Help: Treat Old PT Pine in Shade?

15 years ago

We must get our decks sealed as soon as possible, but I am stuck on what product to order. I have researched this and other sites and have learned a lot, but still not sure which products currently available would be best for our particular situation. I would be so grateful for your advice.

It looks like TWP remains in favor after a few years discussions but is it right for an old, repaired pressure-treated pine deck located in hot, humid, shade?

Would a penetrating oil semi-transparent stain like TWP 100 be appropriate if mold and algae are issues?

Also, is this type of stain forgiving for a poorly-kept pine deck with boards of various ages and condition? What about for cracking handrails?

We live in a small town with access to SW, Lowes and HDepot. Calbot, Olympic or SW products are convenient, but having a product that is forgiving to apply and maintain and likely to last longer and wear better is ultimately more convenient even if it involves ordering.

Here is more information, if anyone could help.

The deck is pressure treated pine that was in lousy shape last year before we stripped it.... and didn't get a sealer back on. So this spring we were properly punished with deeper cracks, splinters, cups, bows... the works. Five years ago, we had a hot tub removed, so some of the wood is newer and smoother, and we just bought some more replacement boards in the new non-arsenic "severe weather" pressure treated pine. This leaves us with three different surfaces: horribly cracked and rough, smoother but beginning to crack and crack-free, smooth new wood (that seems almost moist_.

To complicate the matter, we also have to do the front deck, a deck with slightly different problems. Though also an old pine deck in the shade, the deck boards at least have a protective coat of stain/sealer. However, we hated the color so much that we never did the handrails and balusters after stripping the whole thing three years ago. Thus we have an ugly, clay orangy Wolman's semitransparent (non-oil) on the deck floor and unfinished, furry cracked, mildewed handrails and balusters.

Looks like we may have to do some sanding on top of the cleaning and "rebrightening."

As you can probably guess from the above information, we are two homeowners short on money (an sense) and in need of a forgiving product to buy us time. We can't afford to replace the deck, but can't afford to neglect it any longer either.

I would be most grateful for any advice about products appropriate for a bad deck in North Carolina.

Amy

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Comments (4)

john_hyatt
15 years ago
PT pine is going to do what its going to do regardless of how its fastened or what finish is used on it.

Do not finish over mildew/mold/algae it has to be removed before finish goes on.

Man is Wolman crap or what?? included in the top worst outdoor finish is cwf behr and of course anything with thompsens on the lable.

Dont fret over the old and the new you cant do anything about that same with the cracks/splinters you can sand them down but they will probley come back just do the best you can.

Products to use..These guys sell strippers/brightners/finish www.woodrich-brand.com you might post over there and see what happens. I have used them and they worked for me the md80 is for really tough jobs but they have a step down stripper for less extreem finish both require an oxalic base brightner for several reasons so dont skip this step.

I use twp100 series mostley 116 finish but the woodrich brand is very close. Both are a rein base build coat product that if put on in a normal/sane frame of mind you will not have to strip it off just add more coats. Both are fine for pt lumber or any other kind of lumber. A striped/brightened pt deck will drink up the finish on the first coat plan on using hmmmm half as much on the second coat.

Side Note>> I helped out a Bud last year He had already bought Olimpic finish cant remember the number but it seemed to hold up pretty well dont know about the recoat thats always the catch
mythak
Original Author
15 years ago
Thank you John,
I spent a second full day trying to clean the deck. I tried Calbots Deck renewer as had already stripped, de-olded and whitened when I started this project. A day of scrubbing and still to many places with mold (particularly between the grain). Today, after testing the results with sand paper, I spent a day using the Calbot deck mold and dirt remover. Even 36 grit couldn't eat away enough of the hard grain to get at the mold valleys between. We are renting a vibrating plate sander, but I sure can't use that on the rails and balusters. I wonder if the md 80 could conquer the mold and algae of this monster.
Is the resin-base of TWP is an oil? Are the moldicides strong enough for the humid south?

I sure hated the Wolman. Yet another bad recommendation by CR. I had considered the SW Deckscape after seeing a good recommendation here, but then I saw that person had stopped using it, and another person mentioned it was hard to work with.

I appreciate your advice.
Amy
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john_hyatt
15 years ago
Do not belive Anything CR left wing radical green loven freaks say. ghessssssss they had a good idea many years ago but they have truned into a bunch of......... never mind.

Sanding will not remove mold spors if anything it pushes them in.Both those chem strippers will remove mold/mildew.alage.

Both those finish have a mil de side for the same in them they are not water base or oil base>resin baseEven with a finish like the above corectley placed on your decking/rail system you will have to keep your project Clean...or else all those little plants will form on top of the finish. There Is No Free Ride. J.
mythak
Original Author
15 years ago
Why John, I thought CR was full of right-wing corporate lovin' nuts....Oh........that must have been back many years ago, ah, never-mind.
Yesterday, I had opportunity to put the last of my Deckscapes stripper next to my Cabot's Wood Stripper on the Wolmancoated front deck. Guess which one did better?

I also relearned which of the three Calbot Problem Solving chemicals is the one that gave me a nasty splash burn last year. Yep, the Brightner only made pair one of my rubber gloves sticky. The Midew and Dirt remover eventually put a hole in the other pair. But either of those were forgiving of accidental skin contact. A drop of the stripper, however, found a little exposed piece of ankle to keep me humble.
Last year, the left side of my face got a nice splash of Calbot's Wood Stripper when I clumsily plopped the open container down on one of the steps I was stripping. A few weeks later after those layers of skin were fully replaced, that my left side shone with younger looking skin. Imagine, some other women actually pay a dermatologist for a peel! Fools.

Thank goodness, today it is going to rain so I can justify a day off to rest and get some TWP ordered. I am pretty convinced that some of black stuff just ain't coming up.Even with straight bleach. I might order some of the MD80, or I might have to try out a planer. Always wanted to learn to use one of those.

Thanks again for your help,
Amy
PS
I am sorry my reply took so long, but Tuesday night, near thethe end of my Follow-Up post, I opened another tab to search for information non-oil based resins. A few minutes into the search, my computer Blue Screened on me. It was late at night and I just didn't have the energy or heart to start the post again.

Help: Treat Old PT Pine in Shade?

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Help: Treat Old PT Pine in Shade?

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