new deck stain applied to thick has some shoe prints in it

[bornthrifty]

our oil based stain was applied to thick,

and as it seemed ok to walk on....

we had an event and well, someone's shoes dissagreed with the stain

it was a hot day and a week after the stain was applied

we now have some sole tread marks on several boards


even though we were trying to stay off it


so I see two choices

what do you think

do I sand the boards down now and reapply my concern though is the boards are long I wouldn't want to sand the entire board, would just want to touch up, but not sure if it will look bad


or do I just turn the deck boards over that are concerning and start fresh on those few boards with a new coat of stain..



I think turning the boards might be easier however they are long and I would have to use more stain..

thanks for your help!

sorry if this is a dumb question,
it's just I have been thinking I would have to sand and touch up

and now it seems so simple to just flip the boards

 

[sumi]

For me it would depend on how much effort it would require to flip the board and redo the stain vs sanding and touching up? How much sanding and touching up is needed? And would the touch-up blend in well with the existing stain?

I'd sand down and touch up a small area and see how successful the touch up option is. If it doesn't require too much sanding and it blends in well, that would be a cheaper option, at least.

 

[bornthrifty]

I think that is wise, I should just test an area, with sanding and touch up,

I hope it works,

for a while flipping the boards seemed better because, I wouldn't have as many seems on the stain but it might be tough to turn the boards since they are help down with old screwws

thanks!

 

[Smart Red]

My first thought was to sand the area and feather the outside edges, then re-stain. If it is recent work, the new stain should match the other just fine.

 

[baymule]

Why sand or flip the board at all? The foot print gives it character and is a reminder of your friend. Everything is not supposed to be perfect. I know you worked hard on it, but sometimes things just happen.

I see two choices

Celebrate the foot prints and name the boards after some of your friends/family

Sand them off and make a perfect deck in an imperfect world

Yeah, I know, I look at things differently.......

 

[bornthrifty]

I think I will sand and feather and stain,
however I was just reading I might be able to use mineral oil on a cloth and smooth out so I think I will try that first

lollollol
yes we live in an imperfect world, my house is only a collection of flawed chipped and broken things saved from some one elses trash

however this is a lot of boards

and I worked to hard and spent tooo much money to start out with such a head start in the wear and tear look



but I do expect it to get all damaged and scratched and will and can live with that!

 

[bornthrifty]

well I just tried the mineral oil thing and that didn't work at all, maybe it could have a few days ago?
so I will sand and recover, carefully

I think the concern with oil based stain is going to thick, so overlap would be bad cause it could forever be sticky...?

 

[bornthrifty]

so I sanded it and stained it again several boards

it looks thick, and I guess now with it so thick, and basically a second coat on much of it as I didn't sand the entire boards to bare just smoothed them out

it may take as long as a month to dry

or hopefully shorter lol

 

[FarmerJamie]

Why sand or flip the board at all? The foot print gives it character and is a reminder of your friend. Everything is not supposed to be perfect. I know you worked hard on it, but sometimes things just happen.

I see two choices

Celebrate the foot prints and name the boards after some of your friends/family

Sand them off and make a perfect deck in an imperfect world

Yeah, I know, I look at things differently.......

Baymule, I was thinking just about what you said about it having character.

But, everyone has their own preferences.

 

[baymule]

I worked at a furniture store one time and a dinette table came in with a big black boot print in the middle of it, under the varnish. The owner was sure that he would lose money on it.......a lady came in looking for a cheap table. I asked if she had seen the infamous bootprint table. Intrigued, she followed me to the back room, where I extolled the virtues of a brogan boot print on a dinette table. She bought it, and I made the owner money on it.