Beth n Rod

Not yet Lyle, but we want one.... :groovy3: Beth

Pressure treated pine.... :banana: Beth

Patrick, A signature man, a signature. Beth

Armstrong Clark is a product that was formulated in the heart of redwood country in California, It has beenin use for years on redwood and we have also used it on redwood ourselves. Contact Tom & Barbara Vogel at ACR Products to get it, their number is 610-253-8005. You'll find the manufacturers website with colors here: Oil Based coatings for Wood, Sealant & Stain: Restore and Protect - Armstrong-Clark Co. You have already stripped it, once you are done sanding you are ready to ally the sealer/stain. Don't go over 80 grit on the sandpaper. Beth

Saponification: . A reaction in which an ester is heated with an alkali, such as sodium hydroxide, producing a free alcohol and an acid salt, especially alkaline hydrolysis of a fat or oil to make soap. When used on grease, it forms a type of soap but not one of the quality we use. Rod!~

You didn't use an alkaline cleaner for step one? Beth

Don't ever think people won't try to trap you. I remember one time I was out with Rod doing estimates. We were to look at a house and deck. On the way up the walk we noticed pressure washer damage on the aluminum siding. We get to the door, and the man who called in answered the door but did not acknowledge it was himself. We asked for the man who called in, and the man said "he's not here". Then he said the house across the street got new siding due to pressure washing damage and had we ever heard of that before. We were puzzled....and alarmed. we walked around the house and left. No estimate. When we got back to the office he was rining the phone off the hook and screaming mad that we had not left an estimate. I believe Rod told him he wanted to speak to the man who called in, who was not home. That's when the guy admitted it was him all along. We told him we were not interested, and he screamed and cursed more. Did he want a fall guy for siding because either he or someone else he could not contact screwed it up and he wanted new? You bet he did. Sometimes you have to trust your gut. Oh, and EVERY job we do, there are before and after photos. Beth P.S. this is ANOTHER good reason NOT to give phone estimates!!!! Good way to get trapped.

Welcome to TGS. Please go to Settings and fill in your signature. Enjoy. Beth

Welcome to TGS! Glad you are enjoying the site. We try to be helpful. I believe that if you sand the entire floor well enough, you can get to even and should be able to accomplish your goal with little noticeable difference. However I do not know how thorough your sanding skills are. Strip the deck. Sand the entire deck (but first counter sink the nails if that is how the boards are attached) Keep at it until all of the wood looks the same. When you think you have done this..... Wet the deck just to look and see if you have a hot tub outline. The water will tell you. If it is still there, let the deck dry and try again. At some point you need to realize that you may be left with some outline. I strongly suggest you look into Armstrong Clark sealers. We love them, and of those you listed the only one we like is TWP. Beth p.s. when sanding always sand the entire board, do not spot sand or you will have a spotted deck. Consider renting a floor sander, this is not a job to use a palm sander on.

Nathan, there are lots of threads about what you are asking....grab a snack, search and read. We use sprayers, but not backpack style. Beth

Much more complicated. Grab a snack, and read the residential forum.....and ask as you read.... Beth

