WHY BEHR DECK-OVER FAILED ⁉️( A OPINION PIECE)

   After painting a couple hundred decks in the Northern Kentucky - Cincinnati area.... 

   I have seen Deck-Over failure alot. It could be argued I suppose that I have seen it more than anyone in the area.

     In or around 2012 I noticed this massive spike in Request for quotes on painting deck systems with peeling Deck-Over.

 The Potential customers were basically at a loss for how to get their Deck Systems Restored with this thick coating peeling up in sheets in some areas...

And in others ( usually areas not hit by sun) it was locked tight to their deck in perfect condition. 

 The Decks just looked like they had leprosy and it was really really awful looking to be honest.

   To compound the Problem many of the deck paint systems had added ( texture) or (silica) beads ... Creating a Rough Textured look That was supposed to add grip. 

 These textured decks in my opinion had way less adhesion than their smooth Deck-Over counterpart SYSTEMS

 They failed more massively, and also looked just hideous.  

   So now that you have a idea of the Problem That I was staring down at the time.   👀

I'm going to tell you why I think Deck-Over deck paint failed on a grand scale all over the TRI-STATE.  (CINCINNATI)

(NORTHERN KENTUCKY) ( SOUTH EAST INDIANA). 

And all over the Nation for a matter of fact❗

       

      After years of solving and restoring these PEELING DECK-OVER DECKS , VIA MY COMPANY KONG ARMOR

 I Can tell you that without a Doubt the Number 1 Reason these Systems failed so massively was :

             DiY APPLICATION......

    See initially when I seen these failures before I got heavy heavy into restoring Deck-Over Peeling ...  Like I do everyday now basically with KONG ARMOR.   I believed that the Coating was the main problem . 

   Really truley I believed that Deck-Over was a horrible coating that just failed for no reason. 

 And that Behr. HAD RIPPED PEOPLE OFF. 

  TODAY AFTER RESTORING HUNDREDS OF DECKS WITH PEELING DECK-OVER. I CAN TELL YOU FOR A 100 PERCENT FACT ... ......

IT IS JUST NOT THE CASE..... 

   DECK-OVER FAILED ON SUCH A GRAND SCALE BECAUSE OF LACK OF PROPER PROFESSIONAL CLEANING STANDARDS AND PREPARATION.  PERIOD. 

 ILL SAY IT AGAIN...

BEHR DECK-OVER FAILED ON SUCH A GRAND SCALE BECAUSE OF LACK OF PROPER PROFESSIONAL CLEANING STANDARDS AND PREPARATION.  PERIOD. 

   

  

      

   THE PROBLEM LIES IN THE FACT THAT DECK-OVER WAS MARKETED TO DIY CONSUMERS. PEOPLE WHO DO NOT PAINT EVERYDAY... 

 PEOPLE WHO DONT WANT TO PAINT. PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT GOING TO SPEND 30 MINS PRESSURE CLEANING A BOARD UNTILL EVERY OUNCE OF DIRT IS OUT OF IT. 

   SOMETIMES AT MY BUSINESS KONG ARMOR WE HAVE TO CLEAN A DECK FOR HOURS ON END TO GET EVERY OUNCE OF DIRT OFF THE BOARDS AND TO REMOVE DIRT AND GRIME THAT HAS PENETRATED CRACKED BOARDS AND IS DEEP DOWN IN THE WOOD. 

 THERE HAS BEEN TIMES WHERE I PERSONALLY HAVE HAD TO SWEEP ACROSS A BOARD WITH HIGH PRESSURE 50 OR 60 TIMES TO GET ALL THE DIRT AND GRIME AND CONTAINMENTS OUT OF IT. 

 IT IS THIS DIRT AND GRIME AND CONTAINMENTS THAT CAUSES DECK PAINT TO LOOSE ADHESION OR NEVER GAIN ADHESION AND BEGIN TO LIFT AND THEN PEEL. 

  A EVERYDAY AVERAGE PERSON DOES NOT HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE TO DISCERN IF THEY HAVE GOTTEN A PIECE OF WOOD CLEAN ENOUGH TO PAINT. LET ALONE HUNDREDS OF PIECES OF WOOD. 

   AND BEHR WAS ALREADY MARKETING THIS COATING TO BE APPLIED TO THE DECKS THAT WERE IN THE ROUGHEST WORST CONDITIONS......

