Deck Stripping Products

Do you get frustrated like I do with home center stores? I visited two different ones to broaden my list of deck strippers. All I saw was a bunch of dirt on the floor, clutter everywhere, and lots of empty shelves. I was really frosted by this to say the least.

The list below covers some fairly common strippers. There are lots of them out there to be sure! Keep in mind the chemical content. The ones that contain methylene chloride are the most powerful and most toxic. Those containing sodium hydroxide or say they are alkaline - are the next step down in power and toxicity. The mildest strippers are the ones that contain NMP, d-Limonene or other milder chemicals. These are being marketed as warm and fuzzy strippers that contain citric acid derivatives, etc.

My advice is to by a small container of the least aggressive stripper. Try it on a test area following the label instructions to the letter. If it works, great! If it doesn't, move up one level to the more aggressive products. Keep in mind that there are many deck stripping products out there. Read the label and look for ingredients and toxicity warnings. Here is a list of some common deck strippers that are out there. Some ship to your doorstep.

• Biowash
  • 800-663-9274
    They make a product called Stripex. The label says it contains sodium hydroxide.
• Klean-Strip
  • 800-398-3892
    They make three deck strippers. Use Armor All E-Z Spray Deck & Fence Wash if you rinse with a garden hose. Use Armor All E-Z Deck Wash if you intend to apply it with a pump sprayer. Use Armor All Deck Wash Pressure Washing Formula if you decide to use an evil, deck destroying pressure washer.
• Kop-Coat
  • 412-227-2426
    They make Deck Brightener. They say it will strip films, but it's primary ingredient is oxygen bleach. Better test this one for sure before you buy a large quantity.

• MFG Distributing
  • 800-297-7325
    They make Clean and Brite which contains sodium hydroxide. They also have BST-100. It is a mild stripper.
• Savogran Co.
  • 800-225-9872
    They make Super Strip. It contains methylene chloride.
• Specialty Environmental
  • 800-556-7737
    They make Citri-Strip. It says it has an organic solvent and I suspect a citric acid active agent....that is if they have named it right!

Companion Articles:  Oxygen Bleach & Synthetic Water Repellents, Strip Finishes Off Decks

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There is an enormous amount of suffering that is experienced each spring. Homeowners go out onto the decks that they cleaned and sealed the year before. The deck surfaces are either gray, black, peeling, or in some other state of finish failure. In many instances, it is not caused by neglect on the homeowners' part. Quite to the contrary! Many homeowners like you embark on a quest each spring to find the deck sealer that works. Well, your journey is near its end! I believe I have found for you several deck sealers that outperform those miserable products you have been using.

Forget About Films

The May, 1999 issue of Consumer Reports has another follow-up story on their on-going test of deck care products. You have to look very closely at the comments to understand what is really happening. There are only three products that they still recommend. Based upon their comments, and what I know about one of the three products, it appears that all three are film formers. Two of the products apparently are opaque. This word usually indicates that the product contains lots of pigment - like paint. Since you can't see through the pigment to the wood grain, then the pigments must be up on the surface.

Solid color products are not usually what people want in a deck care product. They want to see the wood grain. You can only get this with clear and semi-transparent products. Film forming products will eventually fail. When they do, the job of removing them will convince you never again to use a film former.

Clean After Stripping

If you have to strip a finish off of your deck, it is important to deep clean the wood after the stripping process. Some harsh chemical strippers can leave behind residual chemicals that can interfere with the new deck care products you intend to use. Look at the stripper directions and rinse the deck and scrub it to make sure all of the stripper is gone. I would rinse and scrub twice if it were mine.

Oxygen Bleach

Washing a deck with oxygen bleach is just about the best way to get wood prepared for a deck sealer or penetrating water repellent. The oxygen bleach is non-toxic and helps to open the pores of the wood to accept the new deck care products.

Oxygen bleach is easy to apply. It will not strip off film forming products, but will deep clean wood that is covered with mildew, algae, or other oil finishes. The powdered bleach simply mixes with water. You apply it with a mop or pump sprayer and let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes. Scrub it with a scrub brush on a pole and you will not believe your eyes. After you rinse it with a standard garden hose, the wood looks brand new. The oxygen bleach does not hurt the wood, you, or any plants.

