dpaull

Maybe this can help... Next time, send me a photo without all those white and yellow lines on it lol...

A little background on the house... HO bought house 3 years ago. He pressure washed it himself, and got a bunch of lines in the siding. So I wash it this year and it gets the mold off fine. We used some BEHR No. 62 with bleach in it (1/2 gallon), mixed with 2 gallons of water in a 5 gallon bucket, then down-streamed (so we're talking VERY low percentage of bleach). We sprayed down side 1...brushed a few spots, rinsed like hell... Moved to side 2, sprayed it down, brushed the gutters, and rinsed like hell... I walk back to side 1, and you can see where the brush marks are (this side is in direct sunlight), rub my hand on it, and it's chalky...so we decide to go back over, and use this garden-hose house wash sprayer, and hose it on...hose it off... So we do side 3 and 4 (least bad sides) with just the garden-hose house wash sprayer (one of those little bottles you attach to your garden hose that says "HOUSE WASH" on it)...we don't let it dry on the house, we simply hose on, let sit a couple minutes, then I hosed off thoroughly with a 0040 and a 1530...and I mean we rinsed this house like crazy. So anyway, I do a walk-around with the customer and he's happy, the mold/ mildew is all gone, but the sun is at the horizon... So I am driving by this morning just to check how it looks in the sunlight, and it looks pretty blotchy even from the street. Even the sides that we just used the garden hose house wash attachment are blotchy. Near the bottom, the blotches get bigger. -- So I need some help because I'm thinking he's going to call me no doubt about it. What can I do to rectify the situation, or should I do anything (for free)? My buddy said maybe offer to hose on some wax..but I've never waxed a house before and wouldn't know what type to buy. A friend of his who runs a big pwashing company in DC says that it's the siding and the paint is just old and needs repainted. He's saying we're definitely not to blame and that we shouldn't do anything... Although I'd definitely like to keep the customer happy. I'm willing to go work on the house for a while just to make him happy. If it means getting out a ladder and washing it with windex by hand and waxing it like you'd wax a car, I'm willing to do that...even if it's just the siding is old and oxidized and has nothing to do with our process. ----- That being said, we've done a bunch of vinyl houses with this method and never had this happen. ----- I'd like to hear some opinions on what I should do and what you folks would do. Thanks so much! Feel free to call me if you want to, or leave your # and I'll give you a ring.

Ahh well...all is good now. The side that was the worst is the side that gets the most sun...and it looks a ton better. The mold on that side was mainly to the side of a aluminum sided box (I'm assuming it covered the gas meter or water meter), and underneath the wood at the top. I used a brush and got every square inch. Left to get some lunch, came back and everything dried up nice. -- It was definitely oxidation that was on the siding. The spots where I had brushed the oxidation was removed. So I have learned a valuable lesson: Check for oxidation before doing siding...and if it's present, charge accordingly. I don't know why I've never seen this happen before. I know I've read about plenty of other folks that have seen something like this happen, but I always just assumed they didn't rinse properly. So anyway, thanks for the help...another satisfied customer...and that's what counts to me.

If that is oxidation, will just laundry detergent and a brush take care of it? If it's sod. hypo. residue, is it still considered a caustic in it's dried form? And if so, can I use a light acidic cleaner to neutralize the 'cling' and rinse it right away? Or could I just simply use a light acidic cleaner and brush the whole siding and then rinse it away? Thanks!

OK well, he called and said that there's some residue-looking stuff on his siding and wants me to come fix it up. I said I'd be out tomorrow to take a look at it. I need a plan of action here. I'm afraid that if I use more bleach, it will make the areas that already look lighter even lighter... -- What should I do? 6.5% Sod. hypo. with dawn, brush every square inch... Or just use some laundry detergent mixed with dawn and brush every square inch... Or something else together? Thanks, and feel free to call me. I'll tell him his siding probably is just to the point where it needs painted, but there has to be a way to make the faded parts look 'even'. Thanks!

Ken, thanks so much for the info. So you think that if he calls, I should re-do the house with Sodium hypo....maybe throw 1/4 cup dawn (apple blossom) in there, and brush every square inch? Or do you think just some detergent this time with no sh? I've used these same procedures before and never had a problem. Was I just lucky, or is the fact that this siding is older and has a lot of oxidation what caused this to happen this time? Thanks. ----- edit: The only thing that gets me is we didn't brush side 4...or the front side, and it's blotchy too....all we used was that garden hose attachment then rinsed with low pressure. I thnk this guy's siding is just beat or something. Either way, I would like to hear any and all opinions.

http://www.thegrimescene.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=392&c=11 That common practice?

Oh yeah, on the brick below the siding, before washing, there was some chalk run-down also.