  SO ESSIENTALLY MARKETING TO DIY CONSUMERS A RESTORATION COATING THAT REQUIRES ULTRA CLEAN SURFACES FOR PROPER ADHESION.... 

BAD IDEA...... 

   NO HOMEOWNER WILL EVERY SPEND THE TIME TO CLEAN THEIR DECK PROPERLY.    JUST NOT GONNA DO IT. 

IT IS VERY BORING METICULOUS WORK. 

   LETS TALK ABOUT THE #2 REASON DECK-OVER FAILED SO MASSIVELY

     THE SUN.     🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞

     LISTEN , WHEN IT COMES TO DECKS IN GENERAL ,PUBLIC ENEMY #1 IS THE SUN. 

          

   Every Deck That I have Ever Restored the main culprit that has caused the damage has been the Sun. 

 It's UV Rays Damage Coatings and Weaken them, 

UV Ray's breakdown everything. It's what they do. Anything left in the SUN for too long will take on massive damage. And be destroyed. No Exceptions.  

  What ultimately happened in the case of Deck-Over is a kind of 1-2 Punch combination.   

   Poor cleaning from DIY Applications resulted in Poor Adhesion. 

 The Sun's UV Ray's added to weakening the integrity of the coating. 

  

 And then the Sun's Second Punch, finished the deal......

  That second punch from the SUN is the 

  3RD Reason Deck-OVER Failed Massively

   Wood Expansion And Contraction ❗

   

With its relatively low elongation or stretch

Capabilities Deck-Over once Weakened by the Sun's 🌞 UV Ray's cannot keep up with The Expansion and Contraction Phases of Wood. 

 The picture above illustrates seasonal expansion and contraction. 

Throughout the Seasons here in the Tri-State area our exterior wood goes through a shift in size depending on the season. 

 Starting in Spring and ending in late Summer it Gradually Expands, Over-All in Size. 

 Once late Summer Passes and the days begin to draw shorter and cooler our exterior wood begins to contract and tighten back down to a smaller size. 

   Ever noticed a door in the winter closes and opens freely and comfortably. BUT COME SUMMER ITS HARD TO OPEN AND CLOSE. 

THIS IS FROM SEASONAL EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION. 

SEE WITHOUT PROPER STRETCH CAPABILITIES A COATING CANNOT EXPAND WITHOUT CRACKING AND FAILING AND THEN PEELING. 

 AND ALSO WITHOUT A PROCCESS CALLED ACRYLIC-CROSS LINKING WHEN THE WOOD CONTRACTS. IT CANNOT SHRINK BACK TO ITS NORMAL OR ORIGINIAL SIZE OR SMALLER TO PREVENT CRACKING AND PEELING. 

 I OFTEN EXPLAIN IT LIKE THIS:

  HAVE YOU EVER BENT A SPOON OR A PIECE OF METAL BACK AND FORTH, BACK AND FORTH, BACK AND FORTH UNTILL IT BREAKS OR SNAPS. ( IM SURE YOU HAVE)

 THATS ESSIENTALLY WHAT IS HAPPENING BUT WE ARE DEALING WITH A COATING THAT IS MILIMETERS THICK. 

   DECK-OVER HAS SOME ELONGATION OR STRETCH CAPABILITIES....BUT THEY ARE NOWHERE NEAR ENOUGH TO HANDLE THIS CONSISTENT STRAIN ON THE PAINTS FILM. SO IT CRACKS OR POPS, AND THEN PEELS... REMEMBER THE SUN 🌞 HAS ALREADY DAMAGED ITS ADHESION AND INTEGRITY BEFORE THIS.. SO PEELING BECOMES WIDESPREAD. 

AND AS IF THIS WAS NOT ENOUGH. TO COMPOUND THIS PROBLEM EVEN MORE. 

THERE IS ALSO ANOTHER ISSUE

 DAILY WOOD EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION. ❗

 THATS RIGHT.❗🦍🦍 

EXTERIOR WOOD GOES THROUGH A DAILY EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION PHASE AS WELL AS HAVING THE LARGER SEASONAL PHASE. 

 ITS DIFFICULT STUFF.  BUT WHAT U NEED TO KNOW IS THAT DECK-OVER CANT KEEP UP WITH THE WOODS MOVEMENT. 

     So Finally. Let's talk about the last Reason. 

