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Restain (Removing sap = problems)

2K views 6 replies 6 participants last post by  woodcoyote 
#1 ·
Starting a new Restain job. The house has been stained 5 times since it was built in 06. They have used different painters each time. The house has areas where sap "pitch" is oozing through to the surface and running. Rejecting the stain and creating light spots. I realize I cant stop the sap, but what the best way to clean up the hardened resin. Ive scraped, used paint thinner, now resorting to a light sanding.. Is there another solution to get the resin cleaned up? I fear that after sanding the wood wont restain close enough to the surrounding areas.
 
#2 ·
There is no solution other than replacing the affected boards. You can get it looking perfect and as soon as the sun hits the area for a couple of weeks, it will come back. You won't get any type of penetrating stain/sealer to work in those spots. These people may either be resistant to reality or they haven't had a qualified painter explain it yet but after re-staining almost every year, haven't they realized something is wrong. Tread lightly going into this if you cannot do the carpentry work.
 
#7 · (Edited)
I'm assuming the boards/wood your referring to don't have stain on them or you don't care if they do because your going to re-do them?

Anyway, I deal with this problem on an almost daily basis, it's cake work. Lacquer thinner will chew this stuff up. The only thing is you have to soak it real good. We work with a lot of big beams (round/square) and we get fresh sap running out all the time. The house I just got done doing had 12 beams that had it coming out pretty bad.

My method: Buy a 5 gal of lacquer thinner, load up whatever unit you want (graco/titan), and just hose it down. Grab a box of rags, then use a rag or two to wipe wipe wipe. Spray some more, wipe wipe wipe. Done deal.

BUT**** once the beams are cleaned you HAVE to stain/paint or whatever + any top coating that needs to be done THE SAME DAY you clean them. If you wait over night your done, you have to start the cleaning process all over again as the sap will more than likely come out.

I know, I've done the cleaning before and had to re-do a whole house because I didn't know about once you start you MUST finish the same day. Sometimes in the heat (100+ degrees) we have to clean and stain one or two beams at a time before we go onto other ones as the heat will make the sap bleed out at a faster rate. 2-3 hours in hot temps and it will start all over again.

Long story short: Good luck, if you need help just PM or whatever. Let us know how it turns out! :)
 
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