I had a similar experience with my new Ipe deck which was stained with Cabot's SPF 48 in August 2005. The instrutions were followed completely and the deck looked great until the first snowfall that December. After the snow melted the deck started to peel. I had to have the entire deck sanded the next spring. Very expensive. I left the vertical surfaces of the railings in SPF as they didn't peel and used Australian Timber Oil on the decking. I have been told by a senior person at Cabot that for the SPF to last the deck should really be sanded before cleaning and application of the product. I reapplied the SPF just to the horizontal toprail of the railing and it seems to be holding up although there are a few small spots where it peeled. I doubt that Cabot will officially admit that SPF requires sanding before application as that makes it much more labor intensive for a homeowner to apply. I considered taking them to small claims court but was advsed by an attorney that they were protected by their limited liability disclaimer. I like the ATO, as peeling is not an issue but it needs to be reapplied yearly. I also had a small T&G Ipe covered porch done in the SPF and that has held up well as it is well protected from the elements. What kind of wood did you apply the SPF to? I think what happens is that the SPF, which is a film forming finish peels during the freeze/thaw cycles unless there is perfect adhesion. That is asking a lot. I wll never again use it, or any other film forming finish on horizontal decking. Sorry I can't give you a more optimistic report. Marty

Normally, a SOLID stain is obviously the most flexible... COLOR-wise. They'll also last longer, since the sun can't hit the wood directly. Check out maybe a Cabot solid, or Sikkens solids. Cabots Semi-solid line shows some grain. Faron

You really think the table top is pine veneer?? I don't think I've ever seen anything but solid pine. And if it were solid pine, I wouldn't hesitate to pull out my power sander and sand off the bad coat and however much of the scratches and dents you want. Stripper performance is greatly affected by temperature and humidity. When it is warm and/or dry, the solvent evaporates too quickly to get the finish removed, so it re-hardens. If it's cool and damp, you can probably remove a poorly applied clear finish with anything. If it's warm and/or dry, as it probably is almost anywhere right now, I've had the best luck with a brand called Dad's. Or cover the stripper with a sheet of plastic. Also, tackle the stripping as early in the morning as possible. It sounds like you want to match the color of the top to the legs. Waterlox is a nice product, but it is quite dark amber. Minwax Wipe-On Poly is quite a bit lighter, performs just as well, and is easy to apply. It's also much cheaper. Minwax Fast-Drying Poly is a little lighter still, and can be made into an easy-to-apply wiping varnish by adding thinner.

Our pergola and railings were stained with a semi solid Thompsons water seal in cedar. GC picked color without consulting me first and I would prefer a darker tone (closer to a bronze or ebony) to match our house trim. Do I need to strip or sand first or can I go over with darker color like a second coat? Original coat was done about 2 years ago. Cedar wood.