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new PT 5/4 decking - copper stain removal?

4K views 8 replies 2 participants last post by  walt1122 
#1 ·
Hi all, have a new deck with pressure treated wood that is leaching copper salts? and can't find anything that can remove it. Used bleach, soap and water, couple deck cleaning products for mold and mildew removal but most of the discoloration is still there. Don't want to scrub/sand the whole deck and only a hand full of the boards have the stainning but would rather not have to replace them as the deck has weathered for the last few months as I waited for it to season before stainning.

any thoughts or suggestions, anyone else have this problem?

Walt

P.S. how about the ink they use to print their name on the boards? Anyone know how to remove that??
 
#3 ·
Hi Ron6519, you don't get many chances to do things right the first time, If I sand the offensive spots then when I use the semi-transparent stain it will be absorbed by the areas I sanded and they will come out a different shade/color than the rest of the deck. I would rather not like to see this happen. So if I can figure out how to remove the spots by soaking with whatever I can soak the whole deck and still keep the surface uniform. A whole lot easier than sanding the whole deck.

thanks

Walt
 
#4 ·
Sand the whole deck.
It doesn't matter how you handle the issue. If you only treat the spot(s), the stain will take differently then the untreated spots.
Ron
 
#5 ·
Ron6519,

I'm trying to AVOID sanding the whole deck!
quote:"So if I can figure out how to remove the spots by soaking with whatever I can soak the whole deck and still keep the surface uniform. A whole lot easier than sanding the whole deck."

If can find someone who has had this experience or can suggest some chemical treatment so I can treat the whole deck I.E. if bleach would work I could bleach the WHOLE deck if that would remove the copper spots. As mentioned I tried the bleach but it was not very effective. I would rather not spend the next two days and unknown numbers of sheets of sandpaper to do what I hope someone has experienced for themselves or has a background in chemistry and can suggest something that will remove the spots. I'm of the opinion that it is the copper used in the treating of the lumber that is leaching out. I'm working with the assumption that because the newer formula calls for more copper to be used and less arsenic it is the copper I am seeing.

Thanks

Walt
 
#7 ·
I used both! The deck cleaner had a wood bleach (oxygen bleach) component and I ues laundry (chlorine) bleach. Neither did a decent job . That is why I'm still looking for someone who has seen this problem or if they think my assumption is right about the copper salts there must be a way to remove them. I tried acid thinking it is a component in flux used to clean oxidation away from copper pipe before sweating. No good using that either.

Walt
 
#8 ·
Acids are tricky(and dangerous). In order for any of them to be effective, you would need to know the chemical compound of the residue on the deck and which, if any acid would combine with the residue and wash off. Muriatic acid might combine with copper sulfate, maybe sulfuric acid. But how much damage will be done to the wood, before you get it off.
My advice is to sand the boards or replace the issued ones.
Ron
 
#9 ·
so once I change out the couple boards I will be back asking how I can make the new boards the same color as the older sun baked ones!! And you will tell me once again that I have to sand them all. I think this merry-go-round is about to stop.

If anyone else has some constructive ideas that may have some alternative suggestions I would greatly appreciate it.

Ron6519 thanks anyway but...got to be another way.
 
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