Porch renovation wood question
Porch project was going good but I think I ruined it with stain and will have to repaint. Its important to know the type of wood you're working with 
before wasting a month trying to restore smh.
It’s very difficult to identify the type of wood from your pics. One pic looks like pine, but another pic looks like a hardwood. If the lines are very close together, it is usually a hard wood. When the spacing is wide between lines, it’s a faster growing tree, which is usually a softwood.
from Bob Roe: Judging by the age of the porch as seen in the photos, be careful of lead paint. Do a real good clean up and do it several times. Keep any children away.
from Bob Roe: A Lead Chek swab available at Riccardi paints should tell if it is lead paint.
RobertRoe said:
from Bob Roe: Judging by the age of the porch as seen in the photos, be careful of lead paint. Do a real good clean up and do it several times. Keep any children away.
I assumed it was lead paint and used a heat gun for removal to limit the dust.
Sweetsnuggles said:
It’s very difficult to identify the type of wood from your pics. One pic looks like pine, but another pic looks like a hardwood. If the lines are very close together, it is usually a hard wood. When the spacing is wide between lines, it’s a faster growing tree, which is usually a softwood.
I believe you are correct. The problem with the staining was that I couldn't get a uniform color as the different woods were reacting differently.
the_18th_letter said:
RobertRoe said:
from Bob Roe: Judging by the age of the porch as seen in the photos, be careful of lead paint. Do a real good clean up and do it several times. Keep any children away.
I assumed it was lead paint and used a heat gun for removal to limit the dust.
I hope that you wore a respirator. A regular heat gun is not really good for lead paint, it can vaporize it and spread it through the air.
FilmCarp said:
I hope that you wore a respirator. A regular heat gun is not really good for lead paint, it can vaporize it and spread it through the air.
I did not, unfortunately. Just a regular sanding mask. The porch door was removed and all windows opened. Wasnt aware of vaporized particles. The top 2 coats were not lead as I did them myself.
I wound up going with a darker stain, could bear to put paint back on the wood.
'Renovating' my porch on my own and need help identifying wood type as I move on the selecting stain, got another day or 2 of sanding to do. I'm planning to go with a really dark stain fyi.