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Can I restain using Olympic that is now oil formula when original was water based?

My log cabin was originally stained 3 years ago with Sierra water based Olympic stain and seal. But now the product is an oil formula. Not sure if I should use this oil based stain over my old water based stain....same brand - Olympic.

If I use an oil based stain this time...will I have to keep restaining it with another oil based stain?? ..can't go back to water based, right?

Cabot has a water based stain and seal....Should I use this product over what is there? or because it is cabot and not Olympic, will I have to remove original stain???

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Permalink Reply by CharisB on May 10, 2012 at 4:09pm

Hi, Pat. My advice: stick with another water-based product. Here's why:

In general, it's not a good thing to go over an existing water-based stain with an oil-based stain. Depending on the type of oils, there could be a number of things that could go wrong (the new won't stick to the old, could lead to peeling, etc.). HOWEVER, if you first remove the water-based and go back to bare wood, that's an option.

If you DO go back to bare wood and go with the oil-based product, you might be able to switch back to a water-based in the future, depending on the type of oils in the oil-based stain. IF the oil-based prouduct contains any non-drying oils like waxes (usually parrafin or carnuba), petroleum oils, silicones, etc., you will have to stay with an oil-based stain. Those oils will seep into the wood very deeply. They can then migrate back out of the wood over time and interfere with water-based products you put on top. If the oils are oxidizing (drying) oils, like linseed oil, going back to a water-based product in the future after removing it is not out of the question.

Hope that answers it for you!

-- Charis w/ Sashco - www.sashco.com - cbabcock@sashco.com

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Permalink Reply by Pat Watters on May 10, 2012 at 5:07pm

thanks...why does it have to be so complicated. I built a log home because I was naive and thought it would be easy for a single woman to maintain...

So i guess I may have to change to a water based Cabot stain n seal.....since Olympic doesn't make a water-based product anymore.

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Permalink Reply by CharisB on May 10, 2012 at 5:14pm

Sorry - it can be frustrating. In general, it's better to not mix your technologies (water- vs. oil-based). It can be done with certain types of oil-bases, but more research is generally necessary.

Here is a little booklet that may help you as you go forward. It's called "Keeping the Dream Alive". It's gives you some basic info on log home finishing & maintenance. http://www.sashco.com/log/pdfs/Keeping_the_Dream_Alive.pdf. Hopefully, that will help you make decisions moving forward.

And, of course, feel free to post here or email me directly with questions. I'm always happy to be a resource.

Have a great day!

-- Charis w/ Sashco - www.sashco.com - cbabcock@sashco.com