Outdoor deck resurfacing products

[Donald]

Several companies now sell deck resurfacing products. I have my deck stained with solid color stain and I am giving up with solid color stain. Its forever peeling on the horizontal surfaces. The new products are 4X to 10X the thickness of paint.

So 3 thoughts:
1) try one of the new deck resurfacing products
2) strip the solid color stain and use clear slightly tinted stain
3) replace the decking with something else

 

[QuietPortage]

Replace it with a composite product like Trex. It's plastic and sawdust mixed together if I recall correctly. I did a small area in front of my house last year and won't be using anything else for decking. Buy it in a color you like and forget about deck staining.

 

[Donald]

Thanks, I know that is an option. I know I am being anal, but I try and keep the outside of my house all wood.

 

[zzyzzx]

Exactly how does stain peel? That doesn't sound right to me.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: zzyzzx
Exactly how does stain peel? That doesn't sound right to me.


Maybe flaking off would be a better description.

I put some new solid color stain on wood that had been on my deck for maybe 1 month and some of it flaked away in a few spots. As for the main area of the deck, after 1 or 2 years a lot of it has flaked away.

The railings are fine.

I also hate the color.

 

[IndyIan]

You may or may not like the aesthetics, but untreated red cedar seems to be working well for our swimming dock. It goes silver grey and fuzzes a little, but no slivers. Its all tight grained older growth though, and mostly heart wood. I would assume the fast grown new cedar wouldn't stand up as well, so I sort like mad at HD when they have a red cedar sale on.
Anyways, my theory is that by leaving it unsealed, the wood can dry out as easily as it gets wet.
In any case, I haven't spent a dime or a minute on the finish, which is worth something I guess.

 

[99Saturn]

Is the deck resurfacing products something like Deckover by Behr? I don't have personal experience but I imagine from reviews I see of this stuff you'll end up with the same issue you have now. I think that's always a concern with solid vs. transparent/semi-transparent stains.

Is the condition of the wood underneath worth the time and effort it going to take to strip (and sand?)?

We have the same issue on the deck at home (though it was painted not stained). I'm waiting to go the route of rebuild and expand once the time is right. Sort of down on the project list before other stuff though.

 

[kkreit01]

If you decide to resurface or restain, you'll have to strip your peeling solid no matter what. I used DeckOver last summer, and am very pleased with the outcome. Ask me again in 5 years. I posted pics someone on here (in photo section?). I did 2 coats, and used quite less product than what the label said I would. The hardest part was finding the perfect weather in KS: not too hot, not too cold, rain forecasted within 2-4 days, etc.

 

[Donald]

Actually I was hoping to delay the resurface of the deck another year and by pressure washing and/or nature was hoping most of the old solid stain would flake off. I can tell you one thing I will not be sanding it off.

Maybe I will apply it on one or two boards as a test for a year.

 

[zzyzzx]

If it's really that bad, I would think that a pressure washer would remove a lot of it easily enough. If it can flake off, it's more of a paint than a stain, I would think.