# Anyone tried 'eco wood treatment'?



## Wildbill7145 (Apr 30, 2014)

Went into the local BM store the other day and the girls asked me if I was still doing decks... I asked why. They said because nobody else in town wants to! We live in an area where the climate destroys deck jobs in very short order. Nothing seems to hold up over time.

Two years ago we had a freeze/thaw type winter that ruined many deck jobs. Last year we had a massive snow winter with no thaw cycles. Generally these seem to insulate deck jobs. They still got destroyed.

I've been trying to figure out what would be the best product to put on my own deck I built a few years ago, but can't get a solid answer from anyone on what will last the longest with the least maintenance. Summer is the time I make the most money doing exterior painting so I don't want to be wasting my time redoing my own deck every year.

My wife starting pushing me the other day to check out 'eco wood treatment' (she's becoming a go green fan girl). All I've found are standard "It's great" product reviews on various retailers websites which I usually don't trust much so I hoped someone on here had heard of it.


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## Boco (May 18, 2013)

let us know how you make out. i am still waiting to try the Vermont natural lines. I could be a while though. i just started and finished my first house Exterior camp/lakehouse yesterday. 2 guys, a dog, a 440 and lots of paper and plastic.:thumbup: Decks wont be ready till end of June. Honestly I cant recommend any decent stains for decks.


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## Wildbill7145 (Apr 30, 2014)

Crap, just realized it's made on Salt Spring Island in British Columbia so it probably doesn't get much love outside of Canada despite being sold at the big orange store in the US. Thus, most of you guys probably haven't seen or used it.

If you're ever in British Columbia, Salt Spring Island despite being parasitically over run with old school/new age hippie types, vegan cafes, etc. is one of the most beautiful places you can imagine. Anyhoo, if anyone's aware of this stuff let me know. It'll get my wife off my back and I can say I asked around.


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## Monstertruck (Oct 26, 2013)

Whether you use pressure treated, cedar, mahogany, ipe, or composite, a deck needs yearly maintenance. A yearly wash is the bare minimum. You can let the PT slide for a few years 'cause it looks like crap anyways. 

Good luck with your decision.
Remember, there are no shortcuts.


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## JourneymanBrian (Mar 16, 2015)

Why dont you try linseed oil? I can only imagine any eco deck paint youd use would be based with linseed oil anyway. You can create a stain by mixing it with natural pigments, and increase the durability by adding 1% thickened linseed oil (traditionally thickened by being let stand for a long time).
If you take 30-40% oil with 60-70% pigment youll get an opaque coating.

You can thin the oil for deeper penetration by heating it or diluting with terpentine.

The coating cannot flake off. After a number of years the pigment will begin to chalk off, by painting over/ oiling the pigments are bound again.

Dont use regular food grade linseed, you need boiled linseed with drying agents otherwise itll take abou 2-3 weeks to dry.


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## PressurePros (May 6, 2007)

Linseed oil blackens with mold very quickly. You can add fungicides but a hard finish like linseed is not real maintenance friendly.

There are no shortcuts. My choice after searching for the holy grail settled on what every vet told me in my beginning days.. a blend of drying and non drying oils (or a straight non drying parafinic oil) is the only long term solution. They fade instead of peel and a quick bleach wash and single coat done every two years on horizontals and 4 years on rails will keep a deck conditioned and looking its best.


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## Hines Painting (Jun 22, 2013)

I'm surprised you would advocate a wax based stain Ken. I thought wax products were prone to mildew?


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## CRS (Apr 13, 2013)

Application method is everything for deck surfaces. You can double the lifespan easily by how you apply. Use a lambs wool floor applicator and work the finish into the wood. Anything laying on top is prone to fail. 

As far as linseed oil.... in study after study over 20 years, it has proven to provide the highest nutrient value for every mold/mildew species, much worse than soy, tung or castor. If you want a black deck within a year.... go for linseed.

I have maintained an ongoing panel exposure series for over 20 years. I know wood finishes inside and out.


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## PressurePros (May 6, 2007)

Hines Painting said:


> I'm surprised you would advocate a wax based stain Ken. I thought wax products were prone to mildew?


No wax. That would be parafin. Parafinic oil is mineral/baby oil.


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## JourneymanBrian (Mar 16, 2015)

Hm maybe decks have too much moisture for linseed. It works on walls.


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## JourneymanBrian (Mar 16, 2015)

There are also silicate paints for wood from Keim. Dont know if theyre suitable for floors, though.


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## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

JourneymanBrian said:


> Hm maybe decks have too much moisture for linseed. It works on walls.


We see it turn black almost as quickly on walls, especially in those areas prone to wetting.


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## JourneymanBrian (Mar 16, 2015)

What kind of linseed do you use? People have painted buildings for hundreds of years with linseed oil/ or linseed oil paints. Its also used on all the historic halftimbered houses over here without problem.

Could it be that the wood you coat is an evergreen wood? That stuff doesnt have any resistance against fungus anyway.


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## JourneymanBrian (Mar 16, 2015)

What you can do if you have pine or fir etc outside is lye it. By silvering the wood via lye it becomes unattractive for fungus and insects.


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## JourneymanBrian (Mar 16, 2015)

http://www.gov.scot/Resource/Img/46910/0039110.gif


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## PressurePros (May 6, 2007)

JourneymanBrian said:


> What you can do if you have pine or fir etc outside is lye it. By silvering the wood via lye it becomes unattractive for fungus and insects.


The wood can be prepped and remain mold free while the finish itself is attacked and turns black. I am back every year to bleach wash a house that a painter used linseed oil on. The homeowner is tired of the hassle and expense and has asked for a bid for complete stripping. 

You can add fungicide to linseed oil to help stave off the mold growth but its a temporary reprieve. There are better choices for exterior walls.


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## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

JourneymanBrian said:


> What kind of linseed do you use? People have painted buildings for hundreds of years with linseed oil/ or linseed oil paints. Its also used on all the historic halftimbered houses over here without problem.
> 
> Could it be that the wood you coat is an evergreen wood? That stuff doesnt have any resistance against fungus anyway.


I understand that practices and available materials vary by location, but around here the woods used on exteriors are the ones with the most resistance to fungi. They are all coniferous ("evergreen"): redwood, cedar, cypress. It's rare to see the hardwoods with similar resistance used. With the exception of entry doors, I can't recall seeing true mahogany, walnut, or white oak used outside.


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## JourneymanBrian (Mar 16, 2015)

Oak is more resistant than those woods. Sure, its more expensive, but there is a reason medieval buildings with oak, beech, etc exteriors have survived for hundreds of years with their linseed oil coatings.

You can treat pine etc as much as you want with chemicals, hardwood will still outlast it


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## JourneymanBrian (Mar 16, 2015)

Especially for people with kids, with oak etc you spare the chemical wood protection which is highly toxic.


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## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

JourneymanBrian said:


> Oak is more resistant than those woods. Sure, its more expensive, but there is a reason medieval buildings with oak, beech, etc exteriors have survived for hundreds of years with their linseed oil coatings.
> 
> You can treat pine etc as much as you want with chemicals, hardwood will still outlast it


Certainly pine is a poor choice choice, but prices and resistance to fungi are nearly identical for cypress, western red cedar, and white oak, at least here in the US. Old growth heart redwood is considerably more than any of them.


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## JourneymanBrian (Mar 16, 2015)

I found a chart, apparently American White Oak and European Osk have two different resistance ratings, European Oak being more resistant.


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