Beth n Rod

All Washed Up! Beth

Did you stain the lattice white or replace it with plastic? Beth

Great job Matt! :sunshine: Beth

Matt, This deck should be much lighter when dry. However, it will darken again when you seal it. Beth

We thought we would share a recent job with everyone. It is a deck that had multiple layers (years worth) of solid stain unevenly applied by the homeowner. What you will see is HD-80 at 6 oz to the gallon. Not even full strength. Enjoy. Beth

Not bad at all. It was minor. Sometimes if you let it dwell too long or have it too strong for a specific job it can happen though. Beth

Thank you for that clarity! That's were I was heading. To be clearer I would not paint cedar shakes, but there are solid stains that will give you the look. Beth

Rock on Jarrod! :banana: Well put! Beth :groovy3: :sunshine: :cup:

Ken, To me the question would be, what does the lable say? If the lable doesn't direct the consumer to sand, and all other directions are followed...you get my point... Beth

You're not alone... Had a similar experience once with the same manufacturer, different product... We toyed with the idea of putting SPF on but never did for the very reason above - cracking and peeling. Sealers need to move and breath with the wood. It's just that simple. Beth

Here's a deck we recently cleaned. It is for a repeat customer of ours, they are getting a maintenance cleaning and then another coat of Wood Tux, Western Cedar color. They live in a heavily treed area (tall and dense) with a good sized creek running about 20 yards from the deck. Lots of mildew and algae. The deck was cleaned with EFC-38 at 8 oz to the gallon. Photo shows it working. Beth

No they don't. EFC-38 is a cleaner, and mentioned in this thread. Citralic was mentioned, and it doesn't trap moisture either. Wood Tux - same thing - does not trap moisture. Now....IF applied to ALL sides of a board, then yes, Sikkens Cetol Dek will trap moisture in when applied incorrectly, but given that the majority of those out there never seal the underside of the deck....now then...proper elevation is a whole other issue with Sikkens Cetol DEK. As I said, this topic (Cetol DEK) needs a thread of it's own. This thread was about a maintenance WASH. Beth

Well, it was... as I said, the product had been on there a long time, and the stain was melting off. It was a solid. Those of you who have worked extensively with HD-80 or other high end strippers, may have noticed that as they break the bond and melt off the wood, you get a color change of the product you are removing, as well as a brownish liquid that comes out - those are your extractives coming out of the wood. Beth p.s. the owner already told us what it was...it was Behr's solid decking stain.

Ummmmm...sorry...nope. By the time I took the pic, the HD-80 had already begun begun to melt the stain off nicely and had dwelled for at least 15 minutes. This deck did in fact have a solid on it, several layers, not all the same thing. Also on the floor there were lap marks, the front of the seats had run/drip marks, etc. Owner had a carpet covering part of the deck as well, so the dog's claws would not dig up the wood. So there was heavy mildew in spots. Wish I had thought to snap a pic of it before applying HD-80, but I didn't get one. I was physically there, and I do know the difference between solid and semi-solid (or semi-transparent for that matter) when I see it. ;) Beth

Now that's a whole other can of worms, worthy of its own thread.... Beth

This deck was not stripped, just given a light maintenance wash to remove the topical algae and mildew due to the heavy tree growth surrounding the home on all sides. It has Wood Tux on it, and the sealer has held up beautifully. It will be given a light maintenance coat of Wood Tux. (Wood Tux doesn't peel - at least we have never seen it) Beth

Thanks guys :) I'll post pics when it is stained.... Going with Cabot's for this job. Cabot's Clear Solutions in the Weathered Gray color. She loves gray. Beth

Prewet. Rod!~

Oh, boy...here we go again. :seeya: Rod!~

Bringing this back up to the top... Spring is here! Beth

Experience will help you to understand better what you will need to do on each job. Different products strip in different ways and time is always a factor. Knowing your products capabilities allows you to know what you will be able to obtain results wise. We charge a set price that is higher than a regular wash price in order to account for the extra time, applications and possible defurring necessary to get the deck prepped for application of a sealer. First thing you need to know going onto any structure you are being asked to strip is: Whats on it? How long has it been on there? Was it applied by a contractor or the homeowner? These will give you insight as to what you will need to do to get the product off. Many times I can walk onto a deck and spout off a couple of product names and the customer will confirm it if they know themselves. Most times it is a consumer grade product and these have telltale signs in themselves. After walking onto literally thousands of decks in our area taking into account the different products available locally, it becomes really easy to discern the coating on the structure. Most will have Behr, Olympic, CWF/UV, Cabot 'Clear Solutions', Sikkens Cetol Dek or SRD, TWP 101 or 501, ABR X-100, Wolman F&P or Extreme and Cuprinol. A very few will have Penofin, Menwood or Ready Seal. Mildew presence and proliferation will be indicative of Behr, Penofin, Menwood, ABR X-100 and Cuprinol. Flaking will be a sign of improperly maintained Sikkens Cetol Dek, Wolman Extreme or CWF/UV. Horizontal fading will be signs of Cabot, Cuprinol, Olympic, Sikkens SRD, TWP 101 or 501, ABR X-100, Wolman F&P and Ready Seal. 90% of the time I am right on without the customer telling me what is currently installed. By paying attention to these products and the way the behave over time, you can also tell how old the product is give or take 6 months to a year. Coming out of the gate, you have your work cut out for you and taking short cuts will only give you more frustration than being self-employed is worth. I hope this helps. Rod!~

If you are not a chemist and studied the different types of coatings you will be needing to remove, you could spend a great deal of time trying to come up with a mix that will do what others on the market already do quite well. Why reinvent the wheel just to save a buck is my approach. I wouldn't want to stake my company in a liability issue for doing something like that. Do you know how to make up an msds sheet to cover your behind if you get inspected by a DOT inspector? Just some questions for you to consider. I let others make the product and comply with all the necessary regulations. Yeah it takes the price up but it gives me peice of mind knowing the ball doesn't roll downhill to me for making up something that I don't completely understand. I am cautious whereas my business and employees are concerned. You know what they say about a little knowledge-vs-more knowledge? Rod!~

Daniel, Yes, it is possible. As a rule of thumb, you really do not need over 1,000 PSI to restore wood, and any higher and you cause damage by tearing the stain off the wood, along with the wood you are cleaning. Let the chems work for you. Cost us about $1.85 per gallon to do that deck. We had to reapply several times, there were numerous coats and several products. Took about 15 gallons. It's worth it. We have been using it for years, and we get consistent results like this all the time. Beth

Cuprinol is an easy strip. The problem as I see it (and I mean no offense) is that you are trying to make your own product. Manufacturers have experienced chemists that create formulas designed to work in wood care applications. You would be far better off purchasing one and learning to use it, rather than trying to make your own. Work smarter, not harder. Just my .02.... Beth p.s. with the right product, you can take your thumb, place it over a garden hose and rinse and the stain will come off. Removal can be very gentle.

One extra note....we suggest following the EFC with Citralic as a second step just like you would after HD-80. The wood will brighten a bit for you. Beth