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Deck Stain Questions and Answers
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Topic starter
05/07/2014 2:38 am
I had my deck in Massachusetts rebuilt (flooring) in May, using fir. After reading this forum I figured there was no rush in staining it. In fact, I was considering waiting till Fall. However, several boards have cracked.
The contractor says this is because I have not stained it. I posted on thisoldhouse.com, and a "senior member" wrote:
'i'm a contractor in the boston area. fir is a common wood to use on decks in this area. only problem is that it has
to be sealed, stained or painted right after installation (weather pending, maybe within the first 2-3 weeks). you're contractor should have told you this. it doesn't take long for most woods to start doing that if they are completely untreated. if the deck is in direct sun contact most of the day the wood can quickly dry out and crack, that's why sealers, stains and paint are used....to protect the wood. i don't think the contractor is at fault unless he was supposed to treat it or he told you that you don't have to do anything to it.'
This is directly contrary to the advise on this forum, which is wait months before staining.
What to do? Who is right? If the contractor/this old house is right, I need to move a lot more quickly than I had thought! Please advise.
Stressed in Boston .....
05/07/2014 12:11 pm
Who is "right" is the stain brand manufacturer. Meaning you want to follow the advice of the stain you are using, not the advice of the lumber yard or contractor. For example if you were to apply TWP on 2 week old wood it would fail prematurely and you would blame the stain. But if you waited the required 4-12 months you most likely would not have any issues.
BTW, cracks in boards is normal and you will get them no matter what.
