Beth n Rod

In an area like DC where many commute from Maryland into either DC or Virginia each day, for about 1 to 1.5 hours each direction, sitting in bumper to bumper traffic....it might be a different story. Don't get me wrong, business is very good, but there is more hesitancy here in the DC area....in the heart of the political climate. Beth

It has helped us in achieving a baseline knowledge on wood restoration which has saved us a great deal of time and money. The fact that we have taken our obligations in business to this extent also impresses customers that we have some basis of education supporting our knowledge and service. This is very important to many of our high end clients who don't want to just let anyone onto their property.This may come from a previous experience or word of mouth from someone who warned them to get someone who knows what they are doing. Rod!~

Hi Bill, I'll make sure to mention this post to Rod when he gets into the office. :) Beth :cup: :groovy3: :dancing:

Do not put a SH product down on the asphalt! Asphalt is not concrete. It contains high amounts of petroleum type product. SH will harm it. Contact a company that lays driveways for a living and ask their opinion. Beth :cup: :groovy2:

Beautiful job! Love the color on the wood next to the water. Very sharp looking! Beth :cup: :sunshine:

As gas prices increase, so too does inflation, and our economy softens..... Beth

Thanks Pete! :sunshine: Beth

We use Shurline pads too, but we make sure to only get the exterior deck and fence pads. #00760 These are thicker and have a better adhesive backing. Most sealants today have ingredients that make the little fibers come off but they end up coming off later anyway. Some decks are so badly feathering and splintering that it is a difficult time trying to keep from loosing parts of the pad on them. In these cases, we try to work in one direction on these boards to avoid the problem. Shane, those pads look like they have a thick tuft of wool on them, do you have much problem with that getting caught in the wood? Rod!~

Gee, funny how the amount of money people have left over in their pockets equates to confidence?!?! OK, commiserating over, now all of you get your rears back out there and raise your prices .20/week and reclaim those lost earnings. Sheesh@! :rolleyes: Rod!~

This was a general reference to wood that has this problem, specifically pine. If you may recall, Beth may have mentioned an all eco friendly home we just finished with an Ipe' deck and Mahogany ceiling. Well, the trees in proximity to the Ipe' deck were conifers and had limbs cut off to open up the yard for sunlight. Well, during some recent storms, the sap from these trees spit out onto her freshly washed deck and we had to deal with that issue.I hear you though Everett, once a year and that is for appearance mostly. I have begun to tell my customers that it is best to have it done with a month or so of any entertaining you wish to do on the deck but realize it is not going to last very long. They are now questioning their decision to build with this wood. I try to help them come to a comfortable sense in knowing they bought an extremely durable wood. With the current technology, it just doesn't stay looking like new for long after UV exposure. Ken, I have thought along the same lines in using a mineral oil to prep the deck and allow to absorb for a day, then using defurring pads on the horizontals before applying a coat of WTW. Somehow, a 2-step method makes sense with this wood and could help to give some life to the finish product. This could be needed annually to make sure the process is complete. In cases with soft woods such as cedar, the fibers give up to easily when coated with a durable product so my thought is to apply a moisturizer to help keep the fibers from turning brittle and then applying a finish on top. This way you don't lose so much to compaction. In respect to hardwoods for instance in indoor applications, the product applied is done in a 2 step process. One coat to penetrate and cure, then the other to emulsify with the first and then cure with it. This gives a tougher longer lasting finish. Some require a light sanding in order to 'etch' the first to create a better bond. But the theory is the same and perhaps that is the way we should look at exterior Ipe' structures. Rod!~

Yes, tarp the pool and provide either berms to block water from draining into the pool or have a trash pump to take the wash water collecting on top of the tarp elsewhere. The filters will be clogged solid with the pulp from the wash and the sludge will ruin them and possibly the pump too. Rod!~

