# Anyone ever-used outdoor oil on a deck?



## boston_guy (Jul 7, 2012)

Since I have to put on a clear coat sealer when I finish staining my deck, I'm wondering whether I can use an outdoor oil such as the one below for I'd much rather use a cloth than a brush:

https://generalfinishes.com/retail-products/exterior-finishes/outdoor-oil#.VU_bZ2Zey2w

General Finishes has a product called Arm-R-Seal Oil & Urethane Topcoat Satin:

https://generalfinishes.com/retail-products/oil-base-top-coats/arm-r-seal-urethane-topcoat#.VU_chGZey2w

I used it after I stained my kitchen cabinets and loved it for it's so easy to use.


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## pjones46 (Mar 1, 2011)

I would not use either one.
The first is paraffinic base oils which really do not last that long outside, much like Thompson's Wood Sealer. Use instead:
Benjamin Moore
Series: Translucent (326)
or
Cabot Australian Timber Oil
Series: 3400

As far as using Arm-R-Seal Oil & Urethane Topcoat Satin; it is not designed for outdoor use. Lacks UV protection as well as other components specifically designed into outside products. More than likly it will turn white over time, flake and peal and then you will have a mess trying to remove it.

There are many other good deck stains out there, remember clear coatings do not offer the same protection as semi-transparent.


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## boston_guy (Jul 7, 2012)

This is what my neighbor and I are using for staining:

Benjamin Moore Arborcoat
Premium Exterior Stain
Classic Oil Finish
Deck & Siding
Semi-transparent

I was talking about the sealer AFTER we finish staining.


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## pjones46 (Mar 1, 2011)

Your choice is a stain and finish all in one. It is designed to penetrate and protect the wood and color it all in one application. Unlike interior finishes, exterior products over significantly shorter time periods degrade and must be recoated depending on environmental conditions. Assuming you are in the northeast, you will more than likely have to wash the deck and recoat it every couple of years to maintain the wood and color due to wear from weather and traffic on the deck as well as the railings.

Unlike paint, it does not form a film if applied correctly and there is very little chance that it will peel if applied correctly. You will have to maintain it on a somewhat regular basis.

I use the same product on my deck and have to clean and recoat it about every third year.


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## boston_guy (Jul 7, 2012)

I'm in Boston and we just went through a wicked winter!

1) In other words, you don't use a top coat after you use what my neighbor and me are using?

2) Do you use a brush?


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## pjones46 (Mar 1, 2011)

I'm in Hamilton, MA. For the spindles of the hand rail I use a lamb's wool mitt and a brush and a cotton toweling. For the deck I use a long handled lamb's wool pad for most of it and a brush to cut it in up close to the house. I do small sections at a time and let it soak in for 5 or so minutes then use the unloaded long handled lamb's wool pad and a rag to wipe off the excess so it does not puddle which gives an evenly consistent coverage. Thats it and no top coat over it.

As there is nothing below my deck which is exposed, any of the stain that falls through the decking floor spaces can fall underneath it without harm. If the deck were over something that had to be protected I would suggest you use clear poly which you could roll up and throw away after the job is done.


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## boston_guy (Jul 7, 2012)

I'm in Somerville (you're not that far, in the big scheme of things).

1) I had to google to figure out what is a lamb's wool mitt. I found photos of it. Do you use this mitt to rub the stain on the spindles/rails?

2) I still don't know what cotton toweling is or its.

3) There is nothing exposed my deck. The deck covers a black rubber roof.

4) You still haven't answered whether or not you use a topcoat/sealer after you're done staining.

This is VERY useful information for me. Thanks!


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## Wildwood (Jul 22, 2012)

Here is a sight you might find helpful for basic info. You can also read reviews on different products they have tested. I am partial to oil stain products because do not need a top coat and usually easier to clean and reapply as needed.

http://www.deckstainhelp.com/deck-stains/

We used an opaque stain on my sister's deck which really masked the #2 or3 treated pine deck she has. That was several years ago and except for foot traffic areas stuff looks okay. She lives in NJ so sees all kinds of weather. She wants to redo the deck with same product. She really needs a new deck!

