Cleanup and sealing info

http://www.homeadditionplus.com/Deck-Info/Removing_Sap_From_Deck_Boards.htm

Another technique involving baking the sap out and handplaning it off (obviously not going to work in your situation)

http://www.finewoodworking.com/2011/10/14/how-to-set-wood-sap

Thanks for that info. However, a lot of the places on the boards not being replaced are not near a knot. I will try the Goo Gone and/or turpentine and see if i can find someone who will strip the boards and just leave them natural until the spring I guess. Maybe by then all the remaining sap will be out.

How hard is it to strip basically brand new stain?

Oh, I know it's not the stain causing the oozing. I want to remove the stain so all the deck boards match. I am not staining the replacement boards until I know for sure that they are good, and I want to wait for the others to stop oozing, too. Personally, I think it's the deck guy's responsibility to fix all of this as I paid over $2,200 for this, but he is only replacing the ones that are really bad, like they have sap running the whole length and width of the board.

I hired someone to do this; basically rebuilt my deck - replaced two support posts that had rotted, extended the length (went from 12X14 to 18X14) and replaced all the deck boards/pickets/hand rails, and rebuilt the steps because the stringers had rotted at the ground. I don't think I had any input as to where he bought the materials. I assumed they would be OK. Guess I learned my lesson.

Deck boards where there is sap and or had sap removed will not accept stain like boards where there is no sap. Chemicals to remove sap can sometime also effect the woods ability to accept stain. Cleanwoode is one of the few I know will remove sap and can be stained over. Unfortunately you more than likely have southern yellow pine which if not deck grade material will be one of the sappiest woods known. Technically just about all wood can have sap, if you want a guarantee of no sap you get composite.

I agree, may want to go with composite in the future if you want to completely avoid. Or not attempt a stain until years later when you know sap is done coming out.

Question. I've built and repaired several decks, composite, cedar, white oak and PT woods. Never had a sap problem.

In fact, the only sap problem I ever had was with 1 by pine lumber. And that is definitely NOT decking by any stretch.

What kind of deck wood has sap still in it?

The deck boards at Lowes according to the website are pressure treated yellow pine 1 X 5.5's.

I have seen it some back a few years ago when I ran a couple lumberyards in Cedar, #2 PT decking and occasionally Premium PT. Usually if there was some most of the pallet would have it as well.

Ok, must be YellaWood, never used that yet(came out after I retired). There are several types of pine used as decking, Southern yellow pine, white pine, and Ponderosa pine. All have sap problems, I have a feeling the stuff from Lowe's is processed as fast as possible (and may be lesser quality)as I have seldom had the same problem with decking from Home Depot or an independent lumber yard.

However there is a discrepancy. 1 by(in lumber language) is actually 3/4" thick. Too thin for decking floors. Deck flooring lumber is either 5/4"(actual 1&1/8" thick) or 2 by(actual 1&1/2" thick).

I know it is confusing. Reason is lumber is sawn at a saw mill to nominal rough sawn thicknesses. That means a 2x4 is actually 2" thick and 4" wide. But it has saw marks and splinters. To smooth the surfaces and remove splinters, the board is planed in a machine(called a planer). That removes about 1/4" of material from each face and edge. Total is 1/2" for the width and the thickness, making a 2x4 now 1&1/2" by 3&1/2" actual dimensions.

Decking is a bit different, as the amount removed is 1/8" from each face and 1/4" from the edges---while rounding over those edges. That makes a 5/4 by 6" decking board an actual 1&1/8" thick and 5&1/2" wide.

I know this is splitting hairs, but it is really important for the folks using the lumber.

Incidently, houses built(at least locally) before 1930 were built using 2" by 4" (actual dimensions) rough cut white oak studs and rafters. It is virtually impossible to pull the nails used in the construction when remodeling.

I also have the same issue. I am 66 yrs old and have NEVER seen anything like this mess! If I knew who to sue, I would! I also put 3 coats of stain, is all ruined! I plan to remove the sap with my hot gun but right now it's 105° and this deck mess is between house to my pool!

Since this post got bumped, I can give you an update. They guy never replaced any of the deck boards, he ghosted me. All the new wood the guy used (posts, joists but not the deck boards) rotted, and I had to have the whole thing torn down and rebuilt, by someone else of course. October 21 someone came and did some temporary repair to keep it form falling down, and I finally got it rebuilt this past spring. Learned my lesson!