Tonyg

I did this about 6 weeks ago and have been back twice to get pics but can't seem to get there when it wasn't raining. It's the same mix of RT/CS. From looking at the dry areas it mellowed out on the deck & rails pretty nicely. Although it is hard to see the true color with the rain you can get a better idea of how this color looks on a deck. Next time I get over there I will try to get some dry pics.

Thanks for the resources. I'm still checking into it and will probably apply something the week after next. Right now I am leaning towards the dyes. Question (maybe dumb question) Can water based dyes/stains be stripped? It would be nice (and a little self reassuring) to tell my customer that if the color, or end result is not what he is looking for, I could do something about it. If it were a wood deck I could produce samples and play around with a few products first. Might even get enough to do my own patio first.

whoa's me :( Dan, think more positive... Post more positive... Please

Celeste, Insist on being a chaperon! You could probably get PAID for it too! Woohooo!

Maybe it's just me but I prefer *not* to put two coats of semi-solid stain on a deck. There is enough there that I don't think its necessary and the second coat really makes it more of a solid. Also, maybe its just the Mahogany but it looks like the second coat doesn't absorb enough to give an even tone. Those are nice two-pics though Dan

The more I see the Mountain Cedar the more I like it. It's opaque enough to hide flaws or damaged wood but still shows the grain pretty well. Nice job. The last pic of Woodland Brown... :zipit: I'll pass on the color.

Great idea Charlie! That's something that didnt even cross my mind.

I notice that some supplement with add-ons such as lighting or other extras for the decks. For you guys that offer such services/products, does this offer any significant revenue? If not what percentage would you say that these extras mean to your total "wood" sales? Also, has anyone ever thought about adding carpentry as in rebuilds or additions to existing decks or even new builds?

I am already in the process of putting something together for next year and will be starting a biz plan in the next couple of months. The goal/plan is wood care only so houses and other washing is out. I'm curious for you guys that are primarily wood care how long (months) do you consider your season?

Is this a lake or retention pond? I would think the environmental laws would be different. If he just wants it rinsed off I would just do water and forget the upsell.

Thought I would put this up since I've been really looking at the colors and I like to see the way the different stains look on the diiferent decks everyone posts. It's getting kind of fun to see/know which stain will look best on which wood. This is AC RT on new PTP. Not a big fan but it turned out nice. Kinda reminds me of WTW Western Red Cedar. I like the RT on older wood much better. I think for new wood (PTP anyway) the AC SC looks best though.

Whats great is that you got someone to pay for *annual* staining for a Fence - BooYaa

That deck is hilarious! Oh, by the way, if you're below the Mason-Dixon you still know those at 30 I grew up on so many one almost needed an interpreter. Mama's family was spread across NC/SC and I swear I could put on a great documentary on the colloquialisms of the south!

Hey Now! :lgangry:

Wow. Thats the deck of the day!

Hello All! I have a couple of decks, and maybe a third, scheduled for the end of August that I may do in a two-tone with two semi-trans or toner (AC) stains. I have plenty of room at my discretion if I can make it look good for the two, the third I will need to sell the two-tone contrast. I've done my share of the solid/semi so far this year and wanted to venture into other options without using a solid in the two-tone scheme. I have done some searches but was wondering if anyone has more pics of the semi/semi two-tone?

Yep, I am looking for using two colors both from semi-trans or toners. Been doing the solid as a second but wanted to try something different. Beth, Thanks. I did look through those and I think you had one or two. Great work as usual. On the decks I am going to do it on one will probably be a AC Redwood Tone on the deck & skirt with possibly a sequoia on the benches - or maybe something else. The other will be some type of two-tone using a dark brown (AC RB/CS) and a lighter brown (AC RB/CS/Na). Even thought about a AC RB/CS and Cedar Tone. I know these are labor intensive and somewhat tedious but this year I am looking to really broaden the scope of what I have been doing. I wanted to expand with probably a new start up for wood next year and I need the portfolio and specially the experience. The "custom" aspect falls in line with what I want to shoot for will align better with the demographic I target for the painting. I know I will not focus as much on the two-tones next year as I realize that it will not be the best business model for volume and although I feel I have put a decent price on it, I know there is no where near the margin with the two-tone decks. I just finished up two decks and now I will be inside for at least the next 5 weeks so I don't get to play for a while. I will be doing the two-tones next month.

Beth, Are the verticals the same color as the deck or is it a two-tone ? Have you used it on older borads yet? I'm wondering if it would be darker.

Knots!?!?!! Sorry, the thread seemed a mile or two away from the OP anyway Could sanding be the culprit of my knots coming back to life after they seemed to be dormant for so long? The Heat activating the extractives or sap causing them to come out of the knots?

Thanks, haven't done the shadowbox but I will just put it in as normal.

The other side of the fence was completed protected by shade and the "interior" sides were in good shape. Just thinking about installing PT dog-eared boards instead of working between the cracks. I was thinking about selling a two-tone color scheme and it would look much better with new wood. $35lf and I might be adding a new service :)

Actually thats the 15yr (atleast) that I really didn't care for. :cool:

I've used it on three decks - new, 5yr, and 15yr - all PTP. I liked it on 2 out of the 3. The one that I did not like was the oldest where I thought the yellows were a bit overpowering and the color variances with some dark boards was more than I liked, and these decks were sanded complete. It did look better when I went back to paint the house a few weeks later, and the HO loved it, but I still do not care for the way it looked. The "new" deck looks terrific and saw it last week or so at almost the 1yr mark and it still looks really good and was referred to as "golden oak" color by the neighbors. I think there is a time and a place for the SC (I even tried to sell it on a new deck for this week) and I will keep it as a color option but be a bit more selective on what wood I will apply it on. I would not hesitate to use it on a new(er) deck.

Hey All, I did a sample on some cedar shake siding and I have looked for some pics of cleaned cedar with the search feature but no luck. I haven't done a cedar house yet and would like to compare what I did to what I should expect. If you have any pics of similar cedar shake siding that has been cleaned could you post them please? After looking at the new cedar going up next door I was thinking the darker areas are just the tannins but I'm not sure. It was cleaned with two applications of EFC-38, 1,000psi using a 25 and 40 degree tip, and neutralized with Citralic.