This was on ABC's news site...... Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke Heat exhaustion develops when the body encounters excessively high temperatures that it is not used to managing. It occurs at body temperatures that are very high, but usually less than 40 degrees Celsius, or 104 degrees Fahrenheit. The symptoms of heat exhaustion are not very specific, but ultimately relate to a state of dehydration, which is the condition's primary characteristic. Symptoms may include weakness, headache, and nausea. Heat stroke is severe injury from high body temperatures that causes damage to many organs, particularly the central nervous system, which include the brain and spinal cord. In contrast to heat exhaustion, patients suffering from heat stroke will have temperatures that are usually greater 104 degrees. Heat stroke may be divided into two categories-exertional and classic. Exertional heat stroke Exertional heat stroke patients are usually people who are exercising in excessively warm conditions. Their bodies cannot manage the stress of the physical activity and the hot environment together. Classic heat stroke Classic heat stroke patients are often elderly or debilitated people who are in warm environments for too long. The elderly are especially vulnerable to the heat, as the body is less and less able to handle heat as it ages. Elderly people may also have pre-existing illnesses that make them more susceptible to heat stroke, or they make take medications that affect the body's ability to manage hot temperatures. Elderly people, who, for economic reasons, are not able to get out of the heat, are at great risk for heat stroke. Heat Transfer In order to understand heat-related illnesses you need to know something about the way the body normally gets rid of heat. There are four ways the body transfers heat: radiation, evaporation, conduction, and convection. Radiation Radiation occurs when the body turns heat into electromagnetic waves. In other words, waves of heat can escape from the body directly into the surrounding air. This is the primary way that human beings are able to lose heat from their bodies in very hot environments. Evaporation Evaporation is the transfer of heat that occurs during the transformation of liquid to gas. Evaporation of sweat (even of sweat you cannot feel, called insensiblelosses) is another significant method that the body uses to cool down. Convection and conduction Convection and conduction are secondary ways for the body to lose heat after radiation and evaporation. Convection is the passage of heat into the air and into the vapor that surrounds the body. It is different from evaporation in that the heat does not transform to the gas phase, as it does in evaporation. Conduction is the transfer of heat through physical contact. What Happens When it Gets Too Hot In hot environments, the body initiates several processes to lose heat. First, the anterior hypothalamus, the body's thermostat in the brain, signals the body to open up blood vessels near the skin's surface so that heat can be transferred outside by the methods listed above. This vessel dilation is possible because blood is shunted away from the body's core. The hypothalamus also mediates sweating and tells the body to respond to the heat by taking off clothes and seeking a cooler environment. When it becomes too hot, however, the body's ability to cool down becomes overwhelmed. Symptoms like fatigue, headache, muscle aches, confusion, and even coma can occur, depending on the severity of the condition. This overwhelming of the body's means of handling heat can be caused by a very warm environment or excessive exercising in the heat, as discussed before. Also, though, patients may get overheated because of certain illnesses like hyperthyroidism (high thyroid hormone level) or infections causing fever. Additionally, some medications can cause high body temperatures. A class of drugs called anticholinergics can decrease the body's ability to sweat and, therefore, to lose heat. Other drugs called sympathomimetics can decrease skin vessel dilation. There are other classes of drugs that may also interfere with body temperature regulation through various, sometimes complicated, mechanisms. Symptoms and Signs There are a variety of symptoms associated with heat-related illnesses. Heat exhaustion patients may have vague complaints of symptoms that come on slowly. These can include: Headache Weakness Lightheadedness Muscle aches Muscle cramps Agitation Heat stroke patients can have the same complaints as heat exhaustion patients, but they also suffer central nervous system problems, which can include: Confusion hallucinations Bizarre behavior Seizure Coma It was once thought that heat stroke patients did not sweat, but this inability to sweat is variable, and often strikes the patient at the latest stages of the condition. Heat stroke patients, because of the resulting multi-organ damage, may also complain of blood in the urine or stool, decline in the amount of urine produced and shortness of breath, among other problems. Other symptoms There are secondary categories of heat-related illnesses to watch out for: Heat syncope occurs when a person overheats and then faints. Heat cramps are muscle contractions associated with electrolyte or mineral abnormalities caused by the heat. Heat edema is characterized by swelling in the arms and legs because of the heat. Prickly heat is a heat rash that is red and very itchy. Treatment There is a lot that you can do for a person suffering from a heat-related illness. If you see someone who appears to be suffering from a heat-related illness, you should call for help immediately. In the most rare, severe cases, you should start cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), if necessary. If the person is not a trauma patient (has not been in an accident, fight, or fall), you should move the individual from the hot environment to a cooler location. Next you can sprinkle lukewarm water on the skin and fan the patient; this will encourage evaporation. You can also apply ice packs to the neck, underarms, and groin. In the emergency room Once a patient has been taken to the emergency room, the cooling process will be continued. The doctor may use a cooling blanket and some other more aggressive methods, but in general, treatment is similar to the methods that should be initiated immediately, including fanning and ice packs. The doctor may order tests to assess organ damage. These tests can include electrolytes or minerals, blood-clotting tests, a urine analysis, creatine phosphokinase (a muscle enzyme quantification), and a head computed tomography (CT or cat) scan. Heat stroke patients are admitted to the intensive care unit. Heat exhaustion patients are admitted to a regular floor bed in the hospital. When patients are released from the hospital, they should have a place to go to avoid the heat, and they must be able to rehydrate themselves. If caretakers are aggressive with these cooling techniques before delivering the patient to the hospital, and the emergency department is able to treat any related organ damage, then there is a good possibility that the prognosis will be excellent. Prevention Heat-related illnesses are often preventable. When hot weather is expected, the elderly and debilitated must be ensured access to cool, air-conditioned shelter. People should be encouraged to wear light-colored, loose clothing and bathe in tepid water. Also, hydration is critical, and people in hot weather should increase their fluid intake substantially. To avoid exertional heat stroke, athletes should not exercise in extreme heat, and coaches should be aware of the symptoms of heat-related illnesses. Athletes also must stay well-hydrated. Summary Heat-related illnesses are a continuum of conditions but have traditionally been divided into heat exhaustion-characterized by dehydration-and heat stroke, in which organs, particularly the central nervous system, are damaged. Heat exhaustion patients may have vague complaints like weakness, nausea and headache, whereas heat stroke patients often have these symptoms plus confusion or hallucinations. Heat-related illnesses present a potentially severe-even fatal-set of conditions that can often be prevented if treated early and aggressively. Learning about the symptoms and preventive care can help you help someone else.

