I’ve been spending the summer getting our cedar picket fence up using ACQ treated posts. I need to get to staining it.
I’m not a fan of weathered cedar. While I like natural sealed cedar, I also read that I probably want to go with a more opaque stain if I’m looking for more longevity and not having to restain every spring, so we’re aiming for more or a dirty-red stain (to somewhat match our brick on the house).
So, with that said, are there some brands that really stick out quality wise in terms of durability? I’ll be brush applying all the stain.
Replies
No answer. Tom surveyed his last touch with the eye of an artist; then he gave his brush another gentle sweep and surveyed the result, as before. Ben ranged up alongside him. Tom’s mouth watered for the apple, but he stuck to his work. Ben said:
“Hello, old chap, you got to work, hey?”
Tom wheeled suddenly and said:
“Why, it’s you, Ben! I warn’t noticing.”
“Say - I’m going in a -swimming, I am. Don’t you wish you could? But of course you’d druther work - wouldn’t you? Course you would!”
Tom contemplated the boy a bit, and said:
“What do you call work?”
“Why, ain’t that work?”
Tom resumed his whitewashing, and answered carelessly:
“Well, maybe it is, and maybe it ain’t. All I know it suits Tom Sawyer.”
“Oh, come now, you don’t mean to let on that you like it?”
The brush continued to move.
“Like it? Well, I don’t see why I oughtn’t to like it. does a boy get a chance to whitewash a fence every day?”
That put the thing in a new light. Ben stopped nibbling his apple. Tom swept his brush daintily back and forth - stepped back to note the effect - added a touch here and there - criticized the effect again - Ben watching every move and getting more and more interested, more and more absorbed. Presently he said:
“Say, Tom, let me whitewash a little.”
Tom Considered, was about to consent; but he altered his mind:
“No-no-I reckon it wouldn’t hardly do, Ben. You see, Aunt Polly’s awful particular about this fence - right here on the street, you know - but if it was the back fence, I wouldn’t mind, and she wouldn’t. Yes, she’s awful particular about this fence; it’s got to be done very careful; I recon there ain’t one boy in a thousand, maybe two thousand, that can do it the way it’s got to be done.”
“No-is that so? Oh, come now - lemme try. Only just a little - I’d let you, if you was me, Tom.”
“Ben, I’d like to, honest injun; but Aunt Polly - well, Jim wanted to do it, but she wouldn’t let him; Sid wanted to do it, and she wouldn’t let Sid. Now, don’t you see how I’ fixed? If you was to tackle this fence and anything was to happen to it --”
“Oh, shucks, I’ll be just as careful. Now lemme try. Say - I’ll give you the core of my apple.”
“Well, here - No, Ben, no you don’t. I’m afeared --”
“I’ll give you all of it!”
Tom gave up the brush with reluctance in his face, but alacrity in his heart. And while the late steamer Big Missouri worked and sweated in the sun, the retired artist sat on a barrel in the shade close by, dangled his legs munched his apple, and planned the slaughter of more innocents. There was no lack of material; boys happened along every little while; they came to jeer, but remained to whitewash. By the time Ben was fagged out, Tom had traded the next chance to Billy fisher for a kite in good repair; and when he played out, Johnny Miller bought in for a dead rat and a string to sing it with - and so on, hour after hour. And when the middle of the afternoon came, from being a poor poverty-stricken boy in the morning, Tom was literally rolling wealth. He had, besides the things before mentioned, twelve marbles, part of a jew’s-harp, a piece of blue bottle-glass to look through, a spoon cannon, a key that wouldn’t unlock anything, a fragment of chalk, a glass stopper of a decanter, a tin soldier, a couple of tadpoles, a kitten with only one eye, a brass door-knob, a dog-collar-but no dog - the handle of a knife, four pieces of orange-peel, and a dilapidated window-sash.
He had had a nice, good, idle time all the while - plenty of company - and the fence had three coats of whitewash on it! If he hadn’t run out of whitewash, he would have bankrupted every boy in the village.
Mark Twain
The easy answer is YMVY (your mileage may vary). I used a 3-year stain that I'll have to re-do after 1. :-(
Check out consumer reports. I seem to recall that they've tested stains recently. Search online to find the issue & pages. Then head over to the local library and find out.
