# Forum Home Renovation Decking  Stain or Paint a Treat Pine deck - HELP!!!

## Ebru

Hi all,
Im really struggling and need urgent advice.
Due to financial restrictions we've had to go for a treated pine deck. Its has a horrid green colour and grooves but its installed and too late to make any changes now.
My father is insisting that we paint but i want to stain a dark colour...
Whats everyones ideas on staining? Dad reckons it wont work because the timber is of random shades and the green will ooze through??
Has anyone got any advice? Is this really the case? Should i avoid staining? What can i do to make it look modern and a bit classier than boring brown paint!! 
Please help!!

----------


## METRIX

Hi Ebru, do you have a picture of the deck ? 
I have attached 2 pics of some small decks we did recently for a client who was also on budget restrictions, These are LOSP TP, but were not green as you describe as the LOSP treating was clear. 
Painting was the preferable option as all the stains for TP don't really look that crash hot, you can see the open grain of the pine with the semi transperant coatings, and is easily distinguished as TP, this will then look like an "attempt" to make it look like something it's not. 
The colour used here was Weathered Copper, and went nicely with the Nile Clay of the house, we used hidden fixings to keep the look smooth and modern, and with the paint it turned out not bad for TP, Decking paint can be made in any colour you want now, so you don't have to choose a boring brown. 
If you must stain it, go for a good brand such as Feast Watson Decking Stain Feast Watson - Decking Finishes - Decking Stain, or Cabbots Compare - Cabots 
The greeen colour is a by product of the treatment process, if it is very noticable on your boards these would have been treated using the CCA process which is supprising as CCA treated decking board were banned in 2006, along with other timbers such as childrens play equipment, garden furtniture, picnic tables, the CCA treatment was replaced with either ACQ, or LOSP treatments which do not affect the look of the timber as the treatments are clear in colour, and use different chemical mixtures to achieve the required H rating.    
Also, did you also say it has grooves ?, do you mean the top of the timber has small grooves running parallel in the length of the board ?. 
if so this is called Reeded edge, and this should really be face down [smooth side of board should be up], the reeding of the timber aids in lessening the effect of water retention under the board and rotting of the timber boards where they join the Joist. 
It is commonly thought the reeded edge gives "better grip" to walk on, which is simply not true, they both become slipery when wet or covered in grime, and facing the reeded side up looks awful as well as retaining more water underneath to allow rot to set in quicker. 
This is usually done by an ill informed or non experienced installer. 
Exert below taken from Australian Treated Pine Site Below.  *It is a widely held misconcep**tion                      that the grooves provide a non slip surface                      for use in wet areas. This is not the case! In fact the reason                      decking has grooves machined in it is to reduce surface contact                      between the decking itself and the joist, thus preventing                      water from being held between the two surfaces and preventing                      premature decay. On this basis, we recommend you install your                      decking plain side up. However, ultimately, the choice is                      yours!* 
My advice is to look around at other TP decks and see what coatings have been used, and how they have held up, our preference is to paint TP, and oil Hardwood

----------


## Uncle Bob

Metrix that does look nice and modern  :2thumbsup:

----------


## KevanW1

Going through the green bits now but on bearer beam H2 treated but not white solvent cleaned before supply and installed. 
The advice is to paint and use a primer that will cover stains and will allow the correct choice of finish. 
I am going to use Zinsser Cover Stain . However do your research here on forum and at paint shops [knowing they ,rightly, want to sell to you, and google all results. 
With painting please check out not slip additives, all good brands have them,  and you will need to service the painted area for lifting etc - see the research. BUT it is worth it, and there is such a pallet of rainbow choices that you may enjoy. 
bsafe ps if H treated / C**  where appropriate protection etc

----------


## METRIX

> Going through the green bits now but on bearer beam H2 treated

  Hi Kevan, did you type correctly "H2 Bearers ?"

----------


## amiaow

I didn't know you could still buy CCA TP decking. We've only been able to buy ACQ/LOSP (kindy-safe) TP decking here to replace old boards. 
Pine doesn't really take stain well, but apparently it takes stain better if you wet the surface first to open the grain. I personally think it looks ugly when you try to make it another colour so I would paint it or leave it to weather before coating. We replaced a fence with green TP a year ago and it's becoming less green with every month but it's not subject to foot traffic like a deck is. 
The decking should also be reed-side down (flat on top), but not much you can do about that now. 
The best solution is probably to paint it in a colour that's complementary to your house!

----------


## stevoh741

you're in for some nasty splinters if that reeded side is facing up

----------


## METRIX

> Pine doesn't really take stain well, but apparently it takes stain better if you wet the surface first to open the grain. I personally think it looks ugly when you try to make it another colour so I would paint it or leave it to weather before coating.  
> The best solution is probably to paint it in a colour that's complementary to your house!

