Text Box: DECK MAINTENANCE In recent years the sales of cedar for decks has increased substantially in some regions of the U.S., particularly the Mid-West. One of the reasons is that in the 70’s and 80’s pressure treated pine (PTW) essentially became the dominant wood and the wood of choice. By virtue of being the wood to use for exterior applications such as decks and fences the demand was outpacing production. In order to keep up with that demand lesser grades were being cut and shipped. Kiln drying before and after treatment were less of a concern. As a result of that, pressure treated lumber did not yard well or look good while sitting at lumberyards. When a consumer took the material home it would warp and twist while sitting in the yard waiting to be used. Being very wet from the treating process it took a long time to dry before a coating could be applied to keep from cracking or checking. When coatings were applied seldom were decks cleaned and prepared properly before application of water repellants and other coatings, thus reducing their longevity. Text Box: When considering coatings it is important to make sure that they have UV inhibitors, water repellants and mildewcides to protect the coating. When sealing cedar decks, or any other smooth wood you must be aware of the mill glaze and make sure that you clean the wood properly before coating. With today’s cedar, you must also deal with the flat grain and closed cells. When cedar is allowed weather for any period of time, 1 week or more, the surface cells collapse making it difficult to coat. Yet, weathered wood is drier, which allows better penetration when the wood is cleaned. It has been our experience that after working with pressure treated pine and allowing the wood to weather for approximately 30 days or when dry, cleaning and sealing all sides if possible works best. It has also been our experience that after working with cedar and allowing it to weather for a minimum of 30 days, cleaning properly, then sealing all sides, if possible, works best. When applying a second coat of Rymar Wood Sealer in three months or so you will get the best results. If the deck is pressure treated pine, such as kiln dried #1 southern yellow pine you will have better results with coatings. In most cases, double the life versus cedar. Cedar, no matter how well it is cleaned or prepared will need more maintenance. For best results, a light coat may be necessary annually. CLEANING (CEDAR) When cleaning cedar, first wet wood, then use Rymar Rinseable Soap with bleach and water (about 3 parts water to 1 part bleach), rinse, wait 48 hours then seal. Do not let the bleach set on the wood longer than 2 or 3 minutes, it will turn it white. When cleaning between coats, first we wet wood, then use Rymar Rinseable Soap to clean the dirt off. You can apply the coating when the water evaporates off. After cleaning a surface, do not wait more than 48 hours to seal it. You will end up sealing in a film of dirt, which will cause adhesion problems. Another tip for sealing cedar deck surfaces is to have a wire brush handy and lightly scrape any flat grain just before you seal. Do it in one direction only, this will help the coating get a better grip. Keep in mind that when the coating comes off in places it is usually caused by lack of penetration. In areas of heavy foot traffic, you will actually wear down the wood and of coarse take off the coating. Which goes back to what was discussed earlier with wood quality. If the coating does come off in places simply clean that area and blend in more sealer. PREPARATION (PRESSURE TREATED PINE) Pine has a different molecular structure than cedar and when using southern yellow pine in particular, it is easier to maintain when it comes to coatings. Although both pine and cedar are considered soft woods pine is stronger and wears better. Again, we are referring to southern yellow pine. Today it is much easier to find a better quality pressure treated pine due to today’s market conditions. The PTW industry wants the business back that it lost to cedar, so consequently they are treating a higher quality or higher grade today. Cedar is where pressure treated pine used to be, fighting demand and availability. As it stands now pressure treated pine is a better choice for decks as long as it is #1 SYP treated to a .40 retention and kiln dried before and after treatment. If you are using southern yellow pine or other species of treated pine, wait 30 days after project completion, clean if necessary and seal. Apply a second coat in 90 days provided the first coat is clean. FINAL WORD Because a coating is the last thing when completing a project, they are usually the first things to get the blame when something goes wrong. Rarely are the higher quality coatings at fault today. With so many jobs left up to the finish to perform, it is nearly impossible for them not to appear to be the problem. Keep one thing in mind, the outside environment is the harshest place in the world and with a little maintenance, you can keep your project looking like new. Finally, if you do not clean your deck properly, make sure it is dry, or apply the coating evenly and maintain when necessary, you are going to be disappointed with the results. Text Box: FYI DECK SURFACES AND COATINGS Text Box: CEDAR As a direct result of what happened to pressure treated pine (PTW), sometimes referred to as a Wolmanized wood, named for Mr. Wolman who in the 30’s used a process of pressure treating using Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA), and in the 80’s many people turned to cedar as a viable alternative. Once again, as demand has outpaced production we are seeing the same scenario played out with cedar. However, in the 90’s we have also had the environmentalists weigh in and not only have