Real world results of off-the-shelf stain

[plainpainter]

Here is a deck I experimented with - I used a locally made off the shelf toner hardwood decking stain for this deck restoration job I completed in late July of '07. The folks in this home are rentors - so this deck sees real world abuse. Since this was for a rental property - I didn't get into sanding at all - just washed it along with the house, using simple cherry and bleach. Then when I killed the mildew and algae - I downstreamed a bottle of Castrol's Super Clean augmented with a cup of lye at 17:1 - then brightened with Oxalic. I sprayed and backbrused the deck - boards soaked in so much stain - that I sprayed them again to really fill 'em up. Altogether took 3 gallons.

The 'After' shots are taken a few days ago - so this is 16 months after restoration in New England weather. I was surprised to no see any mildew growth making everything going dark like I am with woodtux. I'd like comments as to what you think. Is this a candidate for a clean and re-coat in the spring? Or do you think it's not good enough shape - I don't have much experience with 'maintenance' decks. '09 will be my first year of maintenance, I don't know when something needs total strip as opposed to a quick clean and another coat.

[plainpainter]

Here are some more 'befores'

[plainpainter]

I keep trying to post more pictures, but it tells me a security 'token' is missing?

[Beth n Rod]

Try posting them again, maybe log out and back in.

Other comment - did you really wash and seal this?!?!?! YIKES!!!

Beth

[plainpainter]

Beth - if I can get some pictures to post - the 'afters' are 16 months after! Let me think how it held up?

[plainpainter]

Some more.....

[plainpainter]

And here are some more photos....

[plainpainter]

And a few more - I got plenty more.

[MMI Enterprises]

Try posting them again, maybe log out and back in.

Other comment - did you really wash and seal this?!?!?! YIKES!!!

Beth

Think he said toner so.....looks rather weak on pigment here on my end if that's what yer thinkin.

You not take any pics after first doing it Dan?

[plainpainter]

Think he said toner so.....looks rather weak on pigment here on my end if that's what yer thinkin.

You not take any pics after first doing it Dan?

No - didn't have the camera with me that day. And these were tenants - and I hate tenants - so I scrammed! The product has 600ml/liter of VOC's - so it's really meant to saturate. I am more looking for what folks think on a re-coat basis. Will this be a healthy base for a re-coat this coming spring - and if so, should I do only the flats - or like you said Kevin, looks kind of weak - maybe everything should get coated? What I like most about it was - it wasn't dark and mildew growing all over it. If mildew can grown on the surface of anything - how come it hasn't grown on this surface?

[MMI Enterprises]

probably cause ya killed the bageezuz outta that mildew mang!

I'd think ya gotta recoat a whole deck in most any situation and consider maintenance job as not having to strip it. Even if some comes off more in one area than another just be close on sing same color and it should match.

[PressurePros]

Definitely a candidate for a maintenance staining after a light bleach cleaning. Not sure how it is going to look after the winter.

[Beth n Rod]

Finally the after pics....

Percarb, neutralize, maintenance coat.

Your rails should be in better shape, the floor is pretty standard. Tell them not to hang wet towels on the rails! Promotes mildew growth.

Beth

[plainpainter]

Beth - you'd bother to neutralize after percarbs - especially since there is no bare wood anywhere? I'd just rinse rinse rinse - and let it be. These are rentors - like they'll listen!

Ken- not too sure how it will look either, the stain is really high in solvents - it was meant more for harder woods - I had to do two full coats on all the horizontals, which is something I don't do for woodtux. It may be light in pigment now - but I have similarly aged woodtux decks that look totally trashed and black - there just really isn't much mildew growth anywhere - and I am happy about that.

[Beth n Rod]

Beth - you'd bother to neutralize after percarbs - especially since there is no bare wood anywhere? I'd just rinse rinse rinse - and let it be. These are rentors - like they'll listen!

Ken- not too sure how it will look either, the stain is really high in solvents - it was meant more for harder woods - I had to do two full coats on all the horizontals, which is something I don't do for woodtux. It may be light in pigment now - but I have similarly aged woodtux decks that look totally trashed and black - there just really isn't much mildew growth anywhere - and I am happy about that.

We ALWAYS neutralize after any alkaline cleaner. Might be a weaker solution, may not dwell as long, but we never skip it. The wood pH is altered and needs to be changed. Doesn't matter if the cleaner becomes inert. We have tried skipping it before, the results in our experience are better after neutralization. You also can't tell me that 100% of that deck is still properly coated and so it would see no benefit from it, otherwise you would not be doing the maintenance.

Beth