What product should I use, oil or stain? Roller or spray?
I’m in the same boat. I would love an opinion on this
maybe Tom King will see this, I defer to his knowledge
A stain does nothing other than change the color… can be applied with a rag, roller or brush… I wouldn’t think spray would be an acceptable method…stains can be either oil or water based
I would expect a water based stain to raise the grain of the wood more so than an oil based stain thus require the surface to be lightly sanded between applications and finish coats
When I was in college working in the saddlehorse industry the trainer I worked for opened a new barn… we stain every wooden surface using rags … but that was forty years ago so I kind of guess times have changed somewhat
Our barn owner cleans barn once/year. only the outside of stall doors, and main barn doors (and ring fence and wash rack sides) are sanded as needed and restained w/ oil based stain, brush/roller used.
A bit more information is needed to give some suggestions. What kind of wood and the condition of? Has it been “sealed” with anything? How many square feet are you working with and what kind of budget? How much prep work are you willing to put into it?
My friends are always a bit sticker shocked when they get quotes on a paint job. The cost of paint and applying it is the easiest and cheapest part of most paint jobs. But a “paint job” is only as good as the prep work put into it.
Keep in mind that using any kind of darkish stain/oil is going to cut down on “reflected light” substantially. Existing lighting may not be enough when the job is finished and the lights are turned on. I know a number of people who were surprised how dramatic the “change” was.
I don’t have any “best” suggestions for coating, I pressure wash ours every few years, and that’s it. There are many varieties of pressure washing. I use one that is 2500 psi and 5 gpm. It has five different nozzles. For washing wood, we only use the wide nozzle. It’s the only one that will let you pull the washing solution of bleach and TSP trough it, and the point pressure on the wood is not much more than a strong hose, or at least not enough to damage the wood,
Start at the bottom and go up. otherwise it can leave permanent streaks. After the bleach has had some time to work, but never enough to dry, turn the cleaning solution off, and wash it off with the same nozzle.
Yes, 5 gpm puts a lot of water in the barn. Stalls need to be stripped, but it sanitizes them too.
Let dry completely before coating, The wood should look like it was just cut and put up.
1 Like
[QUOTE=Tom King;8224646]
I don’t have any “best” suggestions for coating, I pressure wash ours every few years, and that’s it. There are many varieties of pressure washing. I use one that is 2500 psi and 5 gpm. It has five different nozzles. For washing wood, we only use the wide nozzle. It’s the only one that will let you pull the washing solution of bleach and TSP trough it, and the point pressure on the wood is not much more than a strong hose, or at least not enough to damage the wood,
Start at the bottom and go up. otherwise it can leave permanent streaks. After the bleach has had some time to work, but never enough to dry, turn the cleaning solution off, and wash it off with the same nozzle.
Yes, 5 gpm puts a lot of water in the barn. Stalls need to be stripped, but it sanitizes them too.
Let dry completely before coating, The wood should look like it was just cut and put up.[/QUOTE]
Thanks. I an going to use my "girly"power washer so it shouldn’t damage the wood…it’s got a tip that I use to bathe Sophie and she doesn’t mind!
I’m concerned that the aisle wood is sunbleached and dry…is that not a problem?
Is you question about power washing or what to use on the wood surfaces after that is done?
If it is about power washing follow Mr. Kings advice on how to set up the pressure washer. I would suggest starting in an area that will not been seen a lot. There is a bit of a learning curve to pressure washing a wood surface. If not done correctly you will not be very happy with the “finished look” So “practice” some place “inconspicuous”
I disagree based on personal experience with Mr. King’s advice to use Chlorine bleach, like “Clorox” with a pressure washer to clean a wood surface. I used to do this at one time also. A few months later the surface started to peel away in places. It was not from using too much pressure or wrong tip. I knew better. I asked a long time “wood worker” friend of mine who I respected what he thought the problem was. He quickly said, “You cleaned this with bleach didn’t you”. Chlorine bleach destroys wood lignin, the glue that holds wood fibers together. It also removes natural wood color.
