Aplus

Northern Tool & Supply is a great place to order Sureflows, at under $70. Also, for something like $6.95, they will sell you a two year extended warranty.

Although vinegar neutralizes well, I don't like smelling like a tossed salad....:) Lemon or lime juice in the little plastic fruit shaped bottles work well too. Of course, then you smell like a margarita!

I use 60psi at 1.4gpm for applying deck chems. Works well.

I don't use Wolman products, but I can answer your question. After stripping a deck with their deck stripper, you do need to brighten with either oxalic or citric acid. Wolmans brightener is an oxalic based product. Be sure to wear goggles, gloves and a respirator (not a dust mask) when applying any of the Wolman products. Also, in the future you may consider contacting Beth on this board to help set you up with professional grade strippers and brighteners. They will work better, and will save you substantial money. Good luck.

If it's 10%, it's pool chlorine, not bleach. Same ingrediants, just called chlorine. Brand name is irrelevant.

Wash and prepare the hot tub the same way you do the rest of the deck. Leave the top on and closed. Keep constantly rinsing the top during the wash process. Use very low pressure, and the weakest stripper mix you can, because the wood is easy to fur up. I brush and roll hot tubs, so it's easy to stain them without making a mess. I've not had a problem with them.

It's also a good idea to avoid excessive water around electrical meters, which could have leaking areas as well. And look up, to make sure you don't bump overhead wires.

Paul, If you purchase supplies as tax exempt, aren't you required to charge the tax to the customer, then report and send it to the state? I'm fairly certain that's how it's done here in Michigan, so I would rather just pay the tax and not have to worry about collecting sales tax from customers and sending it in to the state tax authority. The Weatherbeater solid stain at Sears is manufactured by Olympic, and retails for between 14.99 - 18.99 per gallon, depending on whether any sales are in effect. I always prepare the surface the same as for any other application, washed and neutralized. It seems that the labor cost of applying three coats would make most two tones cost prohibitive. I understand what you're saying about the possiblility of it lasting ten years, but I still think nearly tripling my price would not be an easy sell. Beth, At what strength should I mix the EFC-38 so as not to strip RS? For this particular job, I mixed at about 12oz in 5 gallons. I recently did another cleaning job where I mixed it at 8oz in 5 gallons, and it seemed to be about the right strength. What do you think?

Everett is absolutely correct. I carry a spare pump in the trailer, and I even have a spare in the garage. In my experience, the pressure switch is what typically fails. I've also found it best to solder all exterior wire connections, then encase them in shrink tubing. Corrosion can be your worst enemy. As far as pumping chems is concerned, I have put many different chems thru my pump, and of course follow up afterward with fresh water for a rinse. In three years, I'm happy to report very good results with my sureflow setup.

One cup of HD-80, scooped with a measuring cup, is very close to 8oz. That is the way I measure it as well.

I use a dual lance exclusively. I like the fingertip control that it provides for adjusting psi.

Sears Weathbeater has worked very well for me for two tones. Here's pics from a job we did in 02', on a two year maintenance plan. We only stripped the floor, which was only supposed to be a wash with efc-38, but apparently it was a tad too strong and removed most of the old rs-light brown. The solid stain on the railing system was nearly 100% intact, except for some spots at ground level that were sliced with a string trimmer. This shows that less expensive stains can deliver satisfactory results if the surface preparation is done correctly. I'm expecting to have to recoat the railing at the four year interval, which should be on par with Cabots, which costs over twice as much.

But it does affect the pressure as it dissipates quicker. By this I mean the distance you are from the surface to be washed. A 15 degree nozzle will still have more psi at say 6" than a 40 degree nozzle would.

A hose longer than 50' may have a harder time priming.

Maybe the terrorists have attacked a chlorine production plant, causing panic in chlorine futures, thus driving up prices.

Biodegradable really is an overused term. Your customers house will biodegrade in a couple thousand years. What you really want is PH balanced, around 7-8, which will not shock and kill vegetation.

Of course a hammer will also put a divot in wood if you miss the nail....:)

Around here, it's simply known as liquid chlorine. I get mine from a super center type grocery store, 10%, four per case, for about $8-9 per case.

Wouldn't it be a 100% increase, instead of a 50% increase in volume?

Paul, I noticed your 20 gallon tank cart setup is on a feeble, hard rubber wheeled folding cart. Why not mount on a tubular metal handcart with pneumatic tires? It's easier to move around in the grass and terrain with the larger tires.

What size engine is it?

I use a six gallon bucket. That way I can carry around a full five gallons without spilling. A small plastic spring clamp works great to hold the hose in the bucket.

And don't forget about experience.....you provided a great example when describing what you're doing in a particular order. Don't want to be standing around during dwell times.

I second what Bryan said.

I took "your fault" as meaning "something in your house washing process may need to be improved upon".