Neil_Asheville

LOL! I just reread your post and you asked for 'some of the bests' advice! Didn't see that or I'd have backed off......:) /neil

mike, i typically take total linear feet of railing x total sqft/linear foot to get total sqft. Bandboard/rim joist is included in this figure. For an all wood railing system I'll stand on deck facing rail and start my wheel on the underside of railcap or subrail, come over top of cap, down spindle around bottom rail (if there is one) and down bandboard. Now you have sqft/linear foot to apply to cost per square for estimate. Works good 'nuff for me. /neil

Daniel, did it not register with you the first time you applied your house wash mix to the deck with no result to try something different? But 5 times! These boards are loaded full of standard procedures and products sold by supporting vendors that are specific to the work we do. You just seem closed down to others advice. I imagine that advice will stop flowing your direction if you continue to ignore it. How about this, I'm 'giving' you $25 to spend. Instead of offering up MORE accurate advice that's already been given to you and 1000's of archived threads on the SIMPLE process of prepping wood, how about you tell me what you'd have done different and how you might consider doing the next one. Pretent you're spending MY money! /neil

WoodTux in Western Red Cedar on 15year OLD untreated thirsty pine. Thought I'd put these up for y'alls personal portfolio use since this will be a new stocked color from ESI. I've tinted my own to WRC, but this was the first project using ESI stocked color. I love it. These shots should help when offering your customers color choices. Feel free to email me for higher res versions. happy staining... /neil

Pics were emailed this morning to those that requested. Thanks for the patience. Yo JayRod! /neil

Charlie. Untreated meaning no apparent history of stain or finish. Surely it was pressure treated lumber. Yes, 3.5hrs of discing, defurring, and nail sets.

I'm in the picture puttin' up mood....hope y'all dont mind. /neil

Here are a few more of the same project. Finished it up yesterday. I was extremely pleased with outcome given the poor condition of this deck. I was most impressed with how much pigment stayed at the surface (hence great color) with as much product that I put down. Coverage rate was 180sf/gal, which is far lower than my experience with wtw. This was one of the most degraded decks I've done, though. Christian, my WRC tint never came close to looking as good as this looks coming out of the pail. Chaz, for this particular deck we brushed all the 6x6's, sprayed everything else. Two heavy coats wet on wet. Still could have taken more oil. /neil

Another advantage of an enclosed rig. The WIDE MOUTH gatorade bottle gets plenty of use. As for #2, a 5'er works just fine. Assume the position slightly forward of where you 'think' you should be. I was surprised how far back everything happens:lgbugeyes. Clean the 5'er by mixing a housewash batch and xjetting your next customer. This is one of my most popular upsell items. /neil

Aaron. Pau Lope (pow-lowpay) is in the ipe family of brazilian hardwood. It also appears to be a trademarked name? Restoration and finish expectations should be just like your regular ipe jobs. Pau Lope Decking - The World's Finest Decking I've seen samples, however have not yet worked on a Pau Lope branded project. Hope this helps. /neil

Went on a sales call Friday to a home with a 12x34 ipe tongue and groove covered screened back porch. Off the porch is covered 8x8 section then 10 steps uncovered to the back yard. Homeowner was concerned with how bad the ipe looked. Penofin applied one year ago and the screened and covered sections looked beautiful, IMO. Not one hint of uv degradation or mildew. Penofin and WoodTux both finish matte on ipe, she wants a look similar to shiney floor. This did appear dull from a normal years worth of wear. Steps were consistent with how penofin should look after 1yr. I'm always hesitant to introduce water to t&g flooring. I let her know I saw no need in stripping an intact stain just to apply another similar (aesthetically) product. I think if this shined up a bit for her she'd love her porch again. I was thinking a recommendation of Murphy's Oil Soap or similar that could start to build up a wax finish, treating it as an interior hardwood floor. There is no water or much light at all that gets to this porch. If that's a bad route possibly a light percarb clean with siding brush and garden hose and another padded coat of Penofin. Thoughts? /neil

Charlie I was just ribbing Ken and Desperate Housewives didn't fit the thread:) Does that show really come on tonight?!?

Ken, we know you're just bored and killing time before Touched by an Angel comes on at 9.

Great Beth. Already looking forward to Myrtle Beach next weekend for the kids break. We'll have another cold spell...30's and 50's...maybe another decent snow. Mountain weather is weird this time of year. Yo to Rod. /neil

Leave it to the Northerners to take the wheels off the welcome wagon! We're just nicer down here!~ LOL!

Sucked. Huge disappointment following the great Talladega Nights. It's definately PG-13 as a heads up for the parents in the bunch. /neil

Where's Sonora?

I've never seen one this bad. I've washed maybe 10 total drivit homes, however most just need attention to soffits/facia/gutters/window sills, etc. I looked at this home today and can't tell if this is soiling like a mold or mildew or if it's a fading paint or somehow flaking/wearing off of the actual drivit material? There are obvious algae areas, but the black sections? I'm most concerned with expectations to give to HO prior to cleaning. Any SC or FL guys see drivit this bad? Thanks! /neil

Looks like Eacochem's SafeRestore is an extremely versitile cleaner...worth having on hand, for sure. Has anyone used it successfully on heavy copper or oxide stains on concrete or limestone? thanks! /neil

I'll do it, Dan. Then we can ALL rejoice in knowing you aren't going to blow yourself up and exausting us just READING about your tinkerings and struggles!!! In my mind I have you looking just like the crazy haired zany professor in Back to the Future :) From the above 11 posts you shouldn't need much more convincing. /neil

Looking great, Paul. Don't you just love those underdecked decks. No worries of drips below. I recently did an ipe with Rain Escapes brand underdecking. It's the milk carton type material that swags between joists. I left a small sample of the material in hd80 at 20oz/gal for a week, no damage. FWIW, I much prefer the finished look of UnderDeck brand (like the one in your project shot here). Looking up from below to a RainEscapes underdeck you see the material and all the crap that falls between cracks above. UnderDeck and similar brands can also be installed on existing decks, RainEscapes is new construction only. /neil

I'll dissolve 2 scoops of SC into 1 gal of warm water, add to 4gs of SH. F-13 also goes in to the mix on most housewashes.

Looks brand spankin new, Roger. It's not rocket science, but it IS science...you've earned your degree!

Great, thanks. I'm gonna trust the downstreamer! 4 gallons of 12.5% and 1 gallon of Simple Cherry?

It's been tough these past 3 weeks, but I had another 'outlet':) I couldn't access this site for some crazy reason. No changes on my end and no probs with any other sites or browser functionality. It was strange. All of a sudden night before last (again, no changes) site pops right up. What I'm really trying to say is that I Missed Y'all! cheers, /neil