   Humans...... 

   I HAVE LAID OUT THE FUNDAMENTALS OF WHY DECK-OVER FAILED FROM A STAND POINT OF THE ELEMENTS AND WOOD EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION. 

   NOW IM GOING TO TELL YOU A TRUTH. 

A PILL THATS HARD TO SWALLOW FOR MOST DECK OWNERS THAT FACE DECK-OVER FAILURE. 

   MOST OF THEM TORE THEIR DECKS UP THEMSELVES. 

 INFACT. THIS PHENOMENON OF DECK PAINT PEELING AND FAILING IS NOT NEW OR CONFINED TO DECK-OVER. 

IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN. 

   HUMANS DESTROY DECKS. WE DRAG GRILLS AND METAL FURNITURE ACROSS IT. 

   OUR DOGS DIG THEIR CLAWS INTO OUR DECKS AND RUN AND SLIDE AND LAY ON OUR DECKS WITH THEIR GREASY BODIES. 

   HERE IS THE TRUTH. YOU CANNOT REPLACE THE PAINTER...WHEN IT COMES TO DECKS. 

      THE FACT IS IF DECK-OVER HAD MORE STRETCH CAPABILITIES AND A ACTIONABLE PAINTING FIRM BEHIND IT THAT COULD SERVICE TROUBLE ISSUES THAT AROSE ON THEIR CUSTOMERS DECKS.  IT WOULD BE A PERFECT SOLUTION. 

 HOWEVER BEHR IS IN THE BUSINESS OF SELLING COATINGS. SO WHEN YOUR DECK PEELS AND FAILS THEY SELL MORE PRODUCT.    

   IT IS BIG BUSINESS FOR PAINT MANUFACTURERS TOO PRODUCE COATINGS THAT FAIL. WHY? BECAUSE U BUY MORE. 

     DECK PAINT HAS ALWAYS FAILED OR TAKEN ON DAMAGE AT SOME OF POINT. AND THEN STARTED PEELING. 

    AT MY COMPANY KONG ARMOR OUR CUSTOMERS HAVE A DIFFERENT OPTION.   

WE GIVE THEM A LIMITED WARRANTY THAT INCLUDES POOR TRADESMANSHIP. 

SO IF WE CAN ASSCERN THAT THE FAILURE IS FROM POOR ADHESION OR FAILURE TO COAT PROPERLY.... WE FIX IT FOR FREE. 

   IF IT IS HUMAN ABBRASSION WE GIVE THEM A AFFORDABLE OPTION TO FIX THEIR DECK PAINT SYSTEM

  WE CAN DO THIS BECAUSE WE HAVE A HIGH BUILD- HIGH STRETCH COATING THAT HAS THE ABILITY TO BE EASILY TOUCHED UP... EVEN YEARS AFTER INITIAL APPLICATION. 

 SO IT'S THIS LACK OF SERVICE.... THAT MAKES DECK-OVER SUCH A FAILURE. 

 BUT IF WE SELL COATINGS FOR A LIVING. WHY WOULD WE EVER WANT TO SERVICE THEM ...... WE WOULD JUST WANT TO SELL MORE AND MORE AND MORE. 

SO IT'S IN THE COATINGS MANUFACTURES BEST INTEREST IF YOUR DECK SYSTEM FAILS.  BASICALLY.  IF I AM BEING HONEST.

    MOST OF THE MAJOR DECK PAINT BRANDS ARE OWNED BY ONLY A SELECT FEW COMPANIES. SO ALL THE MONEY GOES TO THE SAME ACCOUNTS. LOL...... 

       WITH ACTIONABLE SERVICE...... 

DECK-OVER FAILURE WOULD NOT BE SOMETHING THAT WAS SO ( TALKED ABOUT) OR A BIG DEAL

..................

INSTEAD..... NOW WE HAVE LAWSUITS AND PEOPLE PRETENDING THAT DECK PAINT SYSTEMS NEVER DID THIS BEFORE....

THEY ALWAYS HAVE THEY ALWAYS WILL.....

DECKS ARE MOVING SHIFTING OBJECTS. SUBJECT TO SUNLIGHT AND ELEMENTS. 

     FORGET ABOUT BUY COATING........

YOU NEED A DECK PAINT SYSTEM THAT CAN BE SERVICED. 

VISIT KONG ARMOR