they had an effect on quantity, now quality has suffered. Today very little old growth is harvested which is extremely durable and would last for decades without man’s assistance. We now have a poorer quality at a high price. Not only does the cedar being cut today cost more, its durability is not what most people believe. Because, again, of the demand mills are cutting trees that are much younger, 40 years old or less. Young immature growth has a lot of flat grain and closed cells, making it difficult to maintain. Along with maintenance problems comes the durability concern. Today’s younger cuts will not last nearly as long, maybe 20-25 years. The density has also changed making the younger cuts softer, which in turn does not give them the weatherability one commonly associates with cedar. COATINGS With a bit of history on two of the more popular woods used for decks today lets deal with coatings that are used to maintain appearance. Pressure treated pine is going to be rot resistant for approximately 40 years and lets assume that cedar, being protected by tannic acid will last for 25 years. With that type of durability, preservatives are not really going to help and already preserved wood. In order to maintain wood and keep it looking new three things must be considered; food, water, and light. The wood cannot become a food source for mold or mildew, water or moisture should be kept to a minimum to help prevent expansion and contraction and UV light should be kept out to prevent the breakdown of surface cells. All three are needed for surface growth of mold and mildew. Text Box: Revised 5/11/04 Copyright 1998 Rymar Industries, Inc. Text Box: , LLC Text Box: DECK MAINTENANCE In recent years the sales of cedar for decks has increased substantially in some regions of the U.S., particularly the Mid-West. One of the reasons is that in the 70’s and 80’s pressure treated pine (PTW) essentially became the dominant wood and the wood of choice. By virtue of being the wood to use for exterior applications such as decks and fences the demand was outpacing production. In order to keep up with that demand lesser grades were being cut and shipped. Kiln drying before and after treatment were less of a concern. As a result of that, pressure treated lumber did not yard well or look good while sitting at lumberyards. When a consumer took the material home it would warp and twist while sitting in the yard waiting to be used. Being very wet from the treating process it took a long time to dry before a coating could be applied to keep from cracking or checking. When coatings were applied seldom were decks cleaned and prepared properly before application of water repellants and other coatings, thus reducing their longevity. Text Box: When considering coatings it is important to make sure that they have UV inhibitors, water repellants and mildewcides to protect the coating. When sealing cedar decks, or any other smooth wood you must be aware of the mill glaze and make sure that you clean the wood properly before coating. With today’s cedar, you must also deal with the flat grain and closed cells. When cedar is allowed weather for any period of time, 1 week or more, the surface cells collapse making it difficult to coat. Yet, weathered wood is drier, which allows better penetration when the wood is cleaned. It has been our experience that after working with pressure treated pine and allowing the wood to weather for approximately 30 days or when dry, cleaning and sealing all sides if possible works best. It has also been our experience that after working with cedar and allowing it to weather for a minimum of 30 days, cleaning properly, then sealing all sides, if possible, works best. When applying a second coat of Rymar Wood Sealer in three months or so you will get the best results. If the deck is pressure treated pine, such as kiln dried #1 southern yellow pine you will have better results with coatings. In most cases, double the life versus cedar. Cedar, no matter how well it is cleaned or prepared will need more maintenance. For best results, a light coat may be necessary annually. CLEANING (CEDAR) When cleaning cedar, first wet wood, then use Rymar Rinseable Soap with bleach and water (about 3 parts water to 1 part bleach), rinse, wait 48 hours then seal. Do not let the bleach set on the wood longer than 2 or 3 minutes, it will turn it white. When cleaning between coats, first we wet wood, then use Rymar Rinseable Soap to clean the dirt off. You can apply the coating when the water evaporates off. After cleaning a surface, do not wait more than 48 hours to seal it. You will end up sealing in a film of dirt, which will cause adhesion problems. Another tip for sealing cedar deck surfaces is to have a wire brush handy and lightly scrape any flat grain just before you seal. Do it in one direction only, this will help the coating get a better grip. Keep in mind that when the coating comes off in places it is usually caused by lack of penetration. In areas of heavy foot traffic, you will actually wear down the wood and of coarse take off the coating. Which goes back to what was discussed earlier with wood quality. If the coating does come off in places simply clean that area and blend in more sealer. PREPARATION (PRESSURE TREATED PINE) Pine has a different molecular structure than cedar and when using southern yellow pine in particular, it is easier to maintain when it comes to coatings. Although both pine and cedar are considered soft woods pine is stronger and wears better. Again, we are referring to southern yellow pine. Today it is much easier to find a better quality pressure treated pine due to today’s market conditions. The PTW industry wants the business back that it lost to cedar, so consequently they are treating a higher quality or higher grade