Beth n Rod

My arms and ankles look like that too, so do Rod's. BUT....I wear socks so my tan is higher up on the ankle. But I cut my toe nails! Rick, trim the fangs man, you'll scare the dogs! :lol: Beth

Looking forward to seeing them. Beth

It was felt in three states that I know if, MD, VA and WV. I hope I never experience a 6.6. I have friends who have been through major ones in northern cal. Beth

I'll have to dig a couple out and post pics. We have a variety of them. Beth

Oh yeah, we felt it. Felt the small after shock too. First we heard a loud bang, then everything shook, the house, the windows, etc. Not much to do except sit through it. It was 5:04 and and we were in bed, and had just woken up. Beth

Remember, unless you have this all in writing and signed waiver that they do not hold you liable for the other contractors issues (list the current conditions and missed steps) and the sooner than later failure potential, I for one would not do it. Too much liability there and it could come back to bite you. Rod!~

The deck is filthy. You can't seal over it, it will fail miserably. If it were me, I would either do it right, clean, prep then seal or not do the job at all. Beth

Oxalic/Citric acids will bleach them out. Rod!~

+1!!! Beth

We know what made them. Let's see who else can identify them. Beth

I have only ever seen a bear once myself. I have seen tracks and claw marks too. We have lots of deer, the occasional fox, raccoon, etc. Beth

They can be found in Maryland, yes. Not in my neighborhood, but in Maryland in the country, then can. The home owner took down a bird feeder the bear had been raiding. Pissed off the bear. Bear attacked the house. Bad bear! Beth

Let me ask the most pertinent questions here: 1. are you the manufacturer? obviously, the answer will be no. 2. why would you want to guarantee something you don't make yourself. You are only an applicator. 3. do you understand the implications if it doesn't last 7 years? ie how to maintain it (if it is maintainable), or even more importantly; how difficult will it be to strip it if it can't be maintained for whatever reason? 4. what the cost(s) would be to do such a job if the product failed before the term of the guarantee is up? 5. does the manufacturer offer such a guarantee and if so, does it apply if someone other than the homeowner applies it? 6. will that company still have that specific color available 7 years from now? or...will they even be able to sell the same formula if the voc laws in that region change? and furthermore, will that new formula be compatible with the old for maintenance purposes? Food for thought. Rod!~

OOOPS! I guess they did. Yes, a 200 lb black bear according to the home owner. Beth

I fixed the typo. Looks like someone took a can opener to it. Rod!~

Piece of cake. Beth

You are shooting at the lowest reading. To change it, use a smaller orifice tip or change the regulator setting. We use Deep cycle marine batteries for our sprayers. They give a full days work and can be charged over-night with a trickle charger. Rod!~

Bleach is a hard chemical to work with until you become more seasoned in wood care and understand the effects a chemical can have on wood. Most contractors buy their chems from one or more suppliers. The chemistry store. com is a good one in addition to many others who advertise here on TGS. The results you got were because the bleach was either the bleach was too strong or it was allowed to dwell too long. Jim and Rick work with bleach but don't divulge their secrets easily. Maybe if you bribe'em with a case of Heineken or something you might get a lesson. ;) We prefer not to work with that chemical on wood but rely more on percarbonates and strippers which can handle the cases for which they are formulated for. Acids are mostly for neutralization and not as a stand alone cleaner unless formulated as a cleaning agent for a deck that has already been stained and only needs a cleaning but not removing the finish. Rod!~

BUMP! It's that time of year. Read this, and stay safe. Keep hydrated. Beth

Some sealers will leave a residue that over time will eventually break loose and form a clump. This is clogging one of the check valves. Take the unit apart making note of the direction each check valve sits in its seat as you do. ('X' side up, 'O' side down) Place them accordingly in the same pattern aside as you flush the manifold and pump body. Clean the in line filter screen (but don't lose the O'ring). Replace the 3/8 hose that is bulging, this is an indicator it is about to fail. If this does not eliminate the problem, replace the seals (1 set each side of the piston). Rod!~

Armstrong stains are made for redwood originally. Some brands of stain may cause the tannins to go dark on you and the result is an almost black deck and not very appealing. Rod!~

One thing to keep in mind with bleach; never let it dry on the surface. Rod!~

A/C needs to penetrate in order to dry. Otherwise, the non-drying oil stays on the surface and keeps the whole thing wet. Word to the wise, never apply A/C over another product. It was not meant to be applied that way. Rod!~

Been there done that. You have to strip it to install AC. My suggesting is go wipe it down with mineral spirits, but if that doesn't do it, strip, prep and install. Beth

Blue masking tape and a brush...Old School! Rod!~