Easy quick deck stain

[SpatiallyAware]

I had some tenants melt a candle or some crap into a deck on a rental property.

The deck is about 15 years old, and is in decent condition otherwise.

Transparent, solid, I don't know what to use.

I would sand it but the wax appears to be melted into the wood and turned it a dark brown/black.

Yes, their deposit covered it.


Any recommendations?

 

[lxskllr]

Boiled linseed oil? Maybe more wax. Seems like that would be a decent wood preservative, but probably a PITA to apply.

 

[Greenman]

Superdeck is one of the best. Be careful with it as it contains linseed oil and rags soaked with it are subject to spontaneous combustion. I learned that lesson the hard way.

 

[Markbnj]

I had some tenants melt a candle or some crap into a deck on a rental property.

The deck is about 15 years old, and is in decent condition otherwise.

Transparent, solid, I don't know what to use.

I would sand it but the wax appears to be melted into the wood and turned it a dark brown/black.

Yes, their deposit covered it.


Any recommendations?

I think a power washer would get it off. Might leave a stain but its worth a shot before refinishing (although at 15 years any finish it had has long since degraded).

 

[SpatiallyAware]

I think a power washer would get it off. Might leave a stain but its worth a shot before refinishing (although at 15 years any finish it had has long since degraded).

It's possible.. I'm really not sure. My pressure washer stopped working some time ago, and since discovering the wet and forget anti mildew spray I don't really have a need for another one.

The wax seems melted inside the wood. I really think my best bet is some sort of super dark stain. It doesn't have to be a perfect match, just not an eyesore. I'm concerned that pressure washing will restore the rest of the wood to the natural color and make it even more obvious that there's a stain/discoloration.


Not like I'm a slumlord, but it is a rental. So easy is priority #1 and cheap is #2, looks is #3.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

Superdeck is one of the best. Be careful with it as it contains linseed oil and rags soaked with it are subject to spontaneous combustion. I learned that lesson the hard way.

I saw this, but it seems to be more of a transparent/semi transparent product. Really good quality, but for this situation I need to have the deck walkable within a week. So I don't have time to treat, seal, then stain with 2 coats.

 

[Markbnj]

It's possible.. I'm really not sure. My pressure washer stopped working some time ago, and since discovering the wet and forget anti mildew spray I don't really have a need for another one.

The wax seems melted inside the wood. I really think my best bet is some sort of super dark stain. It doesn't have to be a perfect match, just not an eyesore. I'm concerned that pressure washing will restore the rest of the wood to the natural color and make it even more obvious that there's a stain/discoloration.


Not like I'm a slumlord, but it is a rental. So easy is priority #1 and cheap is #2, looks is #3.

You can't stain over wax. It won't work. The place where the wax has sealed the wood will be starkly visible because the stain won't penetrate there to anything like the same extent.

Really, no finish is going to work going over melted wax. You need to remove it and any old finish first. Power wash or sand.

 

[lxskllr]

You can't stain over wax. It won't work. The place where the wax has sealed the wood will be starkly visible because the stain won't penetrate there to anything like the same extent.

Really, no finish is going to work going over melted wax. You need to remove it and any old finish first. Power wash or sand.

If the stain is close to the wax color, it'll blend in well enough. Sounds like he isn't going for perfection here.

 

[alkemyst]

How do you know the deposit covered this until you have fixed it?

 

[SpatiallyAware]

How do you know the deposit covered this until you have fixed it?

I haven't yet returned their deposit. I have written into the lease that the deposit is not returned until 21 days after the lease end date so I can determine the costs involved in any potential repairs.

During the move-out walkthrough I discussed that some of the deposit will be forfeit for the deck along with a couple of very minor marks in the carpet, if my carpet guy can't get the marks out then I'm taking 10% of my carpet costs out of the deductible ($200).

Regarding the deck, I informed them that it will be less than $500 (rough cost to replace all deck planks) but I don't know until I figure out how to fix the damage.

However, I'm only going to charge them material costs if I can repair it myself by restaining in a few hours.

This is not my first rodeo......

 

[alkemyst]

I'd take that to court if you think a wax spill = replacing the whole deck. My suit would be you had not properly sealed the deck in the first place.

Also carpet wear and tear is usually not something you can pull replacing the entire carpet with. Minor marks would definitely just be wear and tear. Things like burns and tears otherwise.

 

[Markbnj]

If the stain is close to the wax color, it'll blend in well enough. Sounds like he isn't going for perfection here.

If the results of staining over wax are acceptable then just leave it the way it is. You can't put stain down over wax and expect anything good. Why the hell would you go to the trouble to put stain down on a deck if you weren't willing to properly prep the surface first?

 

[EliteRetard]

If it is indeed wax, then why not hot water or a steam washer?
Get the wax to melt, it tends to float on water and you should be able to wash it away.

 

[highland145]

How big is the area? Just pull the board.

 

[lxskllr]

If the results of staining over wax are acceptable then just leave it the way it is. You can't put stain down over wax and expect anything good. Why the hell would you go to the trouble to put stain down on a deck if you weren't willing to properly prep the surface first?

The idea is for the stain to closely match the waxed section, not stain the waxed section. Lets say his deck is maple colored, with a walnut wax stain. The goal is to get the maple close to the walnut in color. A dark walnut spot on a medium walnut stain is much better than a dark walnut spot on maple.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

If the results of staining over wax are acceptable then just leave it the way it is. You can't put stain down over wax and expect anything good. Why the hell would you go to the trouble to put stain down on a deck if you weren't willing to properly prep the surface first?

It's light brown/beige wood against dark brown wax stain. It's not acceptable to leave the way it is.

If the surrounding wood is down brown then it would be fine.


What I don't want to do is pay someone to pressure wash it, then it not come out, then I have to restain anyway, and by the time I'm done it's $1k+ down the hole.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

How big is the area? Just pull the board.

It's spread across 4 or 5 planks. If I replace them with new there would be a huge color disparity and that's unacceptable. If I have to pull the planks then I'll replace them all.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

If it is indeed wax, then why not hot water or a steam washer?
Get the wax to melt, it tends to float on water and you should be able to wash it away.

I'm hoping someone can show up and say this is the answer. I called a pressure wash guy and he said it's not worth the effort, that the washer will just melt the wax, it won't pull it out of the wood.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

I'd take that to court if you think a wax spill = replacing the whole deck. My suit would be you had not properly sealed the deck in the first place.

Also carpet wear and tear is usually not something you can pull replacing the entire carpet with. Minor marks would definitely just be wear and tear. Things like burns and tears otherwise.

Alky I would love to meet you in small claims court.

 

[arkcom]

It's spread across 4 or 5 planks. If I replace them with new there would be a huge color disparity and that's unacceptable. If I have to pull the planks then I'll replace them all.

Just replace them, they'll match within 6 months.

 

[Gardener]

Unscrew the problem boards and turn them upside down.

Then do your normal chemical cleaning and neutralizing, without pressure, should get you close to a normalized color prior to staining. Close enough for a rental.

A light sanding would dial it in even further.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

Unscrew the problem boards and turn them upside down.

Then do your normal chemical cleaning and neutralizing, without pressure, should get you close to a normalized color prior to staining. Close enough for a rental.

A light sanding would dial it in even further.

Great idea. Thanks

 

[Markbnj]

Unscrew the problem boards and turn them upside down.

Then do your normal chemical cleaning and neutralizing, without pressure, should get you close to a normalized color prior to staining. Close enough for a rental.

A light sanding would dial it in even further.

That is a good idea. Hopefully the boards are not layed at 45 degrees.