Michael Dresdner » deck

Don’t fence me in

Michael — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 14:00:46 +0000

Q: I have an older privacy fence made of staggered treated pine; the kind you buy in sections at Home Depot. Over the years the fence has grayed and I want to clean and stain it. My plan is to use deck cleaner and some light pressure washing to clean. Afterwards, I want to stain and maybe something to help maintain. I would like to spray. I have a 3-stage (model 800, 5.5 psi) and a 4-stage (model 1000, 8.0 psi) Apollo turbines but haven’t used them very much and never for this type of project. I also have a conventional spray gun, but a small 13 gallon compressor. Can you recommend a good stain or finish that would be appropriate with my equipment?
A: Most deck stains and sealers are quite thin, and can be thinned further. Thus, any of the three spraying options you have will work just fine. My first choice would be the four stage turbine, as it is portable, powerful enough, and easy to move around even outdoors on the deck. That’s what I use when I spray my own deck. As for brands of deck stains and sealers, there are lots of good ones out there, including Olympic, CW Flood, and the one I usually use, Wolman F&P.

Redwood stands alone

Michael — Thu, 27 May 2010 14:00:33 +0000

Q: I am making a redwood raised planter bed using 2×6 material obtained from the local retail supplier. I elected not to use pressure treated wood because we intend on growing vegetables. Since the wood will be in direct contact with the ground, what type of finish would you recommend?
A: Generally I don’t suggest film forming finishes for decks and planters. Since you chose redwood, that leaves you two very good options. The first is to leave the wood unfinished; redwood does just fine unfinished as it has a natural resistance to rot and bug infestation. The other option is to use an impregnating finish, such as an oil based deck coating. These help shed water and keep the wood color a bit better, but should be renewed every year or so. They are very easy to apply and are relatively inexpensive, and are available from clear through lightly tinted to pigmented. There are lots of good deck coatings to choose among, from very reliable companies, including Wolman F&P, Flood CWF and Olympic Maximum, to name just a few that are widely available.

A stitch in time

Michael — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 20:16:34 +0000

Q: Can you suggest a good finish for an unfinished pine outdoor swing? I want one that doesn’t require a whole lot of maintenance and reapplication.

A: The finishes that don’t require regular maintenance, such as a multi-coat exterior spar varnishes, will eventually fail, but when they do, the amount of work to fix them is substantial. They are also more work to apply initially.

On the other hand, you can go with easy to apply and easy to reapply finishes, such as deck coatings or exterior wipe on finishes, that require regular, but easy, maintenance. Typically, you clean and reapply each year. Perhaps its best to look at it like brushing your teeth, mowing the lawn, or taking out the trash; a little regular attention may forestall more difficult problems.

Cedar Planter Box Considerations

Michael — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:28:35 +0000

Q: I’m looking for something non-toxic to finish my raised cedar vegetable garden.

A: You don’t need a non-toxic finish; merely one that won’t have any adverse affects on your plants, and that’s not the same thing. In truth, most any exterior deck finish will work just fine, and for that matter, so will leaving the cedar unfinished. While unfinished cedar will turn gray, it is not particularly harmed by that process. Incidentally, I’m going to assume that there will be some sort of liner between the cedar and the soil inside. If not, the soil in constant contact with the cedar will eventually rot it from the inside out, in which case what finish you did or did not use will be the least of your problems.

Hit the Decks

Michael — Thu, 24 May 2007 06:42:55 +0000

It is that time of the year when our thoughts turn first to going out onto the deck or porch to enjoy the sun, and second to how ratty it has gotten since last year. Time to clean the deck, restore its color, kill the mildew, and recoat, not necessarily in that order. Here are a few guidelines that should help.

To kill mildew and algae: The traditional way is to mix one part common household laundry bleach with two parts water and wash down the deck. I use a swab mop on the flats and a pump type portable garden sprayer for the rails and posts. When it is dry, hose off the deck with plenty of water. Unfortunately, this will kill off any vegetation underneath. If you need a safer alternative, try Zinsser’s Jomax concentrated cleaner and mildew killer. It works great and won’t destroy plants. One gallon makes 20 gallons of solution, and oddly enough, is cheaper than bleach!

To restore gray wood to its original color: Mix oxalic acid (often sold as deck brightener) to about a 5% solution in water and flood it liberally onto the gray, raw wood. It will kill the gray and bring back the original color. Once again, wash off liberally with the hose when it is dry.

For just plain dirt: A good scrub with TSP or TSP substitute in water will help dislodge the dirt. Use a stiff bristle scrub brush to get things moving. As before, wash off afterwards with the hose.

When it is time to recoat: Let the deck dry and pick out the sealer you want. They fall into three categories. The weakest clear coating is waterproofing, which will offer rain shedding but very little protection and must be recoated often. Next come the clear sealers, that offer more protection, including UV block, and will last up to two years before recoating is needed. Finally, there are the pigmented opaque and semi-transparent sealer/stains. These offer the most protection, but block the true color of the wood. This year, I am putting Zinsser’s F&P clear deck coating on my deck and applying it with a wide format floor finish application pad. It is quick, easy, and adds just the right amount of finish in one 18″ wide swath.