Beth n Rod

Depends in part on the type of product you are looking to apply. We use Titan sprayers but the important part is actually the spray tip. It determines the pattern, the vaporization and the amount of product it applies. For viscous stains that are thin, smaller tip orifice sizes are applicable. For heavier bodied stains like semi-solid to solid stains, a larger orifice would be the choice. After that, it becomes a matter of practice and awareness of the environment you are applying in that will ultimately determine the ones you use most. Rod

Thanks. It has been a wild ride to this point and we are a wreck each game. Me gots no finger nails left!!! Rod

Knocking on 57 here and I guess you just have to listen to your bones. I'll be going for a while but I am learning to let the hired hands do the most arduous tasks and select those that are specialized and less of a deficit to my body for myself. Rod

Yes, There is a section of the forum specifically dedicated for this purpose for our members. It's in the Bargain Basement Section you can effectively post your equipment for sale. Rod

The one thing I look for in a purchase is the company and how well they stand behind their product. Given the commonality of the components, the technology standardized, there is not much to decide where the unit is concerned. How is their customer service and durability of the product they sell? Do they handle any issues associated with the unit well? Other than that, you have only the model to choose to suit your needs. Rod

What is the question you have about them? I am assuming you have an equipment problem. Don't own or have any experience with a Bulldog Pro but perhaps can help with the component(s) which are largely the same as most others Rod

Try searches similar to this. approved cleaners for docks on chesapeake bay I am sure there is something allowed besides water but finding it takes time. Rod

I would stick with the ones designed for the machine. The pump could suffer trying to push the extra water. Rod

Unfortunately, there is no stain on the market I am aware of that will sustain the effects of chlorine on it combined with full sun UV any longer. A quick cleaning/neutralization and reapplication is all I can suggest at this point. Hopefully, others may lend their experiences. Consider though, my experiences with products is skewed by comparison due to the VOC regulations in our region over what you have access to purchase in yours. Rod

The parts you outlined (facing up) would be the same as the outward facing part of the trim. Where the trim and the decking butt together, one cannot access to apply. The decking would be one color and the trim would be complete in making a border in the solid color. Yes, the 2x4 bottom and top rails would be all one color. The 4x4 post would all be one color. The 2x6 decking would be the alternate color. Rod

Making the rails all one color is fairly standard and lowest in maintenance costs. The trim edge of the deck is typically stained the same as the verticals so running a tape along the decking would help to keep the solid off them. Edging with the semi-transparent is simple enough as well. The end result is a very nice manicured look and is not hard to take care of albeit you will need to touch up these edge tops every time you do the floor. Rod

Spraying consumption will vary with the wind....literally. Expect to lose 15% in those conditions. But if you have a practiced hand, you can reduce that according to how you change the position of your spray pattern (hold it vertical when doing spindles, Horizontal when spraying the top and bottom rail). I would never advocate skipping the masking. Clean up takes even longer and the results will.....look splotchy on the floor. Any time you have to sand a board, you are removing the part that the sun has darkened by UV exposure. (tan line for example) If you sand part of a board you will get a lighter result in the stain compared to the rest of the board or surrounding boards. The lattice is where you will lose the most but having someone behind (if accessible) to hold a cardboard shield will help recover some of it that collects and allow it to be picked up with a brush and applied somewhere on the intended portions where need be. Removing the top cap is a good way to ensure the product doesn't get on the underside of it. Before you reinstall the cap, seal the underside and ends of it too. Helps to minimize the potential for cupping. If you have an endgrain sealer, apply it to the cut ends instead. This helps reduce shrinking due to loss of the woods Natural moisture through wicking/drying over time. Rod