Sweeeeeeeet! Beth

TSP is an alkaline builder and cleaning agent. It does not cause a film but in addition to using bleach if not sufficiently rinsed, it can leave a residue. This is not a film and can be removed by re-wetting and rinsing. Rod!~

It is unfortunate that you are a victim of contractor abuse. People like these know better and yet they take advantage of unsuspecting contractors who are not mindful of the conditions and get caught off guard. Looks like the best thing is to order the product from someone online and get it done. If they want a different product, they will have to pay for the product. That is fair. Next time, don't be so ignorant and overconfident of what should have been an obvious situation where the sealer was concerned. Never propose a wash without sealing it as a requirement afterwards. Rod!~

You should have known it was time for a re-do at the two year mark on the floors. Should they pay? Well, did you have any discussion with them about the last time the deck was done, it's history, etc? You may end up eating this if you didn't have the discussion about the stain being at the end of its life. If you told them you could wash it and not hurt the finish, man up and redo it. Beth

Stained two years ago!? It was time for it to fail anyway. Shady, probably retaining too much water from rain, adds to the failure potential. Cedar needs to be done every two years anyway. Rod!~

Exactly. And you can use the 3M pads or other abrasive attachments with it. Beth

If you go over the CWF with another product your likely outcome will be a nasty failure that you won't be able to deal with yourself, and will cost more to have removed than if you had just hired someone to strip it in the first place. Have seen it many, many, many times. You should seriously consider at least having a pro strip the house even if you seal it yourselves. It's a house. Not a deck. Good luck. Beth

Bleach will not strip CWF from cedar. You need a sodium hydroxide based product ( not the kind in the box stores either) followed by a brightener/neutralizer (again, no box stores). We like Armstrong Clark on cedar as a sealer. Be careful with that siding, stripping a house is not a small task, and is hard enough for seasoned professionals. Good luck. Beth

....CHICKEN..... :lol: Beth

Posting.... Beth

Got the flu Russ? :lol: Beth

Rick, You could always paint them..... :lol: :lol: :lol: Get one on of those pedicures where the main part of the nail is flesh colored and the tips are white looking....very in, very now....or just apply a few coats of ready seal. :lol: Beth :cup:

Dustin, Please go to your "Settings" and add a signature. Thanks. Beth