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Structures Wood Care - Decking - Decks & Railings
Decks & Railings

Application of

NatureColor® Base Coat – Alkyd Oil
NatureOne® – 100% Acrylic

Wood surfaces that relate to decks take more abuse than any other area of the structure. It is no wonder that most deck finishes require annual maintenance.
– Full sun, rain, snow and ice are attacking the surface.
– Standing water will intrude nail holes and crevices.
– Then there is abrasive wear from foot traffic, pet claws and patio furniture.
For optimum visual appeal of your natural wood deck, correct wood surface preparation is of great importance.

Surface Prep Procedures

NEW OR WEATHERED UNCOATED DECKS
The moisture level of wood should be no more than 18% at the time of staining. To achieve an acceptable moisture level, allow new, treated wood to dry up to 6 months and untreated wood to dry up to 3 months. New cedar wood should weather 2 to 3 months to lower the tannin levels, which enables the finish to penetrate the wood surface more effectively.

Prior to sanding, clean your deck to remove dirt and spores with a purchased deck cleaner, following directions on product container or use the following cleaning solution of TSP/Bleach/Water:

Cleaning Solution:
Mix and put in garden pump sprayer
– 4 oz. of TSP (100% Tri-Sodium Phosphate)
– 1 quart of fresh liquid bleach
– 3 quarts of warm water

Mix enough cleaning solution in batches to cover the area to be coated (approx. 150 Sq ft per gal)

  1. To protect wanted vegetation – wet with clean water and cover with plastic tarps.
  2. Cover windows and door openings.
  3. Wet the wood surface with clean water.
  4. Use a garden pump sprayer to saturate the surface with cleaning solution.
  5. Keep the surface wet with mixture approx. 15-20 minutes. While surface is kept wet with the TSP/bleach/water solution, aggressively scrub it with a stiff bristle brush. If solution dries, residue may form on wood.
  6. Power-wash off the mixture, rinsing thoroughly. Use a 45 degree fan spray at no more than 500 PSI. The washer nozzle must be 12 inches from the surface for the best results. The use of higher pressure and/or holding nozzle too close may result in damage to the wood. (Use of a garden hose is not suitable for maximum effectiveness as it produces approx. 60 psi).
  7. Allow wood surface to dry. Moisture content of the wood should be not more than 18%.
  8. Sand with 60 grit sandpaper. Remove the resulting sanding dust.
  9. Apply coating within 7 days for horizontal surfaces and within two weeks for vertical surfaces.

SANDING BARE WOOD IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF DECK PREPARATION
Thoroughly sand the wood surface with 60 grit sandpaper in the direction of the grain and then vacuum the resulting dust. Sanding ensures optimum adhesion and even appearance of your translucent deck finish.

PREVIOUSLY COATED DECKS
Removal of the existing coating on the deck surface is a mandatory prerequisite to ensure adhesion and even appearance. Use one of the following methods:

Method 1:
Power wash and then sand the surface down to bare wood.

Method 2:
Chemically strip the wood with a wax-free stripper.

NEW PRESSURIZED TREATED LUMBER
Prior to coating, allow wood to weather and dry until moisture content is no more than 18%. This drying process can take up to 12 months. Proceed with new or weathered uncoated wood procedures described above.

HARDWOODS (IPE, TEAK, etc)
Not recommended due to the high oil content in the wood which retards the curing process.

RAILINGS
Thoroughly sand the wood surface with 60 to 80 grit sandpaper in the direction of the grain and then vacuum the resulting dust. Sanding ensures optimum adhesion and appearance of your translucent finish.

Application Procedures

NatureColor® Base Coat on Deck Floors and Rails:
1. Power wash
2. Sanding is MANDATORY
3. One coat of NatureColor® Base Coat 4. Wait 24 hours
5. Optional – One coat of NatureColor® Base Coat. (Do not apply the optional second coat on a new deck).

NatureOne® on Deck Floors and Rails:
1. Power wash
2. Sanding is MANDATORY
3. One coat of NatureOne® Acrylic
*Only one coat is recommended due to its film forming properties.

Applying one coat of NatureColor® Base Coat or NatureOne® Acrylic exterior will provide a non-film forming finish that will not peel or blister. It will give reasonable protection for about 1 year and then you will have to clean and apply another coat.

Applying two coats of NatureColor® Base Coat will give a more finished look to the deck surface. This more finished look has film-forming properties that give better water protection but is subject to abrasive wear and peeling if moisture conditions exceed the films microporous capabilities to release this moisture through evaporation. Two coats should only be applied to deck floors that are at least 18” above grade and have good air circulation or are covered by a porch roof.

NatureColor® Base Coat performs best applied with a longhaired natural bristle brush. NatureOne® Acrylic exterior performs best when applied with a nylon/polyester brush

All products can be sprayed, but always back-brush to work the product in to the wood and to even the pigmentation and film thickness. Back brushing also eliminates over application and pooling of product. Over application can interfere with the finish’s ability to dry properly and can lead to a buildup of material on the wood which can ultimately peel and crack when exposed to too much moisture.

Maintain a wet edge. Saturate end grains. Apply one coat to undersides of the deck floor to minimize moisture intrusion. Avoid applying finish in direct sunlight or when the surface is hot to touch. If conditions become too hot and product is drying too quickly, STOP and wait for cooler application conditions.

Maintenance Procedures

A maintenance will be as visually required, performed with a single coat of the same product used when initially coating deck and railings; NatureColor® Base Coat or NatureOne® Acrylic. Prior to recoating always clean the surface. Follow the power washing procedure using the cleaning instructions as described previously in this guide. When applying NatureOne as maintenance coat over NatureColor or another product, ‘scuff’ sand the surface to acquire proper adhesion.