today. Cedar is where pressure treated pine used to be, fighting demand and availability. As it stands now pressure treated pine is a better choice for decks as long as it is #1 SYP treated to a .40 retention and kiln dried before and after treatment. If you are using southern yellow pine or other species of treated pine, wait 30 days after project completion, clean if necessary and seal. Apply a second coat in 90 days provided the first coat is clean. FINAL WORD Because a coating is the last thing when completing a project, they are usually the first things to get the blame when something goes wrong. Rarely are the higher quality coatings at fault today. With so many jobs left up to the finish to perform, it is nearly impossible for them not to appear to be the problem. Keep one thing in mind, the outside environment is the harshest place in the world and with a little maintenance, you can keep your project looking like new. Finally, if you do not clean your deck properly, make sure it is dry, or apply the coating evenly and maintain when necessary, you are going to be disappointed with the results. Text Box: FYI DECK SURFACES AND COATINGS Text Box: CEDAR As a direct result of what happened to pressure treated pine (PTW), sometimes referred to as a Wolmanized wood, named for Mr. Wolman who in the 30’s used a process of pressure treating using Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA), and in the 80’s many people turned to cedar as a viable alternative. Once again, as demand has outpaced production we are seeing the same scenario played out with cedar. However, in the 90’s we have also had the environmentalists weigh in and not only have they had an effect on quantity, now quality has suffered. Today very little old growth is harvested which is extremely durable and would last for decades without man’s assistance. We now have a poorer quality at a high price. Not only does the cedar being cut today cost more, its durability is not what most people believe. Because, again, of the demand mills are cutting trees that are much younger, 40 years old or less. Young immature growth has a lot of flat grain and closed cells, making it difficult to maintain. Along with maintenance problems comes the durability concern. Today’s younger cuts will not last nearly as long, maybe 20-25 years. The density has also changed making the younger cuts softer, which in turn does not give them the weatherability one commonly associates with cedar. COATINGS With a bit of history on two of the more popular woods used for decks today lets deal with coatings that are used to maintain appearance. Pressure treated pine is going to be rot resistant for approximately 40 years and lets assume that cedar, being protected by tannic acid will last for 25 years. With that type of durability, preservatives are not really going to help and already preserved wood. In order to maintain wood and keep it looking new three things must be considered; food, water, and light. The wood cannot become a food source for mold or mildew, water or moisture should be kept to a minimum to help prevent expansion and contraction and UV light should be kept out to prevent the breakdown of surface cells. All three are needed for surface growth of mold and mildew. Text Box: Revised 5/11/04 Copyright 1998 Rymar Industries, Inc. Text Box: , LLC Text Box: CUSTOMER CONCERNS Text Box: Tacky Sealer Coating Looks Shiny Or Has A Sheen Black Spots White Around Knots White Spots On Sealer Blotchy Text Box: Poor drying conditions Applied too much sealer Second coat applied too soon Applied too heavy Flat grain will not allow penetration Too much surface build 90% of cases are iron deposits, Usually from hard water Use Oxalic Cleaner to remove Pitch or resin crystallizing or drying Caused by unseasoned wood (was not kiln dried) Clean with denatured alcohol and reseal Water contamination caused by rain or yard sprinkler, when sealer is not dry. Should disappear in 30 days or so Over applied sealer and or flat grain and vertical grain take sealer differently, especially on cedar and old wood. Common occurrence with semi-transparent coatings.

Text Box: DECK MAINTENANCE In recent years the sales of cedar for decks has increased substantially in some regions of the U.S., particularly the Mid-West. One of the reasons is that in the 70’s and 80’s pressure treated pine (PTW) essentially became the dominant wood and the wood of choice. By virtue of being the wood to use for exterior applications such as decks and fences the demand was outpacing production. In order to keep up with that demand lesser grades were being cut and shipped. Kiln drying before and after treatment were less of a concern. As a result of that, pressure treated lumber did not yard well or look good while sitting at lumberyards. When a consumer took the material home it would warp and twist while sitting in the yard waiting to be used. Being very wet from the treating process it took a long time to dry before a coating could be applied to keep from cracking or checking. When coatings were applied seldom were decks cleaned and prepared properly before application of water repellants and other coatings, thus reducing their longevity. Text Box: When considering coatings it is important to make sure that they have UV inhibitors, water repellants and mildewcides to protect the coating. When sealing cedar decks, or any other smooth wood you must be aware of the mill glaze and make sure that you clean the wood properly before coating. With today’s cedar, you must also deal with the flat grain and closed cells. When cedar is allowed weather for any period of time, 1 week or more, the surface cells collapse making it difficult to coat. Yet, weathered wood is drier, which allows better penetration when the wood is cleaned. It has been