California environmental laws suck!!

[treehugger]

I love the environment, I understand the repurcussions first hand of lead based paint and PCB laden dielectric fluid. I work in the environmental field and am surrounded by wonderful caring environmentalists…..I just want my pergola stained!!!

I am getting a Pergola constructed and the contractor explained that because of the emissions laws in the state of Ca only water based stains are available and water based stains SUCK. I was adamant that I wanted a certain look, rustic dark wood stain….he had agreed (reluctantly and with much admonishing), so I did some internet research and yes he is correct. All the info I found on the internet says waterbased stains may not adhere and may peel, plus they don’t last more than 2 years if you are lucky. Pergola getting painted.

I went through this 2 years ago when we installed travertine floors and the sealer is not sold in anything bigger than a pint. I did internet research and called the distributor, sure enough Ca VOC emission laws preclude the larger size from being sold, but I can buy 20 of the little guys and fill up my trash can….

Make those darn power plants clean and let me have my oil based stain….

Environmentalist going to hell.

[spdrun]

AZ and NV aren’t that far away. And I wonder if having to repaint the pergola regularly and possibly have it rot will have more effect on the environment than a one-time use of VOC stain.

[Huckleberry]

I mean no disrespect, but I actually laughed out loud at the irony of this post coming from an author by the name of “treehugger”, especially the last sentence!

[Coronita]

Lol.. If you think that’s bad, just wait until you need to get your car repainted in CA…..

Water-based car paint….

[an]

[quote=Huckleberry]I mean no disrespect, but I actually laughed out loud at the irony of this post coming from an author by the name of “treehugger”, especially the last sentence![/quote]LoL

[SD Transplant]

That’s perfect timing as I have been considering staining my patio cover that I’m about to build. THe current one with H2O based paint is termite ridden and paint is peeling off….I had no idea there is legislation around this subject.

[barnaby33]

So you are a tree hugger till you want what you want? I for one am shocked! Never mind that a Pergola is in no way shape or form a need, you just sound like a douche.

I have no idea whether the stains in question are bad for the environment, but your tone is just awful.
Josh

[no_such_reality]

Are products like the Miniwax Wood Finish 250 VOC Compliant oil based finishes not available in California?

Minwax made the product to match their original Wood Finish polyurethane finishes with a different oil mixture to reduce the VOCs to levels compliant with the green seal initiative.

http://www.minwax.com/wood-products/stains/minwax-wood-finish-250-voc-compliant

I personally prefer the very basic teak or eucalyptus just coated annually with linseed oil.

[CDMA ENG]

???

Rockler seems to sell it…

Maybe I am misunderstanding…

CE

[treehugger]

I looked up the minwax product looks like it is for interior use. Maybe not for exterior due to UV breakdown?

The pergola will be Douglas fir, otherwise I agree linseed oil may be a good alternative for teak or other hardwoods, maybe even cedar.

My dad makes garden boxes out of cedar and redwood and paints some of them with linseed oil, the wood is beautiful.

[no_such_reality]

What about the Olympic exterior stain/sealers. The olympic maximum has high VOC and low VOC lines. The low VOC line is a linseed oil based so it gains the oil penetrating benefits. Lowes and others carry it locally.

http://www.olympic.com/products/stains/13/olympic-maximum-stain-sealant-in-one

[mike92104]

[quote=barnaby33]So you are a tree hugger till you want what you want? I for one am shocked! Never mind that a Pergola is in no way shape or form a need, you just sound like a douche.

I have no idea whether the stains in question are bad for the environment, but your tone is just awful.
Josh[/quote]

I’m for environmental laws that make sense and think about the whole picture. It’s great that we have reduced VOC’s, but when doing so renders the product nearly useless, it’s a problem. What is the environmental cost of having to reapply stain every other year, or worse yet having to repair/replace that pergola because it wasn’t properly treated?

[CA renter]

[quote=mike92104][quote=barnaby33]So you are a tree hugger till you want what you want? I for one am shocked! Never mind that a Pergola is in no way shape or form a need, you just sound like a douche.

I have no idea whether the stains in question are bad for the environment, but your tone is just awful.
Josh[/quote]

I’m for environmental laws that make sense and think about the whole picture. It’s great that we have reduced VOC’s, but when doing so renders the product nearly useless, it’s a problem. What is the environmental cost of having to reapply stain every other year, or worse yet having to repair/replace that pergola because it wasn’t properly treated?[/quote]

This is exactly the problem. Same with “Energy Star” appliances that now break down and need to be replaced within 10 years, instead of the 20-30 year lifespan that they used to have. Having to dump and replace everything on an accelerated schedule is far worse for our environment than having something that may use a little more energy or pollute a bit more for a short time.

We are losing sight of the goal, IMHO.

[Coronita]

Speaking of environmental law..

Don’t even get me started….You folks ever try to replace a broken/worn catalytic converter?

For a specific autocross car, if I buy the california “CARB” version, it’s $300. If I buy the “federal” version that is used in other states, it’s $99…

The difference?
The California one comes with a “CARB sticker” Everything else is pretty much the same in terms of actually cutting emissions….

Of course, I could do the a-hole thing to the environment, and just take out the entire catalytic converter and stick a straight pipe there so just about everything out of the engine goes into the environment, and never register it and tow it to wherever I need to drive it… But currently too much of a hassle for me, that and I would need to find a place to park a trailer hitch…

[Zeitgeist]

Here is another link: http://www.deckstainhelp.com/tag/oil-based-deck-stains/

Maybe you can get one that is the best of both worlds. Good luck with your project.

[Author]

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