Beth n Rod

The story Rod tells is perhaps one of a very few times someone seemed pushy about it. We have offered many times to show equipment to folks, some are actually very interested, others really are not. What's cute is when a husband who has used a pressure washer before himself, takes a good long look at the equipment and realizes the difference between what he's used to, and what we are working with. Beth

Boy is that the truth! Beth

Well.... There is info out there from manufacturers like Wolman, who have a contractor's certification program. Their certified contractors are welcome to use the info, as we were told. There is also info that people have taken time to research and write themselves, and that should be respected. We have had our info taken verbatim, and had folks just change a few words and slap it up there. This is unprofessional and just plan irritating. To us it is not just the photos, it is the whole thing... photos, logo, name, slogan, and info. This is a subject I feel very strongly about. We have had this happen to us both locally and long distance, and it is to us, just plain wrong. Beth :rant:

I have seen Aussie Oil get tacky and sticky and take a long time to dry when over applied. Once you apply it, take a clean cloth and wipe the excess in the areas where it is sitting on top of the wood, or you can end up with tacky puddles. Requires a little more finesse to apply this stuff. If applying this to a hardwood like ipe or teak, you can use acetone to open up the wood a little more, and apply directly afterwards. Beth

Word for word, and sometimes page for page...

Normally we caulk after cleaning as well, my concern was that the home had no caulking at this point. I like Jon's suggestion about using the backer rods, and I think it is the better way to go. Beth

If there is no caulking, sounds like that it the first thing you need to do. What is currently on the wood, and are you doing a maintenance wash and recoat, or are you stripping and putting on a new product? Is there much mildew, or not much? Lots of questions come to mind...did you by chance snap a pic? How heavily treed is the area surrounding the house, or it is in lots of sun? Beth

Poor Cathy! Glad you made the best of it and had fun though. We did the theme park thing over the 4th at Busch Gardens and Water Country. We are heading to the beach at some point for a long weekend, and of course when the Renissance Festival comes to Maryland we'll go to that once or twice. That's always a fun day too. Beth

Anyone taking any summer getaways? Three day weekends? Beth

Here's a See Dirt Run! cartoon we thought you might all enjoy! Beth

Oh, I think we all have at least one of these guys in our local area... It's pretty typical... Beth

About how long will the meeting itself last? Beth

I agree completely. Only you know what happened on that job, and it was your service that got the job done. We remember unique things about the jobs we do, and we have no problem picking out our work from photos. Rod also has a real knack for connecting clients names with their property and knowing the details of the job. He's lucky his memory works that way. We believe that there are differences between jobs, not all dirty decks are just dirty decks, and there seems to be various levels of clean, judging by what we have seen. If you are just getting started, either get a digital camera, or use disposables for a while. In either case, getting your own photos is important. You can't expect to ride someone else's coat tails and not ruffle their feathers. Beth

Jim, I am referring to residue left behind if not thoroughly rinsed. Many know that the chlorine can be burned out by the sun after a certain amount of exposure, but we all know that there are many homes we service that have extensive tree coverage and dont get much sun. I have also heard of homeowners who tell the tales of minor chemical burns after their deck was washed with bleach and wasn't rinsed well. I wont rule anything out as being possible. Bleach does work faster and easier than oxyclean, but many homeowners arent that adept to the details we are as experienced professionals, so, keeping that in mind, I take the caution route and suggest the lesser of the two. Buyer beware, user take care. Mike, You betcha! :) Rod~

Just a reminder to all, please fill out your signature. You can do this by going in to the USER CP, the button is in the upper left hand corner of the screen. Thank you! Beth

Well, how did it go? Beth

Are you a contractor ...or a homeowner...? Beth

One more....

Manufacturers of cleaners containing bleach do not specify the best circumstances for using bleach. They only specify what it is for. I suspect that label space limitations and the questions it would provoke are another reason for not describing proper use. Using on a deck that has been properly sealed (film formed to protect from any penetration into the wood itself) to control mildew is a good one. But for our clients who want to keep the deck looking good in between services, we recommend oxyclean as an alternative since it is a percarbonate which has a short life and exhausts itself in a few hours leaving it relatively harmless to humans and pets. Bleach on the other hand, if not thoroughly rinsed can be reactivated by moisture from rain or dew and create an exposure situation or even a slip/fall hazard as it leaves surfaces quite slippery. Assumption is the biggest mistake we all make at one time or another. Many people proceed on the assumption that because it is on the shelf ready to be bought, it must be ok otherwise it would not be there. Also, this equates to trusting the product to do what its labeling specifies without harm or damage. There are cautions listed but those mostly pertain to the human element (the part that they can be easily sued for) and have little to do with the effects it may or may not have on certain surfaces. Buyer beware. I have learned to investigate as you do now and not take anything at face value when it comes to buying a product. Some may call me a skeptic, I call it experience and learning how to avoid being taken advantage of. This is good advice for all who read it. I did a great deal of research on the different products and in my travels, found many different sources for information on the problems associated with oxalic acid and exposure...Nitrile gloves are my preference. Rod~

You should make this one into a poll.... just my .02. You would need to start a new thread. Beth

Exactly! No I didnt, but it also proves that bleach effects the end result. Bleach users dont mention that they neutralize afterwards, so whats to keep the residue from reactivating after a rain or morning dew? Again, I prefer not to use bleach on wood. Understood, one method is to make sure the wood is damp before applying the acid to keep it working on the surface area. This helps to make rinsing more effective and reduce the possibility of acids residing in the wood fibers for future reactivation.Dale, the wood will be very pale from the last exposure to bleach, the ends of the boards dry,crack and split early in its life, cracking, feathering/scaling and splinters amid the boards in newer construction (5 years or less) are signs of bleach use. Horizontal surfaces fail much quicker after bleach use and the verticals end up looking pale yellow (if a clear was applied) otherwise, tinted sealers will turn darker than they were intended because of bleach residue in the wood. Rod~

Better to have wood be slightly acidic, than alkaline. Sealers don't like alkaline surfaces, but since wood can be acidic, they are formulated for that. Beth

Instilling my work regimen into my crew often annoys them because I am repetitive in examples and explanations while training their eyes. Rod~

This convinced me of the effects of bleach on wood and the problems it poses to the sealer applied afterwards. I had side by side evidence here. In the areas of exposure, the sealer didnt take well vs the areas where the wood had not been exposed to the house wash solution, the sealer held up well and looked as it should after a fresh application. In trying to be fair to both sides of the preference in this topic, here is a revelation Beth and I had ... bleach users have no way to see the effects since they apply it totally over the deck leaving no part for comparison. It may explain why others dont see a problem with bleach use. I dont care for the effects of bleach on wood. After actually walking on so many decks for estimating, washing, sealing, and talking to the clients about the previous companies process' in order to understand what the deck has been exposed to...it becomes a learned tell tale sign of what has lead to the sealers failure. Things like: Bleach use, poor wash methods (water only, etc...), failing to neutralize, not back brushing/padding/rolling, over/under application, High moisture content/low ground clearance, sanding with 100+ grit, incomplete strip (products still present on wood), Sappy and deciduous trees in proximity to the deck, homeowner neglect to keep the surface free of debris/spills/pet excrement/urine/vomit, and the list goes on but I think that gives an example of a trained eye. Im not trying to promote one thing over another or talk anyone out of using any of the methods mentioned in this thread, but giving an example from my experience as a point for others to consider. Rod~

Hey Celeste, Heard you finally got the set too. Tell Roger to go back and start with book one. Kinda like Lord of the Rings, makes better sense if you start out at the beginning. Beth