RPetry

Daniel, Thanks for the explanation, makes much more sense. What is "SAPP" and "STPP"? Now there is an interesting and useful bit of information! We generally do not use a bleach mix on bare wood, only use it for Ready Seal maintenance work where stain is still in the wood. Once in a blue moon come across a severely dirty, mold and mildewed mess, that we will first clean with bleach, do a second cleaning with a percarb, and finish off with citric. Have one coming up next month. I guess due to the 2nd percarb cleaning, have never noticed a bleach type dull look to the wood before. Just wondering if there would be any benefit to hitting the wood twice with the citric.

Matt, I could very well be wrong, but to be honest, their info to you sounds suspicious. The first sentence, , does not make sense.Linseed oil is plant derived. Stretching a point, even paraffinic oils are plant derived. It just takes millions of years, a high temperature and pressure, to naturally produce petroleum, from which paraffinic oil is a byproduct. How can a high quality stain be both waterborne and oil based? What, you get the best of both without any penalty? Their statement, does not seem accurate if the product must be maintained every year.Maybe I'm old school, but it does not sound like a stain that we would consider trying out, let alone using.

Daniel, I think "surfactants" in general help "spread out" a liquid solution and also may help in removing that solution by making rinsing more efficient and easier. This makes sense if you have to rinse off the acid mix. And no doubt, most stains require an acid rinsing. We do it ourselves when using a stain other than Ready Seal. It is the "soap" part of citralic that is confusing. In posts on ESI's recent offer of 10 free lbs. of HD-80, Russell referred to sodium hydroxide as "soap". I'm sure they do not put NaOH in a citralic neutralizer/brightener. When I think of soap, I think of Dawn, Ivory, Irish Spring! What does that have to do with an acid brightener? No matter, it is interesting but not applicable to our process. We will keep on using straight citric acid and not rinsing when using Ready Seal. It just works.

Aging misanthrope cynic connects with customers.

We are going to be restoring an "old growth" redwood deck, somewhere between 35 and 50 years old, next month. Part of the job entails a few repairs and replacement of 3 boards, one 2" x 12" x 12 feet in dimension. In my area of the East coast, redwood decks are very rare. This is only the second one I have seen in 8 yrs. of business. To compound matters, the existing wood is from 200+ year old trees. Try finding that wood here in the East! Thanks to Peirce Fitchette of Ready Seal for finding a wood source. This company in California has been great, returning phone calls and responding to emails. I ordered the wood last night, in custom dimensions. For any redwood needs, try the following company and ask for Raul: Raul Hernandez Forever Redwood 33800 Annapolis Rd. Annapolis, CA 95412 Toll free: 866-332-2403 Outside U.S.: 707-495-4955 Fax: 619-374-2462 www.foreverredwood.com There is some very detailed, interesting information on their web site about this terrific wood.

Daniel, This is what has me confused. Bear with me, I got a "D" in college freshman chemistry. Classes at 8:00 AM a mile away did not help. Two aspects of an acid application. It "neutralizes" or gets the pH down from caustic percarbs or NaOH strippers. In addition, it does have the ability to "brighten" or lighten the surface coloring of the wood, both softwoods and hardwoods. So why the surfactants and soap? You have already cleaned or stripped the wood. Blew it off with a ton of water and some pressure. Why put "soap", whatever that is back on, and why the surfactants? All I know is we have been using citric acid without rinsing and Ready Seal for close to 8 yrs. now. The process came from a few "old salt" contractors many years ago and it works. Our stain finishes last as long if not longer than most other contractors, certainly here in NJ's climate.

My wife being p. o.'d at me for drinking too much beer after a hard day's work. Honestly, I was much worse 20 yrs. ago when we were married! And it is always so friggin' hot during wood season....

Beth, You guys do not use paraffinic oil stains. At least with Ready Seal and straight citric, you do not want to rinse.

Rick, Great name by the way. I'm gorging on frosted mug heinies as we speak! Been a very hot day.

Ezdayman, Maybe you are new here, and deserve a pass, but you are dead wrong. Over the past several years my company has landed many wood restoration jobs from TGS. Homeowners see your posts, judge the content, and call, email, or go to our website. It is that simple. And we are not the only contractor on TGS that lands good paying, high quality customers from posting here. Just watch your p's and q's.

Interesting. We use citric acid, usually at 6 oz. / gallon. Apply then leave it on to dry. We do not rinse the acid off the wood with water. This works very well with Ready Seal and I would presume other paraffinic oil stains. Not sure about linseed or other products.

http://www.thegrimescene.com/forums/wood-cleaning-restoration-decks-fences-etc/13580-maintenance-free-yeah-right.html

2nd plantation house built in 1823 in Anse Mamin on the island of St. Lucia. Home abandoned sometime in the 1850's when the plantation owner moved into town. 1st plantation house burned to the ground in ~1820 and was about 4 times the size. This wood has never been cleaned or stained. The structure is still standing as seen today, without any maintenance. True, old growth timber can last for centuries. The first picture is white cedar siding, with the detailed cornice and porch framing in indigenous red mahogany. The second picture is "Caribbean" red cedar shakes on the sides of the house. Look how thick they are! With an easy cleaning, these shakes would look brand new, just out of the sawmill. And they are 185 years old! True old growth, good wood, can last without any care.