You should mask the floors where the rails are using blue tape and tarps to keep the primer/solid stain off the decking. We use Behr for solid stains. Tough and durable, easy to touch up. Any primer will do that is meant for deck applications. Rustic Brown as a color is a preference. The color is not the part that endures, it is the oils actually. The color will fade and in a couple of years, require cleaning and a recoat as a maintenance regimen. Armstrong is meant as a moisturizing oil and the pigment serves as a UV inhibitor to help reduce the effects of the sun graying the wood. For sqft coverage, the label calls for 1 gallon to cover 200sqft (If memory serves) but I would calculate for 150sft/gallon to start. Subsequent applications in the coming years will require less. One coat only! Apply till the wood refuses and remove the excess and let dry. For apply a solid stain, for efficiency and speed we use an airless spray by Titan. If you don't have an airless sprayer then brushing/pads or rollers will help with the application but brushes will be required in the tight spots. Solid stain on verticals stays clean longer than the floors do. The caps may get dirty quicker than the spindles/balusters. You can clean them along with the deck in intervals of every 2 years with OxyClean or comparable Sodium Percarbonate solution. Rod

Ground level deck. Facing which direction? (north, south etc.) It is important to understand the site conditions because it will affect the performance of the coating and the way the wood behaves. If you are going to solid stain the rails I would suggest a primer then solid. Have the supplier tint the primer at least 50% the color of the stain you are going to apply. Helps with blending and coverage. We always mask the floor around the rail posts and use a tarp while the verticals are being completed. The floor is last and the easiest and shouldn't be a worry if you accidentally touch the solid colored rails. It will easily clean off using a rag and a mild degreaser/water solution. For Armstrong Clark products, we buy from ACR Products out of Easton Pa. It's about a one day turnaround for delivery if you order in the morning AND if they have the color in stock. Otherwise they will advise you how long it will take. Tell them we sent you. Rod

Yeah, we're all having the same drifting our way over here in the dc area. Rain, snow, cold, rain, cold, windy cold.....yeah....enough already Rod

Weather is not the only factor. Temps don't allow for us to wash because we are creating ice and risking the machines, hoses freezing while out in the cold. We do remodeling work and interior work when it is available since I have carpentry skills to support it. But the chances for those opportunities don't come often. That is what we mean when we say 'We are done for the season'. Pressure washing. I don't have guys on the payroll with any other skill sets to support doing anything else so most of the time they become helpers when the opportunity comes. Rod

We do. Rod

Flagstone isn't a good candidate for sealing. It is a shale rock which will continue to flake off due to the porosity of the stone allowing moisture to flow through it from below. Sealing the top is superfluous. As for cleaning, most likely, you are trying to get rid of mold and algae. A simple soap solution with bleach will work and then scrub with a stiff bristle brush. Then was with a power washer, 40 degree tip and from a distance of at least 6" from the surface to minimize flaking caused by the chisel effect of the pressure. Rod

Wow. Sometimes situations call for a rebuild, other times it calls for replacement. Inadvertently you are replacing it piece by piece. Rod

Sounds high but you must be within your competitors and what the market will bear. Rod

Yeah, I would check into the pump. Sounds similar to a condition I have experienced. Pump wasn't that old either but it was used on a 2 gun machine so it was put to work a great deal. When the tech took the pump apart to take a look inside, the entire gear/piston assembly had just collapsed and was a mangled mess. Scratching my head, we ordered a new pump and back to work I went. Rod

Tyrone, In case you didn't, please read this entire thread. There is quite a lot of information about your questions contained within. Once you have read this thread and still have questions more specific in nature, then I can help. The questions you asked pertain to this thread and are not very easily answered in a blanket question without going into a long list of responses very much like what has been posted above. Happy reading. Rod

I would put a set of gauges on the end of one hose you know has no problems. One before the gun, the other after with a tip loaded. Start the unit with the trigger depressed and watch the pressure that registers past the gun. The unloader may need to be adjusted. Rod.

A couple of things come to mind. First is oxidation in the paint making it look dusty. Another is a question: Is the house close to any industry that does cement, blasting or quarry operations? The combination of environment and catalization can cause these pollutants to bond with the coating and become more permanent. If this is the case, repainting may be the best method once the surface has been cleaned as effectively as possible. Rod

GMAN 80% close is not a bad rate. What's the profit margin? Rod