Australian Timber Oil

[sturgisjr 14]

Hello there... its been a long time since I posted on here. I need some advice and feedback on what to do with a deck I just completed.

This was a Mahogany deck that had black spots all over and had tung oil applied to it previously. It was just one year and the deck looked awful. I got a call to restore it and it came out great. I used Aussie Timber Oil in Amberwood and it looked awesome. The customer loved it too.

The problem: Somehow wet spots appeared on the deck... I dont know if it was a brief thundershower or if they spilled something on it. Whatever the reason, I was called back and they asked me to fix it.

So I lightly sanded the spots out and they wanted me to put down a second coat. I told them that only one coat was recommended for this type of sealer but they insisted. I did that. Deck looks wonderful.

Problem #2: The stain is still tacky. This was completed 2 weeks ago. It has also been extremely humid and we have been having a lot of thunderstorms here and there. Between the rain and the humidity, do you think it is just taking a long time to dry? Will it dry when the humidity and rain finally let up? What will happen if it stays the way it is now? Will it peel, fade quickly? Is there anything I can do to help with the tackiness? I was thinking to brush over the deck something like Mineral Spirits but I don't know if that will work.

Any advice on what to do to help with the stickiness will be appreciated.

Thanks!

[Celeste 341]

We had a problem with slight overapplication of ATO once - we lightly rubbed the offending areas with mineral spirits on a rag and it worked beautifully!

Celeste

[PressurePros 248]

You changed the product characterisitcs to now behave like a film former. In high humidity it could take a month to cure. The customer really talked you into a bad maneuver. I suppose you could wet a stain pad or lambswool pad with spirits and go over it. Be careful of footprints.

[RoofKleen 14]

Its tacky beacuse of the second coat the product is designed to repeal water so the second coat is being repeled by the first coat. You can get rid of the tackyness by mopping on xylene though.

[Littlefield 65]

I've had this happen a long time ago by an oversealous employee that didn't read the can. We mopped with mineral spirits, and it came out fine. Dont' worry about rubbing off the first coat in my experience, that one has penetrated and will be difficult to damage. Just get the second one off, and it should be fine.

PS Now you're an expert, you've made the mistake of letting a customer tell you how to do your job, and it didn't work. Make them pay for the fix.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

PS Now you're an expert, you've made the mistake of letting a customer tell you how to do your job, and it didn't work. Make them pay for the fix.

Exactly!!!

Rod!~