You can purchase oxygen bleach several ways. I feel the best place to buy it is from me! I sell it for less than anyone. You can buy it online or you can call us at 513-407-8727. All you need to know is that 2 lbs. of the oxygen bleach will make enough solution to clean about 500 sq. ft. of deck surface.

Synthetic Water Repellents

Do you want the best deck sealant? Then you must buy one that contains no natural oils. You need a synthetic resin water repellent. After you read about the great strippers in a few moments, you will see a link that takes you to a past bulletin that contains information about synthetic resins deck sealers. Two very good ones are Defy and the TWP 101 product.

I used Defy on my front and side porch over three years ago. The side porch has no cover on it, faces southwest, and is under a tree. It gets harsh winter sun. The color has faded ever so slightly and there is no algae or mildew whatsoever. I am sold on synthetic deck care products. When you use them, you will be too. I guarantee it!

NOTE FROM TIM CARTER - Founder of AsktheBuilder.com - posted October, 2016: I no longer would apply Defy deck sealer to any exterior wood that I own at my own home.

Companion Articles:  Wood Deck Strippers,  Strip Finishes Off Decks

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! ! ! See Author's Notes at Bottom of Column ! ! !

I am beginning to discover that writing a syndicated newspaper column is similar to being a politician. No matter how much research you do, no matter what you write, you can't satisfy everyone. Don't worry, I can take the heat. This column topic - pressure washing decks - is a perfect example.

I have received countless letters, phone calls and e-mails from people who make a living pressure washing decks. They all say the same thing, "Pressure washing doesn't hurt wood!" On the other side of the coin, I received a huge number of e-mails and notes from homeowners who have been victimized by pressure washing. There are tens of thousands, possibly hundreds of thousands, of decks out there that have been ruined by pressure washing. I am tempted to make copies of all the letters and exchange them among the victims and those professionals who claim pressure washing is safe. I think it would be kind of funny to see the reaction!

Common Sense Issue

I majored in geology while in college. One of our field trips was a hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. If you want to see a display of what water can do to rock, this is the place to go. The Colorado River is not blasting at the rock with 1,000 pounds per square inch of force yet it has caused the largest amount of erosion on the face of the planet. Rock is so much harder than wood that they are not even comparable.

It is beyond comprehension that a person could make a statement and actually believe that a high pressure stream of water will not erode wood. It just doesn't even make sense.

Seeing is Believing

I have been on many, many decks that have suffered erosion from pressure washers. The evidence is unmistakable. You can readily see the deep grooves in the light colored areas of the wood grain. Splinters are also a telltale sign that a pressure washer recently visited. If your deck has been victimized by a pressure washer, you can restore it. You simply have to rent a belt sander and get to work.

A Color Slide Show

Do you want to see a delightful photo essay on how to safely clean a wood deck? If so, I created one just for you. Simply click this link Deck Cleaning Tutorial and sit back and enjoy. I created this to show how simple and easy it is to use oxygen bleach and a regular scrub brush. You are not going to believe the photographs. They have not been enhanced. The color difference in the before and after pictures is almost unbelievable.

A Huge Opportunity

Based upon the number of requests I get for this and similar bulletins each year I know for a fact that many people are unhappy with the deck sealing products they use. They are also unhappy about using toxic chemicals like chlorine bleach to clean decks. If you are looking for a seasonal or weekend job, you should absolutely think about cleaning decks by hand with oxygen bleach and then sealing them the next day with a synthetic resin sealer. There are many, many people out there who are looking for these products!

Author's Notes:

Read Sheryl's comments about using a pressure washer on her deck.

"Tim,

I am going to order some of your oxygen bleach to clean my wooden deck that is on "the list" this summer. I sure wish I had known about this product before I power washed it two years ago - as I wondered why the wood looked messed up afterwards."

- Sheryl W., State Park, SC

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! ! ! See Author's Notes at Bottom of Column ! ! !

Oxygen Bleach Deck Cleaners

Chlorine bleach is an awesome sanitizer. It can rapidly and effectively kill bacteria. That is wonderful on your kitchen countertop and in your bathroom. However, chlorine bleach and wood do not mix well. The chlorine removes the natural color from wood. It also destroys the glue (lignin) that holds wood fibers together. Anyone who has washed clothes in chlorine bleach knows this to be a fact.

