going from solid to semi transparent oil stain

12 years ago

I painted a small deck a solid oil stain (Thompson's Waterseal, Earthbrown) 3 years ago and the railing still looks fine, and the floor looks pretty good but it has peeled up in a few places. We just added a new larger section adjoining the original deck and I am rethinking stains. I know the dirt really shows up on the dark floor section of the original deck so I was thinking about maybe going with a semi-transparent of the same color tone or maybe even going a little bit lighter, and keeping the railings the original solid stain. Do you think this would look right or should both floor and rails be the same? Would the semi-transparent wear well on the floor of the deck? What do I need to do to prepare the old deck? If I used the same color in semi-transparent, is there a way to just thin down the existing stain to make it match or does it all have to be stripped?

I have read some disparaging remarks about Thompson's stains, but really mine has held up pretty well (zone 5), except for the small flaking up spots on the floor of the deck. It was reasonably priced as well. I'd appreciate any ideas and tips on how to proceed. Thanks!

Comments (2)

nerdyshopper
12 years ago
My experience is that the more transparent a stain is the shorter the usable life. As far as refinishing the old deck, you might have to sand off the residue. I always rent a floor sander that has a flat plate sander not a drum. The rent is very affordable and the job goes fast. Only problem I had was the foam pads that the machine used under the paper. They were costly and tended to get damaged easily unless you check the paper regularly. I'm not a professionl so someone who is may have more experiences than I and post a reply.
Faron79
12 years ago
Because of the waxes in many Thompson's products, you'll have to remove it ALL, to have any chance of subsequent products holding!!!

>>> That means SANDING IT ALL OUT.

On my 15 y/o Construction-Heart Redwood deck (can't even buy that stuff anymore!!) I've sanded my floor twice, & removed/sanded my steps 3 times. Just got done with a "Step-renewal" because I discovered some dry-rot on a stringer.

Soooo...off came the steps, had a new stringer cut, etc.....
Used a wood-petrifier on the tops of the other stringers just to be safe. Sanded the inside of the existing 2x12 Redwood skirt-board too.

Final result?!
"New AGAIN" steps!

Bottom-line....
* Going from solid to S/T means sanding-out ALL previous product. I went thru more than 2 sheets of paper LOL!!
* On a sanded surface, all previous degraded wood is now GONE.
* Subsequent S/T stains will now penetrate and look the same....EVERYWHERE.
* Start with a few backer-pads, and 40-grit sanding sheets.
* Final passes with 60-grit.
* Sweep off dust periodically as you go, vacuum with Shop-Vac bristle-tip, then wipe all wood down with paint-thinner rags, and toss in a water-bucket.
* Now your woods' back to NEW again, and your S/T stain will look GORGEOUS.

(I'm getting good at this kind of rehab, and I recommend it to our stores' clients if their deck meets certain criteria....age, wear, etc.)

Faron
Related Professionals
Foothill Farms Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · Novi Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · South Houston Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · Riverbank Home Builders · Rossmoor Home Builders · Sunrise Home Builders · Parkway Home Builders · Dunwoody Flooring Contractors · La Mesa Flooring Contractors · Mashpee Flooring Contractors · Southlake Flooring Contractors · Town and Country Flooring Contractors · Berkeley Siding & Exteriors · Cedar Rapids Siding & Exteriors · Elizabeth Siding & Exteriors