Beth n Rod

Exactly! ;) Beth

We all listen to our clients (one would HOPE) but if they ask for an opinion, they will get one. If they want it done sooner, no problem. At least they go into it knowing the sealer will not last as long, and that is their choice. Some want to wait, some don't. Either way, they always appreciate the information and the choice. Another nice thing about ipe, you can just wash it and let it go if you want the patina. We do quite a bit of ipe and other hard woods. Have for years. Love the stuff. Beth :seeya:

Heck, sap vein boards are the worst. Better off replacing the board. It will not stop oozing until the vein is depleted.... Beth

Dan, Baking in the hot, direct, AZ sun I have to say the Timber Oil alone will not cut it I don't think. I think it needs something above it to cure closer to the surface. He can still hit it with more Timber Oil down the road without taking off the Tux. Beth

Get a tip that drops your pressure down...if you don't have one already. Use a 25 or a 40 degree tip. Watch for start stop marks. Sweep - be careful not to go at it like you are taking off gum. Go with the grain. Beth p.s. no hot water.

Well, I would two step that to seal it. It's really dry. 1. Woodrich Timber Oil - apply liberally and come back the next day... 2. apply WoodTux as your protective coat.... (both are semi-transparent but have plenty of pigment) go with Western Cedar. Revisit with a light percarb wash and maintenance coat annually. Beth

Mahogany & Ipe porch/deck lead NY - Rockland 10901 (we think?) Porch is trimmed with mahogany windows and the porch itself is ipe. Owner says there is lots of exotic wood. Sikkens is currently installed. He didn't elaborate. Contact me for details. Sounds like one for the portfolio!!! Beth :cup: love the wood! :cup:

How long ago was this? The CCA lumber that has been replaced with ACQ, and CA-B pressure treatments is pretty bad and problematic as a lumber to begin with. CCA was outlawed as of January 2004. We sealed our deck right after it was built, and I think the wood is in better shape because of it. Beth

Ipe Deck Lead - Landenberg PA, 19350 Wash and seal.... Contact me for details. Beth

I moved this post to the Club House where it could get the attention it deserved. Rod!~

I will see if I can get Beth (our companies shutter bug) to turn her lens on it and post it for you. Rod!~

I will chime in another reason to season Hardwoods like Ipe'; The biggest reason is the extractive content which in hardwoods like Ipe' is much higher than most softwoods comparably. This one factor makes the wood impermeable to stains and finishes making for a short life expectancy. A few months seasoning at least helps to deplete 'some' of what exists at the top level being treated with a stain or finish. At that point a wash would be necessary to clean the surface and prepare it for the application. In our experience using Wood Tux on hardwoods such as Ipe, Cambara, Teak and Brazilian Rosewood has endured longer after seasoning the wood. Overall, it is your call but keep in mind that this wood will last considerably longer than pressure treated wood and is naturally resistant to insects and decay. The seasoning does not affect this ability in case you are wondering but it does help you to get the best bang for your buck that you have surely spent quite a lot of just in having the structure built. Rod!~

Log home lead - Edmund, OK It's a Neville log home, built around 2000. Contact me if you are interested in this lead. Beth :cup:

I am soooooooo sorry, but I am going to completely disagree with Russell. We work with numerous species of wood, lots of ipe, and have installed many finishes. (his included) softwoods like pine and cedar should be sealed right away due to the amount of shrinking etc they will go through within the first 30 days. In the case of a softwood, sealing sooner makes better sense due to more dimensional changes that will take place early on. as a hard wood, we have found that when you do apply a finish to ipe it will last longer if you let the wood season some first. We typically suggest letting ipe weather for a good 6 months. Otherwise you will only get a few short months of life out of the finish on an outdoor installation where the wood is exposed to the elements. It is darn near impossible to raise the grain on ipe. Penetration is linked directly to the wood's porosity, which when new is practically non-existent on ipe. As wood grays and ages, the wood fibers dry and open so that you can get more product into the wood. Let it age, then wash and buff lightly, then apply the finish. Beth :cup:

That's an easy deck. No rails. Barely anything on the wood. HD-80 at about 3 oz per gallon, let dwell, wash. Neutralize with ox or citric at about 6 per gallon. Let dwell, rinse rinse rinse. Beth

Yes, Whip hoses and mosmatic swivels help greatly to reduce fatigue. Also, we use an easy pull spray gun to help reduce fatigue in that area as well. Another bit of advice is to switch hands and improve your other hand dexterity to take the load off your right arm (if you are indeed right handed as I suspect). We have configured our guns to use 3' QC extension pipes and/or a flex wand. This is lighter than the standard gun/lance combinations that come with a pressure washer and is easier on the elbow. Just mentioning these in case you haven't already implemented them in your set up. Hope it helps, I am dealing with it as we speak. Rod!~

Matt, I want to say yes, Rod has whips on our setups. And as I recall it was a huge help in battling the hose.... Beth

Check you email :) Beth

ACR PRODUCTS

You might try a truck washing brush on an extension pole too....sometimes a little agitation helps. Beth

Congrats go out to Rick Petry and Jim Foley on this months article on Cleaning Exotic Woods in Cleaner Times Magazine. :) :banana: :cheers: Beth

Jeff, I didn't want to say anything, but that is exactly the same reason I stopped buying from them. I used to get a really decent gutter cleaner from them and one day I went to buy another couple of gallons to go along with the one I had in the back of my truck for a job I was going to do. I compared them and they were lighter in color. Asked them about it and they said they make it there but sometimes the color is different. (lighter but not different mind you). In comparison, they were diluting it and selling it for the same price. I was pissed. Haven't bought from them since. Rod!~

Then my suggestion would be to get a helper. This is a perfect opportunity to train someone to do the work along side you and you will be that much further on the road to having an employee that can work on their own while you generate more business. I hope you are not thinking you can have more money by doing it yourself. That is shortsighted in relation to your statement that you want to get more business. Every step you make should be towards growing your business and reinvesting in it is part of the process. By hiring someone, you are investing in your business growth and promoting your ability to meet the demands you create. You may have less money in the beginning but trust me on this, it multiplies if you do it right. We have been taught to answer when opportunity knocks but we haven't all learned the best way to respond. What we do can have an impact either positive or negative on our efforts in business. You have put a great deal of thought into the costs for your estimate and that is level headed thinking. Now, just follow through and take advantage of the opportunity to benefit from it more than just monetarily. More of that will come as you grow. Balls in your court...will you just dribble it or will you shoot for a score? You decide. Rod!~

That sucks! A couple of years ago had a similar problem where I ended up in crutches for a few weeks for my ankle. Drink lots of water while taking those vicadin...it binds me up when I have to take any kind of PK's. Rod!~

It helps to know Tony, we don't do that many composite decks around here because most people are into the "no maintenance" angle and actually believe it. I have walked onto a number of them that were so badly covered with mildew and algae that it was almost indistinguishable as a composite. Rod!~