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srg227
Citizen
Username: Srg227
Post Number: 54
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Monday, July 31, 2006 - 6:34 pm: | 
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We are in the process of getting our deck restained, and have picked a semi-transparent stain. The first coat of stain has already been applied, went on about a week ago.
Now...
When we signed the contract, it was for two coats of stain for the deck, plus an extra coat for the deck stairs which were previously replaced. The idea there being that since the deck stairs are of a lighter-colored wood than the rest of the deck, an extra coat on the stairs would bring the stairs more in line with the rest of the deck, color-wise (i.e., make it look the same, or reasonably close).
We met with the contractor after the first coat was applied, and now he tells us that because the first coat really seals into the deck, a second coat - which he's fine with doing for us - won't add all that much color, isn't really necessary, and it will take a long, long time to dry - maybe a month or more. In the meantime, the second coat will feel sticky, and we won't be able to use the deck while it's drying. Since there is a small portion of the deck where we had previously sampled a different stain color, it currently has two coats now, and yep, it sure does feel sticky.
I then asked him, well, if two coats are unnecessary, why commit to that in the contract in the first place? His response was that two coats would definitely be needed for a solid stain, but not for a semi-transparent stain (and at the time of the contract signing, we hadn't decided what type of stain we wanted yet).
So the question to the MOL home-fixit folks is this: do I demand the 2nd coat of semi-transparent stain that I'm contractually permitted to get, or is it essentially a waste of time? Will there be a big difference in wearability for a deck with two coats vs. one coat of stain? Is there a risk that the stickiness of the 2nd coat will never fully go away (my worst-case scenario)?
thanks in advance for any comments. |
george H
Citizen
Username: Georgieboy
Post Number: 267
Registered: 8-2005
| | Posted on Monday, July 31, 2006 - 6:47 pm: |
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What kind of wood? How old? Will you get $$$ back if you don't do the 2nd coat?Worse case is that you'll have to restain next year.Stickiness could stay with you for quite awhile.I powerwash my cedar deck and use Cabots 3000 clear every year,and after 14 yrs.,I still get compliments about it.I also had my floor guy come in twice and sand it down to bare wood which really took any buildup off and basically allowed me to start from scratch with restaining it.The beauty of cedar is its renewability. |
Pdg
Citizen
Username: Pdg
Post Number: 1112
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Monday, July 31, 2006 - 6:53 pm: |
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Similar situation - our guy did a too thorough job painting with a brush between each piece board. Then he spread on a thinner coat all over the tops of the boards. The result is that we were left with darker areas where he hand painted between the slats, and lighter color over the rest - it looks like crap and needs a second coat. The problem is, we already experienced the stickiness due to the thicker application between each board and dread dealing with that again, but we have no choice.
I'm not being charged more, even though one coat was agreed to b/c it looks so bad.
If I were you, I'd skip the second coat (maybe ask for a materials discount if he was providing the stain). Bottom line, if you are happy with how it looks and think you agreed on a fair price to get it looking that way, I'd say be done with it and enjoy your nice looking deck. |
george H
Citizen
Username: Georgieboy
Post Number: 268
Registered: 8-2005
| | Posted on Monday, July 31, 2006 - 6:58 pm: |
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Its very important to always work to a wet edge when staining to avoid the variation Pdg mentions.Sometimes you have to live with the results for a season,learn from your mistakes,and then re-do it in the spring. |
srg227
Citizen
Username: Srg227
Post Number: 55
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Monday, July 31, 2006 - 8:37 pm: |
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George,
I think it's pressure-treated wood, and the deck is at least six years old - not sure how long ago it was installed. |
JC
Citizen
Username: Demolitionman
Post Number: 36
Registered: 6-2006
| | Posted on Monday, July 31, 2006 - 8:46 pm: |
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Ideally you should have tried the stain on a small unnoticeable section of decking or a sample of the deck which you were tring to stain, then made a decision. 20/20 |
george H
Citizen
Username: Georgieboy
Post Number: 269
Registered: 8-2005
| | Posted on Monday, July 31, 2006 - 9:13 pm: |
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I asked because with lumber like pressure treated,your options are down to a good bleaching/powerwashing followed by a coat of some type of preservative.I find that by doing it yearly,it avoids any ground in dirt that can accumulate what with snow laying on it and even leaves in the fall.This is really a project that any homeowner is capable of doing,you just need a small[1200 psi] power washer that can be had for 100$$.I'll usually try to do mine as soon as weather breaks,Apr./May,which gives plenty of time for drying out before staining,and gives us a whole summer of use.Everyone finds what works for them in terms of frequency,thoroghness,and such.There really is no right or wrong. |
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