Old Deck, Fence, Etc. Projects.

What finish makes the most sense and what are the best prep and application steps?

Primary finish options: Pine Tar, Linseed Oil Stain, Linseed Oil Paint, Linseed Oil Varnish

Wooden decks, porches, stairs, fences, outdoor furniture, picnic tables, etc. get a lot of wear and tear, gaining wood the reputation of being high-maintenance. This is true with many modern, barrier-forming coatings that trap moisture that can lead to excessive peeling, cracking, rot and deterioration.

That said, don't give up just yet! Even an old, worn deck can be brought back to life with a bit of TLC and one of the traditional coatings. Maintenance on a new deck can be reasonable and get you long-term protection. It just depends on condition, prep and material combination, so below we have worked to outline a few strategies for this type of project to save old, worn wood that most might think they need to fully replace, as well as to get the best life out of new wood.

See our suggestions for old wood for a deck, fence, etc. rehab or "refresh" below and find our suggestions for brand new wood at: New Deck, Fence, Etc. Projects.

Old Wood  (decks, fences, etc.)

If your project involves old, worn wood, the most important factor is if it is bare wood or if there is a previous coating present.

It should not matter if it is pressure treated timber as plenty of time has passed for the wood to be really dry, so the previous treatment should be irrelevant at this point.

Most of the traditional finishes discussed here will require a primarily bare wood surface in order for the natural oils to soak into the porous wood substrate and dry properly.

The only exception to this rule is the Linseed Oil Paint as it will adhere to almost any clean, dry surface.

Basic rules:

Always apply a finish or coating upon a clean, dry surface.

Only the Linseed Oil Paint can successfully be applied over a conventional/modern coating.

All other traditional coatings should be applied to a primarily bare wood surface.

Many of our customers have great luck using the "cleaning" step to remove an old coating or finish residue and successfully transition to the Pine Tar, Linseed Oil Stain, or Linseed Oil Varnish. If a good scrub is not effective to remove the old coating and open up the wood grain, some scraping or sanding may be necessary.

We always recommend keeping sanding to a minimum whenever possible, but sometimes it is required, especially if you prefer a finish option that requires a bare wood surface.

It is always worthwhile to do a test ahead of time on a small section of deck or fence, etc. to confirm best prep and application steps. This saves time in the long-run.

Surface prep:

• Cleaning bare wood

  
  

If you have old, uncoated bare wood, there are few limitations and you can use almost any of the traditional linseed-based finishes.

Sometimes you can just wipe surfaces down with a clean cloth but 99% of the time, a cleaning is worthwhile.

1. Rinse surface with hose water (avoid power washing as it introduces too much water into a bare wood surface).

2. Clean with a petrochemical-free liquid soap like Linseed Oil Soap.

3. Scrub if needed with a stiff deck brush or scrub pad to remove dirt, dust, carbon build-up, any organic growth, etc.

4. Rinse and repeat if needed until surface appears pretty uniform.

5. Rinse well and let dry fully.

6. Once fully dry, you are ready for application of one of the traditional finishes.

• Prepping wood with an old coating

  
  

The presence of an old coating makes the project a little more complicated as surface prep will vary based on what the previous coating was and its current condition.

The more old coating that you can remove and consequently create a more even, uniform surface, the more attractive your traditional coating will visually appear after application.

If you do not want to remove all of the old coating (only works for Linseed Oil Paint):

1. Follow cleaning suggestions above, removing as much loose particulate as possible.

2. Achieve a fully clean, dry surface.

3. If the old coating is pretty patchy, you can "prime" bare wood areas with the 30% paint to 70% Purified Linseed Oil . Not required over an old coating as it will inhibit absorption. Only apply undiluted paint over old, modern coating.

4. If the old, modern coating is in pretty good condition, no 30/70 primer is needed as there will be little to no bare wood surface.

5. Apply 2-4 thin, even coats of undiluted Linseed Oil Paint to achieve a consistent and visually even finish.

If you achieve a bare, wood surface:

As mentioned above, many customers have good luck removing an old coating during the cleaning step, especially if it has worn away or is failing excessively.

Do a test on small area to confirm what may work the best for you project. Both options listed below.

1. Follow cleaning suggestions above, removing as much loose particulate as possible. Scrub more aggressively if needed to break up the old coating and open up the wood grain successfully.

2. After cleaning, confirm if most of the old coating has been removed successfully.

3. If not, dry scrape, consider infrared paint removal, and/or some light sanding to achieve a consistent, bare wood surface.

4. Once you have achieved a bare wood surface, follow application suggestions for the selected finish of your choosing.

Finish Options for Old Wood

Option 1: Pine Tar

Pine Tar is what we consider a rustic finish, offering natural, wood-colored options that we term Traditional Pine Tar options, as well as a few colors: Pigmented Pine Tar options. Custom colors can be achieved by mixing Pine Tar with Pine Tar. Pine Tar must be diluted with something and if Purified Linseed Oil is used, no additional solvents are required.

For best results, we recommend more than the 2 minimum coats we recommend for an average siding project since decks see so much standing moisture. Coats can be applied over a course of a few seasons but the goal would be to apply at least 2-3 coats initially and get to a point where maintenance would be every 5-8 years depending on traffic levels.

Variability is based on wood type, traffic, and exposure.

An important factor here is that it is easy to simply clean and reapply a coat as needed.

Very approachable and manageable maintenance requirements vs. the scraping, sanding, wood replacement, etc. often required for many modern coating products.

