The more you need to remove, the greater the chance of making the wood look “fuzzy” or “soft”. This is totally normal and only cosmetic, it doesn't affect how long a stain or sealer will last and doesn't do any damage to the wood itself.
If your wood does get fuzzy, go down a grit or two with the sandpaper (120-grit is a good place to start) and sand out the little furs. The way to avoid fuzzy wood is to make sure you don't sand with a paper finer than 150 grit. And don't use a scraper either.
When properly done, most blasting methods create at least some “felting”, AKA “wood fuzz.” Prior to applying any finishing products you must remove wood fuzz. Eventually all of that fuzz will fall off, so any stain applied to it will leave a mottled appearance and leave those areas exposed to weather.
Here's the crucial step to getting a super smooth wood finish: sand between your finish coats! Apply your finish of choice (my go-to is wipe-on poly!) and allow it to dry for the recommended time (usually a couple of hours). Once dry, grab some 320 grit sandpaper, and lightly sand the finish by hand.
As the wood surface is exposed to heat and drying (as from direct sunlight), the water evaporates and salt crystals form in the wood cells (Fig. 2). Over time, the physical forces exerted by the salt crystals push the fibers of the wood apart, causing the “fuzzy” appearance (Fig.
But if you're going to give your deck a coat of stain or oil then you'll need to remove the fuzzies. If you stain or oil a deck that is fuzzy, it will look terrible. It will be rough when you walk on it and will feel like you have sand stuck to your deck.
Use an ammonia solution: An ammonia solution of about 2.5 dl (1 cup) of ammonia per 4 litres (1 gallon) of water can be used to dissolve the build-up that's causing the haziness of your floors. Remember to use this solution carefully, so that you don't further damage the floor with excess water.
Oil finishes can be applied directly over prepared bare or stained wood. Only water or non-grain-raising (NGR) stains should be used; oil-base stains interfere with the penetration of the oil.
To get rid of the excess stain now, take a cloth dampened with mineral spirits and use that to scrub down the piece. This should remove the excess stain. Alternatively, apply another coat of stain, wait a couple of minutes for it to soften up the old, tacky, excess stain, then take a cloth and rub away the excess.
All stains and finishes depend on evaporation to dry, but when the temperature is below 65 degrees or above 90 degrees, or the humidity level is above 50%, then the evaporation process is either too slow or too fast, causing your finish to either not dry or dry too quickly, turning white — like my deck!
Power washing cleans and preps the surface, stripping away dirt, grime, and old finishes, revealing the raw beauty of the wood beneath. However, this is only half the battle. Sanding is the next critical step, smoothing the surface and preparing it for sealing or staining.
Deck furring or fuzzing after cleaning heavily oxidized and mildewed deck. One thing that can potentially happen when your deck is cleaned or stripped is that it's possible to get “wood fuzzies” or “wood furring” when finished. This looks like very small raised wood grain fibers or hair on the decking boards.
To fix this, the surface needs to be scuffed and sanded first. Second, we recommend applying a sanding sealer to protect the top. Sanding sealer has a larger resin particle, so it will provide a better build for the next sanding step. Then finish with your topcoat.
A detail sander or hand sanding works for smaller areas. Sand with the grain of the wood. Use a coarse 120-grit sandpaper if there are deep gouges or imperfections in the wood. Repeat the sanding process with a progressively finer grit sandpaper until you are satisfied with the surface of the wood.
Treat White Rot Mold on Wood
Once all visible growth is removed, use water with a mild bleach solution (one-part bleach to 20 parts water) to treat any area where white-rot fungus might have penetrated the wood's surface.
Brushing is the slowest method of applying stain. So not only might you get blotching or lap marks, you're also wasting time. It's more efficient to wipe stain than to brush it, and you're less likely to have color problems.
A Better Way to Tell
To tell if it is still good, start with a visual inspection. Discard finishes that have become thick, rubbery, stringy or separated, as well as those with a skunky odor or obvious mold growth. Ditto for water-based paint or finish that looks like cottage cheese.
Applying the second coat too soon can result in peeling or uneven coloration, while waiting too long may hinder absorption. Manufacturer Guidelines: Most stains recommend waiting at least 4 hours between coats or until the first coat is completely dry.
The other caution is that water-based stain dries quickly. Recruit a helper to wipe the stain behind your application if you are staining a huge area. Wait 24 hours before applying sealant. Oil-based wood stains have some advantages over water-based stains.
Tung oil is a good choice for almost any finishing situation, but it's expensive and time-consuming to apply properly. Most woodworkers opt for a faster-drying blend of oils that includes varnish for extra durability. Generally, you'd use Danish oil for interior woodwork and teak oil for outdoor woodwork.
The primary function of staining is to provide color to a wood piece. If you sand in between coats of stain, you risk breaking the color and damaging the stain. Instead, you should sand the raw wood before applying a stain.
The good news is that the fix is fast and easy. To remove the fuzzies, give the deck a quick sanding. That's it. All those fuzzy fibres will simply pop off easily after one quick pass of the sander.
Will Bona Floor Cleaners leave behind any residue? No, Bona Floor Cleaners are formulated to clean without dulling or leaving any residue on your floors.