We used this stuff on neighbor's big deck last summer and still looking like we just finished.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Wolman-5-gal-Raincoat-Clear-Oil-Based-Water-Repellent-Sealer-12385/204642362?keyword=wood+deck+oil+stain+sealer#specifications

Only advice can offer other than oil stain sealer whether opaque or transparent look for product that easy to touch up and redo.


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## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

Check out Sikkens. 
The link takes you to the translucent product for pre stained wood. We used a product with a stain in it. 
Two coats 5 years ago and it's just now showing signs of wear on the steps.


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## pjones46 (Mar 1, 2011)

No top coat/sealer over it.

BJ's club has packages of the white cotton toweling in there automotive department. I always have them in the shop and my wife swipes them for kitchen cleanup use. Basically they are just square hemmed pieces cotton bath towel. I find them better than old tee shirt material for most of my uses.

I assume you did not like the answers you got on your previous post concerning the same application? Remember, you are liable for any damages to other property, so care must be taken, especially if you are dealing with condo applications.

By the way, someone mentioned Sikkens, do not use it as it flakes and peels in one year. Sikkens has a problem with its use on decks per the New England Rep, why, I have no idea. Seems fine for house bodies but not for decks. Several of the local high end builders that I do work for, will not use it as they have had trouble with it every time they have used it.


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## boston_guy (Jul 7, 2012)

pjones46,

Thanks for getting back to me. No, it's not that I didn't like the replies I got on my other thread. I just thought that it would be better to separate the staining part from the finishing/topcoat part. I didn't want to cause confusion. I really appreciate the advice here and just trying to make it easier for forum members to understand what I'm trying to do.

So if I understand you correctly:

1) The "cotton toweling" is for rubbing the stain onto the wood.

2) The lamb's wool mitt is also for rubbing the stain onto the wood (spindles and rails).

3) The stain we're talking about here is this one:

Benjamin Moore Arborcoat
Premium Exterior Stain
Classic Oil Finish
Deck & Siding
Semi-transparent

4) This stain (mentioned in #3 above) does not require a topcoat.

I just want to be clear. Really appreciate your feedback.


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## pjones46 (Mar 1, 2011)

Answers are as follows:

1.Cotton toweling is use to remove/spread out puddles of the unabsorbed stain for consistence of color rather it be on the deck or spindles.

2.The lambs wool mitt is used for irregular surfaces and hard to get at spots on the spindles and handrail, so yes to using it to apply the stain to and on the wood (spindles and rails).

3.Yes the Benjamin Moore Arborcoat is the product you are using and I use.

4.The stain in "3" does "not" require a topcoat; it is an all in one product.


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## DMC1903 (Jan 11, 2012)

I applied numerous coats of general finishes outdoor oil on a patio table top made of Doug Fir, it looked great for a season. The finish started to flake and peel off after our winter had passed,I would not use the outdoor oil again.

The Arm-a-seal is a great finish to use on indoor projscts.


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## boston_guy (Jul 7, 2012)

Thank you very much, pjones46. Your feedback was really helpful. I'll inform my neighbor. She has an identical deck, right next to mine.



> Answers are as follows:
> 
> 1.Cotton toweling is use to remove/spread out puddles of the unabsorbed stain for consistence of color rather it be on the deck or spindles.
> 
> ...


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## boston_guy (Jul 7, 2012)

DMC1903,

Thanks for your warning about outdoor oil!

Yes, for kitchen cabinets and any other indoor projects you can't ask for anything better than this Arm-R-Seal product:

https://generalfinishes.com/retail-products/oil-base-top-coats/arm-r-seal-urethane-topcoat#.VVEDomZey2x



> I applied numerous coats of general finishes outdoor oil on a patio table top made of Doug Fir, it looked great for a season. The finish started to flake and peel off after our winter had passed,I would not use the outdoor oil again.
> 
> The Arm-a-seal is a great finish to use on indoor projscts.
> 
> - DMC1903


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## boston_guy (Jul 7, 2012)

pjones46,

Yesterday I went to Rockler Woodworking and Hardware and a local paint store popular with painters. Both of them did not have lambswool mitts.

A stupid question. Home Depot has a synthetic painting mitt:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Linzer-8-in-x-3-8-in-Synthetic-Painting-Mitt-RT363/100168481?keyword=painting+mitt

Do you think this might work for staining the rails or should I definitely use lambswool? Don't worry, when I ask for advice, any mistakes are my fault. I'm not one of those people who come back crying that, "It was your fault. You told me this would work, blah, blah, blah." Just asking for your best guess.