Glen
>"Check out consumer reports... Search online to find the issue & pages. Then head over to the local library and find out."Sound advice, but I doubt that darrel is up for all that - he already said he was lazy! He's right though, darrel. You might get endorsements or opinions here, but let's face it - none of us has used more than one or two products, much less done the kind of side by side comparison you're really looking for. Plus, new products are always being introduced so the "best" may have changed. Most "quality" penetrating sealers (as in, NOT the cheapest you can find) will do a fair job -how long the protection lasts will depend on other factors like exposure to the elements and how well they are applied. If the wood is new, for instance, you'd do well to let it season for a while to let the moisture level stabilize before sealing. If you're adding color anyway you can always give it a quick wash with a wood cleaner after it's "greyed" a little. This step will allow the maximum amount of saturation with your finish and should translate to longer protection. If you're truly lazy, this ought to sound good to you ("the fence? - oh, I'm 'seasoning' it right now").BTW I'm lazy too, and if I were you I would incorperate a garden sprayer in my application plan. Keep a big sloppy brush to work it in, tie back the plants and go for it. Also - got kids? Get some. The Tom Sawyer effect is good for at least an hour or two.
I used a Cabot clear on a cedar fence 4 years ago. Still looks pretty good. Probably will have to be redone next year.
Just visited the CR website.
These are the only two stains out of 21 tested that received good marks after the equivalent of 9 years of exposure. The others fell far behind.
BEST: (overall score of 65)
Olympic Premium Acrylic S/C (596xx series) (latex)
RUNNER-UP: (overall score of 55)
Behr Plus 10 (alkyd/water clean-up)
Two stains highest rated and they are water base?
Did they test oil based?
Or is this another example of CR skewing results to advance their agenda.
I don't know the real reason why they didn't cover oil-based, although they did it on the premise that water-based is easier cleanup. I think because the majority of CR's audience is today's caliber of DIY folks. As most old-school people know, today's DIYer isn't near as handy as the DIYer of previous decades. People these days are going to take the path of least resistance. CR caters to the widest audience possible, Fine Homebuilding is for pros like the folks here on this forum. All that said, the original poster was looking for the easiest, longest-lasting solution for this application. I believe this is that solution.
"Fine Homebuilding is for pros like the folks here on this forum."You may not realize it, but you just stepped in way over your head, LOL
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
HAHAHAHA! I wasn't talking about myself, if that's what you mean! Seriously though, whenever I ask a question, there's always a solution that comes from a seasoned veteran and maybe a few cobblers. Between all the answers - you tend to get pointed in the right direction. It's really awesome when you think about it.That's why I stop by and scan the forum to see if there's anything that I can help with...
I refer to the quality of the advice here as the mastermind principle working.Amnd the site does attract some very good people.But what I was laughing about is the inside knowledge here that FHB the magazine has dumbed itself down over the years beause over 80% of its subscribers are the DIYs, doctors and lawyers and such more than the pro builders.It's all a symbiotic relationship
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
CR is worthless in the real world, IMO.
Cabots is the best value. A solid colour will outlast a semi-transparent which outlasts a transparent stain
Welcome to the
Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
where ...
Excellence is its own reward!
I went with white vs clear cause clear to me just ends up looking clear but dirty over time...thats just how I feel about a lot of clear stains.
I used Cabot's Problem Solver primer and two coats of Cabots Double White acrylic stain. Its only been a cpl of years but it really does look as good as the first day I did them up.
I thought to keep em' natural cuz it probably would have gone with my very old house but then I thought that white does cheer things up a bit.
Checkin' out a few sections I made first about 3 years ago
View Image
I stained em and installed em'
View Image
a lil' aged now
View Image
"the most amazing buddhist prayer song I have ever heard during my trip through the hidden mystique countries like Nepal and India. I've heard it playing everywhere in Kathmandu - buses, ashrams, hotels,streets, etc... "author unknown
how it sounds^-->http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2shskL0AYuE
http://WWW.CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
Andy,
How did you attach the pickets to the rails?
Did you cut the pickets yourself or buy them?
Is that cedar on cedar?... did you also use cedar posts?
http://www.petedraganic.com/
Pete
Yes. Everythings clear ceder. I made everything. Pyramided the picket tops and routed the rail edges and some of the posts {4x4'S) I routed a bead on the corner lengths.
Its all attached using SS nails and PL Premium glue. Did them all in a jigI made.
I'll post some pic whenI get bck from California where I am right now....if you haven't ever seen the jig. Its pretty simple. Its just a 4x8of 3/4" melamine and 1/4" 4' spacers. The blank areas are where I layed my pickets then topped them with the rails usinga guage before I nailed and glued everything up.
I have tons of pickets left I'm going to sell. My plan changed so I was left with a huge amount of pickets..No biggie...I'm "sure" I can use them one day.
http://WWW.CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
Edited 8/18/2007 1:26 pm ET by andybuildz