See general application suggestions for Authentic Pine Tar options on the Application Suggestions for Authentic Pine Tar article.

Suggested steps for a new deck, fence, etc.:

1. Ensure a clean, dry bare wood surface.

2. Apply a thin, even coat of Pine Tar mixture (50/50 Pine Tar to Viking Purified Linseed Oil is a popular ratio). Ratio can be adapted based on personal preference.

3. Mix well before each use.

4. Apply in 60+ degree temperatures.

5. Average dry time is 72 hrs between coats minimum in ideal conditions.

6. Ensure each coat feels dry to the touch before applying the next.

7. Apply 3+ coats to especially flat surfaces and at least a 2 coat minimum on everything else within the first 5 years.

Coverage: Approximately 500 sq ft per gallon.

Maintenance: Lightly clean with hose water and Linseed Oil Soap. Rinse well. Once dry, reapply a coat of the Pine Tar mixture when wood begins to look very dry or worn.

It is also possible to spot treat scratches or damage but will look the best with a coat across all horizontal surfaces to blend.

Pros: An excellent exterior wood preservative with natural insect deterrent properties. Basic application and maintenance.

Limitations: Slower dry time (72 hrs between coats in ideal conditions) and less color options. Requires a bare wood surface.

Dark Pine Tar 50/50 on cleaned, old deck boards in TN.

Option 2: Linseed Oil Stain

A custom Linseed Oil Stain is similar to a Pine Tar finish but with more color possibilities. A Linseed Oil Stain is created by mixing any Linseed Oil Paint color with the Purified Linseed Oil. More oil, more transparency. More paint, more opacity.

For best results, we recommend you avoid going too light on the color as that pigmentation is your UV protection. Otherwise, you can adjust the ratios based on personal preference.

Common ratios for a custom Linseed Oil Stain are in the 20%-30% paint to 80%-70% Purified Linseed Oil range. A 50:50 ratio is also not uncommon and would achieve a pretty opaque stain with less wood grain showing through.

This is a very economical finish as it can often be applied in a one coat process.

Suggested steps for a new deck, fence, etc.:

1. Ensure a clean, dry, bare wood surface.

2. Mix a test or two with your Linseed Oil Paint (color of choice) and Purified Linseed Oil to confirm ratio preference. Document your ratios so you can easily recreate.

3. Once ratio is confirmed, mix a big batch, enough to cover a full coat on all horizontal surfaces.

4. Apply in 60+ degree temperatures.

5. Average dry time is 48 hrs between coats minimum in ideal conditions.

6. Ensure each coat feels dry to the touch before applying the next.

7. Apply 1-2 coats of Linseed Oil Stain.

Coverage: Approximately 500 sq ft per gallon.

Maintenance: Lightly clean with hose water and Linseed Oil Soap. Rinse well. Once dry, reapply a coat of your custom Linseed Oil Stain when wood begins to look very dry or worn.

It is also possible to spot treat scratches or damage but will look the best with a coat across all horizontal surfaces.

Pros: A very economical option. Basic application and maintenance. Lots of color options possible that offer effective UV protection.

Limitations: Not a lot of surface build-up but easy to refresh. Requires a bare wood surface.

Infrared paint removal, custom Linseed Oil Stain application, top coated with natural Linseed Oil Wax in NJ.

Custom Ottosson Linseed Oil Stain by Eveleth in PA.

Option 3: Linseed Oil Paint

Linseed Oil Paint will offer the most surface protection as it involves applying several coats to build-up the paint film. It is more of a commitment and a larger investment in materials. It achieves a fully opaque, painted finish with no transparency.

Suggested steps for a new deck:

Follow painting instructions for the Viking Linseed Oil Paint brand or the Ottosson Linseed Oil Paint brand for new, bare wood.

Coverage: Approximately 500 sq ft per gallon/3 liter.

Maintenance: Lightly clean with hose water and Linseed Oil Soap. Rinse well. Once dry, reapply 1-2 thin, even coats of Linseed Oil Paint when wood begins to look very dry or worn.

It is also possible to spot treat scratches or damage with the paint. Once the spot-applied paint is fully dry, it will look the best with a coat of the Purified Linseed Oil across all horizontal surfaces to blend.

Pros: A durable surface that can be beaten up more than a stain. Lots of color options.

Limitations: More expensive option as more material needed. Typically, a 3 coat process.

Linseed Oil Paint on porch floor, beadboard ceiling, siding, and railings. New Bern, NC.

Option 4: Linseed Oil Varnish

Not common for a deck project - a fancier finish; more often used for a porch floor or front steps, for example.

1. Apply a coat of Bio Impression Primer to bare wood surface. Let dry.

2. Apply 3-4 coats of Le Tonkinois Linseed Oil Varnish to build-up surface protection.

Coverage: Approximately 150-200 sq ft of coverage per 1 Liter. The best coverage is achieved when the wood surface is oiled first with the Le Tonkinois Bio Impression Primer or the Viking Purified Raw Linseed Oil.

Maintenance: Clean, lightly spot sand if needed, and apply with a coat or two of Linseed Oil Varnish when damage is evident and/or there are visible wear areas to keep up with the surface protection. Full removal is not necessary.

Pros: A very durable, harder finish that can be beaten up more than a stain.

Limitations: More expensive option with more application skill required. Typically, a 3+ coat process.

Review and consider what option makes the most sense for your project.

Questions? Reach out via info@earthandflax.com