I was told a better choice is Oxygen bleach. It works really well and no “wood problems”
There are a number of “advice articles” that back this up. I don’t do enough “wood cleaning” to have a strong opinion one way or another. I default to those who do. The following is just one example of many to be found on the subject. To each their own on this.
"If you want to make an even bigger mistake, then use chlorine bleach to clean your deck! It’s the absolute worst ingredient to apply to a wood deck. Chlorine bleach, better identified on deck cleaning product labels as sodium hypochlorite, removes the natural color from your wood, destroys the lignin or glue that holds together the wood fibers, is toxic to surrounding vegetation, and is corrosive to all metal fasteners and components that hold your deck together.
A far better cleaner is oxygen bleach. This powdered product, when mixed with water, releases nontoxic oxygen ions that kill mildew and algae. In addition, the foaming oxygen bleach loosens gray, weathered wood fibers and dirt from the deck surface. But it does not remove natural wood color, nor does it hurt nails and joist hangers. One of oxygen bleach’s best attributes is that it will not harm plants, vegetation or you.
Mix the powdered bleach with warm water. Once the powder is dissolved, liberally apply the solution to the wood surface. It immediately foams up as the oxygen ions attack the mildew, algae and dirt. Let the solution sit for 10 or 15 minutes, then use a scrub brush on a pole or a large push broom to gently scrub the surface to lift wood fibers and dirt. To complete the cleaning process, simply use a garden hose to rinse away all traces of dirt and grime."
Gumtree, so glad to read about oxygen bleach. Sounds like just what I’ve been looking for to clean wooden decks and picnic tables. Put off cleaning these things for a long time as I do not like using toxic materials, especially around our pond and garden. Now I can get to work on this project.
So, after washing, what do we protect the wood with?
My b/o used a sealer, not stain or oil when the stalls were built in 2002. We just rolled in on and it didn’t take that long. Will hold up to some pressure washing.
[QUOTE=gumtree;8225035]
Is you question about power washing or what to use on the wood surfaces after that is done?
If it is about power washing follow Mr. Kings advice on how to set up the pressure washer. I would suggest starting in an area that will not been seen a lot. There is a bit of a learning curve to pressure washing a wood surface. If not done correctly you will not be very happy with the “finished look” So “practice” some place “inconspicuous”
I disagree based on personal experience with Mr. King’s advice to use Chlorine bleach, like “Clorox” with a pressure washer to clean a wood surface. I used to do this at one time also. A few months later the surface started to peel away in places. It was not from using too much pressure or wrong tip. I knew better. I asked a long time “wood worker” friend of mine who I respected what he thought the problem was. He quickly said, “You cleaned this with bleach didn’t you”. Chlorine bleach destroys wood lignin, the glue that holds wood fibers together. It also removes natural wood color.
I was told a better choice is Oxygen bleach. It works really well and no “wood problems”
There are a number of “advice articles” that back this up. I don’t do enough “wood cleaning” to have a strong opinion one way or another. I default to those who do. The following is just one example of many to be found on the subject. To each their own on this.
"If you want to make an even bigger mistake, then use chlorine bleach to clean your deck! It’s the absolute worst ingredient to apply to a wood deck. Chlorine bleach, better identified on deck cleaning product labels as sodium hypochlorite, removes the natural color from your wood, destroys the lignin or glue that holds together the wood fibers, is toxic to surrounding vegetation, and is corrosive to all metal fasteners and components that hold your deck together.
A far better cleaner is oxygen bleach. This powdered product, when mixed with water, releases nontoxic oxygen ions that kill mildew and algae. In addition, the foaming oxygen bleach loosens gray, weathered wood fibers and dirt from the deck surface. But it does not remove natural wood color, nor does it hurt nails and joist hangers. One of oxygen bleach’s best attributes is that it will not harm plants, vegetation or you.
