We're just about finished building a 16' x 14' pergola with a ground level deck using pressure treated wood. Can anyone recommend the type of stain we should use (we're leaning towards semi-transparent) and what color of stain we should stain it (leaning towards a chocolate brown or a burgundy)? Any suggestions from experience? The pergola is a the back of our yard which looks onto the woods. Thanks!
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Wow! that's great info you just gave us. I guess we'll have to decide what we want to do now. I have seen pergolas that have been left in their natural state and have weathered nicely with that greyish patina, however, it's not the color my husband was picturing for the overall effect.
I know what you mean about the sap leaking out because I noticed some of that on some of the knots and was wondering what that was - now I know :)
Once it's all completed I will surely post a picture of it so you have a visual of what I'm talking about.
Thanks for your advice Norm, we really appreciate it!!!!!
I am still fairly new here as well and I figure as long as we are on the same topic...we just keep "replying". Your place sounds beautiful. It must be so exciting to start designing your yard "from the ground up"...Your pergola must look amazing! What I have learned about pressure treated is from every possible source. First, there is something called mill glazing which need to wear off or be properly prepared to accept stain. Secondly, there will be sap that has yet to escape. It bleeds out of the knots in hot weather -even through stain. When my old deck was about 10 years old ( 8-9 yrs ago, now) and quite grey looking. We used a deck wash, and pressure washer and was a lot of work. I then chose a "transparent" wood guard with UV protector which gives it a slight amber colour and it just wears off a little with heavy traffic. It really just coats the wood and is easily reapplied every couple years or so..(ages well) This year we replaced a retaining wall with landscaping 6 X 6"s and was warned against treating it for at least a year. Every product said the same thing. I couldn't wait longer than 2 weeks...so we bought a CIL wood cleaner which is supposed to remove most of the glazing and used a semi transparent stain in walnut..for a medium brown (we had bought the "cedar" colour first and it looks bright orange on the pressure treated) . The wood actually took the stain better than I thought..it is quite even and we plan to put the second coat on in the fall. The sap is quite noticeable and has become hard and bubbly looking..This can be sanded before we stain again. The bad new here is if we hated this rustic look we would have to sand it all down again before treating it with something else. I took the chance on this wall and really, I am not sure if I would do this with your pergola as it would require intensive labour first to get it ready to take the stain and again if you don't like it. I would let it age naturally for a year, use a deck wash ..a light sanding and use a weather /sun guard type product which has that slight brown/cedar tone even tho they refer to it as "clear". keep a piece of wood that has been aged as long as your pergola for a colour test. This stuff really soaks in to the wood and is very easy to maintain...I have probably put 5 or more coats on the floor boards of the deck and only 2 on the arbour and deck seats ( over the last 8 years )....It gets full sun all day. The wall I just did a month ago has already faded and I would probably reapply every spring to keep the rich colour...but that is me. Hope some of this helps you decide.
Hi Norm,
I'm new in this forum so I'm not sure if this is the way I should be responding to your message...if not, please let me know :)
Yes, we used pressure treated wood. I'd love to hear what your suggestions are.
Our backyard is 44 feet wide and about 80 feet long. It is a newly built home so we're working with a blank slate which is ideal. Up to now, we've planted a slope garden off of the patio (12' x 16') that comes off of the patio doors in the kitchen and have added natural rocks as steps towards one side of the sloped garden - it makes it look more natural. This slope garden is 17 feet wide and the front of it is shaped in waves going out to 8 feet at the widest spot. We've planted perennials here and it already looks stunning. We'd like to continue as much as we can with perennials as we continue each project in the backyard.
thanks!
Marina, Did you use pressure treated? because there are a couple of things you will need to know.....before deciding on staining. Hope, I can help...
post the question in D&D you will get more answers.