> Answers are as follows:
> 
> 1.Cotton toweling is use to remove/spread out puddles of the unabsorbed stain for consistence of color rather it be on the deck or spindles.
> 
> ...


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## pjones46 (Mar 1, 2011)

Yes, that mitt should work fine. Make sure you get some paint thinner for clean up pf youur brushes and self.

Also, if you can't finish the project in one day, you can use small plastic bags to store you mitt and applicatord=s over night.

Caution: Never leave an oily cloth rolled up. As the oil oxidizes it generates heat and it is not unusual for the cloth to spontaneously combust. Even if you intend to throw the used cloths away, you must first allow them to dry, unrolled, outside.


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## Putttn (Feb 29, 2012)

You have a whole new learning experience in store for you when it comes to deck staining. Whatever you do don't use Penofin. It will turn black. TWP has had good reviews as well as some not so good. I've researched stains for the past 4 years trying to get my deck to look decent. At best you will be redoing the process every two years. My deck is mostly cedar and redwood and I live in eastern Washington state where we get cold winters and hot summers/fall. My deck stain is a clear without much pigment. I haven't found a deck stain that has all good reviews. They all have their problems and working with decks and trying to keep them looking decent is difficult at best.


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## pjones46 (Mar 1, 2011)

@ Putttn

I did some tests with Penofin Blue series on cypress wood deck furniture and concur with your results that it turns black. I don't know if it is mildew or just atmospheric dirt collecting on surface of the wood; suspect it is mildew. I would not use it again.


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## boston_guy (Jul 7, 2012)

pjones46,

I really appreciate the feedback you've given me.

Yesterday, I did the rail caps. I found that a 4" roller with a 3/8" nap to work really well.

Today I'm going to try the rail support (right below the cap). This part will require a brush. Then I'll do the balusters (here is where the mitt will come into play).

By the way, for the deck floor, someone suggested this in order to get the space between boards:






I picked one up from my local Home Depot.



> Yes, that mitt should work fine. Make sure you get some paint thinner for clean up pf youur brushes and self.
> 
> Also, if you can t finish the project in one day, you can use small plastic bags to store you mitt and applicatord=s over night.
> 
> ...





> Yes, that mitt should work fine. Make sure you get some paint thinner for clean up pf youur brushes and self.
> 
> Also, if you can t finish the project in one day, you can use small plastic bags to store you mitt and applicatord=s over night.
> 
> ...


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## boston_guy (Jul 7, 2012)

Putttn,

Thanks for the warning regarding Penofin! Never heard of it.

I would not want to do my deck every two years, if I can help it.

Anyway, hoping this first staining process goes okay.

The tricky thing is that on one side of my deck I have no staging area and I'm on the 3rd floor (see photos below).







> You have a whole new learning experience in store for you when it comes to deck staining. Whatever you do don t use Penofin. It will turn black. TWP has had good reviews as well as some not so good. I ve researched stains for the past 4 years trying to get my deck to look decent. At best you will be redoing the process every two years. My deck is mostly cedar and redwood and I live in eastern Washington state where we get cold winters and hot summers/fall. My deck stain is a clear without much pigment. I haven t found a deck stain that has all good reviews. They all have their problems and working with decks and trying to keep them looking decent is difficult at best.
> 
> - Putttn


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## boston_guy (Jul 7, 2012)

Finally got around to trying out the synthetic mitt for staining the ballusters. Unfortunately, it didn't work out. The material got stuck on the wood. And you really need to do a lot of cleaning because it produces a lot of splatter. Maybe lambswool is easier to work with and does not get stuck to the wood.

Anyway, I found that a one-inch paint brush works well with ballusters which is what I ended up using. It especially works well for the ballusters that can only be painted from one side due to not having a staging area in the opposite side (see the photos in the preceding post). You can simply reach around with the brush without causing too much mess. I've done have of the total ballusters so far.

Just want to mention all this in case someone else is about to use a synthetic mitt.


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## boston_guy (Jul 7, 2012)

Yesterday I finished staining the ballusters or pickets. The one-inch brush worked well for me.

