Beth n Rod

Armstrong has a darker color selection especially in their semi-solid category. Rod

Hd-80 to strip Citralic to neutralize/brighten. Check into Armstrong and TWP Rod

Harrell - signature please..... Beth

Well put. Unfortunately, Sikkens is like a woman scrorned. If you don't keep up on the maintenance and skip an interval, the costs shoot up in order to deal with the product as it degrades. So much to cover with Sikkens and when it comes to customers who have it, they have all learned an expensive lesson. I have had 1 customer who insisted on keeping with the line but acknowledges it did cost him to not keep up with it. Rod

Supply is a premium question. if the faucets you draw from can't handle the 5-8gpm units, then the lower is a better choice. Now, if you have a permit to draw from a hydrant, then you are all set. Rod

Besides being the doting Hubby, I am extremely proud of you in your accomplishments and the hard work you put in leading to this opportunity. Rod

Correct. Their RE line is a hybrid. Rod

Thank you so very much John, for your words of kindness. I'll do my best to ensure that all who attend my seminars walk away with something new that will benefit their business. Beth

We have always found benefit in being members. It's not for everyone, but it is helpful to us. Beth

You are on the right track trying to learn about both the surface being applied and what is being applied to the surface. In each species, the extractive content specific to the genome will determine many things. Hardwoods like Ipe for example, have such a high content of extractives that make it mostly impermeable to stains and finishes. So, you have to take that into consideration when choosing a finish among the environmental aspects too. Redwood is another example. It's composition makes it unsuitable for certain stains due to the composition of the stain which causes the wood to turn dark or black. This aesthetic can be highly undesirable to the customer who is looking for something to show off the wood. A draw back that can cost you if it occurs. Rod

Applying to the manufacturers specifications is always our first task. There are times when one must take unique conditions of the wood and the environment it is installed in to account. That means, choosing a proper coating and not just any product. Certain products can lend to more mildew and algae growth while other can lead to excessive peeling. I could go on a huge post about this but it would be hard to discuss due to the nature of coatings themselves and the little known track record of hybrids. Oils, Acrylics, latex and hybrids all have their specifics for application and it is up to us to learn about the way they have performed first in the environment of the structure they are applied to. Environments include heavy moisture and humidity such as are found around pools, hot tubs and water features people install in their yards. These will also include low to the ground or otherwise ground level structures with little to no air flow underthem in this category. Dry ones are sun laden and southern exposed with little to no shade at all. Desiduous environments are those where there is a tremendous amount of trees and lots of plants which dump a great variety of things on the structure. Other environments include those with coniferous trees (pine, spruce, cedar etc) which give off a lot of pollen and create a mold haven in the combination of humid environments and heavily shaded or northern exposed. Asking questions of your customer can lead to a great deal of information to help understand what they have done, what has been installed, what performed well/not well. Evaluating the products you apply over the years gives you a better understanding of how they will work in these environments and what to suggest. Then, you get to the cost. Customers don't always care about all these extraneous factors and just want the cheapest thing to get it sold. But remember, if you do the job, your reputation rides on it. The neighbors will check it out and while they don't know the covnersation of the decision, they will ultimately form an opinion based upon how it holds up compared to theirs. Lots to learn eh?!?!? Rod

Sorry to hear Adrian. Losing ones parent is never easy and there is always so much left undone they leave behind. I got you on the old bones. this job takes a toll on them. Sending you my best and hoping you find the time to heal and the energy to go on. Rod

How much you apply of any product should be based upon the product and the manufacturers specifications. Over or under application can create issues. Beth

lol. Rod

That is a new one Jim. Never heard of 'fatiguing' the wood. I would be curious to know what you consider that and what the signs of it would be. Over the years, I have found that it is not the gpm but the psi. But heck, we could run the gammot on the myriad of conditions one would find on a roof anyway and regardless of what we do, most are already in bad shape. Rod

I'm pretty sure Rod has posted it here multiple times....along with other folks....over the years. You might have to search tho.... Beth

Great to hear!!!! Beth

Yeah I would boost it for sure to hit that area. Betting that house cleaned up really well. What are you sealing it with???? Beth

I owe you ours... I promise by the end of the week. Beth

Oh Adrian, We are so so so very sorry. The loss of a child is always harder than the loss of an elder. Somehow the impact just seems so unjust. Here's hoping you all have a better year ahead, and that all the memories help you to heal. Beth

Bleach, TSP, Water, light wash, scrub, rinse, neutralize, rinse, let dry, prep, mask, seal, unmask. collect money. Done. NEXT! Beth

Adrian nailed it. Ladders AND fall arrest gear. Always. Beth

I'll look into the photo posting issue when I am back in town. Please remind me! :-) Beth

On that hardwood deck on the top row? The customer wanted a.....don't shoot me......Penofin product. The Rosewood oil. It's all they ever want, they LOVE it. You can see why. Beth

Steven, What is the base of your stain? Is it an oil? Is it acrylic? What is it? If it is acrylic it will laught at that mix at that concentration without an added booster. If it is oil it would need to be a fairly weak oil ( less drying oils in the formula) to be removed with that concentration, and it's age and exposure factor into it too. Post a pic and tell us more about the coating. Beth p.s. yes, I would boost the hydroxide first.....