Replies

1. 
   K1500 | Oct 10, 2008 01:38am | #1

   I can't help you except to note that I have had some white oak offcuts that I used to hold up a sign and the ends that were driven in the ground turned black in a short period of time.  I too think water is the culprit.  Is the top of the railing beveled to shed water?  If not, that might help along with a coat of spar varnish (but expect a short lifespan from the spar varnish).

2. 
   hammer1 | Oct 10, 2008 05:14pm | #2

   The black stains can be removed. You should use an oxygenated bleach, not chlorine which will break down the wood's fibers and attack fasteners. After the washing, you can apply a wood brightener which will further return the surface to original color. When the lumber is clean and dry, apply a good quality deck finish. There are several choices and many manufacturers have a complete deck restoration system. For the last few years, I have been using Defy products. So far they have performed well for me and I or my customers have tried most of what is available. They are easy to use and I get the, back to natural look, results I've been looking for. After five years, the projects I've done are unchanged but I would recommend a re-coat about this time to prolong the life. If you have areas like the top rail that can retain water, you may need to re-apply the finish to that area more frequently.

   This supplier carries many different brands besides Defy. Defy has some videos that show the process you should follow. This page gives the most current deck care information and has become the standard for those of us in the business.

   http://www.opwdecks.com/deckmaintain.htm

   Beat it to fit / Paint it to match

1. 
   yurij | Oct 10, 2008 05:50pm | #3

   thx for the anaswer. sounds like i have a poor deck treatment.  i used this "one-time"http://www.paintsource.net/pages/products/onetime/pages/one_time_stain_gallon.htmlproduct which sounded good. so either 1) the product is a fraud, or 2) my builder did not apply it. it does look like he applied something however. what causes this discoloration? thx again -yurij

1. 
   hammer1 | Oct 11, 2008 05:10pm | #4

   Discoloration is caused by fungal growth and/or chemical reaction. Water soluble enzymes migrate to the surface of the wood and oxidize. Oak also contains a lot of tanin and this reacts with water and iron. Some of this can be more pronounced in air dried lumber. It may start while still in the log, depending on how the log was stored and handled before sawing. The fact that you used green lumber adds complications.The stains can be removed. I use an oxygenated deck wash, garden sprayer and a scrub brush, rinse with a gentle garden hose. A finish that prevents water from getting to the wood will help prevent future staining. Your conditions may require more frequent maintenance. I haven't used the One Time. If it was applied while the lumber was green, that may have had a negative effect. I would contact their tech support to see how to proceed. It may be a good product that was applied improperly. You can always strip the existing finish and start again with a different product. The UV cure finishes are somewhat new in this type of application. They have been around in the furniture business but are done with sophisticated robotic equipment and cured in a light box under controlled conditions. I would think they could be more susceptible to issues on site applied finishes but that's a guess.Beat it to fit / Paint it to match

1. 
   yurij | Oct 13, 2008 05:42am | #5

   Hammer1 - that makes sense. i'll give the one time guys a call. another case of shooting myself in the foot. ouch.