Behr Deck Over
That's Behr Deck Over on the treated wood. My left foot is what you see in the lower-left corner. See how this thick coating over the wood deck is peeling? What a mess! Once this happens, what do you do? Rip off all the wood? Do you think you can sand this mess? No way. (C) Copyright 2018 Tim Carter
"I knew the Deck Over product would FAIL at some point because it was a film-forming product meant to completely cover the wood much like a clown applies makeup to completely hide their face/skin."
Beware Behr Deck Over - It Will Peel
Dan lives in Norwalk, CT.
He emailed me overnight and needed immediate help.
His question was so good, and I happened to have a photo I took three years ago, that I decided to publish it. Here's what he sent:
"Wondering if Behr Textured Deck Over stain would be recommended on a freshly sanded 24-year-old pressure treated deck here in southeastern CT? Some new, non-pressure treated boards were just added. Basically, all the prior stain either peeled off or was sanded off with a rented large sander.
We already bought the stain (Behr DeckOver), but I guess it could be returned. I just read some poor reviews on Behr deck stain. The contractor will start painting tomorrow. Also, should the deck be treated with anything (i.e., cleaner) before painting if the top surface was sanded off?"
Here's Dan's deck. Yes, the wood is different color, but he can get the old to look much like the new cleaning it with Stain Solver. (C) Copyright 2016 Tim Carter per the AsktheBuilder.com Terms of Service
Behr Deck Over Reviews Are Telling
The Behr Deck Over reviews Dan is talking about tell the tale. The deck over will peel.
Realize that wood expands and contracts with changes in humidity. This means the thick coating needs to constantly stretch.
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Will Behr Deck Over Stick to Dirty Decking?
Behr Deck Over will not stick well to dirty decking. My guess is the reason there are so many failures of this product is that the homeowners are not applying the product to clean wood.
Behr Deck Over Reviews - I Was A First User
Here's the first thing that you and Dan need to know about Behr DECKOVER.
I attended the first-ever Behr Editors Conference about two years ago. They demonstrated this product in one of the workshops and asked for volunteers to apply it to wood. I jumped up like I was sitting on a spring.
Before I put the roller in my hand, I knew this product would be an issue for many homeowners.
It was thick, very thick. It was like applying a very thick applesauce to the surface.
Why Is Behr Deck Over Failing?
Behr Deck Over is failing on wood decks because it's not sticking well to the wood.
I knew the Deck Over product would FAIL at some point because it was a film-forming product meant to completely cover the wood much like a clown applies makeup to completely hide their face/skin.
ALL FILM FORMERS eventually FAIL. They fail because of what's known as the adhesive chain. CLICK HERE to read a column I've written about this unavoidable phenomenon.
As you read that column about adhesive chains, realize there'd be only ONE LINK in the chain between Dan's deck and the Behr DeckOver product.
Deck Over Failure in Rhode Island
A few months later, I had to move my daughter from an apartment she was renting down in Providence, RI. Guess what was on the steps of the small back deck? It was either the Behr product or some similar product - there's at least one other one just like it out there in the marketplace.
I'd NEVER install a film former like this on any wood I own. If you have a wretched, thick product on your deck and it's failed, your only hope is to somehow sand it off. It's going to be a mess, especially that product that's dripped down in between the wood decking boards. Forget about chemically stripping it off. That would be an even worse nightmare.
There's a very good chance Dan can get the color of the old wood to MATCH the new boards by deep cleaning the wood with my Certified organic Stain Solver oxygen bleach. It always returns old wood to its original color. The sun's UV rays discolors wood.
CLICK HERE to get FREE& FAST BIDS from local deck restoration companies.
I have a friend who has the same problem with a similar product.
Is there an answer as to how to solve getting all of that stuff off of the deck now that it is all peeling?
