Here's what we've been working on lately.
Sid the Snake disappeared just in time for the Deck Dudes to show up yesterday morning.
It took two guys only four hours to assemble a 12' x 14' platform deck with pressure treated SPF (spruce pine fir). Our deck had already been pre-cut and drilled so it all came together very quickly.
After the Deck Dudes left My Fella went out to sand any rough edges and clean up the sawdust. And I started researching deck stains.
There are tons of good websites explaining how to stain your deck but I was more interested in the online discussions about the best deck stain available.
Do It Yourself forums can be very helpful because - mixed in with the usual internet trolls - there are posts from individual consumers who have used different products. Most folks are happy to share their experiences, good or bad, and there was a general consensus on a few things:
- the best stain depends on your type of deck wood and your climate
- wooden decks need to be refinished every year, especially in snowy areas
- Behr outdoor products got bashed repeatedly
Still not sure what deck stain we'll eventually go with but I have time to decide since it's raining again out here in the BC wilderness. We may not see the sun for awhile.
But we're happy with how this RV lot is slowly coming together.
We put up a pressure treated trellis and every paint specialty store told us to let it sit at least 6 months before doing anything with it.
Posted by: Don | May 26, 2011 at 07:27 PM
The best stain I have found down here in SoCal is Cabot stain. They still have an oil based product that is anti bug and anti dry-rot but it is some nasty stuff.
When I did my new wooden fence I could not even walk by it without nearly dropping dead. Great product BUT not for for sitting out upon and enjoying the great outdoors. Those cute little mutts might be sensitive to the poison.
Compromise with a user friendly stain not a killer stain.
Posted by: Rick | May 26, 2011 at 10:26 PM
Mr P - Did you eventually stain it? We have two pressure treated trellis's and I didn't know they needed to be stained.
Or did you just do it for looks?
Posted by: kelsi | May 27, 2011 at 08:28 AM
Cali Rick - from my online 'stain' research, Cabot and a company called Sikkens gets the best reviews from consumer reports and individual consumers. And now Cabot has a product specifically for decks so it must be mutt friendly. We're definitely leaning towards one of those names.
Does your fence still stink?
Posted by: kelsi | May 27, 2011 at 08:31 AM
We stained it just for looks, but the story we got from the paint dealers was that the pressure treated posts may have just been manufactured and that they were damp right to the core and would take months to properly dry out. We followed their advice and the stain still looks good after 4 years or so up to now.
Posted by: Don | May 27, 2011 at 06:36 PM
Kelsi, it took about 6 months for the oil based Cabot stain to stop smelling.
I used this stain since I needed the fence to resist everything trying to eat or destroy it.
Since it is a property line fence and not something I am sitting on or near it worked out fine and has been 5 years of looking good.
Posted by: Rick | May 28, 2011 at 11:24 AM
You should have went with Trex deck boards. Recycled plastic boards requiring no stain and lasts forever.
http://www.trex.com/
Posted by: joe | June 01, 2011 at 09:24 AM