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big mike

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Posts posted by big mike


  1. Tony,

    I've played around with RS then AC top coat as well with poor results. The newly stained decks looked great, but failed too quickly. AC as a stand alone is just too unpredictable also, so we are back to RS on ALL jobs that require a semi trans stain. Your deck looks great after cleaning, but it looks like mildew was the problem after the first year. I feel that Linseed oil is the issue (as always). Haven't we gone down this road of looking for the latest and greatest stain, only to be disappointed again and again? Can't say this enough: stick with a product that works, and you know how to use.


  2. But , those people are wrong and I am the Ready Seal Guru.......

    Yeah, you're a Guru alright.

    If you can get hold of an Osborne brush and a Makita, you can fix that.

    Jim is right. New cedar will only take one coat, and sometimes not real well. I like to use clear for the first year coat, then follow with cedar color for maintenance. You can't hide the furring, and some will wear away and some won't. It will need to be fixed eventually, and will require physical agitation of some sort.

    Next year here's what WE would do:

    Wash the deck lightly with a dilute bleach mixture (for specifics do some research).

    Let dry and remove that furring (again, research)

    Apply 1 coat for maintenance. We usually only do 2 coats on newly stripped and neutralized decks to drive the color as deep as possible.


  3. Um, I wouldn't recommend a surface cleaner on asphalt (unless it is equipped with much larger nozzles). If you want to see striping, go for it (I know because I tested out a new Big Guy for about 5 seconds on my own driveway, OOPS!!) Use the diluted 12.5% by itself, and a wand with a wide fan to rinse, and keep the nozzle as far from the surface as possible. I'd stay away from the TSP, Dawn, or any other caustic type cleaners. Asphalt is made with LOTS of oil, so you wouldn't want to be removing it from the asphalt.


  4. Here's what we do to increase draw rates: 1- NEVER RUN THROUGH A HOSE REEL (too much restriction). 2- always use one less size than your machine calls for. 3-250' max length on the line. Although this may create problems for some, we've found that most times we only are using 250 feet of hose or less, and if you don't use the reel, you can hook up an injector on less hose if you have it in sections on the reel (we run 3-100 sections with QC's on our reels)".

    If you are having troubles with long pressure lines and chemical draw rates, look at adding a Shurflo pump to the injector for an "induction" system. If you are unfamiliar with this, check the search function for "induction".


  5. bleach

    You crack me up, but yes bleach.

    Chris, is there a stain on the house now? You can use HD-80, but rinse the window trim immediately after you apply it. If it dwells for more than a minute or two, you'll have streaking and spotting, and longer dwell means aluminum damage. Not a process for folks who are unfamiliar with hydroxide and how it works. Also, using a stripper will require you to neutralize the wood to get it lightened. As Jim mentioned bleach will lighten up the wood, but it won't strip off old stain (usually).


  6. Mark, Welcome to the circus....

    First, i'll tell you to do some serious reading of past posts. You assumption that "muzzle velocity" is equally affected by reducing flow or pressure is incorrect. Never reduce flow. Adjust pressure by using larger orifice nozzles, not by adjusting the unloader. Deck work especiallt redwood, you should keep it under 1000psi for sure. And search - stripping decks, neutralizing, Oxalic acid, sodium hydroxide, sodium hypochlorite for starters. This should keep you busy for the next couple of months....

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