lap marks

[steven 37]

good morning,

i have a deck strip/restain a week from today. the problem is that there is only one way in and out of the park model trailer and its the entrance with the deck. I will have to do 95% staining on one day and then come back and do the last 5% (the walk way to the door). what about lap marks? will they blend in? the customer will use any stain. But has cabots clear solution cedar on it now and has had good luck with it. From what i read ready seal says no lap marks.

any help about how to avoid the lap marks would be appreciated.

thanks

[Scott Stone 604]

I don't do decks, but if it was me, I would find a hotel nearby that they could stay in until the deck was completed. This spells all sorts of disaster on it.

[steven 37]

yea i hear ya. i got to figure something out.

[AAPaint 14]

Ready seal won't leave lap marks, and in theory it should blend well, but I'd be careful doing it at two different times. I've never tried that myself. I would shoot for doing all of the floor at once, and coming back to do the rails or something else.

Is this an issue of not being able to do it all due to traffic in and out? If that's the case, I'd do it on an off day, or in the evening and charge appropriately for doing something outside of your normal work schedule. I'd avoid trying to do part of a floor, then come back and do the other part. Even if you can leave a few boards unstained from one end to the other, coming back a few days later may make a big difference in appearance. You'd have to box all of your stain, which you should do anyway, then make sure it's mixed well so you don't have any color variation, but you could have inclement weather between the first and last part, which could make some boards come out darker than the others.

There are just too many variables that could make you look bad, you really need to do it all at the same time.

[steven 37]

Ready seal won't leave lap marks, and in theory it should blend well, but I'd be careful doing it at two different times. I've never tried that myself. I would shoot for doing all of the floor at once, and coming back to do the rails or something else.

Is this an issue of not being able to do it all due to traffic in and out? If that's the case, I'd do it on an off day, or in the evening and charge appropriately for doing something outside of your normal work schedule. I'd avoid trying to do part of a floor, then come back and do the other part. Even if you can leave a few boards unstained from one end to the other, coming back a few days later may make a big difference in appearance. You'd have to box all of your stain, which you should do anyway, then make sure it's mixed well so you don't have any color variation, but you could have inclement weather between the first and last part, which could make some boards come out darker than the others.

There are just too many variables that could make you look bad, you really need to do it all at the same time.

It is an older couple and they only have one exit in their park model trailer, the exit just happens to be at the deck. would 5 or 6 hours of dry time be sufficient for them to GINGERLY walk on the deck? no usage just in and out a couple of times. or would it be better to do it at night while they are in for the night and light traffic for the next 48 hours?

[AAPaint 14]

If you're using Ready Seal they can walk on it in 45 minutes.

[steven 37]

BEAUTIFUL,

Adam, Thank you for your time and help. I will just ask them to take a 4 hour tour of the white mountains and that should be sufficient time for them to walk ( not play ) on the deck.

Again thanks problem solved.

[RPetry 564]

Ready seal won't leave lap marks, and in theory it should blend well, but I'd be careful doing it at two different times. I've never tried that myself. ...

Ready Seal blends in just fine. For various reasons we do partial floors all the time and finish up a day or three later. Never been a problem.

[AAPaint 14]

That's good to know Rick. I've never tried it, but it may be helpful at some point.

[steven 37]

great, from what i have been reading RS seems extremly easy to work with. been raining the last few days so i have to hold off for a bit.