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Deck Stain Questions and Answers
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Topic starter
01/05/2012 6:50 pm
Argh! Hoping someone can give me good advice.
I washed (with a garden sprayer and Zomax mixture), scrubbed clean, and hand-sanded our 2-yr.-old pressure treated deck this weekend, and laid down a first coat of stain yesterday. Ran out of stain for a second coat, and in researching getting more stain, I discovered I used a poor quality stain (Sherwin Williams Deckscapes, water-based). Wish I'd done my home work in advance on good vs. not-so-good stain products before now. <rolleyes>
Now I'm wondering if I should buy a different product for the 2nd coat. I'm considering one of the top rated ones; wondering if it should be oil-based. In any case, it looks like I would have to order it and have it shipped, which would mean the 2nd coat couldn't be applied for about 2 weeks.
Or should I finish the way I started, and wait until the stain starts to come fade or whatever, and then start over properly?
We are in central Texas, a very hot climate, also in a serious drought right now, but we do get some rain from time to time. Almost no snow or ice ever anymore. Occasional hail; not often of a seriously damaging size. The deck is only about 200 sq. ft., and in western sun after about 1pm. It does have a pergola, and we have a tarp on it right now to give me more time out of direct sun.
Any thoughts on best way to proceed, now that I've already started on the wrong foot?
Thanks so much! Wish I'd found y'all before now!
01/05/2012 6:59 pm
You really have two options:
1. Remove the one coat of Sherwin Williams now and start over.
2. Wait a year or so then remove and start over.
It would be a bad idea to apply a different stain on top of the SW. It will not fix the SW.
I would not apply another coat of the Deckscapes either. It will make it that much more difficult to fix in the future.
Do not feel too bad. Many consumers do not do their research but end up at their local paint or big box stores for decking stains.
Consider it a lesson learned and who knows, maybe the SW will perform okay. I doubt it though. 🙁
Topic starter
01/05/2012 7:08 pm
Ha, ha! Well, thanks so much! I really appreciate your sound advice. At the moment, I'm inclined to just wait for a bit and start over in another year or so. Next time I will, hopefully, get it right!
At any rate, I'm so glad to have found this wonderful resource, and I will not only bookmark it, but let my friends, family and other contacts know where to go for great information. Thank you!
14/05/2012 6:51 pm
What is an acceptable way of cleaning a vertical or horizontal stained wood. Sikkins stain on a cedar deck? The stain has been on a vertical surface for 3 yrs. Can I use a mild solution of dish soap or other such type of cleaner?
15/05/2012 4:41 pm
If using the same stain again then you would need a deck cleaner. If removing the Sikkens for a different stain then you would need a deck stain stripper.
05/06/2012 1:57 pm
So how do you successfully remove a waterborne stain (maintenance time) so a different type can be used over it? I have heard horror stories from friends about the results.
05/06/2012 11:01 pm
It depends on the brand of the waterborne stain and the type. For example solid colors cannot be stripped. Some semi-transparent can be stripped off but not all. In addition the more coats that where applied, the harder it is to remove.
Behr is the most popular stain that fails and it is an acrylic water borne stain. It can be stubborn to remove in the areas that is nor peeling and on verticals. You need a very strong stripper and a lot of patience to get it off.
