RPetry

Maybe due to 2 applications of stain on the wood as compared to 1?

Matt, The extensions for my Decker are straight and each are ~ 3 ft. long. I easily screw connect the two of them together for a total 6' length. The cone tip screws in at the end. The single 6' extension is for an airless and is not a quick connect but a screw fitting to fit on a standard airless gun. I don't think they are compatible with the Decker gun threads. Your idea of a lance should work as long as you have a quick connect threading compatible to the Decker gun.

Matt, If you are using a Decker for applying stain, there are ~ 3 ft. long extensions available that attach to the gun and have a threaded end for a cone tip. We carry 2 of these in the truck to reach high, hard to get to areas like gazebo cedar shake roofs. They can be attached together for more reach. Tom Vogel at ACR Products carries them or you may want to check with Tracy at Sun Brite. Any good paint store should carry standard extensions for airless guns. I have two, one about 3 ft. long which is useful for spraying floors and one about 6 ft. long.

Randall, Exterior latex stains do not strip out well with sodium hydroxide based products (HD80, F-18, and others). There are specialty strippers available but are quite expensive, take a lot of time to apply, and are often difficult to obtain. Your best bet may be to prepare a hot sodium hydroxide mix, apply, and let dwell for some time while keeping wet. This may help "lift" areas of failed latex stain, but will probably do little to intact latex. Might have to use a bit of pressure to remove these failed areas. Neutralize with an acid, rinse well, and let dry. Recoat with the same product if at all possible.

OK, a dog and a lamp. Women ... there just must be an interior decorating gene!

Nah, you guys have it all wrong. No oil lamp or wrought iron needed. What Jake needs is a great dog sitting at his feet. Something in the sporting breeds, say a large male golden retriever or a liver and white english springer spaniel. At least for the picture!

Kevin, The article starts out: It sounds too good to be true. But, in fact, there is a wood stain avail- able that combines the effective- ness of the drying concentrate of a typical stain with two non-drying oils, which soak into the wood and actually improve the condition of the wood. I'm not sure what a "drying concentrate" is, but if I am not mistaken, A-C stains are a hybrid of boiled linseed (drying) and paraffinic (non-drying) oils. Magazine writers often get confused and have little understanding of the subject. From experience, they usually do not review the copy with their source(s) prior to publication.

Matt, Not sure with redwood but this works well on the inside of cedar spindles. Take any used 3M defelting pad and double it over. A couple of swipes up and down the wood surface removes furring. Its a good idea to wear a tough glove to prevent any splinters. Fast and easy, and definitely a helper job.

Jake, Well that just about puts the veritable icing on the cake. You really know how to hurt a guy....!

Mr. Brooks, That ain't no "Billy Bass", its a bad artist replica of a bluefin tuna. Real fish live in the ocean, not in fresh water! Same with my wife. The eaves are filled with costumes, teaching junk, and woven baskets. So goes life...

Note the dog toys on the floor. Then again, maybe many don't have the joy of sharing their office with two, 2 yr. old pups! Still want Jake's office!

Hmmm... I'll trade in a flash.

Come on Beth, look at that picture! What a great office. And it's in the middle of the mountains! I'm not whining, just salivating....

To be honest, I'm very jealous of that office. Looks like a near antique wood floor, fieldstone interior walls, and a working desk neat as a pin. My desk is always a mess. And though just renovated, my office is a friggin' cubicle in comparison. Jake's up in the middle of the Sierra Nevada's and I'm in the dismal plains of NJ. Wanna' trade?

Now, if the poor guy could only grow some hair! Hah, just kidding Jake, I should not tease as mine is getting thin as well. Nice article, but isn't linseed oil considered a drying oil? And is that actually a blue stained cedar shake roof on the Caldwell building in the picture?

Pure nonsense. You did the job, no one knows the consulting engineer, and you are left holding the bag. Who do you think they are going to call? A reputation in any trade is hard gained and worth more than a quick buck.

Hah! Kind of like old woodies! We're better in some ways but the young saplings may not appreciate the difference.

Hmm.. Sounds like ... ipe'!

Tony, Typical gov't response. Straight sodium percarbonate breaks down into, if I recall correctly, hydrogen peroxide and soda ash. May want to check out the chemistry, but I think both are not harmful to the environment. If you want to protect the existing stain, just apply the percarb, at maybe 3 - 4 oz. per gal. of water, let it dwell for 10 minutes, and scrub easy with a soft brush on a pole, and hose rinse off.

Matt, That is a real nice job to start the new season. Lucky you, we currently have 10" of snow on the ground with the low of 8 degrees F. tonight! Wood season will not start for another month. I know Jim Foley has worked on Port Orford cedar, but do not know about Alaskan Yellow Cedar. If I recall correctly, he had some difficulties with it. You may want to call or email him. Sorry I have no other suggestions, we work on a lot of cedar jobs but all are Western Red Cedar.

Terrific value. Only $299 for 10 lbs. of powdered NaOH. P.T. Barnum would be proud.

I did? You must have me confused with someone else!

Jeff, In the late winter - spring of 2008, our book was not good. By the end of March, all hell broke loose. Wound up the best season on record, we were even busy during the usual late August doldrums. A lot of new work came in from customers wanting to improve their property to put on the market. In my area, housing sales were slow, but properties were selling if they were in "move in" condition. Realtors were encouraging their clients to do cosmetic improvements prior to putting the home on the market. Don't know if this is applicable to your area, but if it is, might be a viable marketing angle.

Good Lord Scott, a pack rat like you could ruin a man's reputation! I miss Shane, he posted some of the best wood restoration photos on the web. A good ol' Cajun with a fun attitude. Hope he is OK.

Beth, Yeah, you found it! Too bad a lot was edited out, it got pretty heated at times. But it was hilarious, fun, and actually a lot of good information was presented. Jim, Hands down, that is the finest looking PT deck that I have ever seen.