I'm about to stain the floor of my fairly large deck.

I know a roller would be much faster but will the result be good?

I was going to use a staining pad that a kind soul recommended for the floor because it has a tool for getting the stain into the gap between the boards.

But I'm wondering whether a 4 or 6-inch brush might be better though it will take forever.

Just wondering whether those who've actually done this work have a preference.


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## pjones46 (Mar 1, 2011)

What does the can say as far as application? You might try a combination of both brush and applicator pad. In any event prior to starting make sure deck is clean and dry.

As Putttn indicated; "You have a whole new learning experience in store for you."


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## boston_guy (Jul 7, 2012)

pjones46,

As you've probably figured out by now, I'm a worrier. 

I think I found a solution which is sort of related to the mitt suggestion you gave me.

I've stained real red oak veneer on kitchen cabinets in the past. I know how tricky staining can get. It's definitely not an easy process if you want good results. I used the type of stain that you rub on with a cloth. I learned never to use a lot of stain. I also learned that the prep work was really important such as cleaning the wood so that there's nothing like glue residue.

This is why I really want to be careful with the deck.

On Tuesday I went to my favorite paint store and they suggested:

http://www.amazon.com/Wooster-Brush-RR412-10-Shearling-Applicator/dp/B000I1VGBI

They had them at the store and I picked one up. You can use it with a broom handle.

Then today I remembered that you asked me to look at the stain can to see what it recommends. It states, "Apply only one or *lambswool applicator*..." 

I think this is what I'm going to use.

Will paint gaps between the floor boards first with a 2-inch brush. Then I will go over them and the floor boards with the shearing floor applicator.

As always, thanks for putting up with my stupidity.



> What does the can say as far as application? You might try a combination of both brush and applicator pad. In any event prior to starting make sure deck is clean and dry.
> 
> As Putttn indicated; "You have a whole new learning experience in store for you."
> 
> - pjones46


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## pjones46 (Mar 1, 2011)

God Bless and good luck.


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## boston_guy (Jul 7, 2012)

Nothing beats actually doing something and relying on what the experience itself teaches you. Advice is still good but it's best to consider it as a starting point.

I've just started doing the floor slats of my deck since I've finished the railings.

The lampswool applicator proved to be ineffective for my case due to splinters. Also, even with a long handle, it's really difficult to apply the stain evenly. Each time you lift it you can see swirl marks. Then one begins to panic because one thinks that the stain will dry before one has made the corrections! Maybe I've just not mastered the art of it. Anyway, after one or two slats I put it aside, rushed to the paint store and got a high quality 4-inch bristle brush. So I'm staining by brush, one slat at a time. I've done this for two days. I have a total of 53 slats. Have done 16.

It was slow going so far as I tried to figure out a method. I think I now have it down. I first start by staining between a set of two slats (4 slats in total). What to use between the slats? This was another big question. Tried a thin paint brush. It gets messy. Tried this method: 



. It too is messy. A foam brush works best for me. The only thing is that the brushes break up pretty quickly. I've so far gone through 6. The good thing is that they are very cheap. I bought a pack of 10 from Harbor Freight Tools for $1.99. And I've since discovered that you can get them from Family Dollar and Dollar Tree from $1.00. However, I would like to find out whether there are more durable foam brushes out there, like in the paint store itself (didn't think of this, my next goal). After I get the stain in between the wood slats I then wipe away the excess at the top with paint thinner, then stain the top of the slats with the brush.

Anyway, back to the brush. While it's more tedious, I like the results better. One can see the grain of the wood after the stain is on. By the way, I had to invest in knee pads. The Husky brand from Home Depot has so far held up well. I had never used knee pads before. 

That's my report so far.


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## pjones46 (Mar 1, 2011)

As Putttn/Bill said, "You have a whole new learning experience in store for you when it comes to deck staining." Happy to hear you came up with a system to complete the deck staining. File that under learning experience as you will use it in the future for the next time.


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## boston_guy (Jul 7, 2012)

After staining my deck's floor slats for 6 days (non-consecutive) and like 2 hours today, I'm finally done.

Boy, using a brush is sure a slow process. I desperately hope the stain won't peel next spring.


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## boston_guy (Jul 7, 2012)

A better photo…


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