Wood type ID

[JEAPAINT 14]

I have a possible deck restoration job coming up. I did a test area on the deck and need some assitance ID'ing the wood. I first thought it was western red cedar, but after seeing the wood dry it may be white cedar or AYC. The pic is when the wood was wet. I fogot to bring my camera today when I went back to show the customer some color samples I did on a new piece of WRC.

The deck is old and weathered. They put clear on it in the past. I've been explaining to them that a clear is no good. The guy at a paint store and another painter that they got an estimate from said that a clear is fine. The woman checked online and saw that a clear offers little to no UV protection. At least she knows that I'm being honest with her.

[PressurePros 249]

I think you are looking at a type of cedar. The second picture actually looks like knock off mahogany. The fake mahogany that is called Phillipine.

[RPetry 564]

Doug,

Left picture, almost sure is cedar, but sub species, I would not know. James Foley might be more accurate, he is very knowledgeable about cedars.

Right pic looks like cleaned ipe or maybe redwood? If you can mark it with a fingernail, redwood. Too hard, ipe. Another clue might be what looks like stainless steel fasteners. If SS nails, redwood, if SS screws, ipe.

Just guesses, cannot be definitive without a slice and a hand lens.

[James 625]

First is cedar( not AY or port orford)- second is a hardwood most likely a mahog.

[JEAPAINT 14]

Thanks for the help guys!

I'm gonna get a pic of it dry today and I'll post it here. When the wood is dry it is much lighter and has a slight yellowish tint. I'm also going to take off the small piece at the end that needs replaceing to help ID the wood.

Is it possible to be WRC that has had the color bleached out by the sun or with a strong bleach solution? This wood is VERY DRY. I put some stain on a piece that needs replacing and the stain soaked in so fast it was dry in seconds. It's a shame when a deck like this has been neglected.

[JEAPAINT 14]

I took a couple of pics this morning. I also got the end piece from the deck. The wood is a bit rotted and is hard to tell. The color on the inside is more red then the outside. I'm going to take the piece of wood down to the lumber yard tomorrow and see if they can tell for certain what type of cedar.

[seymore 90]

Looks like sun bleached out cedar to me.

nice camera you have looks like i'm inside the piece of wood! :cool:

[JEAPAINT 14]

Looks like sun bleached out cedar to me.

Thats what I'm thinking. Just trying to find out if it is WRC or some other type of cedar. The woman said she remembers paying more for a certain type of cedar, but doesn't remember the type.

I have about 200ft of boards to replace. If I replace them with WRC the new boards will be red and the old will be bleached out. When I did the test cleaning I used Wolman Deckbrite cleaner because thats what I had in the truck at the time. When I do the actual cleaning I will use EFC-38 and citralic to brighten. Do you think this will help to bring the natural color back?

nice camera you have looks like i'm inside the piece of wood! :cool:

Thats the way I planned it. :D

[seymore 90]

I will use EFC-38 and citralic to brighten. Do you think this will help to bring the natural color back?

Well with wood that old it would be next to impossible to keep it looking like new once it dries.Yeah it will look all golden when it's wet but when dried the sun will bleach it out again without any pigment.

That wood just need a bunch of oil it's so dry and if she wants a light color it will need to be stained atleast once a year.The deck will only look better in time after a few treatments as the oil soaks in the wood.

There is no answer to stop the sun damage other than using a pigmentent stain.

I use only bleach/soap so i can't answer for EFC-38 but it's used by many other guys and works for them.

[James 625]

That is WRC did one yesterday. Bleach didn't do that. Age and the sun did plus when WRC is dry it looks like that. When its wet or oiled the colors come out.

[RPetry 564]

Doug,

That slice in the 2nd set of pictures sure looks like cedar. If it is, your customer may have paid extra for "clear" cedar, it is a grade of cedar without knots.

[JEAPAINT 14]

I'm going to stain the wood once it's cleaned. She wanted to go with clear and I belive I have talked her out of it. I had suggested to her to go with a deeper color to help blend the old and new wood better. She may go with a cedar color. With as dry as this wood is I was thinking of using the 2 part wood tux system (wood tux DMC followed by a thin top coat of Wood tux wet). I have to talk to Russell about that.

Thanks for the help. :)

[PressurePros 249]

Make sure you get a tint kit from Russell. Wood Tux is a great product, the more I use it, the more I like it but on cedar, the warm honey gold makes it turn orange.

[JEAPAINT 14]

Make sure you get a tint kit from Russell.

Definitely getting a tint kit.

I got the job. :dance: Deck is about 1500 sq ft and I'm also staining the house which is a california ranch about 4900 sq ft.

I was thinking about getting the wood that I need in advance and let it sit out in the sun to weather a bit so it will match the old wood a little better. Do you think this is a good idea?

[James 625]

When you put oil into WRC the red color will come out. WRC is difficult to match colors because of this.

[PressurePros 249]

Definitely getting a tint kit.

I got the job. :dance: Deck is about 1500 sq ft and I'm also staining the house which is a california ranch about 4900 sq ft.

I was thinking about getting the wood that I need in advance and let it sit out in the sun to weather a bit so it will match the old wood a little better. Do you think this is a good idea?

Good job. If you determine it is clear cedar, you could look for KD15 stock. I would then strip it and apply acid. You will artificially age it quicker and it will be a closer match.

If you need help on tinting or mixing up the wood tux or anything, shoot me over an email

pressurepros@mail.com

[James 625]

I don't understand the response it's not clear cedar ? I'ts red?

[JEAPAINT 14]

The wood on the deck is clear cedar. There are very few to no knots.

What is KD15 stock?

Doug