 hmm
@videotron.ca | [Carpentry] Deck sanding. Fine or Rough? Just curious what some of you prefer, and how the job turns out.
Restaining the deck. Gave it a wash and used a very stiff brush and I have some fine fibers all over. Nothing rough, just fine fibers from swelling the wood and taking a stiff brush to it. No raised grains.
What I do on new wood is pass a 60 or 80 grit followed by a fast run with 120. I noticed that if I take 120 to aggressively, that is with lots of elbow grease or with an orbital and make it real smooth, it appears to be too smooth and stain seems to penetrate less than a slightly rougher surface.
Is this just my imagination? Or is that what happens?
So just curious if you would pass a 120 grit over the deck for the very fine fibers, a 60 or 80, or both 80 and 120 prior to restaining. I don't want to go too aggressive since it's a restain and I don't really want to remove/strip what is already there.
Oil stain (I bought extra before it was taken off the market here). Cedar. |
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H_T_R_NPremium
join:2011-12-06
Valencia, PA
kudos:1 | [Carpentry] Re: Deck sanding. Fine or Rough? Be careful if it is PT. You don't want to breath in much of the dust from sanding. Most of the fibers you see will rub off if it is just a bit of lifted grain. a lot depends on the look you are going for, the type of wood, type of stain, ect... |
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| reply to hmm
Sanded | 
Stained |
I did my cedar porch last year, sought out no advice first and TSP'd then pressure washed. Friend who does landscaping called me an idiot and told me to wait 3 days for the wood to lose the embedded water from the washing. Sand with 80 until even but not smooth, then 2 coats of Cetol. --
AFK: Attack, fight, kill!! The healer is telling you to go pull mobs.
WTF: Way to fight! The healer is applauding your tactical genius |
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 japPremium
join:2003-08-10
038xx | reply to hmm
Re: [Carpentry] Deck sanding. Fine or Rough? Difficult to give sound advise without knowing the wood but generally speaking . . .
said by [hmm :]Gave it a wash and used a very stiff brush and I have some fine fibers all over. Nothing rough, just fine fibers from swelling the wood Give the wood a few dry sunny days and those semi-attached fiber strands will, upon course sanding, break off clean rather than tear more wood. Use a light touch with the 60 or 80 grit and those hairs should disappear.
said by [hmm :]I noticed that if I take 120 to aggressively, that is with lots of elbow grease or with an orbital and make it real smooth, it appears to be too smooth and stain seems to penetrate less than a slightly rougher surface. Yup. The larger the scratches & pores in the surface the more stain is going to come off the brush and sit in those divots on their way to soaking in. Also, I'll hazard, you're seeing the fine powder of the 120grit clog & pack into the surface pores which alters/inhibits stain absorption. You can blow it out with an electric leaf blower (2-cycle gas will risk a film of exhaust oil on the deck) or dehydrated compressed air. But me thinks 120 is overly fine regardless of the wood species. I'd use 80 grit on a block hinged to a pole and work it with the grain. But, again, depends on the wood.
G'luck! |
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| reply to hmm
After you sand you need to re-wash the deck to open up the fibers again. You want the grain open so it absorbs the stain instead of becoming a paint which is what causes it to fail early. Like others have mentioned wait 48 hours to allow the deck to dry out before staining. You could also apply a wood brightener before staining depending on the condition of the wood. |
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hmm
@videotron.ca | It's cedar.
Yup it's been 48-hrs already. Going to wait 3 days. I may sand today.
And yup I did clean it with a brightener & brush.
Yup, the previous stain I was well aware of clogging by fine particles, I shopvac'd them all up prior to staining. Back then I think i even hosed it down again after staining.
It's just something I noticed over the years with oil stain and when using a fine grit. The fibers are like little hairs. Very fine, it won't take much at all to get rid of them. I'm just arguing with myself if I should use something fine or more course. And if one of them make a difference in stain penetration (80 versus 120).
I did 120 the last time. Guess I'll use 80 this time and see if there is a difference. |
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| reply to hmm
I typically use 80 for the floor boards and 100 on the railing. I've been told not to exceed 100 grit on decking because it closes the pores too much and the stain won't absorb as much. |
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hmm
@videotron.ca | That is exactly what I noticed on the railings with a fine grit, and why i'm arguing with myself about it. It does indeed appear as if if surface becomes too smooth. So smooth in fact that it's as if it prevents deeper penetration.
But maybe that's just the way it is? This I don't know. Maybe it's all in my head? Guess if I use 80 only I will find out for myself. |
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| reply to hmm
I'd go for a very light sanding with 60 or 80 grit. |
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hmm
@videotron.ca | yup that's what I did. Just finished half of it with 80.
I have to try and find the time to finish this all by tomorrow to beat the rain projected for thurs or Friday now  If not then I think I will be screwed for another week since they say rain Monday as well. *sigh* Wood just won't have time to dry for a week if I don't get it all stained by tomorrow and allow it 2 days to dry before rain hits it. Have to beat the clock now. |
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| reply to hmm
Tarp over it, keep a good gap for circulation. |
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| said by I_H8_Spam:Tarp over it, keep a good gap for circulation.
I'd pass on that exercise myself. I'm redoing my deck as well in October here. It would cost me more for a tarp then the stain. Not to mention how to secure it so that it works right. I'd just avoid the rain. |
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hmm
@videotron.ca | reply to I_H8_Spam
Humidity would ruin the job anyhow. I don't think i'll beat the clock. Just finished sanding, except for the floor, and I have a small repair to do to it as well tomorrow. Then I have to do some masking on the house and in between that find time to work. Will push to get it done by tomorrow, but if not, then i'm done for, for at least a week. Or more. crap.
October is the best weather for staining here in QC, not too hot, not too humid, night temp around 13C, but also the worse where I am for rain :/ Hope the weatherman is wrong as usual. |
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