My dear wife Judy and I were fortunate to be able to spend our 20th wedding anniversary on the Lesser Antilles island of St. Lucia. Beth asked for it, so here are a few fun pictures. #1 - The Pitons, volcanic extrusions within the past million years. Taken from the porch of our hotel suite. #2 - My best friend on the island. Love boas. My wife disagrees! #3 - Judy and I on the wheel of some stupid "pirate" ship, know for being in one of Johnny Depp's "Pirates of the Caribbean" films. Pardon the tee shirt logo, it was the last of the clean ones! Have some interesting wood photos for woodies, but gotta' go now.

Beth, Don't know about the guys, but bet the boa would make a quick snack of a spiny lobster or fish! Yrs. ago, we spent a day in Chankanaab National Park on Cozumel. Snorkeling just off to one side of a popular beach, saw a pair of 4 ft. antennae sticking out of some rocks along the shore. On closer inspection, it was the largest spiny lobster I have ever seen, guessing 12 lbs. or more! This thing was gigantic. Crewed on a commercial dive boat off of NJ for many years and snagged my share of northern lobster. Biggest one I tried to grab had to have gone 14 lbs. or better. Got a decent grip but he/she started to drag me into its hole!

Beth, Where were your pictures taken? Like the white sand beach with the colorful cabanas.

Diamond Jim, Good wood costs money. Purchased 360 PT SYP 42" spindles from Home De'pot for $.87 per. Cheap wood, but good enough for a solid oil restore of old PT. Matt, Any chance is a few years away. Probably a pipe dream, but dreams are what keep many of us going every day!

Beth, Just for you. The pressure is on. Maybe these pics will force Rod to take you on a romantic get a way after wood season is over. Hah! Seriously, both of us really loved St. Lucia.

Matt, No reason at all. The only 2 redwood decks I have seen back here in NJ both required RS - redwood only formula. But one deck was 24, now 27 yrs old and an upcoming project is somewhere between 35 - 50 yrs. old. Obviously, both are "old growth" and have a ton of extractives in the wood. Regular RS turns black immediately on application. Spoke with someone in the past, maybe Peirce, about redwood in California. As I recall, many wood guys there use the regular RS on redwood without problem. I would assume this is fine for "tree farm" redwood, or younger trees.

Matt, Oh man, you lived in that cabin during college? Geeze, I was packed into a basement apartment in the middle of Denver. You must have some wild stories and fond memories of times in that cabin. Your 100 yr. old Port Orford cedar shakes prove the point. Good wood needs little, if any maintenance. The "red cedar" on St. Lucia must be a different species than our WRC. The woodcarver had a display shelf he made for his wares, about 2 ft. wide by 5 ft. long. The shelves were each a single board, made from the surface roots of red cedar. The cedar from the bole was similar in density and color to our cedar, but the trees must be gigantic. Trying to talk my other half into renting a small house outside of a town down there for the winter months in a few years, and just live among the people. Bring the dogs down, and buy a used 4 WD vehicle. Try and get friendly and help a wood artisian gratis, just to learn another way of life. Would relish harvesting wood out of the rain forest, and just getting hands on experience with good wood. Don't think I can sell the idea, but I'm very persistant!

Matt, Another fine strip job. Real nice house, like the design of the exterior wood. With all the plantings, it looks like a rainforest. Any particular reason for the RS - redwood only formula? Is this old growth wood?

Picture is of a red, or "Honduras" mahogany tree that is indigenous to St. Lucia. Again, this was termed "small" by our guide, with the larger trees in the interior of the island. We stopped by a roadside artisan that carved wood up in the mountains. He had a lot of well carved woodworking pieces and we purchased a fine mahogany bowl and a toy for a nephew made from coconut! Anyway, we talked wood for awhile. Told me that the red cedar on the island grows to a circumference that he and his two brothers can barely girth holding hands! Someday, I would like to go back and take a walk in the mountains with him. Maybe someday!

Unfortunately, we did not take the time to get back into the rain forests located in the valleys in the interior of the island. Maybe next trip. That is where the big teak grows. Two pictures of a genuine, indigenous, young teak tree growing along side of a secondary road. First is the tree itself. 2nd pic is a closer shot. Look at the size of the leaves, they are like dinner plates! What great wood.

For those that may be thinking of an off season trip, another photo from St. Lucia. Picture taken from the "challenging" road from Anse Chastanet towards the town of Soufreire. If you rent a car, make sure it is 4 wheel drive!

Kevin, How about that solvent you suggested to clean WoodTux out of good natural bristle brushes? Worked like a charm, where mineral spirits was worthless. Saved me about 80 clams, enough for 3 cases of greenies and a pack of smokes. Think it was Lacquer Thinner.