# Deck boards with ink stamps



## MHW (Apr 14, 2017)

We purchased Premium Pressure Treated Weathershield boards. The boards have ink stamps on their surface. What do I do to remove the ink before I stain or seal?


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## JCamp (Nov 22, 2016)

MY wife's uncle always use to sand them out. I flip them over An just use the other side


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## gargey (Apr 11, 2016)

Just get teak instead


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## jerryminer (Jun 15, 2014)

Like JCamp said, you have two choices:

1. Sand off the label
2. Turn the board over


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## JCamp (Nov 22, 2016)

He was the only person I hav ever seen sand them out. I think he more so just liked looking busy but he seemed to get a lot of odd job so buikding decks even though he was SLOW. All I've ever done was put them face down except where they were used as railing


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## DirtyMike (Dec 6, 2015)

Dont let a stamp dictate which side of the board is up. That cheap decking is going to move,shink and cup. cup side up makes for a bad deck in 2 years.


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## MHW (Apr 14, 2017)

What's is "cup side up"?


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## tomsteve (Jan 23, 2015)

basically its the way the lumber will "cup" as it dries out.
im not sure if youre aware of it, but its usually a good practice to give the deck some time to dry out( with pressure treated wood) for a while before applying stain/sealer. just my opinion, but in climates such as I have here in west metro Detroit,mi, I say if the deck is constructed in april or may, then somewhere around august is good. but would still like to wait a year.

one other thing: if sanded, it could make that area a different color if stained/sealed right after. if im not mistaken its a water based ink used for the stamping so something like dawn dish soap,water, and a scrub brush should take it off. but it might just require time.


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## JayCee123 (Apr 22, 2016)

Agree with *tomsteve* and *DirtyMike* the bark side should be placed down against the framing. 
PT lumber is usually saturated with water when its laid. You should wait 3 - 6 months before applying a stain or finish.
The ink stamp can be sanded off. The normal wear and tear the deck will receive over the next 3 - 6 months will allow the sanded spot to receive the stain or sealer uniformly. 
By the way, don't add any drainage gap between boards as their laid. As the moisture leaves the lumber over the next few months the boards will shrink across their width and create the gap. If you lay the boards with a gap, you'll end up with a wide unsightly gap between the boards.


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## bigblockyeti (Sep 9, 2013)

You definitely want the bark down, this bench is of red oak I milled and didn't stack. It cupped so severely that I used it as a design element.


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