Tim Smith

For all you wood experts & whoever else has an opinion..... I seal a deck about a year ago with ready seal (cedar deck). Looked great when finish and looked great a year later. Then we had a hail storm. The hail didn't damage the wood at all, but left spots on the flat surfaces. You can see circles (light spots) all over the floor, steps, and top of rails - where the hail sit on the deck. My questions: Anybody ever had this happen? Whats in the hail that will basically strip the sealant? How would you fix it?

I charge the same for vinyl or alum siding....all depends on the amount of dirt and mold.

Two gallons of bleach, cup of soap, cup of wax and three gallons of water........works great-I've washed over 100 homes with this mixture. Cost about $3.50 for a 5 gallon bucket...........

I sealed this deck two years ago. Except for recent hail damage - the deck looks great (just a little mold). The customer has been very happy. We had a hail storm. The hail did not dent the wood, but everywhere the hail was laying (Floor, top of rail, & top of steps) - the stain lightnen up. You can see round circles all over the horizontal surfaces. Is there something in hail (other than water - haha) the can break down sealant (Ready Seal or any other)? I plan to do a light cleaning and seal it again. I've never resealed a deck again with Ready Seal. Do you think this will work? Since Ready Seal is a penetrating sealant - I would think that it would blend. Any suggestions or past experiences? Thanks a lot.

I have a commercial account with an asphalt parking lot. The vinyl tile has a blackest color on the high traffic area - from people tracking in the oil from the asphalt parking lot with their shoes. Any recommendations on what to do? This is very expensive tile - the manufacter is Halsted International.

Vinyl tile has never been wax - the tile is only 6 months old. It has a rough texture to it - suppose to look like sandstone. I used a orange vinyl degreaser - it worked great, if I cleaned by hand, but did not work to good scrubbing with a mop. Do you guys use a buffer on vinyl floors?

I use good chemicals and light pressure - be very careful.

5gal bucket = 2gal of bleach + cup of dawn + cup of liquid (Zep) truck wax. works great.

I would send her to a collection agency. If they collect, you normally pay $50 or so, if they do not, you pay nothing. You can only get penality fees, etc if its in writing. You basically have a verbal contract. This will hold-up in court. A signed contract is so much better. If you have before and after pictures, that would be nice. Basically, you have to proof that the job you accomplished is satisfactory compared to the others in the same field. Bottom Line - its cost you more to take her to small claims court than to not collect a penny. Add up your time and all the heartburn. Most people will pay, when it comes to their credit.

Sodium Percarbonate cleaner & neutralize with an oxalic or citric acid.

I would remove the marks and if need be - wash the entire drive. Its just good business and leaves a lasting impression on the customer.

I would charge approx. $1200.00

This past summer, I replaced a lot of spindles on this old cedar deck. I kept some of the spindles and did the following: The first 1/3 of the spindle - I left all grey and old looking. The second 1/3 (middle section) - I washed and brighten. The third 1/3 - I restored (Washed, Brighten, Sealed). I keep one in the truck and use it as part of my sales pitch - It shows before and after - as well as three steps of our wood restoration process. Its a powerful tool. I've also done the same thing to cedar shakes and boards. I've created a display board (2ft by 2ft) with different types of wood using different tints of sealant. Customers really seem to enjoy it. I plan to do three trade shows next year - so I have been working on props over a year now. I've found that these props work well in getting bids also.

I use pump-up sprayer and sometimes use a surflow set-up that I designed. A disadvantage to a pump-up is that it takes so much longer and you use a lot more sealant. The last 3 or 4 decks that I did - I brushed and rolled - Used half the amount of sealant as normal. Takes longer -- its the old "Labor Cost vs Chemical Cost". I plan to start using air to apply my stain to log homes, but not decks. As of putting two decks side by side - one stain with a air and one stain with a pump sprayer. If you use the same chemicals and same sealant (being craftmanship is the same) - I don't see how you can tell. Is there a different look to a deck sealed with a air vs pump sprayer? I wouldn't think so? The sealant that I use - Is dummy proof and I love it. Back brushing is a word that I never use.

Ronnie You have a book right here in this board - Go to the Search Engine and read away.

I restore wood with a percarbonate mixture. I too, in the past, have used efc38 and think its a great product. Always neutralize - your finish product is so much better - Also, certain cleaners and strippers can cause problems for your sealant, if not properly neutralized. Its a fairly quick process - just spray on brightner/neutralizer and leave - no need for rinsing. I show the customer the deck as I neutralize, so that they can see the instant brighting of the wood-Customers love it-Its another way of showing your competitive advantage (what makes you different). I use a 50/50 mixture of Oxalic and Citric acid. Oxalic is poision and can cause problems to metals, etc. Citric is safer, but not as effective. I find a mixture of both works well. I use the above process for decks, fence, shake roofs, & log homes.

