Several options for refinishing a pressure-treated deck
Q: What product should I apply to my existing pressure treated deck? The wood is a couple of years old.
A: There are a number of options, but the best choice depends on the level of ongoing work you’re willing to do. At the labour intensive end of the spectrum you have translucent, coloured finishing products which are like a kind of varnish.
This will create a furnituregrade look, but will require sanding back to bare wood and re-coating every 2 or 3 years. ProLuxe Premium Deck Wood Finish is a product that works well for this approach in my experience.
At the easy end of the spectrum you have a one-time treatment that gives the deck an even, weathered colour. The look is like barn board, but better because it’s consistent over the entire deck.
My favourite product for this one-time approach is Ecowood Treatment. There are other options in between these two, depending on the look you want and how eager you are to keep up with refinishing chores. The longest lasting deck finishes I’ve seen are like paint in that they hide wood grain and they last about five years.
Cabot Solid Color Decking Stain is one of the better products of this kind.
The ideal approach also depends on how old and cracked your deck is now. If heavy weathering and cracks are present, then a coloured stain that soaks in and imparts no surface film is the way to go.
Regardless of the product you use, sand the wood with an 80-grit abrasive in a random orbit sander to maximize finish penetration and minimize peeling. This applies to both new wood and existing decks.
Painting exterior brick
Q: What are your thoughts on painting exterior white brick on a house built in rural Ottawa in 1970?
A: Exterior brick can be painted, but there’s a danger. Regular exterior latex paint sticks quite well to masonry surfaces, but this kind of paint can also cause serious problems over time.
Since it traps moisture, it can cause flaking and deterioration of the brick that would not otherwise happen. If sufficient internal moisture is present in brick going into winter, that moisture will turn to internal ice, expanding as it does, causing the brick to flake off in a process called spalling.
You can eliminate this danger by using a paint that allows moisture to escape. One option is generically called mineral silicate paint. If you Google “breathable paint for brick” you’ll find a number of options.
Regardless of the paint you use, it’s important that the brick be perfectly clean before painting.
A pressure washer does a good job, but leave the wall to dry for at least a week during good weather before coating.
Building a shower
Q: Do you have experience with panels that are offered for making a shower enclosure?
A: There are many kinds of panels available for the inside of showers and bath tub enclosures, with quite a range of different qualities. The best I’ve seen are rigid and look quite a bit like ceramic tiles.
Another approach is to use actual ceramic or porcelain tiles. This gives more leeway for creativity since the visual range of tile options is wider than what you’ll find with sheet material.
Regardless of what you use, the structure of your installation will be some kind of wood frame. Standard procedures for waterproofing these wood frames is pretty inadequate in my experience, but there are effective alternatives.
Schluter makes exceptionally good products for waterproofing shower and tub enclosures. Their KERDI product is a waterproof cloth that does a great job. They also have products to help with the shower base, and even rubber gaskets that seal around pipes where they enter the shower area.
Your shower should be completely waterproof before any tiles or sheets go on.
Steve Maxwell always likes multiple layers of safety on his building projects. Visit him online at BaileyLineRoad.com and join 31,000 people who get his free email newsletter.