Dock stain maintenance

J9lake · 08-31-2021, 10:56 AM

Can anyone refer a company that can strip our dock of the existing stain and reseal it? Existing stain continues to come off on shoes and skin and tracked onto boat and house.

codeman671 · 08-31-2021, 12:44 PM

You can't use a chemical to strip it over water. You could try to sand it, but need something dustless to keep it from ending up in the water.

Where are you located? I have someone in mind depending on where you are.

Descant · 08-31-2021, 01:33 PM

If this is new pressure treated decking you may want to wait a season before re-coating. I agree with Codeman--anything involving chemicals is something to be avoided. Perhaps theres a ay to better dry the existing stain and let it weather away or soak into the decking? Maybe the original painter/installer has an idea?

sluggo · 08-31-2021, 03:08 PM

Its best to try and encapsulate the dock the best you can by getting an absorbent tarp draped over a canoe or hanging it under the dock. One drop of stain can effect 180,000 gallons of water so care should be taken.

Descant · 08-31-2021, 09:45 PM

Not much info here. It would be helpful to know when, what stain was originally applied.

John Mercier · 08-31-2021, 10:28 PM

I will bet it is oil.
Acrylic tends to flake.

But the OP doesn't state if it is sticky or flaking.

J9lake · 09-01-2021, 09:06 PM

Thanks all. I’m unsure of what was used or who did the work. We bought the house this way. Can try to find out. Message received about taking care of chemicals around the lake - priority #1

Sent from my iPhone using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

John Mercier · 09-01-2021, 10:01 PM

Is it sticky? Flaking? Or just a powder residue?

That would tell me if it was oil, acrylic deck stain, or possibly even the misuse of acrylic siding stain.

Descant · 09-01-2021, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Mercier

Is it sticky? Flaking? Or just a powder residue?

That would tell me if it was oil, acrylic deck stain, or possibly even the misuse of acrylic siding stain.

The OP has not responded. That tells me he applied the first coat of stain that he now wants to remove. As noted earlier, probably on fresh PT, and over the water. If that's wrong, he should post details and let us help. There's a lot of expertise here, n on-critical, but we all need to know what the real situation is.

chasedawg · 09-02-2021, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Mercier

Is it sticky? Flaking? Or just a powder residue?

That would tell me if it was oil, acrylic deck stain, or possibly even the misuse of acrylic siding stain.

John Mercier.... we have a 30 year oil PT Pine deck. Our deck was stained 4 years ago with two coats undercoat and two top coats with Cabot latex solid stain. Last year it started to peel. This year it is a mess. Flaking everywhere. We sanded it all off with a rental edger. Down to bare wood. Tough work. But got 98% off the pine boards. Wood is in great shape. We plan on using Storm semi transparent oil stain with two coats. Are we doing the right thing? What would you do?
We appreciate your expertise advise?

SAB1 · 09-02-2021, 02:55 PM

https://maddogprimer.com/

Hit the bare PT with this stuff. Mad Dog Dura Prime Stabilizing Bonding primer.

Well worth the $

John Mercier · 09-02-2021, 06:19 PM

Latex would need to be stripped... so you either had to sand or chemically strip.
Any residual latex will create a barrier for the oil to sink in, so get off as much as you can.

Oil should be a single coat.
Some cans will have instructions for maintenance coats... but those are not done right off. It will be future coat instructions usually done yearly based on water not beading on the surface. Should a water test bead, you skip the maintenance coat application until it fails the test. When it beads, there is nowhere for the oil to sink into.

Always run the applicator the entire length of a board after application to avoid lap marks, and never let the stain pool... it will get sticky and never dry.

Oil, unlike latex, will not need to be stripped or sanded off for many years.
It will only require it as the deck boards become uneven (sanding) or dark due to inactive mold spores being trapped to the point that the deck looks ''dirty'' (sand or strip).

Be careful with used rags and applicators, as oil - especially penetrating oils - dispose of them as stated on the can.

Descant · 09-02-2021, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Mercier

Latex would need to be stripped... so you either had to sand or chemically strip.
Any residual latex will create a barrier for the oil to sink in, so get off as much as you can.

Oil should be a single coat.
Some cans will have instructions for maintenance coats... but those are not done right off. It will be future coat instructions usually done yearly based on water not beading on the surface. Should a water test bead, you skip the maintenance coat application until it fails the test. When it beads, there is nowhere for the oil to sink into.

Always run the applicator the entire length of a board after application to avoid lap marks, and never let the stain pool... it will get sticky and never dry.

Oil, unlike latex, will not need to be stripped or sanded off for many years.
It will only require it as the deck boards become uneven (sanding) or dark due to inactive mold spores being trapped to the point that the deck looks ''dirty'' (sand or strip).

Be careful with used rags and applicators, as oil - especially penetrating oils - dispose of them as stated on the can.

