Redwood Deck Project...Process pics

[fireandrain]

Thought I'd post up this project. Redwood deck had multiple coats of Cabot semi-trans, top-coated without stripping by homeowner. Homeowners "gave up" 8 years back, hadn't touched the deck. Here are some before pictures from yesterday...

[fireandrain]

... Picturess taken today after strip, brightening. Minimal furring, discovered a whitish acrylic finish beneath the Cabot, not too much of it on there fortunately, 30 min dwell F-18 @ 8oz/pg. got it up... I'll be back next week for light sanding contact surfaces, bench/handrails, little bit of cabot that wouldnt release...then sealing with RS med-Red redwood only.

[RPetry]

Matt,

Another fine strip job. Real nice house, like the design of the exterior wood. With all the plantings, it looks like a rainforest.

Any particular reason for the RS - redwood only formula? Is this old growth wood?

[James]

Hey , What's it like out there from Nov to March weather wise? Can you do wood year round? I like Redwood!

[Beth n Rod]

Beautiful wood! Redwood is a real treat to work on.
Beth

[fireandrain]

James: Weather in Northern California pretty much shuts me down in October. We have plenty of dry days Nov.-Mar, just that folks don't seem as inclined to put $$ into outdoor "furniture"... Funny you should mention that James....I'm planning on doing some aggressive advertising this fall to see how long I can stretch decks this year.

Rick: re: RS-redwood only... I've just been going that way on all of my redwood decks. Do you see any reason why I shouldn't? Curious about that...

[RPetry]

Originally Posted by fireandrain

... Rick: re: RS-redwood only... I've just been going that way on all of my redwood decks. Do you see any reason why I shouldn't? Curious about that...

Matt,

No reason at all. The only 2 redwood decks I have seen back here in NJ both required RS - redwood only formula. But one deck was 24, now 27 yrs old and an upcoming project is somewhere between 35 - 50 yrs. old. Obviously, both are "old growth" and have a ton of extractives in the wood. Regular RS turns black immediately on application.

Spoke with someone in the past, maybe Peirce, about redwood in California. As I recall, many wood guys there use the regular RS on redwood without problem. I would assume this is fine for "tree farm" redwood, or younger trees.

[staudend]

You like F18 or HD 80? I use HD 80 and have trouble with verticle surfaces. They never seem to strip all the way. Any suggestions?

[MMI Enterprises]

who be these woodies using regular rs? I had horrible experience with it going black and don't have the guts to try it further.

[RPetry]

Originally Posted by MMI Enterprises

who be these woodies using regular rs? I had horrible experience with it going black and don't have the guts to try it further.

Kevin,

I do not know. Call Peirce, his number is on the Ready Seal web site.

The two redwood decks here in NJ I have seen were both very old, one definitely, the other probably, very old growth lumber. Lumber that comes from 200 yr. + trees. Loaded with natural extractives.

Both turned black when a test spot of regular RS was applied. Have not started on the 2nd one yet but the first job came out great with the RS redwood only stain.

Funny thing is, I was told that even the regular RS looks fine after about 2 weeks on old growth. May take that long for the whatever to leach off. Who knows. I know that if it does not look like a million bucks on day one, I have a problem.

Again, heresay, but newer, young growth redwood can take regular RS just fine.

[big mike]

I did my in-laws redwood deck last spring with RS dark brown. The deck is over 20 years old and built with dimensional lumber (2 x 6's). Went on pretty dark, but not black, and mellowed out beautifully in about a week. That was with the regular formula. I felt it behaved the same as any cedar deck I've done.

That being said, I just bid a redwood sided house with 2 cedar decks. I would love to just use the standard formula for the whole project, but I will definitely do a test first. Maybe Pierce can enlighten us on the difference between the two. Also, what can you expect from the redwood only formula on say, cedar or pine? We don't see much redwood up in these parts, but plenty of cedar and PTP.

[RPetry]

Mike,

Western red cedar, of any age, has never been a problem for us using regular RS stains. We have stained a lot of cedar decks over the years without problem, and some white cedar fences.

Regular RS "mellows" out in coloring on most woods in about a week.

It is the very old growth redwood, from ancient trees, that turns black, with regular RS. And the result is immediate. Black as coal, as the regular RS seems to push up the natural tannins in the redwood. I am told that it ages to a regular stain color, but cannot vouch or bet on it as I have to satisfy customers.

AFAIK, the difference between the two is solvents.

Just do a test spot on the redwood siding. It is very obvious, and real quick. Call Peirce with any questions, as his contractors deal with redwood a lot more than we do.

[big mike]

Western red cedar, of any age, has never been a problem for us using regular RS stains. We have stained a lot of cedar decks over the years without problem, and some white cedar fences.

Regular RS "mellows" out in coloring on most woods in about a week.

Rick, I've done hundreds of regular formula decks and fences, and I know what to expect from the regular RS. My question was - How does the redwood only formula work on other substrates such as cedar or PTP? I would rather not have to use two different formulas of the same color if at all possible. Of course testing is the only way to tell, but I was hoping someone has used the redwood formula on something other than redwood.

[RPetry]

Mike,

Sorry, we have only used the RS redwood only formula once in 8 yrs. of business, and that was on an old growth redwood deck. Will be using it for a 2nd time next month, but again, on old growth redwood.

My point was you probably can use regular RS on your redwood siding job, just do a test spot beforehand. From what I understand, California wood contractors use regular RS all the time on redwood decks and homes.

We use the regular RS at times on redwood sided hot tubs installed on decks. Again, not a problem. But this is "young" wood, not tannin loaded old growth redwood from 200+ year old trees.