This is a semi transparent satin sheen water based “stain”. It is really a film former and doesn’t really penetrate.
Been using it for a couple of days now. My .02 is that it sucks and I would never use it again. 1/2 log home, vertical, have to 2 coat (at a min) and spot coat 3x. Has a sheen to it, like they added varnish.
The worst part is since it is a log home and has cracks, splits, checks, knotholes, and sap wood, if the product starts to drip out of something and you go to back brush, it takes the drip line off leaving a bare spot. Log homes and half log homes have caulk in seams, this stuff runs like water on it. Brush, back brush, doesn’t matter. Leaves brush marks no matter how you feather it. “product requires brushing” per SW.
This is late in the season, so it may be temp related. This is a rush job before winter. The other day it was 68 and sunny, log home siding was about 80 degrees, stuff started steaming off almost instantly. Raining today, so get a break. Freezing temps next week.
Yes sir. Garage was already done/finished and homeowner requested this product be used on the house to match. Kind of backwards, but the customer gets what they want within reason. I’ve never used this stuff and I would probably never use it again. The “new” front porch steps didn’t take it at all, looked like someone spilled dirty water on them. You really have to space out your starting and stopping areas between bucket dips or you could have an overlap line down the house.
SInce you use SW products, I experimented on the stringers before the steps. looks like 3 coats on new wood to get it semi transparent with enough pigment so it doesn’t look like dirty water, and won’t leave lapmarks. recoat after 4 hours but before 3 days per SW. After that you gotta scuff it (based on the done garage that had bad spots)
On a side note, it seems to work great on rough cut lumber, like locust posts and hand hewn beams. Anything with a reddish color will look amazing in one coat with this. If you like a brownish color with red accent. The handrail and spindles look awesome with one coat.
Sorry for the long reply, but I like it when someone gives me details about a product so I don’t walk into a situation like I did on this job. I bid it for 7.5 days for 3 painters to hand brush a house. I expect to be done in 6-6.5. Lift on site for eaves and high points. You could spray and back brush it, but my partner didn’t want to spray as the homeowner just had a brand new roof, eave wrap, and every bay window roof redone in forest green metal. That metal is shiny and shows every speck of dirt.
I learned quickly that I wouldn’t offer semi-transparent water-based stains as an option to customers for the very things you mention. It is way too hard to make it look good with multiple passes and touch-ups. Even then it’s tricky.
I three coated the front porch, still looks like crap to me, but I am picky. First coat was a roll and back brush, second coat was just a 7" deck brush put on very heavy, third coat was a paint eveything but the lap marks coat. This stuff is garbage.
I just did my own deck this year with Benjamin Moore Arborcoat semi-transparent oil based and I could not be happier. I recently used the SW Superdeck on a flip house property that I did and wasn’t impressed.
looks good, but that appears pretty dark for a semi. It may just be the lighting. Good job doing the stringers and support posts, it always makes it pop better to my eyes.
For oil
You probably didn’t have to tape off those metal posts, if it is still wet a rag will take it right off. A little mineral spirits can go a long way on a clean up. If it is really sticking, like you missed a run and it went down a wall, just cut a stripper down with water.
Yeah, by the time I got the 2nd coat done it was more like a semi-solid, but I wasn’t happy with the coverage on just one one coat. This was the initial staining so I went pretty heavy. That pic was a month ago and it’s already lightened up some.
You are right, the tape actually didn’t help much. In some places the stain wicked up the tape and onto the railing posts
What kind of tape did you use? I kinda looks like the scotch brand, but some of them aren’t rated for exteriors. Not being a smart asterisk, but some tapes are better than others. I have been using frog tape lately and I really like it. If you don’t have a tight bond, it will get through, and even then it still sometimes gets through. I leave the edge I want protected tight, and leave the other end loose to pull it off easier later.
Anywho, not trying to lecture you or anything, I am just sitting around waiting for it to warm up. I need to finish caulking my driveway between the concrete and asphalt. So much fun I can’t wait to get out there, put on the knee pads, and crawl around digging the old stuff out and replace it with new stuff. Let the good times roll. Been doing fun stuff like laundry and update software and drivers while I wait, besides typing on here.
