Earl Johnson

I stripped a mahogany door that had tung oil with a top coat of polyurethyne with HD-80, then nutralized it. I applied a coat of gold Ready Seal on it and it looked great, until the next day. In a few places the wood turned almost black. The rest of the door looks good but the black has to go. Any ideas what caused this and what to do about it? I don't want to strip the whole door if I can help it. ( It also includes two panels). Any way to lighten these dark places? Have to go back the first of the week and do something, so I need some good advice! As always, thanks for any help. Earl

Thanks, I'm going back today and try the nutralizer and I'll wait befor I put it on if I strip it, which I'll probably have to do. I don't look at it as losing, just learning! thanks again I'm going to try and post pics tonight. Earl

This door is hand made and leaks bad if water pressure is put on it. I stripped it with HD-80 and P/W it off. IS there another way of stripping without using the pressure?

I haven't tried the lemonene, but I ordered the bond breaker today from them. They said this would work,,,,we'll see. Don't no about the 2 step other than what you just wrote. I think I'm too new and uneducated about chemicals to try this at this point. I would like to no more about it though. Do you no anywhere I can find more info on this, or can you elaberate? I'm going again to night and do more testing to see if I can find something that will clean without having to brush. Gutter zap has sodium hydroxide in it I think. Thanks Ron, Earl

Gotcha on the 1/4 cup of HD......Its not gutters, it's metal fascia and vinyl siding. It's the electrostactic bonding stuff. Gutter Zap will get it off if I brush. I'm thinking there must be a better way rather than brushing 800+ feet . Earl

I thought you meant you added something to the Gutter Zap. I have tested what I have and the Gutter Zap full strength won't do the job unless I brush. I was hoping to find something that I could X-jet (20+ ft.) and just rinse off. If brushing has to be done,thats not a problem, just thought I could save some time and trouble,Its pretty high off the ground and would require extension pole or a lift. Thanks , Earl

Cleaned a deck today with sodium hydroxide. It had alot of mildew. X-jeted it on and washed it off, then used oxalic acid. when the deck started to dry, it had alot of white placesall over it like chalky residue. I neutralized it 2 times and rinsed good and it still came back when it started to dry. Could it be the SH. I did a deck a couple of days ago and it came out great. Did it the same way. Only difference is a different batch of SH. I have to go back tommorow and fix this fast!..... Help sombody!! Thanks Earl

Belive me.......LESSON WELL LEARNED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That won't happen again!!!!!! I have already ordered brightner from Beth!!!!!!!!!!!! I want to do the job right, and will settle for nothing less!!!!!!!! Thanks again for all the help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Earl

Do you mean boost the GZ with HD-80? If so, will this hurt painted surfaces and, will it hurt Tin roofing that is colored. You know, the new type of tin used on alot of commerical blds. Earl

When you X-jet the ZAP to the 2nd story, Don't you have to use a brush? I've got a strip mall to do and I tested a area (metal) and spray and rinse won't do it, have to brush it. Wish I could find something that would just rinse off. Mall is 800ft. Time consuming to brush all of that Earl

Got the ph paper, tested, and the ph was on the low side so I'm assuming the oxalic didn't rinse off. I did a light HD-80 wash (1st time using it) and it turned out great!!! No more white powdery film. IT LOOKS REALLY GOOD!!! Now the question is, How much darn rinsing has to be done to get that dredful stuff off? (oxalic) I no it must be rinsed very very good and then rinse again and that is what I did, I thought. The oxalic I have is Technical Grade Dehydrate Crystals 99.6%. Is this what anybody else uses? I really appreicate all the help from you guys. I was starting to sweat a little on this one. This is a high exposure area and it has to be right, although they all have to be right. So thanks again for taking the time to help a newbe out Happy as a hog in slop, Earl

I'm on my way to get the paper and test!!