A similar story: http://www.popularwoodworking.com/woodworking-blogs/deck-coatings-that-fail
It's always a good idea to clean any board before painting. It's also a good idea to apply two coats of a quality oil base prime on any board before brushing two coats of a quality paint. I never apply any paint over a raw board, and even prime over old paint with two coats of an oil base prime.
There are three things you need to do before you tackle any project. Preparation, preparation, preparation! Skip one of the preparation steps and you compromise quality.
I applied this #$&* on a 14' X 30' deck for a customer in the fall. The next spring it looked like the photo. I had to sand the whole deck; not easy or fun. Behr sent me two free gallons of their waterproof stain ( more like a paint also). It's been a year now and is holding up pretty well. Behr says, on the can that you need to use their cleaner primer or what ever it's called before applying deckover to make it bond. I'll never use it again. I also purchased your study of different stains, had it in my email now it's lost. Hope I have a copy on paper I'm ready to do my own deck now.
So as one deck owner that fell pray to this Behr product, what do I do now? You asked the questions at the end but you did not answer them.
Yes, I used a similar product by Rustolium (4X Restore) that lasted less than 3 months...and had the same results. They refunded me the cost of the product but I am now stuck with replacing the deck boards which will cost me 5 times the price of the product. (Over 1500 bucks) Not to mention my time. I did everything as per the directions... even talking to a representative at the store prior to using the product.
Tim,
Installed pressure treated 16x12 deck 35 years ago. Now some of the boards are showing rot. I'd like to just add a new deck over the old one. Taking the old boards off would be a bear. Is this a solution that you'd reccommend?
I have a three level 700 sq ft deck that needs something! My wife wanted to use a synthetic but when I crunched the numbers the cost was too prohibitive. I built the deck itself (not the support structure) with 5/4 pressure treated boards. I used deck over on my porch and it has worked well but I have read way too many negative reviews to have the same confidence now. I am very open to suggestions.
I second the Stainsolver recommendation. I don't know about the certified organic part because I'm pretty sure that the ingredients are inherently organic, but I can certainly attest to the great results. It does take more effort than the pressure wash approach but in terms of cost and how well it revitalizes the wood, its worth it!
I used the Rustolium (4X Restore) product on a very weathered and spit deck boards about 5 years ago. It has held up really well in Ohio weather. I was presently surprised.
Problem I have was I didn't mask the siding abutting the deck very well and got some on it and assumed I could wash it off later. No way it adhered to vinyl siding too well.
The biggest problem is the deck gets very hot (burn bare feet hot) in the summer. I used a light colour also like the manufacturer suggested.
About 12 years ago I used Benjamin Moore semi-transparent stain on my deck. It lasted 10 years. 2 years ago I used the "top line" Behr semi-transparent stain, after cleaning with Stain-Solver. Guess what - the Behr product was NOT a stain, but a semi-transparent paint-like product. I now must re-do everything - never again Behr ANYTHING!
I had Behr Deckover put on my pressure treated outdoor deck about a year ago. I just inspected it and I see no peeling. It looks good. The deck is large and gets plenty of sun. In my screened porch, I applied Behr paint myself. That looks good, too.
Marvin,
This is good news. If the wood is prepared properly, there's a good chance it will stick. Please come back here as soon as something goes wrong. I'd LOVE to hear a success story and how long it lasted.
It is all in the prep. That's true for any product. I'm a die hard Behr customer. Best paint/stains/Deckover of anything out there. I have a 1200 sq ft 3 tier deck and I used this on it 4 yrs ago and it looks as good as it did the day it was done. Prep people prep!!!
Would you use UGL® NuDECK® Wood and Concrete Restorative Coating product instead? Any recommendations or opinions on this one? Mfg web site http://www.zar.com/products/zar-exterior/ugl-nudeck-wood-and-concrete-restorative-coating.php
No. For all the same reasons I state above. It's a FILM FORMER. When it fails, it will be catastrophic.
These products cannot possibly work for the long term. It's like the candy shell on an M&M; if the chocolate expands and contracts inside, the shell will fracture. I'm surprised that an outfit like Behr would sell such a thing!
