That Tuesday everything went sideways on a simple deck stain job

I had a three day window to stain a big cedar deck in Lakewood back in July and the weather was supposed to hold steady, but by 9 AM the wind kicked up and dust from a nearby construction site settled all over the wet stain. Ended up having to sand the whole thing down and start over the next day, which pushed us into Saturday and cost me an extra $400 in labor. Has anyone else had a simple job spiral into a nightmare over something dumb like weather?

4 comments

4 Comments

patel.leo8d ago

Did you factor in any buffer time for weather or unexpected stuff when you planned that three day window? Honestly, I get how frustrating it is when a job goes sideways like that, but tbh this sounds like a pretty standard risk with outdoor work in the summer. Dust and wind are just part of the deal when you're staining decks near any kind of construction or open lot. Ngl, it's rough you lost that $400, but I think a lot of experienced guys would tell you to always keep a day or two extra in the schedule for exactly this kind of mess.

the_charlie8d ago

Wait, you really think three days is plenty for a deck stain in summer? That leaves zero room for a random 30 mph gust coating everything in dirt from the construction site next door. Stuff happens fast out there like a sudden dust devil that ruins your finish before it dries. Gotta be honest, losing $400 stings but that's just the price of learning to add a buffer day next time.

jason_kelly88d ago

THREE days for a deck stain is plenty if you Know what you're doing and check the forecast.

jana1798d ago

Honestly my luck with weather is so bad I’d probably get rained on inside a hardware store.