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RPetry

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Posts posted by RPetry

  2. Posted · Edited by RPetry · Report reply

    Mike,

    No shame in that. Just starting out in wood restoration, most of us have taken more than one little no profit, or evem loss jobs. Comes with the learning territory.

    One trick is to carry a few strippers when doing estimates. 1st, it is easy to tell if you have a potential nightmare. 2nd, it becomes easy to know you can do the job with the knowledge and chems you know. 3rd if you are good with mostly clueless competitors, you can get well paid.

    Wood restoration is a lot different from house washing or concrete cleaning. In the right customer market, not price but quality oriented, it can be a good seasonal business. Get good and experienced, especially on difficult jobs, and you can do well.

    Hard part is you have to charge for the experience, knowledge, and effort. Takes a while. But you will become more than worth it.

    seymore reacted to this

  7. Posted · Report reply

    Rick is the booster surfactant the same as house wash that ACR sells I asked them today and that was what they suggested thanks Rick

    Mike,

     

    No.  Contractors may add it into their house wash mix, but it has no cleaning properties.  It is just a surfactant.  As I cannot post pics to TGS, the label says as follows:

     

    BOOSTER Surfactant System Activated For Hot Water

     

    Btw, in does work in cold water mixes.

  8. Posted · Report reply

    Too funny.  If I'm not being smoked, this is a PDF of an actual email to a customer.  Hard to believe.  Source protected.

     

    Ethnography survey email requesting participation
    Hello Valued Cus1omers!
    Do you have an outdoor deck or fence that you are planning to coat with a Transparent o~ernb
    '];:@§{l~t®tt'Ia~wood coating? We are looking for volunteers who are planning to apply
    an Oil Base Wood Stain or Finish and allow a team from Behrto observe and record the
    process for market research. Here's how it will work:
    •
    Most projects will take two days to complete and the project will need to be completed
    between June 27, 2015 and July 26, 2015. If you are selected, then you will be
    contacted by Behr to schedule a time for members from Behr to come to your project
    site and observe you completing the project. You will be required to purchase the
    materials; however, you will be awarded a financial incentive for your participation.
    1.SUBMIT INFORMATION OF YOUR PROPOSED PROJECT FOR CONSIDERATION BY
    June 24, 2015:
    Your Name-
    Email address -
    • Phone number-
    • Test site address -
    • Mailing address (if different from test site) -
    • Square footage of deck or fence-
    Opacity of Oil Base coating planning to be applied- Transparent or Semi-
    Transparent
    • Approximate age and condition of deck -
    Submit photos of your intended project area -
    • Most deck projects take two days to complete. Please drcle the choice that best
    reflects your timing to complete the deck project:
    a. I will be available for two consecutive days during Monday through Friday or
    on weekend days.
    b. I wm only be available for one consecutive weekday and one weekend day.
    c. I will only be available to complete the deck project on two consecutive
    weekend days.
    Send your responses to Rick at rbautista@behr.com
    2.3.4.5.NOTIFICATION. Those submitting their project information will be notified by June 26, 2015
    if they have been selected to participate.
    SIGN AND RETURN. Participants will be required to sign a standard Field Test Agreement
    form at the time your project starts.
    SCHEDULE. The Behr team will work with you to schedule dates that will work best to
    observe the deck project being completed..
    SELECT AND PURCHASE PRODUCT. If selected, the participants will be required to
    purchase the necessary supplies to complete their project (wood stain, applicators, etc.).
    Participants can select any brand of oil base wood stain or finish they desire.
    Jul 01 15 10:30a
     Hale
    8472956420
     p. 1
    6. APPLY THE PRODUCT. The Behr team will visit your job site on the scheduled dates and
    observe you completing the project. During the project, you will be video recorded applying
    the product. You will also be asked to compJete a post-application survey and may be
    requested to submit pictures of your project at a later date.
    7. BE REWARDED. For your participation, professional contractors that complete the project
    will receive $450 while DIY/homeowners will receive $250 for compleiing the project.
    Thank you for volunteering!
    Sincerely,
    The BehrTeam
     

    Jake Clark reacted to this

  10. Posted · Report reply

    One note.....that stain looks pretty intact. If you have a helper, great. You might want to pick up a stiff bristled deck brush. After a proper dwell, a scrubbing helps to break the bond....it really does.

     

    Beth

     

    Agree with Beth.  That is going to be a very difficult strip.  The Cabot's looks virtually new on the rear wall and little weathered on the front of the garage.

     

    We use ACR's sodium hydroxide stripper, which is similar to HD-80.  I'd test first with a mix of 12 oz./gal. of stripper, 8 oz./gal. of 633ADD or similar, and a bit of surfactant, say 3 oz./gal.  ACR sells Booster surfactant in gal. jugs.  As you are dealing with vertical/overhead surfaces, the surfactant will add a bit of "cling" to your mix and also keep the mix wet a bit longer.

     

    You must keep the mix wet on the wood!  Work on reasonable sized sections, adding mix as needed.  Beth's suggestion of a stiff brush is probably going to be mandatory.  Break the bond and apply more mix!  Then keep wet with mist from your PW.

     

    Do a "scratch" test, it will tell you if the stain is ready to be washed off.  It may take a while to dwell before it is ready to be removed.

