John Burdine 14 Report post Posted August 7, 2012 This is a deck we pressure washed and sealed in Des Moines, Iowa. Cedar decks turn grey because of the sun but as you can see they can be restored to their original appearance and protected against future weathering. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 seymore 90 Report post Posted August 7, 2012 This is a deck we pressure washed and sealed in Des Moines, Iowa. Cedar decks turn grey because of the sun but as you can see they can be restored to their original appearance and protected against future weathering. How did you clean it and sealed with ? It looks like clear? I think more of a semi trans stain might have looked better on that cedar to keep it from turning grey again in a year.Also a darker stain would do a better job to hide those pot marks to look more even. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 bigchaz 157 Report post Posted August 7, 2012 Did they not want the privacy lattice done to match? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 steven 37 Report post Posted August 7, 2012 Dont look to bad, would have definetly got rid of those pot marks though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 John Burdine 14 Report post Posted August 7, 2012 We clean by putting down a sodium percarb based soap, and then wash with around 500psi, 5.5 gpm. The last step was the application of a silica based wood stabilizer, so yes it was clear. I agree that a stain with some color gives a more even finish (I usually use Ready Seal), and also resists graying longer, but this client wanted to protect the wood and not bother with coloring it. And no they did not want the privacy fence done at this time, you win some and you lose some. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 seymore 90 Report post Posted August 7, 2012 The last step was the application of a silica based wood stabilizer, . Sorry I would never use that stuff! SMH We have a company giving a 25 yr warranty and I was asked to stain over that on a fence after just 1 year. What happen to the 25 yrs? I turn down the job 1400 Lft of it. I'm for sure not going to warranty my stain I'm not sure what's going to soak in and how it going to hold up? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 John Burdine 14 Report post Posted August 8, 2012 We stain over silica stabilized wood after just 2 days, so what's the problem with 1 year? We have great results applying Ready Seal over it. Stains are stains. Silicas are stabilizers. Totally different functions. Both protect the wood from different things in different ways (another example is ACQ lumber offering decent insect protection, but not much else). Look up the long long history of using silicas to harden masonry products. Silica does not form a film on the surface, it hardens into a glass like substance within the wood, keeping it from swelling and contracting. It actually seems to improve the longevity of surface coatings applied over it. I'm in the process of developing a warranty based on crack and cupping prevention, just trying to find a way to quantify it. I don't know much about the Seal**** warranty, but I suspect 99% of their warranty problems relate to the lack of clarity and setting expectations. I tell my clients that our stabilizer does nothing to protect the surface from greying and mildew. For that they need us to apply a stain. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 seymore 90 Report post Posted August 8, 2012 How long have you been using silica on wood ? So you are saying the silica has no effect on the sealer penetrating in the wood? How long are your decks holding up with Ready Seal? Does it effect your sqft/gal ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 Jake Clark 17 Report post Posted August 8, 2012 John, Wood needs to breath. Any thoughts on that? Jake Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 seymore 90 Report post Posted August 8, 2012 John,Wood needs to breath. Any thoughts on that? Jake I agree Jake 100 % ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 steven 37 Report post Posted August 9, 2012 Jake,Shane, correct me if i am wrong. But wouldnt anything that " hardens into a glass like substance within the wood " interfere with the sealer doing its job correctly? Now me personally, I have to believe what Jake says, god knows he is an authority when it comes to protecting, sealing and staining wood. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 AAPaint 14 Report post Posted August 9, 2012 You can't stop the expansion and contraction of wood. It's going to happen whether you like it or not. Especially only being able to seal one side, as it is with a deck. Getting stain into the wood and getting it to last is hard enough as it is. Having something like silica in the way can't be good. I'd be very careful creating a warranty against those kinds of conditions for any reason. We only warranty our quality of workmanship, not the condition of a customer's wood, not the product we use, etc. The warranty for any product we apply is up to the manufacturer, not us. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 steven 37 Report post Posted August 10, 2012 Same here with the warranty. I can not gaurentee what mother nature is going to do. but i can gaurentee what i am going to do. I give 1 year on labor. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 seymore 90 Report post Posted August 10, 2012 Shane, correct me if i am wrong. But wouldnt anything that " hardens into a glass like substance within the wood " interfere with the sealer doing its job correctly? Well in theory glass should not let the oil penetrate into the wood unless it's some magic glass? I think It should stay out of wood and stay in masonry we have enough crappy Behr Acrylics/sillycone stains to deal with! It goes against everything I've learned about restoring wood in the last 14 yrs.All my wood I stain needs to free of all stains and sealers that is not compatible with the Gray Away I use to fully penetrate.I've stained over Ready Seal without stripping but that's about it. If decks, cedar fences,cedar houses etc.are maintained on a regular basis with a good oil base penetrating stain these structures should last forever.I've seen more UV damage than anything so you gotta have a good pigmented stain/preservative to prevent this kind of damage. We've built our business with one stain and it's worked for us for 20 yrs. saving wood and if It aint broke what is there to fix? Other than ACQ pine that takes longer to cure and is just ugly sometimes not much has changed in our business. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 Beth n Rod 1,279 Report post Posted August 10, 2012 Silicone and wood - never going to be a fan. Beth Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 Beth n Rod 1,279 Report post Posted August 10, 2012 Cedar is a problematic wood for decking anyway. Is is soft and crushes easily with foot traffic, pet claws and furniture placement/movement. Anything installed that creates a 'stiff' environment in cedar will only cause the wood fibers to become more brittle and break more readily than they already do. Clear or stain, that is another subject all in itself. But silicone has been a problem for penetration issues and in the case of a customer who is thinking of selling that property, one faces the potential of having to deal with that very same issue if they were the installer and the new customer wants something else on it. That's a hard fact we all deal with but one I will inform my clients of. Good thread. Rod!~ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
This is a deck we pressure washed and sealed in Des Moines, Iowa. Cedar decks turn grey because of the sun but as you can see they can be restored to their original appearance and protected against future weathering.
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