Mix the powdered bleach with warm water. Once the powder is dissolved, liberally apply the solution to the wood surface. It immediately foams up as the oxygen ions attack the mildew, algae and dirt. Let the solution sit for 10 or 15 minutes, then use a scrub brush on a pole or a large push broom to gently scrub the surface to lift wood fibers and dirt. To complete the cleaning process, simply use a garden hose to rinse away all traces of dirt and grime."[/QUOTE]
Both, but you answered the what to wash it with well, thanks.
I’ve been using Clorox bleach for decades. I guess it can do damage if you leave it on, but we wash it off. The amount of water we use may have something to do with it. We don’t wait for the bleach to change the color of anything. By the time we put it on , mixed along with TSP, one whole surface, like the wall of a house, or a whole deck or dock, it’s time to wash it off.
Our current dock was built in 1991 out of treated Pine. Our house and barn have White Oak siding, built in 1980, that has never had anything on it. All of those look like the wood just came off the sawmill after this terrible bleach treatment. No brush needed.
The person who wrote that article may have been right if the bleach was left on, but otherwise didn’t know what he was talking about.
My system works wonders on paint too. But yes, you do rinse it off with a LOT of water.
We use a sealer that has stain in it. Our barn aisle is also our wash stall, so it protects the wood. The water actually beads up on the wood (until it wears off and we do it again every few years). It looks nice too.
I learned about Eco Wood Treatment from COTH years ago and could not be happier. From what I can figure, it pulls the tannins to the surface to create a lovely silver patina with no sealer peeling.
My barn looks great!
More info here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLdZLl7Cs2M
I know this thread is a few months old but I remember reading it with interest and wanted to contribute now that I’ve stained my barn. I used Cabot Timber Oil in the aisle and Cabot Semi-Transparent Stain in the stalls and for trim. I ended up paying someone to do it because I didn’t have time and didn’t want to wait until after winter. They did not pressure wash or sand, but just used brushes, rags, and a shop vac to clean the dust and grime off the walls. They also used Spray Nine for the mildewed areas near the doors, windows, and wash rack–I saw them applying it and that stuff is pretty amazing!
Pictures and description of how it turned out: http://thesmallhorsefarm.blogspot.com/2015/10/the-barn-is-finally-stained.html
I’m very curious to see how the Cabot wears and ages.
What is the purpose of using a sanitizing agent in a barn every few years? This does not follow any standard sanitizing policies or procedures. You need to sanitize after every possible exposure or you are not accomplishing anything. If you have an outbreak of an infectious disease, you need to separate, isolate and sanitize, and prevent contact until it’s cleared up.
For routine maintenance, I’d simply power wash with a mild cleaning agent and then stain, paint, etc.
The problem with bleach on wood is only if you don’t wash the bleach off. You have to rinse everything very well. Oh, I see TK described this. Nice job, Tom, your method is what I have done in the past for wood buildings, etc., and decks.
[QUOTE=Palm Beach;8372551]
What is the purpose of using a sanitizing agent in a barn every few years? This does not follow any standard sanitizing policies or procedures. You need to sanitize after every possible exposure or you are not accomplishing anything. If you have an outbreak of an infectious disease, you need to separate, isolate and sanitize, and prevent contact until it’s cleared up.
For routine maintenance, I’d simply power wash with a mild cleaning agent and then stain, paint, etc.[/QUOTE]
The bleach kills mold. Urine and feces, no matter how well the barn is cleaned, eventually put alot of moisture into the facility, mats, stall walls, and wet and rain, steaming horses, a wash stall. Alot of dark almost black and black on the walls and boards and you can probably count on it being mold. Mold collects on the outside of the barn on dark sides of the building; green on the roof, etc. Bleach is the best, cheapest, and most effective way to eliminate the mold. Even if you don’t see mold, its very likely there, and if you power wash with Chlorine bleach and TSP you can rest knowing you’ve got a nice, clean barn.
If you don’t use bleach, even if you eliminate the black, the mold spores are still there and the wet from the washing is a good environment for it to just take hold again. Bleach kills everything. Everything. Bleach is environmentally safe, as it evaporates into the environment into natural molecules which are already part of the environment. You can’t go wrong with bleach.
Just rinse it all off again well.
