like new" surface to work from prior to applying the top coat(s). If you go with a light color you will most likely need to top coats. Do a good job with the prime coat and you will be happy with the result. It is a GREAT idea to use a natural type sealer or semi-transparent stain for the floor as that will need the more frequent maintenance. The other issue with an older deck is as the wood ages you will get a lot of checking and cracking in the wood that does not help using a solid finish, you will have to address peeling. For homeowners that try to do their own work two-tones are a great idea. The solid stain on the rail system that require the tedious part of the restoration as well as the more costly part of the project become much easier to maintain moving forward. None of this negates the prep part of the project. The better the surfaces are prepared, the better the end result. You should still strip and brighten/neutralize all surfaces and then sand any problem areas or where there is any peeling. With a solid stain and that particular product you do not need to remove the old coating in entirety. A stain works best when it can "grab" the wood so the better you prepare the surface and remove as much of the old coatings as possible the longer your new coatings will last. Screw this up though and you will have a problem, solid stains and multiple coats are not made to come right off. Good luck with your project and if you go with Cabot read the instructions on the can and follow them. There is also a lot of info on their website.

[Cat Powerwashing Inc. 17]

I have been using wolmans solid decking stain which is self priming. two coats then your done.