Deck Maintenance: Employing Wood Brighteners
Staining your wood fence or deck can be a hair-tearing affair if not completed effectively. It’s irritating to brush on a deck or fence stain only to uncover out it was utilized unevenly, or that earlier blemishes in the wooden continue to present through. For very best results when staining a wood deck or fence, it is essential to 1st make sure that the wooden is as clean as probable so that the stain penetrates evenly.
A carefully selected fence or deck brightener with oxalic acid can assist accomplish this objective, but a lot of house owners skip this crucial action when applying fence or deck stain. Here’s a primer on what to search for in a wooden brightener and how to use it.
What is oxalic acid?
Oxalic acid is the major ingredient in brighteners for cedar decks and fences. It is typically utilised by specialist contractors prior to a refinishing challenge to:
Take away unsightly blemishes. Leaves, twigs and other organic and natural matter that lands on your fence rails or deck surface can “bleed” onto the wood, leaving tannin stains. A wood brightener will get rid of these, as properly as any mildew or rust stains.
Enhance stain penetration. The most crucial goal when staining a wood fence or deck is to permit the stain to permeate the wooden as a lot as probable. The far better the penetration, the extended the stain will very last and the more safety it will give. Also a lot moisture in the wooden can hinder this method. Making use of a wooden brightener ahead of you stain will open up the pores of the wood and let far more stain to seep in.
Restore the appearance of aged, weathered wood. Stain doesn’t cover the wood like paint it only enhances what’s previously there. The far better the first surface area seems to be, the far better the completed surface area will search. A fence or deck brightener will give you a better-looking surface area to start out with.
Neutralize stain remover. If your fence or deck restoration task calls for a stain or seal remover to get rid of past layers, the remover can darken the wooden and even weaken subsequent stain coatings. A excellent cleaning with oxalic acid not only brightens up the wood yet again, but it neutralizes the stain remover so it won’t impact your new coat of stain.
Really should I use a wooden brightener on a new fence or deck?
The refreshing wood of a new fence or deck could not need to have brightening, but it even now requirements prep perform ahead of you stain it. New wood can incorporate “mill scale,” a flaky surface area of iron oxide, hematite and magnetite, which can lead to a blotchy stain work. Applying oxalic acid will each clean the new wood and make it a lot more receptive to staining.
How do I use a wooden brightener?
Just before applying the product, clean off as significantly surface area filth as achievable by hosing, power washing (carefully) or scrubbing with a mild detergent. Then simply spray the brightener on with a backyard sprayer, let it sit for fifteen-twenty minutes and rinse no scrubbing is necessary. Adhere to the manufacturer’s recommendations for whatever product you are making use of.
What do I do after I apply the brightener?
Right after rinsing off the brightener, you’ll want to let your fence or deck to dry thoroughly, which will take about 2-three days in warm, sunny climate. To be specific your deck is dry adequate, you can use a moisture meter, a nail-like device that’s tapped into the stop of a board. The wood is all set for staining when the moisture stage reaches about eighteen %.
Skipping these steps and heading directly to staining your fence or deck is not a clever maneuver. However, by taking your time, using a wood brightener and taking the appropriate precautions, you will be able to generate a top quality stain job that will safeguard the wood from sun and rain.
~Ben Anton, 2010
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