Below you will find the FAQs pertaining to wood and our wood products. We
are still refining our concrete FAQs and will be posting them to
this Web page shortly, so make sure you check back with us for
those – as well as updates to the wood FAQs.
Q:How
should I apply Preserva Wood® to my
deck or fence?
Preserva Wood® can be applied with a pump sprayer, brush,
or stain pad. We do not recommend the use of a paint
roller as they apply too much stain any typically cause over-application. Spraying
and back-brushing with an oil based brush usually works well for
fences, siding and most vertical surfaces. If you spray,
make sure you avoid windy days and that you know where your overspray
is going (plants, cars, etc.).For decks, we recommend using a stain
pad, available through your local home improvement store. They are usually 6 to
8 inches wide and screw onto the end of a broom handle. These
pads apply the appropriate amount of stain and tend to work it
into the surface better. Excess stain that does not absorb
into the wood within 10-15 minutes should be removed with a rag
to avoid shiny spots. Apply as much stain as the wood will
allow so that it soaks in, but do not allow it to puddle on the
surface of the wood!
Q:How
much stain will I need to use? How
much is enough?
You
should use only as much stain as will soak into the
wood. Some areas will absorb more (softwood) than others
(knots). Wipe up any excess before it starts to cure to avoid
shiny tacky spots. Preserva Wood® is a very flexible
barrier that protects your wood from moisture and sunlight. It
is not formulated to be on the surface of the wood, like a paint.
Q:How
many square feet will one gallon of Preserva Wood® protect?
Depending on the porosity of your wood, Preserva Wood® will
cover approximately 200-400 square feet per gallon. Rough
surfaces, such as fence boards, tend to soak up more product, whereas
smooth deck boards do not take as much stain.
Q:What
is Preserva Products’™ Wood
Renewer™ 'Cleaner', and why would I need it?
Any transparent finish will allow the beauty of the natural wood
grain to show through. Blemishes, water-stains or weathered areas
will also show through. Wood Renewer™ can,
in many cases, remove discoloration and restore the natural beauty. Applying
a finish to a discolored area will seal in the discoloration permanently. There
are many restoration products available, however Preserva
Products™' Wood Renewer™ 'Cleaner'
is non-toxic and will not harm plants or pets, while rejuvenating
wood even more effectively. Whatever beauty the wood has
to offer can be brought out by the use of Wood Renewer™ 'Cleaner'
prior to the application of any finish.
Mildew appears as persistent black spots when your wood is
wet. It
is always a good idea to get the wood wet the day before staining
to make sure it is clean and free of mold or mildew (even new wood!!). Before
staining your wood, you need to kill the mildew; otherwise you
will seal in the black color. This will return as black spots
when the rainy season begins. A 50-50 mixture of chlorine
bleach and water, applied in sunlight will kill mildew. You
will want to wash off the bleach and allow 24 hours for the wood
to dry before staining. For tougher mildew, you can use a
little more bleach than water and scrub with a brush.
Q: It
rained yesterday, or it is expected to rain tomorrow, can I
apply Preserva Wood® today?
If it has rained, you should wait 24 hours for the wood to dry
before applying Preserva Wood®. Ideally,
you need at least 24 hours after applying Preserva-Wood for
it to dry, before it rains.
Q:There
are plants bordering my deck or fence, will Preserva Wood® kill
them?
We do not recommend spraying Preserva Wood® directly
onto your plants, but light overspray should not harm plants. A
lot of overspray may seal the pores of the leaves. It is
usually a good idea to use a water spray to moisten vegetation
before and after applying stain nearby to avoid any damage. It
may also be advisable to use a lightweight drop cloth to cover
nearby vegetation during application.
Q:I
stained my deck, how soon can my animals walk on it?
Ideal circumstances are to allow your deck to dry in good weather
for at least 24 hours before allowing pets or anyone else to walk
on your deck. Should your animals walk on wet Preserva
Wood® and get it on their feet (paws), then wipe with
a moist towel to remove the stain.
Q: I have
puddles or shiny spots of Preserva Wood® on
my deck, what do I do?
Any areas of Preserva Wood® that have not
been absorbed within 15 minutes needs to be wiped up while still
wet. If these puddles are allowed to dry, they will appear
shiny. If you have shiny spots, and it is within 24 hours
of application, lacquer thinner or acetone will take care of the
shiny spots. After 24 hours, simply broadcast regular playground
sand over the effected area. Use your foot to scuff off the
thin surface film of stain. Complete by sweeping the sand
off the deck. This process will etch the shiny surface film
allowing for complete drying. Commercial paint removers are
another way of removing excess Preserva Wood®. Follow
the directions on the label. All that you are doing is removing
the excess Preserva Wood® that has dried on
the surface, not taking out what is inside the wood. DO NOT
APPLY ANOTHER COAT OVER THE TOP, or you are back where you were
in the beginning.
Q:I have
rags that I used during staining, how do I dispose of them
properly?
As with any oil based paint product, to avoid the possibility
of spontaneous combustion, oil soaked cloth, paper, or other application
material should be soaked in water. Spread out material and
dry outdoors, away from the sun, heat, flame, or combustibles. Once
they are air-dried, dispose of in accordance with local trash regulations.
Q:What
air temperature is needed to apply Preserva-Wood®?
Oil based formulas of Preserva Wood® can
be applied at temperatures above 50 and below 90 degrees Fahrenheit,
low wind conditions, and out of direct sunlight. Your wood
should NOT be hot when applying the stain.
The solid content (what stays in your wood for protection and
does not evaporate into the atmosphere), is roughly 65% for Preserva
Wood® and Preserva Wood® Architect Series™ wood
stains.
Q:I
used a sprayer to apply Preserva Wood® and
I have over spray on my windows, how do I get it off?
Contact the manufacturer of your windows to determine if there
are films laminated to the glass that might be damages by using
solvent to remove the dried stain. If approved, citrus based
strippers work best and are generally safe to use.
While the formulation is proprietary information, we can tell
you that Preserva Wood® has ingredients to
address all the problems associated with exposing wood to weather
and sun. These include additives that protect our stain against
mold and mildew, UV light, and water damage. In addition, Preserva
Wood® contains organic oils and resins that address
dimensional stabilization, as well as metallic pigments (Transparent
oxides) for long lasting color retention and additional UV protection.
Q: Why
should I buy Preserva Wood® rather
than a competing product?
Preserva Wood® was developed in the Lake
Tahoe area of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. It was engineered
for extreme weather and extreme sunlight. Additionally, Preserva
Wood® is environmentally friendly and designed to
last longer. It has a high solids content to protect your
wood in a one-coat application, and natural wood-tone tints to
enhance the appearance of the wood. One application of Preserva
Wood® will not protect your wood forever, but with
an annual cleaning to remove dirt and pollen, re-applications become
less frequent. When your wood appears dry or has lost its
natural color, then it is time for a “light” re-application
of Preserva Wood®.
