# Solid Stain on Azek



## Pete Martin the Painter (Nov 8, 2012)

Doing a small deck and the HO wants to use a solid stain on Azek. Reason is that he wants the same color 0n the railings as on Azek. Tried to tell him that paint would be better, and that I did not think that the Stain would adhere very well. But, he seemed pretty convinced that the stain would work. Has anybody done this, and what were the results?


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## PressurePros (May 6, 2007)

I have had good success with solids on composite decks. Is Azek a pure synthetic? That would concern me.


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## Pete Martin the Painter (Nov 8, 2012)

PressurePros said:


> I have had good success with solids on composite decks. Is Azek a pure synthetic? That would concern me.


Yes, I have heard that they work well on composite. Not sure is a pure synthetic. Why would this matter? It is definitely much smoother, when not cut, than composites.


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## MikeCalifornia (Aug 26, 2012)

What does the manufacturer recommend? They will usually tell you if a product can be coated and what is recommended. If not, then you have to pass on it, or HO assumes all liability.


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## GSP82 (Feb 20, 2014)

I'm doing one called correct deck and here's the samples I did with super deck


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## PressurePros (May 6, 2007)

Pete the Painter said:


> Yes, I have heard that they work well on composite. Not sure is a pure synthetic. Why would this matter? It is definitely much smoother, when not cut, than composites.


It would be painting plastic. Not sure a solid stain could get any bite on that?


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## Pete Martin the Painter (Nov 8, 2012)

PressurePros said:


> It would be painting plastic. Not sure a solid stain could get any bite on that?


Yes, it is a plastic. Paint holds, but like you I doubt that stain will hold as well. Going to call Azek today.


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## ExcelPaintingCo (Apr 16, 2011)

We are in the process of choosing paint for some vertical Azek exterior trim. Apparently it's very important to use a paint with a high reflective value. In other words, colors that won't absorb uv rays. SW and ICI have a list of approved colors. However on this job, we need to match the existing color of the door cladding. I don't think any black tint can be used (but not 100% on that). In addition, it calls for a 100% acrylic primer.


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## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

ExcelPaintingCo said:


> We are in the process of choosing paint for some vertical Azek exterior trim. Apparently it's very important to use a paint with a high reflective value. In other words, colors that won't absorb uv rays. SW and ICI have a list of approved colors. However on this job, we need to match the existing color of the door cladding. I don't think any black tint can be used (but not 100% on that). In addition, it calls for a 100% acrylic primer.


I looked up more information about the vinyl-safe colors during an earlier thread. IIRC, there is even a black tint that absorbs much less in the infrared. It's the absorption in the infrared part of the spectrum, not ultraviolet, that's important.

The traditional LRVs that are in fan decks aren't much help in that regard. These new products may absorb a lot of light in the visible spectrum, but much less at wavelengths above 800nm.


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## Phinnster (Feb 20, 2013)

I am looking at a Aztec deck on a water front home now.

The stuff is so shinny and slick I don't like the idea of anything on it. Was thinking arbor coat or super deck but again I have told the homeowner I am not responsible down the road

Excel 
We did a big job on vert trim with a dark green 
They told us about the issues with dark colors but we had none
No primer and two or three coats of top quality 100 % acrylic 

Three years and looks great


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## Pete Martin the Painter (Nov 8, 2012)

Phinnster said:


> I am looking at a Aztec deck on a water front home now.
> 
> The stuff is so shinny and slick I don't like the idea of anything on it. Was thinking arbor coat or super deck but again I have told the homeowner I am not responsible down the road
> 
> ...


I talked to an Azek rep today and you (or the HO that you are working for) should know that the warranty is voided if their decking is painted.


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## Hines Painting (Jun 22, 2013)

I'm sure there are about a million things that void the warranty.

You ever got paint on a synthetic or composite deck? Extremely difficult to remove even with some acetone. I would expect anything to hold up as well as it would on any deck... ~2 years, unless its covered.


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## Pete Martin the Painter (Nov 8, 2012)

ExcelPaintingCo said:


> We are in the process of choosing paint for some vertical Azek exterior trim. Apparently it's very important to use a paint with a high reflective value. In other words, colors that won't absorb uv rays. SW and ICI have a list of approved colors. However on this job, we need to match the existing color of the door cladding. I don't think any black tint can be used (but not 100% on that). In addition, it calls for a 100% acrylic primer.


You might want to call Azek. The rep that I spoke to told me the reflective value only needs to be 55, which to me does not seem too high. But, then again this is the first time that I had to worry about it.


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## Stonehampaintdept (Jan 10, 2013)

One of the guys here at the store is doing his composite deck now, Azek or other I don't know. A short consensus resulted in his ridicule at spending all that money on a composite deck and still coating it. Then we decided to recommend Storm quick dry oil and enduradeck topcoat.