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I restore wood with a percarbonate mixture. I too, in the past, have used efc38 and think its a great product. Always neutralize - your finish product is so much better - Also, certain cleaners and strippers can cause problems for your sealant, if not properly neutralized. Its a fairly quick process - just spray on brightner/neutralizer and leave - no need for rinsing. I show the customer the deck as I neutralize, so that they can see the instant brighting-Customers love it-Its another way of showing your competitive advantage (what makes you different). I use a 50/50 mixture of Oxalic and Citric acid. Oxalic is poision and can cause problems to metals, etc. Citric is safer, but not as effective. I find a mixture of both works well. I use the above process for decks, fence, shake roofs, & log homes.

One of the best things that I ever purchase for this business - XJet.

It would be nice if the PWNA has some type of certification program - I don't mean like a wood restoration class certification - A certification program for contractor in general -- example: To be a PWNA Certified Contractor - you must take a correspondence course (covering all aspects of pressure washing) and take a exam (Open book at home), provide proof of business (3yrs or so), provide a resume for review, and be a member of the PWNA. Add or delete to the above suggestions - just make it where a person has to work for it - do not make it easy, or it won't mean anything, but make it convienient. Go to your customer and say, "I'm PWNA Certified Contractor" as well as a member. Heres a brochure of the requirements and information about who and what the PWNA is all about. COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE - This separates you form your competitors. and Give the due creditability within the industry - that you as a contractor have general knowledge of the entire field and specialize in one or two particular areas - but more important, you have the initiative, drive, motivation, and desire to improve. What do you think? Just take a look at the home inspection field - If I tell a realtor, bank, or homeowner that I am ASHI Certified - boom, I get the job. It means something. We have all winter to take the time to accomplish this correspondence course. Something like this can help bring more credibility to the entire industry. Get away with the theory of "Monkey with a garden hose" --- Professional Certified Technition. It can't be a money making event - it needs to be backed by an organization like PWNA (not some individual). The PWNA shouldn't charge a bunch of money, just be satisfied with increase in membership. The more members the PWNA has and the more certified contractors the PWNA has - the faster they will grow both in numbers (revenue) and familiarity with the general public. sorry, got on my soap box again.

John T Paved the road - its a lot of work and you should be commended for your efforts. Your comment about organizations are not for everyone - I agree. I am a member of three home inspector, two janitorial, and two professional organizations. As well as three local chamber of commerces and the Missouri Board of Realtors Association. I pay about $2500.00 a year in dues to the above. I know what an organization can and can not do for you and that organizations are not for everyone. I've been in growing organizations and know the bitter/sweet feeling when others join the organization to reep the benefits of your hard work. So once again, thanks for helping pave the road, our industry needs it. Everett Your comments really makes a person think. I appreciate your reply.

Thanks Beth, I appreciate it. The purpose of my thread is to let everyone know that its a different title. It sounds so harsh for the topic. Like, I said, I really do not have much interest in joining any organization or the PWNA at this time. In the future, I hope to find an organization, that I can contribute to its development and growth - at this time, really havn't found one nor have I been looking real hard.

Once again, the title "Can't hold back any longer" is NOT my title, this post was moved here under the title "Restoration Contractor Certification". Personally, I can hold back forever, the PWNA or any other organization can do what ever they like - I'll do whatever it takes to make it in this business with or without an organization.

Paul B You hit the nail on the head. One thing for sure, If the people (Members) are not taken care of, then an organization will eventually fold. Another thing - In any industry, there will be more organizations pop up. Sooner or later, there will be an organization that will survive - that will be the one that support its members and has the benefits to retain membership. I witness this happen in the home inspection field years ago and also the janitorial industry. When I consult for organizations, the first thing that I look at is membership retention. If that percentage is high, then the organization is on the right tract, its just a matter of auditing the financial information. If that percentage is low, theres problems in management or the organization structure. Another old saying "If membership is low, don't fire the individual in charge of getting new members, fire the individual in charge of benefits".

Money out of then air - the Advertisers will pay if they can benefit. First - power is in numbers - membership has to grow. PWNA has to offer the members some type of benefit for that to happen, as well as reasonable rates. I think most organizations are more for selling products (Advertisers, maufacture, etc) then representing the members. As they say, the proof is in pudding. Show me benefits to the members & show me the benefits to the advertisers - Which gets more benefits for the money they paid & that will show where an organization stands. If an organization stands for the members and the member receives benefits, then the members will promote the organization. The key for an organization to grow is for its members to push the organization. You know, I'm just going to stop this thread right here - We are beating a dead horse. As long as an organization has ties to big business (People or company that want to sale you something)- big business will run it, no matter who sitting in the drivers seat, the engine will be big business. Orgainzations are just like these boards, You can tell which one have the purpose of selling product and which one is for the contractor. The lack of response tells all.