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Getting my deck stained

Jsf721

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Dec 23, 2012
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LI, NY
Wanted to know what the correct process and materials would me

https://www.flickr.com/gp/153378150@N04/7PCQ3Q

Planed on getting deck sprayed with bleach then pressure washed. Then stained with Benjamin Moore ARBORCOAT exterior stain.

Is one coat enough? I’m hiring out the job and I’m wondering if the one coat quoted is sufficient.
 
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Kaizen

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Get a deck cleaner not just bleach. Spray on let work then scrub with a stiff broom. Rinse and let completely dry. I tried hd and Lowes. Think the Lowes one worked and the hd sucked. Used it on 120 feet of fence and I just had to rinse off no scrub. I’d count on two coats at least. That wood will **** it up. If you use a colored product multiple might be needed to get color you want


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kd3pc

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Aug 10, 2013
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Northern Neck
Wanted to know what the correct process and materials would me

https://www.flickr.com/gp/153378150@N04/7PCQ3Q

Planed on getting deck sprayed with bleach then pressure washed. Then stained with Benjamin Moore ARBORCOAT exterior stain.

Is one coat enough? I’m hiring out the job and I’m wondering if the one coat quoted is sufficient.

be careful with the pressure washer, as it opens the wood pores up, a LOT....unless you really have filthy deck, else do as Kaizen suggests - cleaner and a stiff brush. and let the cleaner have time to work.
 

Dirtydan69

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San Tan Valley, AZ
As was stated. No bleach, use a deck cleaner. Rinse well and let dry thoroughly. Be careful about getting close with the pressure washer. You can destroy the appearance of the wood. aborcoat is a great product. Two coats would be highly beneficial. Especially at least on horizontal surface.
 
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Jsf721

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LI, NY
Well got all the product all picked put.

what do you think it the correct price / sq foot for

applying the cleaner, rinsing with low pressure washer, returning when dry, sanding 60-80 grit, resetting any raised nails, and applying one coat of stain. I called Benjamin Moore and asked about the benefits of 1 or 2 coats. They said that the W23, W38 and W39 are all the newest water technology, and that the older oils are inferior. These are one coat systems designed to waterproof and not build film thickness which can chip and look horrible.

I did get a quote, I am wondering what prices you guys come up with, and then I will share.
 

Angelfire

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Mar 22, 2012
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New Mexico and Ireland
I do my own deck treatments. Where located, it's a yearly or bi-yearly event....no way around it.

First, I wash with Sodium Percarbonate after sweeping the deck clear of any debris. I let it dwell about 10-15 minutes then rinse. Next, it's a neutralizing wash using citric acid. This dwells for 10-15 mins as well then is rinsed.

Once dry, I use an oil based stain. For me, the reality is I have to do this every year or two so I use a product that holds up well but is even easier to re-coat.

I've never figured a cost/SF but clearly for me, the stain is the most expensive part of it. I bought the chems used in 5lb buckets and they've lasted for several years.

Cheers.
 

sr71

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Sep 3, 2007
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Michigan
I usually do it myself but last year we had the house painted and also had them do the deck (curious to see if they were able to get a better result) We paid around 1/ft for 1000 sq. ft of red cedar deck.... clean, power wash and coat with penofin red.. included verticals which are a PITA. Price will highly depend on quality of stain (Penofin red is $170/5 gallon pail) .... my deck usually eats through 9 gallons.

I have never used more than 1 coat.
 
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Jsf721

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I was quoted 1600 dollars. Is around a dollar per square foot. That includes stain. My painter was going to use bleach so I have no issue adding the correct cleaner to the project and my expense.
 
