PressurePros

Those things are warped and cracked and cupping all over the place.. nasty. I couldn't think of a viable option for you, Rick. If you want some much younger muscle to strong arm that extension you just holler and I'll drive over the bridge. LOL. It's a beetch getting older and wiser isn't it? :yoda:

Very nice professional work.

Congrats, Matt. Looks great, buddy. Have one for me.

All Wash sounds a bit generic to me. I was just playing around but I definitely like All Washed Up the best of the choices. I agree with Mr Fife that it lends itself to crafty marketing. I think it is important to change the public's perception about "power washing" or "pressure washing" as a profession. I think avoiding the terms in your company name and byline is a strong beginning. I had a house wash today where I had to fight bad perception of "pressure washers" from start to finish. Yellow aluminum siding that was oxidized. Every expert from the father-in-law to the surrounding 5 neighbors told the homeowner the wash could not be performed without damage. During the 4 hour process, I had no less than an audience of four people watching us perform. I'm guessing before the week is out most of the neighbors and the father-in-law will be booking us for the same service and forgetting that there is any other contractor that performs housewashing. Florin, the byline is all yours. When you achieve world domination and move into my market (or me into yours) just throw me a bone now and then.

ALL WASHED UP ™ Exterior Cleaning Contractors

If the deck is dry, you can either wet it (no standing water) or my preference is to add water to the WTW. I add 1 gallon water to a fiver of Tux. I think you will have problems spraying through a pump up. It doesn't atomize well in those types of sprayers. Get yourself a Wagner Control Sprayer. They are HVLP sprayers and they are around $100. I picked up a few when I have my guys working on lattice work and they spray quite well. I was surprised.

800 psi for top pressure - learn your nozzle sizes to attain proper pressure Chemicals needed - sodium hydroxide based stripper (HD-80 of F-18 are good), EFC-38, some type of acidic ph Balancing brightener. You'll have to use the search button and do some research to find out where to order, which to use and when etc. Homeowner products available at a home store give homeowner results.

plainpainter = professional with experience Mr Wojcik=homeowner That was my point. As I said in post, I am not saying that your solution wasn't viable. You aren't making suggestions to another contractor, I just think you should keep that in mind. EFC-38 has TSP in it. A couple of other ingredients that also lend it well to paint prep. If a house is coverd in mold, bleach is probably the tool. The EFC-38 will work, but the nature of vertical surface might not give it enough dwell time to effectively kill all the spores or cut through thicker growth. For what it's worth, plainpainter (what is your first name?) some of the most toxic gases have no scent. Mr Wojcik, cleaning and sealing a cedar house is no small project. I would not even trust most guys that do decks unless I saw their work on houses.. different beast. If you insist on doing it yourself I would probably first use a very diluted bleach to kill any mold growth. Rinse well.. I would follow with EFC-38 applied per manufacturer's directions (does anyone know if Russell even sells to non-professionals?) I would then follow with a pH balancing acid. This sounds like a ton of work and it is, but I have specialty pumps and application methods (not to mention a labor force) that would allow me to do it very quickly. For a sealer, I recommend a semi-transparent, oil or alkyd based penetrating sealer. It will look better and if you neglect maintenance, the worst thing that happens is fading. Solid stains and paints will peel. Once the substrate is exposed and water can accumulate in the wood, rot happens very quickly. In addition, you will not need a primer and multiple applications. If you cannot find a suitable product, we sell a kit at retail that would suit your needs. Feel free to email me at customerservice@restore-a-deck.com or send me a pm here and I will give you more info.

That last statement is contradictory. You have no idea what EFC-38 is or what it does yet you advise a homeonwer to mix up a coctail of chemicals claiming the cocktail is a reasonable substitute. You're offbase by the way. I am not saying that the mix you recommended is not effective or even maybe the best treatment but recommending that a consumer mix chemicals that at the very least gives off a toxic gas, kills vegetation and can etch glass is questionable. http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/book_shelf/react95.exe EFC-38 contains no bleach

Jim, just came back to the computer. Relax and watch and 24 in peace. I will give you a call one night this week. Thanks.

I also need to add, PressurePros, Inc did not finish this deck the homeowner did. He used the Cabot's SPF cleaner (probably bleach and surfactant) that was recomended to him. I had advised him on proper pressure and washing technique. The deck was one month old at the stage he washed. Jim, should he have sanded prior to using this crap? I told him it was unnecessary.

Here are the details I have. Deck floor measures approx 700 s.f. Replace 175 s.f of boards (I am assuming 350 l.f of floorboards) Deck is peeling (painted). Will need to be cleaned and prepped. One coat of primer. Two coats of solid stain on floor and one coat on rail system. I have given a high estimate sight unseen but it's a bit out of my operating area. If you can do a job like this for under $3800 I will refer it to you. PS: I don't know wood species but since the deck will be painted with solid, PTP replacement would be fine.

Next time you go out to clean, wet all surrounding vegetation very well. This will preempt any types of detergents from being absorbed by the plant life. You definitely need to knock down those mold spores and bleach is the most effective chemical for doing it. Try a 50/50 dilution with water and spraying that directly onto the surface with a garden sprayer. Let it sit for about 20 minutes. During your chemical dwell time, re-rinse your vegetation generously. After dwell, re-wash. Your problem should be eliminated. Hot water is your best hedge against getting the mold off without bleach but that is not an option for you with that machine.

You should at the very least rinse bleach off, no?

That would be the course of action if you were reapplying a solid. I would also use a primer before I laid down another coat. At some point in your wood "career" someone is going to ask you to remove paint or solid stain so they can use a semi trans and see their wood grain again. This type of job requires different kinds of strippers, different dwell times and often reapplication and washing. I usually charge triple for a job like that.

I think it's excellent. I am a little unsure about the Tiger Woods statement. While it is "down to earth" it changes the professional pace of the letter. I would omit it. Nice job, Dan, well written and to the point. I like the first paragraph because it appeals to the vanity of the contractor and introduces the sales pitch without being overly "snowy".

Thank you, Scott! Just got back from a helluva celebration :hat:

Look for a variable speed 7" polisher. A good one is going to be $150-$250. Harbor Freight Tools sells a cheap one for around $35. I bought one and while it is nowhere near as balanced as my other Makitas (and heavier) it does the job.

Down there, $695 and Ready Seal or Wood Tux DMC (which is basically the same as Ready Seal but cheaper). Ready Seal takes the advantage for having color choices and is probably your best bet.

Very nice, Mike. Best of luck to you.

There is TSP in my housewash formula. As noted, it's a small amount.

Labor is definitely my biggest overhead. Proper scheduling, time management and oganization are important. I have been weak in those areas in the past and looking over numbers this past winter and evaluating certain jobs, it adds up.

Rick it's sunny here now so it doesn't last too long. Off I go.

That would make a good vanity plate for you, Jim.

Sideways blowing snow with 30 mph winds. Last week girls were walking around in shorts. Not that I took notice.