Replies

1. 
   Shep | Jan 12, 2009 04:57am | #1

   This is pure speculation, but I'd be tempted to try some kind of blasting set-up, maybe with walnut husks, or some kind of beads.

   Otherwise, you're going to end up scraping, or stripping that surface. And at 20-some feet in the air, that wouldn't be fun.

2. 
   McDesign | Jan 12, 2009 05:01am | #2

   Welcome here -

   Looks like it's either laquer or shellac. 

   On our house, we just "face-lift" our woodwork like this with either denatured alcohol for the shellac, or laquer thinner - one won't disolve the other.

   Lots of wiping with rags, then 4-0 steel wool to even it out - you're basically just wiping off the grime and "re-spreading" what's there.

   Follow with some modified tung-oil finish with some UV protectants in it.

   Forrest

1. 
   MikeSmith | Jan 12, 2009 06:20am | #3

   thanks for the ireland tour , tooMike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore

3. 
   DonCanDo | Jan 12, 2009 03:48pm | #4

   If you really want the easiest, fastest fix have you considered painting it?

   It would still need a good cleaning and an oil primer, but that would still have to be easier than stripping and re-finishing 23' up.

   What steps have you taken to prevent future moisture issues?

1. 
   tlivingd | Jan 13, 2009 05:28am | #5

   I've thought about painting it but not sure if I'd want to. I could paint it a rich brown color but think it would look tacky. Looking at the soffits more, they don't look nearly as bad as this. This is the worst looking spot however its simmilar over an area about 12'x 20' of my porch. I have no idea how to keep it from happening again other than heating the space between the upper porch and lower porch.We had days of below zero temps then a couple days above 40 degrees. Like your ice cold beer on a summer day, EVERYTHING started to sweat. It also killed my wireless outside temperature sensor but this is a much bigger problem. Oh and the sweat that formed on the tools in the garage was horrible as well. I've lived here for 4 years and haven't seen this till now. I've even thought about sheathing over it with aluminum soffit material but again I think it would look tacky. While writing this I remembered I had some denatured alki in the basement and tried this on my porch with a paper towel. it took the color out, and letting it sit for awhile it got pretty tacky. What's strange though. The wood isn't smooth. But the grain is raised and lowered depending on the area. I wonder if someone has blasted this before with something to refinish it. nate.

1. 
   tlivingd | Jan 13, 2009 06:42am | #6

   While walking the dog around the neighborhood people have done all kinds of things. I've seen some look like it was covered in poly as it has a very smooth look to it and you can still see the grain. Others sheath it in alumimnum (not what I want to do) a few look painted and some have been painted many times. how would you paint over shellac? can you poly over shellac?nate.

2. 
   Matt | Jan 13, 2009 04:10pm | #7

   >> I've even thought about sheathing over it with aluminum soffit material but again I think it would look tacky.  <<

   It would look tacky.  And refinishing sounds like what you need to do.  Some things are just an incredible amount of work.

   OTOH, I'm just gonna throw this out there....  See attached pic.  This ceiling is Certainteed triple 2" vinyl soffit.  The trim is cellular PVC.  The vinyl doesn't look exactly like beadboard but personally I think it looks darn good.  I have it on my own house too.  Front porch, back porch, and soffits.  It comes in vented and unvented.  For the soffits on your house I can just about guarantee that you couldn't tell the difference between that and real beadboard.  The porch ceiling would be different since you would be viewing it closer, but still only people with a trained eye will know the difference.

   Another product is Azek bead board.  It's a great product too.$$

   There is nothing like the look of stained beadboard with a clear finish.  IMHO, though, it's not a question if it will end up looking like yours, it's just a question of when.  Just pain stained is better (maintenance wise) but doesn't give the same look.

3. 
   Sphere | Jan 13, 2009 04:33pm | #8

   I've seen a fair amount of that grain issue you describe it is more pronounced on Yellow pine and doug fir that has been shellacced. Shellac is not gonna stop and hardly slows mositure absorbtion, so the early wood ( soft) and late wood ( hard) shrink and swell differently.

   Yes, you can paint over shellac that is there..it is common, but..I'd still use an oil primer first..no telling what kinda contaminants have migrated in and out of the area. Think pollution.

   Personally, I'm NOT a fan of Poly over shellac, or any sealer..poly is generally ( oil based poly that is) self sealing and any sealer under it can alter the good adhesion. I CRINGE wjen I hear of people using sanding sealer and then poly. Shellac is often thinned and used as such..bad mojo.  Varnish ( Spar or not) is more compatible over shellac. different long chain oils and driers.

   For your issue, I'd saturate the area with Denate, and keep it as wet as possible till the shellac reacts again, and after re-shellacing the spotches, go over the whole thing with varnish. Think upside down boat.

   bucket of alky, rags , sponges whatever you have handy..Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

   Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations

    

   They kill Prophets, for Profits.

    

    

4. 
   rajo2008 | Jan 15, 2009 05:07am | #9

   checkout a company called envirospec.they carry a product(can't recall the name of it)that you mix with water sprayon the rinse with a pressure washer(low pressure).they claim it can used to strip furniture,I used it to remove old stain from a board and batten cedar house, worked pretty good.