Finally stopped using the expensive store bought deck stain and mixed my own for under $20

I spent almost 3 years buying those $50 cans of stain from the hardware store for my deck. Every time I'd apply it the color would look fine but then peel after one winter. This spring I talked to a guy at the local lumber yard in Portland and he told me to just mix boiled linseed oil with mineral spirits and a little pigment. Did my whole deck for eighteen bucks and it actually soaked in deep. Been 4 months now and no peeling yet. Has anyone else tried making their own finishes or am I just lucky so far?

2 comments

2 Comments

sandraf844d ago

Whoa, hold up. I gotta disagree with the homemade hype. I tried that linseed oil and mineral spirits mix a couple years ago and my deck ended up looking like a greasy mess. The pigment never really set right and after one summer it was all patchy and weird. Those expensive stains are formulated to bond with the wood and resist UV damage, linseed oil just sits on top and goes rancid eventually. I'll stick with the store bought stuff that actually has fungicides and UV blockers in it.

anderson.spencer4d ago

Dude I did the exact same thing last summer! Used boiled linseed oil with mineral spirits and some raw umber pigment I found at an art supply store. Cost me like 12 bucks total. My deck is shaded by a big maple tree so moisture was always an issue with the fancy stuff. This homemade mix has held up way better through two rainy seasons now. The key is letting each coat really dry before putting another one on, I waited like 48 hours between each.