Stain coming off picnic tables

[-Paul-]

I had a number of picnic tables and benches to restain 12 months ago, the original stain had come off right back to the wood in places.

I used some of the original stain (see cans below) to repaint them, though I only got round to doing one coat.

Not many months later it was coming off, and now 12 months later they look as bad as they did before I started.

The darker shinier green areas are where the original stain hadn't come off and so I'd painted over it, the lighter where it had gone back to bare wood, so I'd just painted one coat on it.

What am I doing wrong?

Do I just need to do it again but this time do two or more coats or do I need to totally strip them back to bare wood and start again?

Any help appreciated Thanks

Click thumbnails for bigger pictures





(the picnic tables were green and the benches walnut)

 

[Zampa]

Interesting one...did you bleach the tables or use a strong anti mould solution first by any chance?

 

[Third_Eye]

What type of wood is it all ?

 

[-Paul-]

Interesting one...did you bleach the tables or use a strong anti mould solution first by any chance?

Nope I just scraped any loose stain off gave them a sand and then restained, using a gloss roller on the flat areas and brush on the fiddly bits.

What type of wood is it all ?

I'm not sure what wood they are, they look like they are more than a few years old though.

 

[Zampa]

Looking at that first pic closely they look like two different colour paints..because the edges where theres a change of colour are sharp.

 

[-Paul-]

Yeh weird effect, though it's the same stain, just that the shinier bluer looking section is a coat over the existing layers that were still on it and the greener looking area on to bare wood.

The stain when painted on the areas of existing paint work came out the same colour as the original.

The sharp edges are just due to where the single layer of paint comes up to an area with multiple layers.

 

[Growler]

What am I doing wrong?

The wood looks near rotten and your paintwork the same.

They should have been wiped down with white spirit after sanding or even scraping off all the old stuff.

You should have used a brush and not a roller as using a roller in this instance on top of dusty old wood is just asking for the stuff to drop off.

Finally... if you expect just one coat to stick on top of bare wood ,(even if properly prepared) then nobody would ever put 3 or more coats on.

 

[-Paul-]

What am I doing wrong?

The wood looks near rotten and your paintwork the same.

They should have been wiped down with white spirit after sanding or even scraping off all the old stuff.

You should have used a brush and not a roller as using a roller in this instance on top of dusty old wood is just asking for the stuff to drop off.

Finally... if you expect just one coat to stick on top of bare wood ,(even if properly prepared) then nobody would ever put 3 or more coats on.

Should I be wiping down with white spirit even though the stain is water based?

I'll stick a few coats on this time and use a brush

And yes the wood isn't in a good state tbh

 

[-Paul-]

Should I be wiping down with white spirit even though the stain is water based then guys?

Thanks

Paul

 

[Growler]

Paul:

If you read the back of the cans that you photographed and posted on here, it tells you what to do.

Like...
Make sure the wood is clean and dry. Lightly sand to remove any loose wood fibres and wipe off any dirt, dust and grease with white spirit. Previously stained or weathered wood should be sanded and washed with white spirit and allowed to dry.

That wood doesn't look good though

 

[-Paul-]

Paul:

If you read the back of the cans that you photographed and posted on here, it tells you what to do.

Oops it does as well
That will teach me not to read instructions.

Yes to be honest the wood's a lot worse than in the pictures in places and all the benches and picnic tables need replacing, I'm just trying to make them look half reasonable until the school budgets to buy some new ones.

Thanks for your help all