We are in the process of applying a tinted deck preserver (Flood UVP) to
our old deck. Done this many times before, but this time around we've
got a new problem.
The deck is 30 years old, surface is pressure treated 2x4's. Gaps
between boards are nominally 3/16", but sometimes varies (wood doesn't
always grow straight or stay straight!).
The issue is that we need to 'stain' the SIDES of most of the boards.
They are close to natural-old-pine colored in most cases, except where
the walnut-colored stain has run down on them. Some gaps are larger;
1/4" or slightly more, and a few boards have warped very slightly,
exposing their side such that the sunlight catches it.
I made an attempt yesterday to touch up some of them with a
sponge-brush. Seemed to work, but was very slow and difficult, and
quickly tore up the brush I was using after three 12 ft boards. I've
got three decks totalling 1200 sq ft to do, so I'm hoping for a better
method.
In retrospect, I should probably have done the sides before I did the
top surface, but I didn't know I was going to do the sides until I saw
how dark the top is turning out.
Any suggestions from the group?
Rich
On Fri, 21 May 2010 09:48:44 -0400, Rich Hare <[email protected]>
wrote:
>We are in the process of applying a tinted deck preserver (Flood UVP) to
>our old deck. Done this many times before, but this time around we've
>got a new problem.
>
>The deck is 30 years old, surface is pressure treated 2x4's. Gaps
>between boards are nominally 3/16", but sometimes varies (wood doesn't
>always grow straight or stay straight!).
>
>The issue is that we need to 'stain' the SIDES of most of the boards.
>They are close to natural-old-pine colored in most cases, except where
>the walnut-colored stain has run down on them. Some gaps are larger;
>1/4" or slightly more, and a few boards have warped very slightly,
>exposing their side such that the sunlight catches it.
>
>I made an attempt yesterday to touch up some of them with a
>sponge-brush. Seemed to work, but was very slow and difficult, and
>quickly tore up the brush I was using after three 12 ft boards. I've
>got three decks totalling 1200 sq ft to do, so I'm hoping for a better
>method.
>
>In retrospect, I should probably have done the sides before I did the
>top surface, but I didn't know I was going to do the sides until I saw
>how dark the top is turning out.
>
>Any suggestions from the group?
>
>Rich
A little time consuming, but I'd use a small long-hair brush. Best
to keep deck sizes to around 500 sq feet, to keep maintenance
time/costs down.
On Sat, 22 May 2010 18:38:35 -0400, Phisherman <[email protected]>
wrote the following:
>On Fri, 21 May 2010 09:48:44 -0400, Rich Hare <[email protected]>
>wrote:
>
>>We are in the process of applying a tinted deck preserver (Flood UVP) to
>>our old deck. Done this many times before, but this time around we've
>>got a new problem.
>>
>>The deck is 30 years old, surface is pressure treated 2x4's. Gaps
>>between boards are nominally 3/16", but sometimes varies (wood doesn't
>>always grow straight or stay straight!).
>>
>>The issue is that we need to 'stain' the SIDES of most of the boards.
>>They are close to natural-old-pine colored in most cases, except where
>>the walnut-colored stain has run down on them. Some gaps are larger;
>>1/4" or slightly more, and a few boards have warped very slightly,
>>exposing their side such that the sunlight catches it.
>>
>>I made an attempt yesterday to touch up some of them with a
>>sponge-brush. Seemed to work, but was very slow and difficult, and
>>quickly tore up the brush I was using after three 12 ft boards. I've
>>got three decks totalling 1200 sq ft to do, so I'm hoping for a better
>>method.
>>
>>In retrospect, I should probably have done the sides before I did the
>>top surface, but I didn't know I was going to do the sides until I saw
>>how dark the top is turning out.
>>
>>Any suggestions from the group?
Rich, spray them with a 1- or 2-gal garden sprayer with fine misting
nozzle.
>A little time consuming, but I'd use a small long-hair brush. Best
>to keep deck sizes to around 500 sq feet, to keep maintenance
>time/costs down.
Decks should be limited to 200 s/f or smaller for sanity. ;)
NOBODY needs half their yard decked.
--
Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when
they do it from religious conviction. - Blaise Pascal
Rich Hare wrote:
> We are in the process of applying a tinted deck preserver (Flood UVP) to
> our old deck. Done this many times before, but this time around we've
> got a new problem.
>
> The deck is 30 years old, surface is pressure treated 2x4's. Gaps
> between boards are nominally 3/16", but sometimes varies (wood doesn't
> always grow straight or stay straight!).
>
> The issue is that we need to 'stain' the SIDES of most of the boards.
> They are close to natural-old-pine colored in most cases, except where
> the walnut-colored stain has run down on them. Some gaps are larger;
> 1/4" or slightly more, and a few boards have warped very slightly,
> exposing their side such that the sunlight catches it.
>
> I made an attempt yesterday to touch up some of them with a
> sponge-brush. Seemed to work, but was very slow and difficult, and
> quickly tore up the brush I was using after three 12 ft boards. I've
> got three decks totalling 1200 sq ft to do, so I'm hoping for a better
> method.
>
> In retrospect, I should probably have done the sides before I did the
> top surface, but I didn't know I was going to do the sides until I saw
> how dark the top is turning out.
>
> Any suggestions from the group?
>
> Rich
Well, for the record, just in case someone else decides to face this
problem...
I decided to use an edging pad. You know, one of those pads that fits a
plastic holder with rollers for indoor painting. I just used the pad,
and cut off a couple of stiffening curls at each end.
The pad held a good amount of stain/sealer and was stiff enough to press
well against the board sides. It was thin enough to work into all but
the very smallest cracks, so it did the job well. Pad held up well for
the first 600 sq ft deck. I might even re-use it, but they are cheap
enough to throw away after each use.
Back-breaking work; kneeling down doing each gap a foot at a time, but I
can't picture anything that would have done the job better. A couple of
Harbor Freight padded knee caps helped a big bunch.
Rich