I have three summer cottages on north shore Long Island, New York. Need to repaint the opened painted wood porch floors. I have had two recommendations sand, scrape and clean floors like normal. One contractor suggested latex solid deck stain and the other suggested oil based deck enamel put on thick. The porches are only screened in and therefore open to any type of weather. HELP!!!!!!!!!
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Not there, don't know, but the prep is the same.
I would tend to go with the oil if that is what exists, spot priming bare wood, and coating one coat after you think you have a sealing coat. Makes for a nice job, and many insist on it. Lots of work, and drying time requires a big hole in your schedule. Lose the guy that wants to apply a thick coat, that is nonsense, doesn't work that way.
Latex? I won't recommend the stain, I think it may have a place but I don't know about here when you mention scraping. I do think that a latex deck paint may be your best choice though, for many reasons, but who knows.
Ditto Qtrmeg's advice. If the cottages and the decks are fairly old, chances are pretty good it's oil base porch and deck enamel. Prep is 90% of the battle. Sandvik's carbide work well with a heavy application of elbow grease. The other 10% is following the directions on the can ........... I don't think you'll find anything about heavy coats of paint on them. Latex/ acrylics are much improved but i still think it is hard to beat an oil/alkyd on old wood imho.
Most latex deck stains wear through pretty quick and need recoated every other year. They just don't stand up to traffic. Fine for the DIY who has plenty of time on his hands.
The idea of THICK oil is not a good one. The layer of paint will cure on top and bottom leaving a thin gel of soft uncured cushion in the middle of the coat that is too soft to walk on. Oils mostly cure by contact with oxygen so if it is too thick for the oxygen to get to it, when can you ever walk safely on it? Two coats will outlast the thick one many times over with fewer scratches and gouges or peeling.
Another good reason for the oil is that these decks were most often fir which has a high resin content and paint doesn't like to stick to it well. Oils do better at binding than latex.Excellence is its own reward!