I agree that getting maintenance done every year is the best method with Ipe'. I just wish something would last more than six months before it gives out so badly on this wood. I have heard of Russell's trials with Cambara and this is promising but let time be the judge on this one. In working with wood, I have not had to treat it with anything besides turpentine to get rid of sap in the spot where the problem existed. Problem is, you had to use linseed oil to replace the oils that were damaged in the process. Now in the case of an outdoor structure, I imagine the consequences being unfavorable. Surface preps are important in many ways but to change the dynamics of the wood in order to get any sort of compatibility is not necessarily going to be good for the wood in the long run. Keep in mind that our companies goal is to help slow the need for forest materials by helping to protect and extend the life of existing wood on exterior structures. This lies in the forefront of our minds as we consider other alternatives. I don't want to come across as a nay sayer as I am open minded here on the possibilities. But now we are treading on the ground of going against the principal of what we are in business for to begin with and I shall have questions and concerns in that same regard. Question #1. Why are we trying the square peg in a round hole? Question #2. Why are we trying to make something last that against the surface being applied to the physics are against it? Question #3. Why are we willing to compromise the integrity of the wood in order to make a coating last longer? Question #4. Do we really understand the implications of what is trying to be done here and the problems we will create for ourselves and the homeowner by doing so? (I for one don't want a nightmare to deal with in a years time or a customer that is pissed at me for creating such a predicament.) Question #5. Is it really that important to make a coating last that long on a surface that is has the equivalent rating of steel without the problem of rust being an environmental biodegrading agent and the durability to outlast the home it is constructed on? These may seem somewhat onerous but no less valid than the goal of what we are trying to accomplish here...find a way to protect this wood and keep it looking good for longer than a few months. Something to chew on. hehehe ;) Rod!~

It's basic economics. We're seeing a drop in disposable income, which means some things will get cut out of the budget or people will go into debt to get them. When fuel rises everything rises. Food, clothes, other things in the stores, everything. The housing market is also starting to soften a little. (at least here) Consumers have less confidence. Beth

You might want to book this one after Labor day when the pool is used less as well. Most folks around here that want work around a pool done, want it done before the pool opens for the year or after is closes. Make sure the pool is covered. Beth

I think we are on the pinnacle of creating an 'Etiquette' for interaction with our customers and also the reciprocal Etiquette for their interaction with us. In regard to recent posts, I have noticed similar veins permeating them and it revolves around the customer/contractor interaction. Many of us are willing to do our very best to make the customer happy and that at times can be to our business' detriment in the form of revenue lost. This can come as a result of many factors and instead of elaborating them myself I would like to open up the floor for others to talk about this. I don't think the customer always right especially with them being able to yell, curse, threaten and demand from us in a manner they would not accept from us. I will extrapolate from the responses given over time a preliminary determination based upon consensus what is acceptable and what is not when contractor/customer engage. I think this is very important for all of our members to contribute to as we can make positive changes that will have a far reaching effect in the relationships we have with our customers both current and new. In an effort to change the stigma cantractors have and the way the public sees us this is your chance to show them that we are not just a bunch of losers who picked up a tool and called ourselves a business. Let's here from you! Rod!~

I feel your pain there. I had to build shelves to add vertical space for organization. This in addition to roof hooks and wall hooks to hang things from. Rod!~

Thank you Len! :) Beth :cup: :groovy2:

I missed the news....tornados???What? Hope our other MO. members check in soon. Jon Fife is in MO too, but I don't remember where.... Beth

We have used acetone to prep for Sikkens applications in the past on the handrails which were Ipe' under direction of a Rep. but also at the request of a homeowner who was enamored with the product. What the Rep said was that the acetone helped to emulsify the resins in the wood and would help with adhesion of SRD to the wood. He maintains that you must do it in small areas that can be done within 15 minutes of application. My whole position on the use of acetone is that if one needs to go to that extreme to get something to stay on the wood then you are using something that was not meant for it in the first place. Acetone is the same thing women use to thin or remove fingernail polish. It evaporates quickly and acts as a solvent which can break down components that it interacts with. I had to use it plenty in a cabinet manufacturing plant I worked in for the purpose of thinning wood putty. Overall, I would rather use a product that was designed to work well with Ipe' and not perform the proverbial trying to force a square peg into a round hole. I am just waiting the year through for the formulation analysis to be complete after a year in the field to see what the manufacturers do to adjust and improve them. The new VOC restrictions have put us all in a bit of a holding pattern wondering if any of the stuff on the market is going to be worth continuing with or looking for something else all together. Rod!~