our experience that after working with pressure treated pine and allowing the wood to weather for approximately 30 days or when dry, cleaning and sealing all sides if possible works best. It has also been our experience that after working with cedar and allowing it to weather for a minimum of 30 days, cleaning properly, then sealing all sides, if possible, works best. When applying a second coat of Rymar Wood Sealer in three months or so you will get the best results. If the deck is pressure treated pine, such as kiln dried #1 southern yellow pine you will have better results with coatings. In most cases, double the life versus cedar. Cedar, no matter how well it is cleaned or prepared will need more maintenance. For best results, a light coat may be necessary annually. CLEANING (CEDAR) When cleaning cedar, first wet wood, then use Rymar Rinseable Soap with bleach and water (about 3 parts water to 1 part bleach), rinse, wait 48 hours then seal. Do not let the bleach set on the wood longer than 2 or 3 minutes, it will turn it white. When cleaning between coats, first we wet wood, then use Rymar Rinseable Soap to clean the dirt off. You can apply the coating when the water evaporates off. After cleaning a surface, do not wait more than 48 hours to seal it. You will end up sealing in a film of dirt, which will cause adhesion problems. Another tip for sealing cedar deck surfaces is to have a wire brush handy and lightly scrape any flat grain just before you seal. Do it in one direction only, this will help the coating get a better grip. Keep in mind that when the coating comes off in places it is usually caused by lack of penetration. In areas of heavy foot traffic, you will actually wear down the wood and of coarse take off the coating. Which goes back to what was discussed earlier with wood quality. If the coating does come off in places simply clean that area and blend in more sealer. PREPARATION (PRESSURE TREATED PINE) Pine has a different molecular structure than cedar and when using southern yellow pine in particular, it is easier to maintain when it comes to coatings. Although both pine and cedar are considered soft woods pine is stronger and wears better. Again, we are referring to southern yellow pine. Today it is much easier to find a better quality pressure treated pine due to today’s market conditions. The PTW industry wants the business back that it lost to cedar, so consequently they are treating a higher quality or higher grade today. Cedar is where pressure treated pine used to be, fighting demand and availability. As it stands now pressure treated pine is a better choice for decks as long as it is #1 SYP treated to a .40 retention and kiln dried before and after treatment. If you are using southern yellow pine or other species of treated pine, wait 30 days after project completion, clean if necessary and seal. Apply a second coat in 90 days provided the first coat is clean. FINAL WORD Because a coating is the last thing when completing a project, they are usually the first things to get the blame when something goes wrong. Rarely are the higher quality coatings at fault today. With so many jobs left up to the finish to perform, it is nearly impossible for them not to appear to be the problem. Keep one thing in mind, the outside environment is the harshest place in the world and with a little maintenance, you can keep your project looking like new. Finally, if you do not clean your deck properly, make sure it is dry, or apply the coating evenly and maintain when necessary, you are going to be disappointed with the results. Text Box: FYI DECK SURFACES AND COATINGS Text Box: CEDAR As a direct result of what happened to pressure treated pine (PTW), sometimes referred to as a Wolmanized wood, named for Mr. Wolman who in the 30’s used a process of pressure treating using Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA), and in the 80’s many people turned to cedar as a viable alternative. Once again, as demand has outpaced production we are seeing the same scenario played out with cedar. However, in the 90’s we have also had the environmentalists weigh in and not only have they had an effect on quantity, now quality has suffered. Today very little old growth is harvested which is extremely durable and would last for decades without man’s assistance. We now have a poorer quality at a high price. Not only does the cedar being cut today cost more, its durability is not what most people believe. Because, again, of the demand mills are cutting trees that are much younger, 40 years old or less. Young immature growth has a lot of flat grain and closed cells, making it difficult to maintain. Along with maintenance problems comes the durability concern. Today’s younger cuts will not last nearly as long, maybe 20-25 years. The density has also changed making the younger cuts softer, which in turn does not give them the weatherability one commonly associates with cedar. COATINGS With a bit of history on two of the more popular woods used for decks today lets deal with coatings that are used to maintain appearance. Pressure treated pine is going to be rot resistant for approximately 40 years and lets assume that cedar, being protected by tannic acid will last for 25 years. With that type of durability, preservatives are not really going to help and already preserved wood. In order to maintain wood and keep it looking new three things must be considered; food, water, and light. The wood cannot become a food source for mold or mildew, water or moisture should be kept to a minimum to help prevent expansion and contraction and UV light should be kept out to prevent the breakdown of surface cells. All three are needed for surface growth of mold and mildew. Text Box: Revised 5/11/04 Copyright 1998 Rymar Industries, Inc. Text Box: , LLC