# cedar deck looks like crap



## Matthewt1970 (Sep 16, 2008)

Yes you can stain Cedar. Any chance you can take some photos so we can see what your deck looks like ?


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## silky (Apr 22, 2009)

I don't know if I have any pics of it recently. I have pics of when it was first built and looks a little ok. But I don't think I have any pics of it in it's current dirty looking state.


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## Bucky Badger (Jan 30, 2009)

Does it look as bad as mine? I decided just to change the boards...They are .89 a foot


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## silky (Apr 22, 2009)

I think it looks worse!

I think i may give it a pressure wash and see what it looks like from that.


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## LookoutRanch (Apr 20, 2009)

Go down to Home Depot and get some Behr Premium 2-in-1 Wood Prep No. 63 and try that. (Use No. 64 if you have to strip previous coats of stain.)

We recently got a great deal on some old redwood lumber that had been laying around, and we used it to build a deck. While the price was right, the look was rather stained and weathered, so we used the Behr No. 63 to clean them up before applying a weather-proofing finish, and the boards came out looking brand new. It's like it has some kind of mild acid that scours off the oxidized outer layer. Anyway, it worked great from our perspective.


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## jaros bros. (Jan 16, 2009)

Um, looks like a cedar deck to me...not a big fan of cedar decks for this reason.


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## Bucky Badger (Jan 30, 2009)

LookoutRanch said:


> Go down to Home Depot and get some Behr Premium 2-in-1 Wood Prep No. 63 and try that. (Use No. 64 if you have to strip previous coats of stain.)
> 
> We recently got a great deal on some old redwood lumber that had been laying around, and we used it to build a deck. While the price was right, the look was rather stained and weathered, so we used the Behr No. 63 to clean them up before applying a weather-proofing finish, and the boards came out looking brand new. It's like it has some kind of mild acid that scours off the oxidized outer layer. Anyway, it worked great from our perspective.


What did you use to treat the deck? Thanks


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## LookoutRanch (Apr 20, 2009)

Bucky Badger said:


> What did you use to treat the deck? Thanks


We used the Behr Premium clear deck treatment. Our experience was similar to this review, only we are pretty happy with the look. It does change the color, but I would describe it as more of a rich brown than orange.

http://www.oneprojectcloser.com/materials/behr-premium-deck-fence-weatherproofing-sealer-review/


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## jellydonut (Jun 18, 2008)

I did a cedar deck last year that would just not give. I have no idea what was on it before, it looked like natural graying but I think there must have been something on it. The thing that worked best was sanding. I had a orbital sander at 40 grit for the rails, which took a long time. I rented a drum sander from home depot and used 60 grit to go over the boards. It ended up looking amazing after I finished. If you use a drum sander or any sander on the boards make sure that any nails, screws or whatever are flush with the wood, otherwise it'll mess up your sander and sandpaper!


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

I would read this before using the Behr products

http://www.google.com/search?source...T4GGLJ_en&q=Behr+Premium+clear+deck+treatment.


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## kitchenhappy (Apr 27, 2009)

silky said:


> hey all,
> 
> wondering if you guys could help me figure out why our newish cedar deck looks like crap.
> 
> ...



I love the way cedar takes on a silvery weathered look. To me that's whats so appealing. However on my other property, I used Thompson's Water Seal and had good results. But I believe once cedar starts to weather the staining takes on a different, much darker look.


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

If you like the silvery look then why not buy PT? :laughing:


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## kitchenhappy (Apr 27, 2009)

Scuba_Dave said:


> If you like the silvery look then why not buy PT? :laughing:


No... pressure treated is not as nice as cedar. And you know Dave that cedar will last much longer. Didn't you know that?


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

I don't think I need longer then what the PT lasts


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## sirwired (Jun 22, 2007)

I've used both Behr and Olympic deck cleaner and they are fine... they aren't very complicated products.

I would not touch either Behr or Thompson's with a 10-ft pole for the sealing. I had a batch of Behr that lasted all of three weeks before it mildewed (there later was a class-action suit for this product), and Thompson's is so bad, not even Consumer Reports bothers to test it any more. Neither product lasts worth a darn. Clear sealers as a rule suck, but Behr and Thompson's suck more than most.

I would actually trust the CR ratings on deck sealers since their testing methods are simple and accurate... they coat some deck boards with them and let them sit in Florida sunshine for years on end. (This is unlike CR's paint reviews, which are a subjective pile of fail.)

If the Behr employee is reading this thread... that awful deck sealer is why I personally won't touch Behr products. I know the sealer has since been reformulated, but it is a disgrace that product ever left the factory.

SirWired


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## 4ThGeneration (May 3, 2009)

Thompsons and Behrs are basically mineral spirits and wax. Clean in any product line does not really protect that long. The more colorant, the more protection is the rule, but then with more colorant you hide the beauty of the wood. Always use a semi-trans to coat your wood in the oil lines. Over time the natural oils dry out of the wood and they need to be reconditioned.

Clean(ACR Products/PressureTek/Sunbrite Supply/TheSealerStore)

Strip (ACR Products/PressureTek/Sunbrite Supply/TheSealerStore)

pH Balance Oxalic or Citric Acid (ACR Products, Pressure Tek/SunBrite Supply/TheSealerStore)

Stain Armstrong-Clark Oil Based Semi-Transparent

This is the method I prefer. When you tackle the job, pre-Wet the landscape and any joining substrates with a pump sprayer to control your water output. Perform the first 3 steps and keep rinsing, rinsing, rinsing the first things i mentioned to pre-wet.

Wait 48 hours with no rain fall.

Go back and poly or paper off any joining substrates and poly plastic the landscaping after you Pre-Wet them again. Keep checking to make sure they are not going to burn up in the sun with the covering though.

I would not have any foot traffic for 24 hours on the deck. Like so many homeowners ask me "No you do not have to add a coat of clear on top of this.) If this process is followed you will get atleast 2 years before re-coating, but the re-coat will be a simple house wash and re-stain unless you go with another color.

Now with all this said, there is many other variables that would be too long to type out.

This does require work, so if it is something you will not dedicate yourself to the total make over, then pass it to a professional.

I know a lot of guys around the nation, so if you need a suggestion let me know.


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