Guys,

I am struggling to create sun-bleached wood effects for my PT Boat dock. Pleaseexamine the image and tell me what you think.
I had originally stained the balsa wood strips a mixture of Van Dyke Brown and Paynes grey to achieve a weathered look for pine. That's the series of strips on the far left. Then I realized that wood will get sun bleached in the hot humid climate of the South Pacific. So I took some strips from the original staining and applied a wash of Naples Yellow and Flake White. Those are the 28 strips in the center. The right side grouping are fresh balsa stained to look like new pine boards.

I need your advice. Am I on the right track?

Ahoy, Steve!

I think that you're on the right track (although, I've never seen a boat dock in the South Pacific, I've seen many other sun bleached docks... )...I would stick with the color scheme that you are using...are you planning on showing some wear and tear on the wood deck as well?

Hey Steve.

I can only echo what Gunny has said. The decking looks pretty good. Take a look at this link and see how the ships' decks weathered. That should provide you with a good color reference. I know it would be two different woods, but you can get an idea that you are on the right path.

http://www.ww2incolor.com/us-navy/

later...Gator

Gunny and Kenny,

Thanks for your replies and input.

I thought it looked okay, but I needed an eye from someone else. I was stationed in Diego Garcia (7 deg N in the Indian Ocean), while it wasn't the South Pacific, it was close enough. The boat dock there was painted grey so I don't have much of a reference for faded wood in the tropics. As I recall, the areas where the paint wore off was close to a yellowish white.

Steve

Hi Steve, I think you're headed in the right direction.
Just remember balsa wood sucks up stain like I suck up beer during football season. Even after drying the stain color will lighten alot.
Have you tried a pickled oak stain ? , HomeDepot, Lowes, hardware stores. It has a bleached look.
If your dock planks are to represent pine then - pine warps, splits and bleaches in any sun conditions. So a very ragged looking dock would be in order.
Even after death all wood breathes. When dry it shrinks, cracks and splits. After it gets a good rain it expands. I live on the Jersey shore, while no tropics, my dock needs a yearly, heavy, coat of stain/paint just to keep it from doing the afore mentioned.
Check out the pickled stains and whatever stain you use, restain them till they don't change color after drying, then they're full.
Hope this helps - Glenn

Thanks for the advice Glenn. I never considered using store bought stains.

Steve