Chlorine bleach is actually a chemical called sodium hypochlorite. If you are purchasing an off the shelf deck cleaning product that is a liquid, BEWARE! Look on the label where it speaks of Safety, Handling or Contents. Look for the words "sodium hypochlorite". Chlorine bleach will also vigorously attack your lawn, landscaping plants and the metal connectors that hold your deck together. I would avoid its use if I were you - that is unless you want to kill germs.

Oxygen Bleach

I became familiar with oxygen bleach in 1994. This environmentally friendly product was brought to my attention when I was doing research for my previous column concerning deck cleaners. It has been around for approximately 20 years. Its primary use is in the industrial and commercial laundry field. It is color and fabric safe! Hospitals, hotels, restaurants and uniform companies use it to remove tough stains from clothes and linen. Think. How else can they get things clean without ruining the fabrics? Major laundry soap makers use minute amounts of this product in their "color safe" consumer soaps that you buy.

It just so happens that the product does an excellent job on cleaning anything that is water washable. It does an awesome job on wood decks. The product is a dry powder. You simply mix it with water. The product dissolves and begins to liberate oxygen ions. The ions attack stain and dirt molecules blasting them apart.

However, it does not hurt the wood fibers, it does not remove the natural wood color, it does not hurt vegetation and it does not harm metal deck connectors. What is amazing is that the product does not require power washing. You simply let it stand for about 5 or 10 minutes and scrub the area with a standard scrub brush on a pole. You finish the job by rinsing off the dirty solution with a hose. Power washers erode wood fibers, especially the lighter colored spring wood between the dark grained summer wood. I have seen five year old decks that have been power washed that look like wood on a 25 year old fishing pier.

An oxygen bleach solution can be mixed up and applied with a simple hand pump sprayer for vertical surfaces or the underside of a deck. Its only drawback is that it should not be used on redwood. Oxygen bleach will darken redwood. It is much better to use oxalic acid to clean redwood. The same people who make Defy sell oxalic acid.

NOTE FROM TIM CARTER - Founder of AsktheBuilder.com - posted October, 2016: I no longer would apply Defy deck sealer to any exterior wood that I own at my own home.

I became so impressed with the oxygen bleach that I started intensive testing of my own. It is truly a revolutionary product. I now sell it in its most concentrated form. There are no additives or fillers. It is 100 percent pure oxygen bleach. You can purchase it from me under the trademark name Stain Solver™. Wolman's also sells oxygen bleach. It is in their Deck Brightener. However, it appears to me (using the naked eye) that some unidentified fillers or additives are also in the product. You can buy Stain Solver™ online at my website, or by calling 513-407-8727.

Author's Notes:

Read Sheryl's comments about using a pressure washer on her deck.

"Tim,

I am going to order some of your Oxygen bleach to clean my wooden deck that is on "the list" this summer. I sure wish I had known about this product before I power washed it two years ago - as I wondered why the wood looked messed up afterwards."

- Sheryl W., State Park, SC

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Deck Sealer Performance Test Results

NOTE FROM TIM CARTER - Founder of AsktheBuilder.com - posted October, 2016: I no longer would apply Defy deck sealer to any exterior wood that I own at my own home.

In July of 1996, the Earlham Analytical Laboratory released independent test results derived from testing 25 wood sealants and water repellents. The test was conducted to judge color change in wood specimens. The outdoor test was conducted from December of 1995 to July of 1996. Products that block water absorption and ultraviolet (UV) radiation retain the highest degree of color.

Synthetic resins happen to do this best it turns out. The products were rated in two ways: Relative Performance to those tested in the group (1 being the best and 25 being the worst) and Performance Ranking (A being excellent down through D being total failure).

In the spring of 1997, a very popular consumers magazine that doesn't accept ads came out with a special announcement regarding early results from a five-year study they were conducting on deck care products. At the end of one year, nine products failed so miserably they felt they had to warn the consumer.

In the years since then, not much has changed. They continue to test and there continues to be deck sealer failures. The interesting thing is that this publication is not aware of the synthetic resin products! I can't believe I scooped them, as I made my discovery of these great products about three months before they went to press in May, 1997.

Be careful! Some of the products below are film forming sealants - NOT penetrating water repellents. Film forming products lay on top of your wood decks and will peel off over time. Avoid film forming products - these are the ones that need to be stripped off when they eventually fail. For example, the top rated product that was tested - Sikkens - is a synthetic resin film former. The actual product that was tested is a two part system. It is also very, very expensive.

