Decks, Patios, Porches and Docks - wooden bulkhead "sealant" question
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spikedog4
04-26-08, 02:59 PM
Hi,
Not sure I'm in the right forum but I had a thick plywood bulkhead built last Summer and never got around to properly sealing the wood before Winter hit (in MA). What should I do to it now?
It's in the back so I don't care what it looks like. Prime & Paint will probably be a pain to maintain> so should I stain it with some type of decking preparation? (would I want to power sand it or just "apply it" directly after maybe using a wire brush and hose?
tx
deb
Not sure I'm in the right forum but I had a thick plywood bulkhead built last Summer and never got around to properly sealing the wood before Winter hit (in MA). What should I do to it now?
It's in the back so I don't care what it looks like. Prime & Paint will probably be a pain to maintain> so should I stain it with some type of decking preparation? (would I want to power sand it or just "apply it" directly after maybe using a wire brush and hose?
tx
deb
marksr
04-26-08, 03:13 PM
You can clean it with a bleach/water solution, rinse well.
What type of wood is it? If it doesn't need the extra protection that primer and paint give, a deck stain would be fine.
What type of wood is it? If it doesn't need the extra protection that primer and paint give, a deck stain would be fine.
spikedog4
05-07-08, 04:12 PM
It's the thick kind of plywood (looks layered, ?3/4"+) It's a little grayish on the outside but inside I see today is absorbing some moisture from my damp crawlspace...
Can you stain plywood? Maybe a rubber paint?:confused:
Can you stain plywood? Maybe a rubber paint?:confused:
lefty
05-07-08, 05:03 PM
What are you using this "bulkhead" for and where is it?
Primer and stain will give you a lot more protection than stain.
Yes, you can stain plywood. There are at least a billion cabinets in the world to back me up on that!!
Primer and stain will give you a lot more protection than stain.
Yes, you can stain plywood. There are at least a billion cabinets in the world to back me up on that!!
spikedog4
05-08-08, 05:34 PM
sorry to be so naive, dare I say I'm a girl so I haven't a clue.
This is a hand made bulkhead that a carpenter friend built for me last yr. There was an old rotted wooden door on it that leaked- and he replaced the entire frame around the cement foundation/stairway down to the crawlspace then hinged on 2 overlapping doors. As i mentioned- fairly thick plywood.
He told me to prime & paint it but I didn't.
Now I'm thinking I don't want paint as it will peel.
So, per your there is primer you can put on and THEN stain?
Will this extend the life of the wood because appearance isn't an issue.
tx
deb
This is a hand made bulkhead that a carpenter friend built for me last yr. There was an old rotted wooden door on it that leaked- and he replaced the entire frame around the cement foundation/stairway down to the crawlspace then hinged on 2 overlapping doors. As i mentioned- fairly thick plywood.
He told me to prime & paint it but I didn't.
Now I'm thinking I don't want paint as it will peel.
So, per your there is primer you can put on and THEN stain?
Will this extend the life of the wood because appearance isn't an issue.
tx
deb
lefty
05-08-08, 05:53 PM
spikedog4,
Nobody's gonna have a problem with you being a girl or being naive. If you knew all the answers, you wouldn't be in here asking!
Paint (primer and the finish coat) work differently than stain. No, you can't prime the wood and then stain it. Stain needs to be applied to bare wood so that it penetrates into the surface.
Given your application, prime and paint the jamb and header (or "bulkhead", as you called it). Peeling isn't going to be much of an issue since so little of it is exposed to weather. Paint will protect the wood better than stain since it's in an exterior application.
Don't worry too much about the wood being grey, as long as it's dry. A light sanding with some 150 or 180 grit sand paper before you prime it is all that's needed. Just enough to break the surface -- it shouldn't take you more than 5 minutes to sand the entire thing. You'll get some of the grey off, but not all of it. That'll be fine.
Nobody's gonna have a problem with you being a girl or being naive. If you knew all the answers, you wouldn't be in here asking!
Paint (primer and the finish coat) work differently than stain. No, you can't prime the wood and then stain it. Stain needs to be applied to bare wood so that it penetrates into the surface.
Given your application, prime and paint the jamb and header (or "bulkhead", as you called it). Peeling isn't going to be much of an issue since so little of it is exposed to weather. Paint will protect the wood better than stain since it's in an exterior application.
Don't worry too much about the wood being grey, as long as it's dry. A light sanding with some 150 or 180 grit sand paper before you prime it is all that's needed. Just enough to break the surface -- it shouldn't take you more than 5 minutes to sand the entire thing. You'll get some of the grey off, but not all of it. That'll be fine.
marksr
05-08-08, 06:09 PM
Actually you can stain over primer but only with a solid stain and it is only recomended when using a light color stain over a wood that tends to have tannins bleed.
I agree primer and paint would be best. An oil base primer will protect and seal better than latex but you can get good results with either oil or latex paint over the oil primer.
I agree primer and paint would be best. An oil base primer will protect and seal better than latex but you can get good results with either oil or latex paint over the oil primer.