Totally NDR - removing White Pine tree Sap from wooden decking

Mark W

Mark W

Well-known member
We have a few big white pines uo at our cabin and the branches hand over our wooden deck. Deck is coated with a Solid Stain. In the past 2-3 years, a significant amount of pine sap has dripped onto the deck making it basically useless as every time you walk on it, your shoes get the sap on them and then any pine needle or leaf gets stuck to the bottom of your shoe. A couple of questions:

1. How do I remove this sap. I don't have 1-2 spots, I have several hundred if not more. Spending more than a minute on each spot would be tiresome and get old quickly. I've tried everything I can think of and nothing short of sanding it off and recoating seems to work.
2. Anyway to prevent this. Our tree guy says when the trees get stressed, the drop sap. I don't know how they get stressed. These are big trees, really big trees. We have had dry spells, wet spells and average and they still drop sap.
3. Anyone know how to make the spots at least not sticky. While I don't like the white spots, I could live with them if they weren't sticky.

Went out for early teal and practiced extreme shell conservation. WI early ends today. MN just started but I think I have other stuff to get done instead of hunting.

Thanks everyone.

Mark
 
Turpentine will cut it. Turpentine is distilled pine resin. I prefer it to thin oil paint and clean brushes. Depending on what the paint is, oil/latex, it may or may not harm it. Try it on a small spot to evaluate.
 
SJ Fairbank said:
Turpentine will cut it. Turpentine is distilled pine resin. I prefer it to thin oil paint and clean brushes. Depending on what the paint is, oil/latex, it may or may not harm it. Try it on a small spot to evaluate.
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Latex paint. Paramount Brand from Menards. The total deck area covered is about 12' X 50". Can I brush or roll on the turpentine and then powerwash off? Not concerned about harming the paint. Recoating takes very little time compared to getting rid of the sap. Only way I found to do so is a pressure washer with a 5 degree tip and spending lots of time. Sanding clogs up the paper in no time.

Thanks
 
I'm not positive how the paint will react. I would suggest trying a small spot to make sure. My experience using turpentine to remove sap is that you need to put in some elbow grease. I wipe with a paper towel. Even though it dissolves the sap, it's still sticky enough that it probably won't wash away easily. And it is pricey, bring lots of money to buy a gallon. Of course, hitting the paint hard with a power washer risks damage. The good news is that it evaporates quickly after you clean up. It does have a strong odor and you'll get happy if you breath too much of it.
 
Used a power washer the last couple of years. I have a lower pressure electric one that doesn'y damage the wood. Had to buy this one to pressure wash the logs the cabin is built out of. higher pressure would damage the wood without a doubt.

I am considering renting a floor sander and run over the top. It won't get all of it but should get most of it. Deck boards are pretty flat. Between power washing and sanding with a DA, these has to be an easier way. Maybe even cut down the tree. it has gotten that bad. Wish I had taken pictures. Next time I'm up there.
 
Mark W said:
Maybe even cut down the tree. it has gotten that bad. Wish I had taken pictures. Next time I'm up there.
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Mark,
My sister in law actually did that. A few years ago they purchase a summer home in MN (reside in Fargo ND). Long story short, they have a phobia of trees because of a lightning storm incident many year ago. The following summer after purchasing they cut down every mature white pine on the property. The neighbors were livid. I said jeez, why didn't you just purchase a lake home in ND where there are no trees!
RM
 
Mark W said:
We have a few big white pines uo at our cabin and the branches hand over our wooden deck. Deck is coated with a Solid Stain. In the past 2-3 years, a significant amount of pine sap has dripped onto the deck making it basically useless as every time you walk on it, your shoes get the sap on them and then any pine needle or leaf gets stuck to the bottom of your shoe. A couple of questions:

1. How do I remove this sap. I don't have 1-2 spots, I have several hundred if not more. Spending more than a minute on each spot would be tiresome and get old quickly. I've tried everything I can think of and nothing short of sanding it off and recoating seems to work.
2. Anyway to prevent this. Our tree guy says when the trees get stressed, the drop sap. I don't know how they get stressed. These are big trees, really big trees. We have had dry spells, wet spells and average and they still drop sap.
3. Anyone know how to make the spots at least not sticky. While I don't like the white spots, I could live with them if they weren't sticky.

Went out for early teal and practiced extreme shell conservation. WI early ends today. MN just started but I think I have other stuff to get done instead of hunting.

Thanks everyone.

Mark
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Other than cutting down the trees, non-polar solvent is what you need. Turpentine and wd-40 were suggested, but also mineral spirits (which is cheaper). If you could saturate the material to soften it and then scrape it off. Think about going to a stain that uses a non-polar solvent like mineral spirits and have it a wipe on stain (rather than a solid stain, that may give you ability to to clean it up with a solvent and then touch up reapply the stain. That sort of stain is tough to find since all the stores stock CA compliant stains that are water-based, to reduce VOCs.
 
tod osier said:
Other than cutting down the trees, non-polar solvent is what you need. Turpentine and wd-40 were suggested, but also mineral spirits (which is cheaper). If you could saturate the material to soften it and then scrape it off. Think about going to a stain that uses a non-polar solvent like mineral spirits and have it a wipe on stain (rather than a solid stain, that may give you ability to to clean it up with a solvent and then touch up reapply the stain. That sort of stain is tough to find since all the stores stock CA compliant stains that are water-based, to reduce VOCs.
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Agree the mineral spirits will work. Plus the odorless stuff is great indoors. I initially thought about suggesting it, but aren't they petroleum distillates? My thinking was if he's gonna use a bunch where it can/will be washed off, it's better not to use a petroleum solvent. Then again, I own two dozen outboards, but only one 4 stroke and that a 4 HP, so the stench of hypocrisy is in the air.
 
SJ Fairbank said:
Agree the mineral spirits will work. Plus the odorless stuff is great indoors. I initially thought about suggesting it, but aren't they petroleum distillates? My thinking was if he's gonna use a bunch where it can/will be washed off, it's better not to use a petroleum solvent. Then again, I own two dozen outboards, but only one 4 stroke and that a 4 HP, so the stench of hypocrisy is in the air.
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I wasn't too worried about mineral spirits vs turpentine, they are not going to interact completely differently in the environment. I wouldn't use any non-polar solvent if it was actually going to fall in the water, if the deck is over water, I'd scratch all I said.
 
I would never recommend cutting every pine on the property, but selectively cutting the one or two primary culprits would seem the best long-term solution. Otherwise, you'll be right back at it next fall.
 
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