You can do it Neil, not a doubt in my mind. Beth

That's terrible news! Off the top of my head I suggest the following.... post any pics you have on this and other BBS's contact all of your local repair and supply shops and rental shops too. They may have it come in for repairs, or if the guy goes to get supplies, or a rental company may get offered to buy the equipment cheap from the thief. put up fliers at these locations in case patrons see it contact your local newspaper and explain the situation. maybe they will run a human interest story... "local power washing contractor has equipment stolen - have you seen this rig?" engrave all remaining equipment with your company name and number it. Keep a list of the items ( numbers corresponding) with the value and always insure it. I hope someone finds your rig and catches this crook. Beth :cup:

See Dirt Run! ™ Inc. Contact: Beth Borrego 13616 Warrior Brook Terrace Germantown, MD 20874 Phone 301-540-1243 Email: Beth@seedirtrun.com See Dirt Run! ™ Inc. of Germantown, MD. to donate services during PWNA’s Clean Across America Week Power Washers of North America member See Dirt Run! Inc. volunteers services to local non-profit organization On Our Own of Maryland Germantown, MD – July 21, 2006 See Dirt Run!™ Inc. of Germantown, MD, a local power washing company specializing in wood restoration and wood preservation, will be contributing their time, workers, and materials to non-profit organization On Our Own, located in Gaithersburg, MD., during the week of July 24-31, 2006. The team from See Dirt Run!™ Inc. will clean and restore the wooden front porch and back deck located at 434 E. Diamond Ave., in Gaithersburg, MD. See Dirt Run! ™ Inc. will wash the exterior wood surfaces using environmentally friendly cleaners. The company will then seal the exterior wood porch and deck to protect them against UV damage and the elements. The cleaners and sealers are being donated by Extreme Solutions Inc. of St. Louis, MO., a manufacturer of products specifically designed for wood restoration professionals. See Dirt Run! ™ Inc. is located in Germantown, MD., and has been in business since 1999. The company specializes in wood restoration and preservation, and is an active certified member of PWNA. See Dirt Run!™ Inc. is also a member of the Better Business Bureau, and operates under MHIC License # 86481. http://www.seedirtrun.com Non-profit organization On Our Own is in need of the service in order to maintain the property’s code compliance and to help secure grant monies needed to keep the center open. On Our Own of Maryland is a state-wide mental health consumer education and advocacy organization that promotes equality in all aspects of society for people who receive mental health services and develops alternative, recovery-based mental health initiatives. http://www.onourownmd.org/ The Power Washers of North America is the recognized leader in developing and communicating the highest standards in ethical business practices, environmental awareness and safety through continuing education and active representation of the membership. Power Washers of North America (PWNA) is a nonprofit trade association committed to communicating the highest standards in ethical business practices, environmental awareness, and safety through continuing education and active representation of the membership. http://www.pwna.org

Welcome Hugo! Please fill in your signature so we all know who you are when you post. Beth

We do accept checks via snail mail. Thank you both! See Dirt Run! Inc. 13616 Warrior Brook Terrace Germantown, MD 20874

17th Northeast Regional Carwash Convention Oct. 16-18, 2006 The Borgata Hotel Cansino & Spa, Atlantic City, New Jersy Hosted by the New England Carwash Association www.nrccshow.com Call 1-866-692-6742 Trade Show Open: Oct 17: 2:30 pm - 7:00 pm Oct 18: 10:30 am - 2:30 pm Anthony Analetto of Sonny's Enterprises will be speaking.