So far so good. I used Deck-Over 3 years ago this month on my 24-year-old pressure-treated deck. No peeling whatsoever.
Did extensive prep - Behr Deck Cleaner and a follow-on Stain Solver application. Let it dry out for several days of good weather before applying the Deck-Over
Also, I sealed the underside of the deck with two coats of Silane-based spray on product Could this be preventing (or reducing) the expansion & contraction of my deck boards and forestalling potential peeling?
The excellent prep is probably 98% responsible. If the undercoating sealant allows water vapor to move both ways - into and out of the wood - then hygroscopic movement is happening.
Tim:
I’m getting ready to paint or stain my deck. The prior owner used what looks to be a regular exterior paint on the deck. We’re located in Central Maine and the temperatures range from -20 to 80 degrees. The deck also faces south so it gets full sun all day. Needless to say we also get significant amounts of rain and snow.
I know I need to diligently prepare the deck by removing the old paint, cleaning the wood, and using a restorer.
My question is what’s the best type of product to use, a high quality paint or a stain? Second based on your recommendation, what’s the best product?
Thanks,
Greg Falzetta
My question
Greg,
You clean the deck with my Stain Solver.
http://www.stainsolver.com
Get my FREE Deck Stain Test Results:
http://shop.askthebuilder.com/deck-stain-test-results/
After applying behr deckover medium grit, next day I had lower deck step to finish painting with a roller, I placed my hand on the new painted deck which was in the sun here in south east Minnesota August 3rd temperature average and almost could not keep my hand on it, my hands are pretty tough, even noticed my cats did not want to walk on it, dont blame them, while the lower deck was cool to touch the new paint was way to hot, guess the sand collects and holds heat we went with a light gray color. In the shade, new pain is cool while right next to it in sun is almost impossible to touch! Disappointed with that aspect of paint, had I known, I would never used deckover. Can I paint over it to get a cooler surface? I've always used behr paint before. Temperature was 80 degrees. Disappointed that there is no warning about this product making surfaces very hot to touch. Their commercial where people are bare footed is a misrepresentations of truth in summer temperatures.
Stay away from this Behr Deck Over crap. You will not get it all completely removed with anything or any way without ruining your wood. I applied this garbage about 2-3 Falls ago; deck was older and needed some love, but something else would have worked better. Looked great after application as long as no one walked on or dirty dog feet. The first dirty print that hit never came off, not even with pressure washing, and went downhill from there withing a week's time of application. This Fall, along comes a guy who wants to pressure wash and re-seal my deck; he can get this crap off because he's got stuff that will get anything off---NOT. It doesn't pressure wash off, sand off, or anything else. Called Behr for any of their bright ideas as to how to get this crap off. They said:
1. Don't strip it off
2. Remove loose coating areas and sand [around] those areas to smooth out
3. Clean wood with Behr wood cleaner
4. Apply Behr primer
5. Apply Behr Porch/Patio paint
Oh, and they're going to send me more Behr crap for free. Not sure that's a really great deal or consolation prize--creating more work for me. Wish I had known about the lawsuits. Not necessarily one to sue, but in this case, I would have gladly signed on.
So glad to find your comment! We are so frustrated, our deck is filthy with ANY dirt that is completely trapped in the product! Tried everything, as well as power washing. We just built the deck last year and used deck over and its so horribly dirty, too hot to walk on and looks so chalky! We are so deeply disappointed! Have you found any resolve, I would love to know! Thank you.
Well, the sad thing is you didn't do your due diligence BEFORE buying it. The HORROR stories about this product have been online for about five years.
I just finished spreading this on a deck here in NC, I feel that it covered this deck very good but was a pain to do. I hope it holds up, I had recommended the homeowner to get a solid stain but the HD salesperson told her this is what she needed. First time I had used and will probably be the last. No fun and a lot of work