Looks pretty effective. Do your guy's insurance cover sandblasting? I know mine doesn't, but that definitely looks useful. I know I have a few friends that just need something done like an old military trailer, and wheels, etc. I may have to get one.

Wow quality work...really looks good. What did you use to apply the stain?

Mine is the closest one... 2007 F150 Fx4 Supercab 5.4L 3-valve. It makes the 5x8 look really small...lol. -- My buddy's is a 2007 F150 Fx4 Super Crew (with the long-bed) 5.4L... His has 20's wrapped in Pirelli ATR's, mine has 18's wrapped in BFG Rugged Trails. -- Looks good showing up at a customer's house with matching trucks though...He got my foot in the door as far as pwashing goes, but he copied my truck.

Thanks. Yeah I remember seeing a pole a while back, I think Fords were up like 3:1 or something haha. It's all I've ever driven, except one Toyota and a Jeep.

Wow...that looks pretty bad...I wouldn't seal over that. Once you seal it, there's just no going back without some really hard work.

I need help putting together a fair estimate for a potential customer. Is anyone willing to talk for a minute or two on the telephone either tonight or tomorrow morning? -- edit: OK that didn't work. Anyway, I was wondering, if this sounds like it's on track... gutters (exterior) - $1.00 / linear foot house siding (1.5 story) $2.00 / linear foot Normally those prices sound good to me, but my only problem is that last year, this customer had his brother 'pressure wash' his house...so now there are huge lines in his siding all the way up to the roof (1.5 stories up). I have no idea how he got what looks to be 15 degree nozzle lines all the way up to his roof on his siding...I'm guessing a ladder maybe. -- I'm just concerned that now if I spray it down with my house wash solution, that those lines are still going to be evident...and a big part of what he wants is those lines removed. I certainly don't want to spend all day brushing his house, or if I'd have to, I'd definitely have to increase the price substantially. I'm thinking I may walk away from this one. -- Any thoughts?

Alright well thanks. I'm heading out there tomorrow morning so we'll see what happens. Just finished up two big residential jobs today. I'll keep you all posted.

ok...I edited it with a bit more information. Any thoughts, please let me know. Thanks! dp

A business plan is always changing, always adapting to different situations. It's what keeps your focus straight and allows you to get where you need to be. So yeah, I had and have a business plan.

Anyone have a video of someone staining a deck with transparent stain like WTW? I need a good, efficient, method for doing 320 sq. foot of deck and railings. I have to finish this deck by tonight.

Ouch man, glad you're ok...I just wear steel toe boots, but it stays pretty slippery. I'm interested in what folks say is best to wear too.

So I see that Wolman says their F&P line is guaranteed for 3 years... I don't see Wood Tux saying how long their product lasts... Thompson's stuff says 3 years... What I would like to do is offer a 2 year warranty with my stains to customers...now what do you do if the stain fails (not including abuse obviously) within that 2 year period? Would you really go and redo the deck completely free? How do you all work any warranties you give on wood protection?

I see your point...Not sure what to think of it...I'll make it work somehow. Fine Print :D

To get maintenance / cleaning work for 2 years after i stain a deck, then by then have developed a nice relationship with the customer to be assured a repeat stain in 3 years...and to sell add-ons like house-cleanings, windows, driveways, throughout the course of those 3 years. I'm thinking marketing here. Besides, over the long-run, it should work...and if I offer it and a lower-priced competitor doesn't, that may be what it takes to land the job.

Good call, that's pretty much what I thought anyway. I've never seen it happen or even heard of it happening, but sounds like it might be a nice selling point. Would you suggest a 2 year or 3 year warranty?

OK...here is the first pic of the deck: It measured 30 feet long by 12 feet deep. That little section in the middle was 15 feet deep. Here are the stairs: 9 or 10 stairs... Now the tough part is that outer section is about 15-20 feet off the ground, but directly below it is some shrubs. So you have to stand out about 4 feet from it, and the hill is about 45 degrees or so...which makes the total distance roughly 30 feet. -- The last guy did a hack job...there were stop marks with a pwasher, stain sprayed on the house, door, gutters, below the deck, and under the railings was literally 5 coats of stain because I guess he dripped a lot. -- The deck is beautiful and looks great with the Wolman F&P Natural color finish on it. Although I really want to try out that WTW stuff...I just want to get a few more under my belt before I order it...a bit skeptical to apply it wet though. edit: Oh and as you can see, plenty of weird, goofy plants to worry about watering down properly while I was stripping the old stain. No complete before pics, as I forgot my camera (I know, costly mistake as far as marketing goes at this point).

Oh ok, let me get a pic up right now of the before...one second...