Author Update: In 2012, I began a one-year test of popular deck sealers. CLICK HERE or the following graphic ad to get the results.

The second place product - Defy - is not a film former. It is a water based penetrating water repellent made with synthetic resins. I have used it for years with unbelievable results. What's more, I have received hundreds of written reviews from readers who have also achieved the same results using Defy. The only other synthetic resin sealer I could locate was the TWP product. I have not used it so I can't tell you about its performance.

NOTE FROM TIM CARTER - Founder of AsktheBuilder.com - posted October, 2016: I no longer would apply Defy deck sealer to any exterior wood that I own at my own home.

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Cleaning First

Before you apply any deck sealer or preferably a penetrating water repellent, the wood needs to be clean. This is a common sense issue. Each and every spring, I am amazed at how much dis-information there is out there about this process. Each spring, I see magazine and newspaper articles promoting the use of chlorine bleach based products.

Chlorine bleach is a wonderful sanitizer. If you want to kill germs, use it. If you want to kill the trees and plants around your house, use it. If you want to take the color out of your deck lumber, use it. If you want to accelerate the corrosion of the nails, screws and structural hardware that holds your deck together, use it.

If you want to avoid all of the above problems, use oxygen bleach to clean your deck! Keep reading for details about oxygen bleach.

The Cleaning Process

I wish I could share with you all the handwritten letters and e-mails I have received about decks that have been ruined by power washing. This method of cleaning decks is simply a huge mistake in my opinion. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that wood is soft and can be easily eroded with a high pressure stream. I get calls from professional cleaners all the time telling me I am wrong. They say if you hold the wand just right there is no damage. They are wrong. There is damage, it just may not be visible unless you look closely. What's more, the damage is cumulative. Wash your deck with a power washer year after year, and I guarantee that you will see erosion of the light colored areas of the lumber.

I wrote a step by step deck cleaning tutorial complete with photos. The photos at this section are not enhanced! Wait till you see the before and after shots. I did the entire thing with oxygen bleach and it is so easy to use. We were working above a valuable rose garden and the rose bushes were not harmed in the least by the oxygen bleach cleaner.

Really Easy

I get reviews every week from people who have used my 100 percent pure Stain Solver oxygen bleach. Just yesterday, I got one from Mark U. that said, "Tim, your Stain Solver exceeded our expectations! The deck looks superb! The product was easier to work with than you said it would be."

It is indeed easy. You simply pour the oxygen bleach powder into some warm water, let is dissolve, apply it, let it sit, lightly scrub and rinse!

The trick to cleaning decks with oxygen bleach is to work in the cooler part of the day and to keep the surface of the wood wet with the solution for 15 to 20 minutes. It will foam and bubble which means the oxygen is working, not you. Lightly scrub to remove loose and UV damaged wood fibers and rinse with a garden hose. It is that simple! I URGE you to read and follow the Deck Cleaning Tutorial.

Oxygen Bleach

Now here is one of the best kept secrets out there. Oxygen bleach. Go to stores and the clerks and managers look at you like you are crazy! Why? Because it takes years and tens/hundreds of millions of dollars of advertising to build brand awareness of a product.

If you watch cable TV, you have undoubtedly seen commercials and infomercials about some oxygen bleach products. The trouble with what you see on TV is that the commercials and infomercials are very sensational. There is some smoke and mirrors going on, trust me. Oxygen bleach does all of those things you see and more, but it doesn't do it in seconds like they show you! What's more, the products that are advertised on TV contain vast amounts of useless filler! If you buy those products, you are buying extenders and dust that simply take up space in the bottle. The sellers do this so it seems like you are getting lots of oxygen bleach. To the best of my knowledge, one company puts in 30 percent filler and another company puts in an astounding 40 percent of useless filler!

Just after I published the column about cleaning wood siding, I learned that the most powerful oxygen bleach available is one that is blended with a precise amount of soda ash. The soda ash boosts the alkalinity of the solution but surprisingly does not raise the pH. This means it is safe to work with and yields the best cleaning results. I now sell oxygen bleach that is blended to achieve this high standard. I call my product Stain Solver. To the best of my knowledge, I am the only company in the USA that blends it to this precise concentration. What's more, the ingredients in Stain Solver are all made right here in the USA. I have had tens of thousands of people buy it over the years and they are all satisfied.