I don't have a way to post pictures (wish I did). I was careful with the wire brush and it didn't take much pressure to get it off, but it won't sweep off. It looks like I didn't rinse the SH at all, but I rinsed and rinsed and rinsed some more. I'm not freaking (not yet anyway...lol) Earl

got my meter and sample kit and HD-80 today. Can't wait to try it all. Thank you for the quick response and your help. Earl

today. Only way I could apply it was with a pump up sprayer. Made very little difference if any at all. I took a wide wire brush and brushed the spindles (where most of the residue was) and that took alot of it off. The worst of the residue was on the virtical surfaces. It started raining so I didn't try anything else. I'll see what the rain does to it then I'll try vinagar. I think the problem is from the SH, but I don't understand why the deck before this one turned out so good. Maybe this batch was more potent. Thanks for the baking soda and vinegar info. I'll be back after the rain........ Earl

It don't look like the pole. It's not crystiized, more powdered looking although it don't rub off. I'll try warm water tomorrow. Johny, It could have dried in some places, so that may be part of the problem, but if anything, I mixed the acid weak. When it is completly dry it seems to look better than right after it started to dry. So what does that mean? I looked at it again today and looks better, but still has the white look on knots and lattice. Tommorow I'll do something even if it means P/Wing the whole deck. I'll post the turn-out. Thanks again everybody for all the input. Earl

This deck was in full sun unlike the one before so that may have played a part. I went and looked at it this afternoon and didn't look as bad as it did yesterday. It still looks like it has a white film in some places. It rained last night some, so maybe that helped although I rinsed alot. Littlefield, I put oxalic on 3 times on some spots ( about 30oz./5gal) and each time it seemed to help until the last time, it didn't seem to do much. Did I over do it? Should I rinse again, or what to prepare it for sealing.

Precarb or Oxalic clean mildew? Sears here don't stock Wolmans deck cleaner so I guess I'll try the acid and pressure rinse again and see what happens. I still don't understand why the deck before this one turned out fine. The only difference is I used a different container of SH :confused: I'll be back with the results. Earl

The deck has never been sealed and is in good condition other than the mildew. I did use somewhat high pressure but stayed off the deck about 6-8 inches. There are very few fuzzies. T he white won't rub off and disapears when I wet it. When it starts drying is when you can see it. It's worse around knots and vertical surfaces and bad on the lattice. I think I rinsed good ( with pressure and water hose) and then neutralized 3 TIMES. Now that I think of it, seems like it is mainly on the rougher wood like the lattice and spendles. Paul, Shouldn't the acid neutralize the sodium? I thought it was the sodium that I was seeing but it sure don't want to come off. Some did, but alot didn't. I don't have EFC-38. Is there anything else I could try? Thanks Earl

I meant to say Sodium Hypoclorite

Can anyone tell me how to mix Sodium Hydroxide 25% to use as a stripper. I have a supplier 5 minutes from my house and would like to be able to do this if I can do it SAFELY. I realize it is nothing to play with. I appreicate any help/advice. Earl

Mike. I'm going tomorrow and get a set of scales from Office Depot. Earl

Has anybody used Pro Spa N Decks By Flood? Can someone suggest What works best on a very old, never sealed P/T deck. Wood is very dry and weathered. I'm sure it will **** up a bunch of whatever is put on it. Deck is 16x14, 8 steps with 50lf of railing. Clean and strip 250.00. Is that about right? How much Stain? Thanks for any help. Earl

I don't get bent out of shape too often. I do try to learn from my mistakes and this time it was because I wern't paying attention to what I was doing. That won;t happen again. I understand your pricing theroy and agree with you. I first have to figure out how long the job will take to figure the time. In the meantime I'm trying to work from a SF method. Thanks for the encouraging words! Earl

does a cup weigh? I'm not trying to be smart, just need to know, or if I need to, I'll buy a set of scales Thanks Earl PS. Is there not already a formula somewhere that can be cross-referenced?