Pine deck is not absorbing stain - what can i do?

Question

We had a deck put on the back of our house about a month ago and the guy came to stain it today, but the stain is not taking to the deck, it has puddled in some spots and run-off in other places. The "deck guy" has never build or stained a deck before - what's happening and can i fix it? Thanks!

Answer 1

Get on the phone or visit Home Depot or Lowes and ask them. Or call a carpenter out of the phone book and ask them. Is the wood already sealed? Strange. Good luck.

Answer 2

There may be various reasons for the stain not taking to the wood. First, the wood itself. Is it "wet" or not cured enough (dried out), is it pressure treated, has it been factory sealed. All of the above would resist penetration of a stain. Second, the stain. Is it a transparent penetrating stain or a solid color stain. Assuming it is transparent and not soaking into the wood fibers, it is doing little good and may create a problem later on in having to remove what has puddled (not good for a semi-transparent or wood toner) or remaining tacky and sticking to feet and furniture in the heat of summer. Again, without knowing more details this is random at best, but, I would pressure wash what you have on there now and get it back to square one. I would let it age over the summer and cure. In the early fall, I would pressure wash again and try a test sample to check absorption. Don't use Thompson's Water Seal (basically wax and paint thinner) created long ago to preserve fishing nets. There are far better stains out there. Lastly, go to a real paint store where you can get some good advice.

Answer 3

Yellow Pine does not soak up stain as well as other more pourus woods, but it can be stained if you rub it in with a rag. If you want it to not puddle or run off at all, that is not going to happen. It is a very nonpourus wood and will really only be affected by a dark stain anyway. If it is outdoors, you will want to put a WATER SEALER on it instead of a stain anyways. Are you sure you want to stain it? You may really be referring to a sealer and be mistakingly calling it stain. Usually people only stain wood to alter the color of wood that will remain indoors. Stain will not PROTECT your deck from the elements if that is what you are after. What you want is a product like Thompson's Water Seal. You can get it at Home Depot or any other home center. By the way, if you don't mean stain and you really mean to say your "sealer" is running off and puddling, then that is ok, water sealer is supposed to puddle and runoff, that is how you know you have put on enough coverage to get it soaking in real good.

Answer 4

It might not be pine wood -
Pine is a soft wood which means that it is porous (spongy up close) and is known for its variances in porosity. sometimes these woods are subjected to moisture (never heard of pine being treated chemically) to "fill in" the porosity and thus keep contaminants from getting in. these things will naturally be leached out over time as the wood is heated (the sun beating down on it) or dries out while it sits on the store shelves. it is not like "yella wood" or wolmanized lumber, but rather an interior product. i know i know, trees grow outside - but they also have a bark to protect them

If it is pine and its doing this, then you need to pressure wash it and allow the sun to "beat it up" for a summer. this in no way decreases the durability or quality of the wood, but rather enables the wood for acceptance of a stain / sealer. premature staining results in what you are seeing now - the wood is already full of something and the stain cannot penetrate (this is a loose definition of "wetting")
oil stains have low surface tension, thereby allowing deeper penetration, yet they are easily degraded by UV rays and will need to be maintained annually (more if you live in a sunny state) oil\ stains also provide nutrients for mildew growth and brittle with age. but they "look" great! despite the negatives, i used an oil sealer on my cedar deck and loved it! although i need to pressure wash each summer and re-seal.
if you are looking for a longterm solution - consider rosewood oil (expensive and hard to find - try a lumber store that sells "exotics").
waterbased sealers are numerous, but you sacrifice some of the wetting abilities (water is higher in surface energy, thus penetrates less)

solution:
1 -pressure wash that "gunk" off the surface. water will not dilute the stain, so it is actually the mechanical pressure removal you need to achieve
2 - allow the wood to weather (look for the graying process to begin - lignin (natural glue) found in the wood will degrade in UV light to a gray color
3 - once it is gray (or grey) pressure wash it again and allow to dry for 2 days
4 - stain with the color you decide and topcoat with rosewood oil. btw - try a test patch to see if the sealer "beads up" if it does, wait...
also - eliminate the stain - just use the rosewood sealer. you don't realize this, but the sealer actually provides an amber look, which makes the wood look fantastic

good luck - also, tell your "deck guy" that he can make it up to you by pressure washing the deck - it wont be a fun job

Answer 5

Wait 6 to 12 months depending on your area,to dry out some.Plus, will help leach out some of the arsenic,they call wilmerize.Its best to keep your children off it without shoes on.Once its aged then put on a oil base stain,that will be the most durable,verses a water base stain.Answer above,blew off the water base stain with pressure washer.

Answer 6

If you want to stain wood you don't paint it on. apply it with a old towel and then wipe it off the wood will then be staind. If you are applying a sealer then you can brush it on. If the wood has been sealed already then it will not take any stain.

Answer 7

humm!!! usually pressure treated wood is used for outdoor deck... and a water base waterproof sealer with a hint of tint in it or not is applied to protect the wood.... but not knowing what kind of stain he used it's hard to know what you should do next.