Cleaning & sealing a deck is easy, right? What could go wrong? This eBook explains what could go wrong.

Better Buy?

I have also seen some of my competitors products for sale in grocery stores, warehouse membership clubs and national chain discount stores. BUT, do the math before you buy! By the time you calculate the amount of actual oxygen bleach you are getting, your actual cost to drive to pick it up, your wait in the checkout line, and all of the other hassles, you just might be better off letting me ship oxygen bleach to your doorstep. Go to www.stainsolver.com to securely order on-line right now.

How Much Do I Need?

People want to know how much to buy. Two pounds of my oxygen bleach needs to be mixed with 5 gallons of water to get the best deck cleaning results. If you buy another brand, you will need to add LOTS more to get similar results!

I find that 5 gallons of oxygen bleach solution will clean 300 to 500 square feet of surface area. People often underestimate the amount of square footage in railings. The average railing on a deck contains four square feet of surface area for each linear foot of railing. It sounds unbelievable, but it is true. The bottom line is that the average sized deck that may be 15 feet by 20 feet needs at least 4 pounds of Stain Solver. Most people order 6 pounds just to be on the safe side.

You can call at 513-407-8727 to order if you like. www.stainsolver.com

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Independent Deck Finish Test 2000 Results

NOTE FROM TIM CARTER - Founder of AsktheBuilder.com - posted October, 2016: I no longer would apply Defy deck sealer to any exterior wood that I own at my own home.

Start the presses! The raw data from the latest Earlham University study about deck sealer performance has just been received! The final report will take a few weeks to be generated but the visual findings tell the tale. The actual findings were just released to me moments ago on May 2, 2001.

Why are these test results so important? It just so happens that outdoor deck cleaning and sealing happens to be one of the most important topics I have ever covered. I have discovered that homeowners like you are disgusted with the poor performance of the heavily advertised brands you see on TV and those that clutter the shelves of many of the big box home centers that dot the fruited plain.

On November 1, 2000, the Earlham Analytical Testing Labs located in Richmond, Indiana started a weathering test of 30 deck finishes. To make sure apples were being compared with apples only penetrating semi-transparent finishes were tested. This is important! In other words, clear finishes that contain little UV protecting pigments were not included in the study.

It is not uncommon for the testing procedure to look at the samples after 6 months and then continue on with the testing until certain products begin to fail. Preliminary results of this ongoing, independent testing on penetrating semi-transparent wood finishes indicates that the products listed below are ranked in the top five, based on performance in ASTM water repellency testing and six months of outdoor exposure. The five products listed in alphabetical order are:

• DEFY Penetrating Water Repellent Wood Finish manufactured by SaverSystems div. of Meredith, Inc. is a water-based, synthetic resin formula. Comes in a range of colors.
• F & P Premium Wood Finish manufactured by Wolman Wood Care Products, is an oil-based formula.
• Sikkens Cetol manufactured by AKZO Nobel Coating, Inc. is an oil-based formula.
• Storm Stain Linseed Oil Alkyd Decking Stain manufactured by California Products Corp. is an oil-based formula.
• TWP Total Wood Preservative manufactured by Gemini Coatings, Inc. is an oil- based formula.

These are the six months preliminary results. Check my website periodically for further data concerning this ongoing testing. As soon as the final test results are in, I will post them at my website.

Synthetic Resins vs. Natural Oils

Only one of the top five performers is a synthetic resin based product. Natural oil products often become food for mildew and algae once the mildewcides and fungicides in the finishes are damaged by sunlight and/or dissolved away by repeated rainfall or snow melt. This may be the biggest reason your past deck finishes have turned black or green. The mildew and algae were actually eating your deck finish. This is often not a problem with synthetic resin finishes.

No matter which product you choose to use, read the directions and follow them closely. I have personally used Defy on my wood porches over the years and have had great success. Many, many past readers of my columns and bulletins have also had huge success with Defy. I get phone calls, e-mails and letters with photos on a regular basis from homeowners just like you that love the performance of Defy. Remember, follow the directions of any product to get long lasting results.

NOTE FROM TIM CARTER - Founder of AsktheBuilder.com - posted October, 2016: I no longer would apply Defy deck sealer to any exterior wood that I own at my own home.

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