Deck stain

[MangoFett]

Its time for one of the clubs I'm apart of to give some TLC to our shooting benches and gun rack rests. I volunteered for it since no one was willing to do it and its probably a decade over due.

What I'll be doing is taking the bottom 2x10 boards off of the rack style rifle rests and replacing them with new ones. The tops are fine and as well as the shooting benches are fine so I'll just be stripping and sanding those and then giving them a fresh sexy coat.

I don't use solid stains much and honestly have only stained about 4 decks this far in my life so I've not bought nor tested like some of you may have. So what's the best solid stain/sealer for the job? The wood that we aren't replacing is in great shape so no worries about cracks or rot issues.

 

[Fig]

Just staining it is a waste of time. If you're already sanding and refinishing I'd put "One Time" sealer/stain on it, because it will keep it protected and looking good for way longer than regular stain, Thompsons, or anything else.

 

[shoobe01]

First, I have gone to all plasti-wood (composites, like Trex) for all wood flatwork like decks. Experiment with replacing fence pickets has gone well enough, I will soon start replacing the rest of the fence with those also. More expensive, but close to zero annual maintenance (pressure wash to keep clean, only) it rather pays off.

Anyway, my favorite for general maintenance was to not stain. Stain for looks, but pressure washer to blast the icky bits off, let it /completely/ dry, then a sealer. Thompson's Water Seal was the first big name one of these, now everyone makes one. Many now include dyes, so they can do dual duty as "stain" also if you wish. Anyway, much more protective.

Apply with roller. Not brush. Spray if you are willing to trade time for money. Faster, but lots of overspray for the application due to gaps, etc.

Best way to do it is annually. Even at every 3rd year, should be somewhere over 20 years before you are replacing boards.

 

[Veer_G]

Oh, deck. Never mind.

 

[MangoFett]

The club is very.....Budget minded.....so no composite or pressure treaded wood. I think right now the one I glanced at was a valspar stain/seal and its solid stain not just a thin dye type.

If we're being honest If it gets TLC down the road it'll be from me lol. As long as the stain/paint or whatever is the proper term doesn't crack/peel/bubble I should he able to give it whatever maintenance it needs each summer if need be.

Right now it's a slate color...well the parts that still have paint on them are slate.

 

[MrSmith]

Linseed oil and Kerosene mixed 50:50. Spray on a hot day and let dry. Don't let it puddle. Reapply every couple of years or so.

Thank you,
MrSmith

 

[Lapuapalooza]

Oh, deck. Never mind.

You “beat” me to it! ????

 

[MangoFett]

Linseed oil and Kerosene mixed 50:50. Spray on a hot day and let dry. Don't let it puddle. Reapply every couple of years or so.

Thank you,
MrSmith

Yea that's not a solid color stain/ paint but I suppose I'd use that on an axe handle or two.

 

[NLR WY]

I blast, stain and chink log homes for a living which includes an awful lot of decks. I can tell you in a very long explanation why Thompson's doesn't work, but if you want my advice, first choice is Sashco Transformation, second choice is Permachink Deck Defense.