We get asked “What do I do when I want to use Structures Wood Care^® products over another product?” 

That is a very good question, and you will see the answer varies.

The first thing you need to do is find out if that existing product is oil-based or water-based. How do I do that?

Get a cotton ball and saturate it with denatured alcohol or Goo Gone^®. Move the cotton ball back and forth over the existing stain for at least 30 seconds. Take the cotton ball away to see if the cotton ball shows color. If it does, it is most likely an oil-based stain. Now proceed to the directions below.

NOTE: YOU CANNOT GO OVER A WATER-BASED STAIN WITH AN OIL-BASED STAIN!

Our NatureColor^® (oil-based) over another oil-based stain:

First, anytime you are going over another companies stain with our NatureColor^® it is best to wash down the stain before you do this next step. You are trying to remove the sheen and all the surface contaminates like spider webs, dust, dirt and so on.

Then, you should “scuff sand” the old finish with 60-80 grit sandpaper on an orbital sander. Scuff sanding is pressing just heavy enough to feel a rough surface with your fingertips.

Now, you will want to wash down the house with a detergent and a pressure washer. The detergent can be TSP/Bleach/water or a pre-mixed siding cleaner. DO NOT let this detergent dry on the surface!

After cleaning, let the surface dry for 3 days. If it gets wet, your 3 days will start over again.

You can now use 2 coats of Recoater^® over the existing finish.

In the future, you will only need 1 coat of Recoater^® for the maintenance.

Our NatureOne^® (water-based, acrylic) over another water-based stain:

Same procedure as listed in the previous paragraph.

First, anytime you are going over another companies stain with our NatureOne^® it is best to wash down the stain before you do this next step. You are trying to remove the sheen and all the surface contaminates like spider webs, dust, dirt and so on.

Then, you should “scuff sand” the old finish with 60-80 grit sandpaper on an orbital sander. Scuff sanding is pressing just heavy enough to feel a rough surface with your fingertips.

Now, you will want to wash down the house with a detergent and a pressure washer. The detergent can be TSP/Bleach/water or a pre-mixed siding cleaner. DO NOT let this detergent dry on the surface!

After cleaning, let the surface dry for 3 days. If it gets wet, your 3 days will start over again.

You can now use 2 coats of NatureOne^® over the existing finish.

In the future, you will only need 1 coat of NatureOne^® for the maintenance.

Our Nature One^® (water-based, acrylic) over another oil-based stain:

If the oil finish is new, we suggest you let it “age” for, at least, 6 months!

Same procedure as listed in the NatureOne paragraph above.

NOTE: The above information is for reference purposes only.  Please consult one of our professional Dealers our Structures Wood Care to learn about proper application before applying any of these products.