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## Stonehampaintdept (Jan 10, 2013)

ExcelPaintingCo said:


> We are in the process of choosing paint for some vertical Azek exterior trim. Apparently it's very important to use a paint with a high reflective value. In other words, colors that won't absorb uv rays. SW and ICI have a list of approved colors. However on this job, we need to match the existing color of the door cladding. I don't think any black tint can be used (but not 100% on that). In addition, it calls for a 100% acrylic primer.


That would eliminate at least 75% of any color pallete


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## Phinnster (Feb 20, 2013)

Stone 
Y the primer
I am of the school that primer is softer then finsih and should not be used on deck?
Thanks


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## Stonehampaintdept (Jan 10, 2013)

Phinnster said:


> Stone
> Y the primer
> I am of the school that primer is softer then finsih and should not be used on deck?
> Thanks


Mainly for adhesion. The latex topcoat solid stain where it _may_ be fine on verticals, I can see peeling after a new england winter without the oil to grip the deck boards. Did a scratch test after a day of drying and looked to hold well. A portion of the boards were replaced so it's 1/2 old 1/2 new. I doubt this is suggested by the composite mfg. but since they changed the color slightly in the material he wanted to make it uniform. I thought about suggesting a bonding primer but I have seroius doubts about it working well on an entire deck where they arent meant to be walked on. Verticals with a bonding primer for sure. I have never felt good about any of the acrylic primers for decking. I hear Mad Dog works well but I'm not that well versed in it to say YES on composite decking so we went with the Oil.


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## Pete Martin the Painter (Nov 8, 2012)

Ok, I used the stain on Azek, and it came out like crap. The white stain, Cabot, appeared to be a light grey. And, it looked very roapy. This was after I put on primer. I did not want to put on the primer--the HO insisted even after I told him several times that it was not required.


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## paintball head (Mar 3, 2012)

Did you use Cabots solid acrylic for the top coat? That probably would hold up without a prime, what primer did you use? 

If the HO is insistent on products used on this surface I would make sure they understand you are performing labor with no warranty on the life of the finished product.


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## Pete Martin the Painter (Nov 8, 2012)

Yes, it was solid Cabot siding stain and Cabot primer bought by the HO. I am a bit bitter over this. I was basically told that I did a crappy job, and that he would hire someone else to finish the job. He was upset that the cedar railings, which had one coat of primer and one coat of white solid stain, needed another coat (which I told him they would most likely need when we first meet), and he was upset that they stain on the plastic did not look good. I more than once noted that paint would be much better, and I told him that even the Azek rep did not sound overly optimistic about using stain. He complained about some holidays in the edge of the 20 or so pieces of plywood that was used on the bottom of the deck. I was angry and dumbfounded. When I got home I sent him a text (after I tried to call) and told him that that holidays were easy to fix, and that I had told him about the possible second coat and had advised against using stain on Azek. I also offered to finish the job, which I really did not want to do (there were red flags even before I started this job which I should have paid attention to). He sent a text back that essentially said that it was most likely the product and not me and that I should not take it personally. I guess calling my work, which I take great pride in, terrible is not something that I should take personally.
Lesson learned...I will never use a product again that I feel is inappropriate just because the HO insists on it. I will just pass on the job.


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## SemiproJohn (Jul 29, 2013)

Pete the Painter said:


> Yes, it was solid Cabot siding stain and Cabot primer bought by the HO. I am a bit bitter over this. I was basically told that I did a crappy job, and that he would hire someone else to finish the job. He was upset that the cedar railings, which had one coat of primer and one coat of white solid stain, needed another coat (which I told him they would most likely need when we first meet), and he was upset that they stain on the plastic did not look good. I more than once noted that paint would be much better, and I told him that even the Azek rep did not sound overly optimistic about using stain. He complained about some holidays in the edge of the 20 or so pieces of plywood that was used on the bottom of the deck. I was angry and dumbfounded. When I got home I sent him a text (after I tried to call) and told him that that holidays were easy to fix, and that I had told him about the possible second coat and had advised against using stain on Azek. I also offered to finish the job, which I really did not want to do (there were red flags even before I started this job which I should have paid attention to). He sent a text back that essentially said that it was most likely the product and not me and that I should not take it personally. I guess calling my work, which I take great pride in, terrible is not something that I should take personally.
> Lesson learned...I will never use a product again that I feel is inappropriate just because the HO insists on it. I will just pass on the job.


Dang it Pete, I'm really sorry you went through this. You obviously do your research, ask questions, and always try to do the correct prep and use the right materials. Bummer.

For what it's worth, I have read enough decking threads here to become scared. I won't do any, period. 

Perhaps by not doing any decks, there is money I lose, but that's just the price I pay for the chains that I refuse.


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