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CombatNinja

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I would avoid any product that claims to 'waterproof' a deck. That is virtually impossible for more than a month or so. You will see an initial beading of water like a freshly waxed car but that is very temporary, just as it would be on a car that sat in the beating sun/rain/hot/cold for a month straight. What you want to do is control the rate at which the wood absorbs and releases water. When the process is too fast, you get the twisting, splintering and cracking that every deck owner dreads. This is exactly why I use an oil-based transparent stain or toner. It is easy as pie to recoat with no special prep. Just clean the deck with a dedicated deck cleaner to raise the grain a bit, sand with some 120 grit if it looks like it needs it and brush it on. You can roll it as well but I find that this wastes a lot of product. You can go with one coat if you are rushed for time or recoat as many times as you wish to get the color darker and darker. I have messed around with many deck products over the years and kept chasing that magic bullet that would last 5 years but there is no such thing, it is all marketing B.S. Accept the fact that looking after a deck is a yearly process if you want it to be relatively painless and a bi-annual process if you want to work a little harder. After that, you may as well just do nothing and expect to redeck it every 7 or 8 years and it will look like hell for the last 3.
Not trying to rain on your parade but you are looking at spending a lot of money to have someone clean your deck with bleach, use a pressure washer and use products that make impossible claims, all red flags that this will not come out the way you want it to. There is no free lunch with a deck, maintain it at regular intervals with a product that needs no special prep to recoat or chase your tail.
 

Copymutt

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If your going to stay in the home for five years rip it out and rebuild with a synthetic such as Trex. For any exterior wood that doesn't get walked on finish with One Time Wood. You've got better things to do and spend money and time on than strpping,cleaning,conditioning treating wood every year or two.
Jim
 

rlitman

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If your going to stay in the home for five years rip it out and rebuild with a synthetic such as Trex. For any exterior wood that doesn't get walked on finish with One Time Wood. You've got better things to do and spend money and time on than strpping,cleaning,conditioning treating wood every year or two.
Jim

With oil finishes, a year to two is about all you can expect. The upside to oil, is that you can recoat very easily, with little chance of making a peeling mess. I used oil on my kid's playground around 4 years ago, and it's about due for a recoat.

The water based finishes above should easily last 5 years or more. But you can't just recoat over them, and you can't just apply them to wood that has been treated already, or it becomes peeling mess time. I used water based stain on the underside of the roof over the same playground (the top side got paint). Since it isn't in the sun, it still literally looks like new.

Still, there's much to be said for real wood. With three or four refinishing sessions over a 20 year lifetime, wood can be very economical.

As for "One Time Wood" vinyl type decking, it isn't all its cracked up to be. My in-laws had a deck replaced by TimberTech. The beautiful brown deck was so grey it was nearly white after two years. That was a couple of years ago, and it's well on its way back to that point again. The brown Azek railing is only brown where it is in the shade.

Aside from fading, it can get awfully hot in the sun if you like to walk around barefoot, and it is just plain awfully expensive. Plus, many of the less expensive vinyl decks are made to be put on 12" OC joists, and feel springy if decked over a 16" OC frame.
 

CombatNinja

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There you go, another product that claims to last 7 years. ^^^ Don't believe the hype. No finish that sits outside will last that long, especially on a horizontal surface, you might get 3 or 4 years out of something on the vertical parts of railings. Maybe.
 

jkeyser14

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(rural) Maryland
There you go, another product that claims to last 7 years. ^^^ Don't believe the hype. No finish that sits outside will last that long, especially on a horizontal surface, you might get 3 or 4 years out of something on the vertical parts of railings. Maybe.

There are solid stains that will give 10 year warranties on horizontal surfaces, and up to 30 years on vertical surfaces. Take a walk through the paint aisle at Home Depot.
 

CombatNinja

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There are solid stains that will give 10 year warranties on horizontal surfaces, and up to 30 years on vertical surfaces. Take a walk through the paint aisle at Home Depot.

I've seen the stain section of the big box stores. Go ahead and put that solid stain on your deck. It will look like **** in 3 years and fail by 5. The fine print of their warranty absolves them of all responsibility unless you had 3 chemists and a member of Congress sign off on your prep. It is all marketing hype. 30 years on vertical surfaces, LOL...
 
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