Reply With QuotePressure wash, and then use THIS....it is crazy good stuff. Expensive, but great.Originally Posted by MrSplitshot
1-Gal. Semi-Transparent Weatherproofing Wood Stain Tint Base-507701 at The Home Depot
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OK, a thread that doesn't involve sports, gun control, or the ineptness of government and politicians...
We just moved into a new house that has a big backyard. It is completely enclosed with a shadow box style wood fence that has been stained a dark reddish color. There is also a huge built-in wooden play set for my little girl...a wooden pergola thing with a porch swing in it...and a big deck, probably 30x15' down the back of the house. Everything is stained to match. It looks decent right now, but I know how the weather affects things...it will need stained and water sealed soon enough. The deck looks like it could use it in the Spring.
Having never owned a deck, and never had wood fence that wasn't just natural wood turned grey over time...tips?
Guessing I'll need a pressure washer to clean it all and let it dry. Then, given so much area to cover, some kind of sprayer to put on stain. I don't know jack crap about sprayers.
What do y'all use?
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Pressure wash, and then use THIS....it is crazy good stuff. Expensive, but great.
1-Gal. Semi-Transparent Weatherproofing Wood Stain Tint Base-507701 at The Home Depot
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Best advice I could give I learned the hard way: don't use a cheap sprayer. My fence looks like it's part dalmatian.
RE-Decks: I have used he Home Depot stuff Geo noted and had great results. Keep in mind, pressure washing is a good first prep step, but don't rule out a light sanding of the deck boards after presure washing to help close and smooth the surface before staining. Reduces splintering too.
You may want to have a pro service give you and estimate on each piece, deck, fence, pagoda, play set, etc. Ask them to itemize it. Tell them you want an estimate so you can work it into the future budget.
Then compare that estimate, to what you would spend to buy or rent the equipment to do the job yourself, along with materials.
I take this approach on big jobs, and decide what parts I want to do my self given existing equipment I got, that will save me a buck to 2, and then contract out the parts that are either very labor intensive, or would require high cost rental or high cost equipment buys to complete.
Sometimes it makes sense to buy the tools and have them for the long haul especially if they will be of benefit on other type jobs. Rental equipment sometimes is a pain, as it may not be maintained very well impacting the results, and may extend the time to get a job done as you repair their equipment to make it do the job. Some rental companies are on top of things, so shop the rental places.
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Brian pressure spraying is fine as a prep but don't hit it with too much pressure causing it to fuzz up. Allow to dry completely, don't think its dry, know its dry.
Determine what the existing stain is. Is it solid color or a semi transparent, is it a Latex or Oil base. Latex over Latex or water base is fine. Oil over a Latex will perform poorly. If it is a a semi oil base, go back with an Oil and it will perform better. Oil bases tend to hold up better, clean up is tougher but the product will do better in our crazy weather swings and amount of rainfalls especially on horizontal surfaces...
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Y'all are awesome...a lot of good advice here...thanks!!!
The previous owner left me a 5 gallon can of the stain, so I know what it is that he had been using. It's Olympic something or another...I'll check when I get home.
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The best time to do this work is JULY-AUGUST. I have power washed and stained many a deck and fence over the years and the absolute best quality job is done in the hottest months. Depending on how bad the mold and mildew is on the wood you might get away with a simple bleach and water mixture sprayed on the wood to help "bleach" the wood back to a natural color plus remove the mold. Power wash it enough to take away what you want but not too much pressure because you can split and tear the wood apart easily. Then let it sit in the baking sun for several days to let the wood dry to the core. This will let the maximum amount of penetration for the stain / waterproofing to soak in. Do this process every few years and the wood will last a long time. Don't do it or do a bad quality job and you are replacing the fence, deck, swing and such. Trust me some sweat and stain is a LOT cheaper than lumber and cost to replace.
I have a power washer you can borrow when the time comes if you need one
Elnut said: "Do this process every few years and the wood will last a long time. "
Example. My house built 1989 with 12x 12 wood deck. Date now 2013. I count that as 24 years same deck boards.
Best of luck!
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Now that is impressive! I live in a matchbox house with no porch to speak of but have always considered a composite deck. I'm sure cost of one is high but I was thinking it would be easy to keep looking new....your pic makes me rethink that...nice job man.
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I built the Deck at my Mom's house when I was 19 years old. 12x16 with 2"x2" spindle handrail and 2 sets of steps 27 years ago. I have never replaced one single board on it and it is just as structurally sound today as it was 27 years ago. People think "Lifetime Warranty" on the treated lumber they buy is against everything. That is usually only against rot or termites. Water damage will destroy a Deck or Fence just as quick if left untreated. Like potholes in the winter the most damage is done in the winter. Water soaks into the wood and then freezes and expands causing cracks. These get bigger and bigger as more water freezes. Whether it is a wood structure, concrete patio, driveway or sidewalk, power wash and seal to get the max life out of it.
Senior Member
Very nice looking and kept well, impressive. Hand rails look like composite...
Wood is a bear to keep that nice, good job..
Thanks all.
If I had it to do again, Yes I'd go with composite decking and avoid the labor intensive maintenance efforts.
Different brands of composite deck, some are more susceptible to mold then others. Really depends on your decks sun exposure, south, south west oriented deck experience less mold than north or northeast facing decks.
In the years I have lived here, I've stripped the deck down 4 times. Each time to bare deck wood with a light sanding. Then resealed/stained. Had it been composite, I'd have spent more up front, but done less maintenance. I'm almost to the point where I'll need replace deck boards as sanding does thin them. Might get away with one more run through.
Deck rail is composite. Much easier to rinse it off, or occassionally wipe it down then to restain it. I plead lazy!
Deck rail went on in 2009, and that was the most recent deck resurfacng. I figure I got one more year till it needs a redo. The neat thing about composite deck railing, is that if installed with some thought, you can remove it completely when you go to redo the deck.
Deck Stain was BEHR PREMIUM WOOD TONE WEATHERPROOFING WOOD FINISH, CEDAR NATURALTONE NO.501
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