  CCA was banned in 2006 for Decking boards and other kiddy things, but doing some more investigation some manufacturers put a Green Dye in the LOSP / ACQ treatments to notify end users it has been treated.
This makes sense and is probably what is on the boards, as I could not imagine there would be any CCA board available anywhere. 
I agree 100% with amiaow, Paint them, Staining TP looks fake, and whenever I have gone to someones house who has Stained TP boards they just don't look right, and they will usually say we wanted them to look like Jarrah or similar, sorry to say but they don't look like Jarrah, they just look like TP stained to look like Jarrah [ I would never say that to them, but just think this to myself]  :Shock: , the main reason they will never look like Jarrah or similar is the grain is just so open and noticeable through the stain. 
BUT an exception is Feast Watson "Snow Gum", this actually looks quite nice as it is a very light colour and blends in well with the light coloring of the TP Boards, Feast Watson - Decking Finishes - Decking Stain  
If any of our clients insist on using TP, we will always give preference to Painting over staining, and have not had any complaints yet about the finish. 
Another reason for not staining TP is it sucks the stain up like there's no tomorrow as the wood is so thirsty, with painting once you have your first coat on, the boards have been sealed and the second coat goes on a lot easier and smoother.   
A little advice is to paint the first coat on the top and sides BEFORE you lay the boards, [you can also do a second coat on the sides as well], just put the boards on a set of horses, and turn them on their side, paint them 10 at a time, turn them over and paint the other side put them flat and paint the top, because you will never be able to paint the sides once they are down. 
Rokset make some fantastic little fabric rollers ideal to paint the boards [these are what we use], you will find them cheap at Green Bunny's, get the ones with the Blue / Red stripe.  Little Gemâ¢ Mini Roller Twin Packs :: Rokset Industries

----------


## Ebru

Thanks for the detailed advice.
Obviously i have no clue what im talking about so i cant really say if its LOSP or not. However i did pay around 24$ per metre for it if that helps?? The green that i mentioned isnt very noticable but my father reckons it'll bleed through... 
The grooves run along one side of the board, lengthwise (which have been nailed facing up).
I do like the way it looks in the photo's but im trying to achieve a timber look only because i have dark choclate brown cyprus floors in my house and id like it to flow through. 
I purchased a stain sample from bunnings but im not sure how itll look overall...  *The advice i got of a guy at bunnings was this -* 
Leave pine to weather for around 8 weeks
Scrub well with a wire brush and deck cleaner product
leave to try for 3 days
test to see if water is absorbed if a drop is placed on it and if it absorbs then stain... if not wait a few more weeks.. 
Whats your opinion on this?? 
Does anyone have photos of decks with grooves side up thats been painted or stained???    

> Hi Ebru, do you have a picture of the deck ? 
> I have attached 2 pics of some small decks we did recently for a client who was also on budget restrictions, These are LOSP TP, but were not green as you describe as the LOSP treating was clear. 
> Painting was the preferable option as all the stains for TP don't really look that crash hot, you can see the open grain of the pine with the semi transperant coatings, and is easily distinguished as TP, this will then look like an "attempt" to make it look like something it's not. 
> The colour used here was Weathered Copper, and went nicely with the Nile Clay of the house, we used hidden fixings to keep the look smooth and modern, and with the paint it turned out not bad for TP, Decking paint can be made in any colour you want now, so you don't have to choose a boring brown. 
> If you must stain it, go for a good brand such as Feast Watson Decking Stain Feast Watson - Decking Finishes - Decking Stain, or Cabbots Compare - Cabots 
> The greeen colour is a by product of the treatment process, if it is very noticable on your boards these would have been treated using the CCA process which is supprising as CCA treated decking board were banned in 2006, along with other timbers such as childrens play equipment, garden furtniture, picnic tables, the CCA treatment was replaced with either ACQ, or LOSP treatments which do not affect the look of the timber as the treatments are clear in colour, and use different chemical mixtures to achieve the required H rating.    
> Also, did you also say it has grooves ?, do you mean the top of the timber has small grooves running parallel in the length of the board ?. 
> if so this is called Reeded edge, and this should really be face down [smooth side of board should be up], the reeding of the timber aids in lessening the effect of water retention under the board and rotting of the timber boards where they join the Joist. 
> It is commonly thought the reeded edge gives "better grip" to walk on, which is simply not true, they both become slipery when wet or covered in grime, and facing the reeded side up looks awful as well as retaining more water underneath to allow rot to set in quicker. 
> ...

