I do most of my own home remodeling.in six years, I've spent $80,000 remodeling my home. One year, my Dad & I put cedar siding on my home. However, even before proceeding with this project, I called on the (stain) manufacturer's of Penofin (Performance Coatings, Inc.), as recommended by Home Depot employees, to understand the exact specifics of how and when to apply this product. I am employed full time as a Molecular DNA scientist and am quite accustomed to following and documenting all technical applications to the finest of detail.
Consequently, I noted every specific comment and detail of my conversations on applying this product with their technical service reps. Made during two occasions before I even began applying Penofin.
I then purchased their lightest "penetrating oil finish" that they make, "Cedar" from Home Depot. I applied it to my cedar home per the finest of technical details as noted from my phone conversations with their service group and as instructed on the container. Immediately, I noted that it turned my cedar home dark brown and black rather than the light honey color hue that I had been promised. Still the technical service reps insisted that all was well and in time with U.V. Light exposure, my house would lighten considerably. Two years later, my home still remained a very ugly dark brown and black.
At this point, their technical service reps, (still living in denial about this product), recommended that I purchase a cleaning product called "Simple Green", dilute it with water and spray it on. Allow it to sit for 20 minutes then power wash it off with cold water. I spent one full day doing this and it made no difference whatsoever. I called back and their technical service rep stated "Oh, a customer called us and said it works much better if you use hot water from your hot water tap to power wash it off with."
At this point, I wondered why a customer would have to tell them how to work with their product. But I tried it anyway, utilizing hot water from my hot water heater tap to power wash it off with. Exhausted, it still made no change whatsoever. It wasn't until a couple of months later, when attending a Home Show, when I met other disgruntled homeowners of whom experienced the exact same outcome with Penofin that I had with their cedar home or decks, that I finally figured it out.
Ultimately, I hired a wood finishing company to strip off and remove Penofin and replace it with their product called "Wood Iron". My home looks absolutely beautiful with "Wood Iron". I contacted Home Depot in December and they were very kind and apologetic for my experience with the "stain from hell" a.K.A. "Penofin". Thus, I only held them liable for the expense that I had incorporated from purchasing Penofin from them, $829.24. Depot refunded that amount promptly. But the cost that I incurred to remove Penofin was $3,220. And I hold Performance Coatings completely responsible for this as well as all of my wasted time invested, as I followed through on their very futile instructions during those 2.5 years.
I have corresponded with this company, Performance Coatings, since Dec. 2003 to express my complete dissatisfaction with their product, all to no avail. The best that they can respond with is that "it's the best stain product out there" and "you didn't put it on right." Bull. I called this company numerous times before, during and after putting it on, to make sure it would be done 100% correctly. So if a Molecular Scientist, can't put it on right because it's that difficult to apply, it shouldn't be sold in a 60 billion dollar a year national market such as "Home Depot", for which 80% of their sales directives and products are focused on the home owner who does their own home repairs and remodeling. Also, Penofin is the most expensive stain product that Home Depot sells at $106 for 5 gallons. Consequently, I used it as sparingly as possible so as not to have to buy more product than was necessary.
I have called on Performance Coatings executives numerous times but they're hiding behind their desks. They don't call when I'm promised they will etc. They know this product is a ripoff and they don't want to deal with someone that knows it AND has the technical background, documentation and pictures to prove it.
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