     

    The wood is going to fir.  Plan on a light sanding. 

    steven reacted to this

  11. Posted · Report reply

    Beth,

     

    Yes, I should have been clear.  Those stairs, and I'm assuming the attached deck, are horrible.  Someone slopped what looks like a water based, probably acrylic, over extremely dirty wood.  Shiny nightmare. 

     

    Brad,

     

    Oxalic acid does not clean wood, only neutralizes and brightens wood previously cleaned with a caustic, ie: sodium percarbonate wood cleaners and sodium hydroxide wood strippers.  That green is a puzzle.

  12. Posted · Report reply

    Hi Casey,

     

    If you want to provide "first class, Rolls Royce" service, additional chems as follows.  Lightly rinse off the chlorine bleach mix, blow off/squeegee excess water.  Apply a sodium percarbonate wood cleaner, mixed at 6 oz./gal. of chem.  Apply to all the wood, and wash with a bit of pressure, you can tell when it is clean just using a dual lance wand.  Follow up with an acid neutralizer/brightener at 5 - 6 oz/gal.  We use citric, oxalic also works.

     

    We do not rinse the acid, but, with very few exceptions, only use Ready Seal stain.  Check with the manufacturer of the stain you plan to apply.

     

    I'd still test, this claimed "patina" has me stumped. 

    Beth n Rod reacted to this

  14. Posted · Report reply

    Casey,

     

    NO!  Sorry, just got in from estimates.  Think of it this way.  1 gallon of 12% chlorine bleach,  in a bucket.  Add one gallon of water and it is now 6%.  Now you have 2 gallons of chlorine bleach at 6%.  Add  2 gallons of water.  Now you have 4 gallons of chlorine bleach at 3%.

     

    Take a breath.  OK, 4 gallons of mix at 3%.  Now add another 4 gallons of water.  Wala!  You now have 8 gallons of proper bleach mix ( 1.5% sodium hypochlorite) for wood!  Add a bit of soap and stir.  Killing mold/mildew on wood is easy, inexpensive, and effective.  After drying, if it still is now up to snuff, you have another problem.  IMO, anything stronger is a waste of chems and possibly bad for the wood.

     

    Very light pressure on the wand.

  15. Posted · Report reply

    Hi Casey,

    A bit difficult to tell the condition of the white pine/"patina" as the wood appears wet in the picture. There does appear to be mold/mildew on the wood under the chairs/roof eave.

    Try a small test spot with a sodium hypochlorite (chlorine bleach) solution and a bit of soap. No more than 1 - 1.5% NaClO. Lightly scrub one or two passes with a soft brush and rinse off with no more than spigot hose pressure.

    It is the claimed "patina" that would concern me as a contractor.

  16. Posted · Report reply

    I can't post pics every time I try to upload they fail or also if I try to host from photobucket I can't post the link?

     

    I love the color on those decks Beth! :cool:

    I can't post pics every time I try to upload they fail or also if I try to host from photobucket I can't post the link?

     

    I love the color on those decks Beth! :cool:

    Beth,

    This photo upload problem for long time, active members is ongoing for a year now. Please have that fellow from Maine check it out!

    Thanks.

    seymore reacted to this

  17. Posted · Edited by RPetry · Report reply

    Hey Rick,

    You do good wood work, you deserved and have earned the business.

    Why are so many men named "Rick" in Maine? Don't get it.

    Spent 2 late fall - early winters outside of Bangor, Maine helping my best friend build a new "camp". His neighbor in Eddington was Rick. I met more "Ricks" in Maine in 4 months than my entire lifetime!

    Odd. But OK. My grandfather was Fred, my father was Fred, I'm a Frederick but they decided to call me Rick to avoid confusion. Thank God!

  20. Posted · Report reply

    Guys I am new to the grime scene and I am amazed at the knowledge you guys possess. Just wondering what is the best way to keep the screen clean from any debris when washing and staining a screened in porch or deck. Thanks in advance.

    Mike,

    Fairly simple. A dry brush will remove 90% off the screens when dry. Blow off with a gas powered blower, or whatever the landscape guys call it.

    Beth n Rod reacted to this

  24. Posted · Report reply

    Hi Trevor,

     

    Scott Paul (Sealer Store) is a terrific guy, and may be able to help you.  To be honest, I'm not knowledgeable of the difference between trans-oxide and iron oxide pigments.  A good reference on iron oxide pigments can be found here:  http://www.pcimag.com/articles/86750-using-transparent-iron-oxide-pigments-in-wood-finish-applications

     

    We have been using Ready Seal stains for the past 13 years with much success.  Ready Seal uses iron oxide pigments.  I'm not sure if it is shipped into Canada.  Armstrong-Clark stains, which the Sealer Store carries, is also a very good product that is formulated with iron oxide pigments.

  25. Posted · Report reply

    Trevor,

     

    Did the wood have an old stain on it before servicing?  If so, it has to be stripped.  Easy or hard, dependent on the old stain.  Applying an acid brightener without doing a sodium percarbonate cleaning or sodium hydroxide stripping is, IMO, a waste of chemical and time.

     

    Privacy fence and fascia look good.  Older, weathered wood will stain darker, but does not need to be "blotchy" as show in your pic.  I can see the stain is wet in the pic, but doubt if it will appear much better after curing.  I'm just guessing, but I think it was not prepped correctly.

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