----------


## METRIX

My suggestion would be to get the offcuts and stain one of them to see what it turns out like.
You can try a few different methods, to see which one you like the best. 
It is good advice to let the timber weather a little, not sure what he means about waiting 3 days and if water is absorbed, TP decking will absorb anything you bring near it from Day 1, it is a VERY thirsty timber. 
I wouldn't scrub TP with a Wire Brush, you will damage the face and open up the grain, use something like one of those wooden hand held laundry scrubbing brush or stiff broom as the TP is a soft wood and will damage if hit with a wire brush. 
You can use a product such as Cabbots Deck Clean,  Deck Clean - Cabots
Take cabots advice how to prepare new timber and disregard the Bunnings advice.  Guide Detail - Cabots

----------


## stevoh741

dont listen to anything the green shad has to say. I wasafter a primer to high gloss some PVC pipe and the paint girl behind thecounter said you dont need a primer just scratch the crap out of it with an oldfork and the paint will stick fine - I'm sure it would have despite lookinglike a dogs breakfast with the high gloss finish. Moral - they have no ideawhat they are talking about and despite trying to give trade advice, no selfrespecting tradie would work there (both for the humiliation and badpay - hopethis doesnt offend anyone  :Biggrin: )

----------


## METRIX

> dont listen to anything the green shad has to say. I wasafter a primer to high gloss some PVC pipe and the paint girl behind thecounter said you dont need a primer just scratch the crap out of it with an oldfork and the paint will stick fine - I'm sure it would have despite lookinglike a dogs breakfast with the high gloss finish. Moral - they have no ideawhat they are talking about and despite trying to give trade advice, no selfrespecting tradie would work there (both for the humiliation and badpay - hopethis doesnt offend anyone )

  As he says ↑

----------


## Uncle Bob

> no selfrespecting tradie would work there (both for the humiliation and badpay - hopethis doesnt offend anyone )

  Well I reckon some Bunnings workers would be offended by this comment.
I've actually found the opposite to your dealings with our local Bunnings (Tuggeranong). The paint guys seemed to know what they're on about as do a few other of their staff.

----------


## shauck

> Well I reckon some Bunnings workers would be offended by this comment.
> I've actually found the opposite to your dealings with our local Bunnings (Tuggeranong). The paint guys seemed to know what they're on about as do a few other of their staff.

  Truth is both are right. Some are not much help and even counterproductive while others are pretty helpful. Guess it's best to know what you are doing before you go in there. That's where the forum comes in handy.  :Biggrin:

----------


## METRIX

I agree, our local Bunnings Thornleigh, has some good workers who are very helpful and will find you the answer you need, But there are others there who dart in and out of the isles so quickly when they see you coming because they don't want to be asked anything. 
This is no different to any other work environment, there will always be the "knowledgeable ones" and the "not so knowledgeable ones", same when you are dealing with people on the phone, some are very helpful, and some appear to do the complete opposite to what you need. 
It just depends on your local shop, you soon learn who is helpful and who isn't, we have a tradie in our local one who works in the timber dept, because he got injured and was no longer able to work full time on site, he is really helpful and very knowledgeable. 
The new competitor is here called Masters Home Improvement, they have been building their Blue sheds right next door to a lot of the Green sheds just to annoy them, they promote themselves as "having tradies on hand to help with your needs", they also sell EVERYTHING "or so they say", currently they are in Vic, and just starting to move into NSW,  
Will be interesting to see how they go, they are joint owned by woolworths and US company LOWES so they do have a lot of capital behind them.  Home | Masters

----------


## Bobbydog58

> CCA was banned in 2006 for Decking boards and other kiddy things, but doing some more investigation some manufacturers put a Green Dye in the LOSP / ACQ treatments to notify end users it has been treated.
> This makes sense and is probably what is on the boards, as I could not imagine there would be any CCA board available anywhere. 
> I agree 100% with amiaow, Paint them, Staining TP looks fake, and whenever I have gone to someones house who has Stained TP boards they just don't look right, and they will usually say we wanted them to look like Jarrah or similar, sorry to say but they don't look like Jarrah, they just look like TP stained to look like Jarrah [ I would never say that to them, but just think this to myself] , the main reason they will never look like Jarrah or similar is the grain is just so open and noticeable through the stain. 
> BUT an exception is Feast Watson "Snow Gum", this actually looks quite nice as it is a very light colour and blends in well with the light coloring of the TP Boards, Feast Watson - Decking Finishes - Decking Stain  
> If any of our clients insist on using TP, we will always give preference to Painting over staining, and have not had any complaints yet about the finish. 
> Another reason for not staining TP is it sucks the stain up like there's no tomorrow as the wood is so thirsty, with painting once you have your first coat on, the boards have been sealed and the second coat goes on a lot easier and smoother.   
> A little advice is to paint the first coat on the top and sides BEFORE you lay the boards, [you can also do a second coat on the sides as well], just put the boards on a set of horses, and turn them on their side, paint them 10 at a time, turn them over and paint the other side put them flat and paint the top, because you will never be able to paint the sides once they are down. 
> Rokset make some fantastic little fabric rollers ideal to paint the boards [these are what we use], you will find them cheap at Green Bunny's, get the ones with the Blue / Red stripe.  Little Gemâ¢ Mini Roller Twin Packs :: Rokset Industries

  I have the deck you are talking about. Can I sand back all the stuff I have painted on it over the years and use a solid colour? I thought that if I did this and dragged a chair over it the paint would scratch. Is this not the case? What is the best paint for a TP deck. I also have a merbau sitting right next to the TP so  need to do something about the grey and weathered look of it.

----------