Oh NO! You have to read the instructions???

John Mercier · 09-02-2021, 10:34 PM

Warranties tend to be very specific... as to temperature applied, surface preparation, and time to cure before rainfall... but I notice that many miss the disposal aspects after the job is considered complete.

We used to sell Penofin. I decided that we would care the Red Label Ultra... it was a superior product that I used myself for as long as I could get it.

But it was very specific in the disposal of all waste rags/product. They were to be moistened and resealed in an empty metal can before disposal.
They could ignite.

08-31-2021, 01:33 PM	#3
Descant Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Merrimack and Welch Island Posts: 4,310 Thanks: 1,328 Thanked 1,614 Times in 1,047 Posts	New PT? If this is new pressure treated decking you may want to wait a season before re-coating. I agree with Codeman--anything involving chemicals is something to be avoided. Perhaps theres a ay to better dry the existing stain and let it weather away or soak into the decking? Maybe the original painter/installer has an idea?

08-31-2021, 10:56 AM	#1
J9lake Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2017 Posts: 9 Thanks: 2 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Dock stain maintenance Can anyone refer a company that can strip our dock of the existing stain and reseal it? Existing stain continues to come off on shoes and skin and tracked onto boat and house.

08-31-2021, 12:44 PM	#2
codeman671 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 3,454 Thanks: 220 Thanked 802 Times in 480 Posts	You can't use a chemical to strip it over water. You could try to sand it, but need something dustless to keep it from ending up in the water. Where are you located? I have someone in mind depending on where you are.

08-31-2021, 03:08 PM	#4
sluggo Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 169 Thanks: 13 Thanked 70 Times in 43 Posts	Its best to try and encapsulate the dock the best you can by getting an absorbent tarp draped over a canoe or hanging it under the dock. One drop of stain can effect 180,000 gallons of water so care should be taken.

08-31-2021, 09:45 PM	#5
Descant Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Merrimack and Welch Island Posts: 4,310 Thanks: 1,328 Thanked 1,614 Times in 1,047 Posts	Not much info here. It would be helpful to know when, what stain was originally applied.

08-31-2021, 10:28 PM	#6
John Mercier Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2021 Posts: 3,340 Thanks: 3 Thanked 590 Times in 486 Posts	I will bet it is oil. Acrylic tends to flake. But the OP doesn't state if it is sticky or flaking.

09-01-2021, 09:06 PM	#7
J9lake Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2017 Posts: 9 Thanks: 2 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thanks all. I’m unsure of what was used or who did the work. We bought the house this way. Can try to find out. Message received about taking care of chemicals around the lake - priority #1 Sent from my iPhone using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

09-01-2021, 10:01 PM	#8
John Mercier Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2021 Posts: 3,340 Thanks: 3 Thanked 590 Times in 486 Posts	Is it sticky? Flaking? Or just a powder residue? That would tell me if it was oil, acrylic deck stain, or possibly even the misuse of acrylic siding stain.

09-02-2021, 02:55 PM	#11
SAB1 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Tuftonboro Posts: 1,224 Thanks: 188 Thanked 318 Times in 233 Posts	https://maddogprimer.com/ Hit the bare PT with this stuff. Mad Dog Dura Prime Stabilizing Bonding primer. Well worth the $

09-02-2021, 06:19 PM	#12
John Mercier Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2021 Posts: 3,340 Thanks: 3 Thanked 590 Times in 486 Posts	Latex would need to be stripped... so you either had to sand or chemically strip. Any residual latex will create a barrier for the oil to sink in, so get off as much as you can. Oil should be a single coat. Some cans will have instructions for maintenance coats... but those are not done right off. It will be future coat instructions usually done yearly based on water not beading on the surface. Should a water test bead, you skip the maintenance coat application until it fails the test. When it beads, there is nowhere for the oil to sink into. Always run the applicator the entire length of a board after application to avoid lap marks, and never let the stain pool... it will get sticky and never dry. Oil, unlike latex, will not need to be stripped or sanded off for many years. It will only require it as the deck boards become uneven (sanding) or dark due to inactive mold spores being trapped to the point that the deck looks ''dirty'' (sand or strip). Be careful with used rags and applicators, as oil - especially penetrating oils - dispose of them as stated on the can.

The Following User Says Thank You to John Mercier For This Useful Post:
chasedawg (09-02-2021)

09-02-2021, 10:34 PM	#14
John Mercier Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2021 Posts: 3,340 Thanks: 3 Thanked 590 Times in 486 Posts	Warranties tend to be very specific... as to temperature applied, surface preparation, and time to cure before rainfall... but I notice that many miss the disposal aspects after the job is considered complete. We used to sell Penofin. I decided that we would care the Red Label Ultra... it was a superior product that I used myself for as long as I could get it. But it was very specific in the disposal of all waste rags/product. They were to be moistened and resealed in an empty metal can before disposal. They could ignite.