Deck Guy

There's notmuch point in waiting for the perfect time to get married anyway. If one of you wants to, you can always come up with something you want to accomplish before taking the plunge. Even with the perfect match, marriage takes commitment. I think the majority of our disagreements have stemmed from how to raise and discipline our son. As with most families, it's been my job to be the hardass most of the time. My wife and I grew up in families with very similar values and make-ups, so that has eased our road a bit. She has made me a better, more caring person along the way. We'll be celebrating 20 years on May 23rd.

Reduce debt and invest the rest. It just puts me a few years closer to retirement!

What's to debate? As I said...I NEVER have rinsed brightener (not even once), and I have NEVER EVER had an issue related to it. Rinse if you feel it benefits you, but I can't be convinced. If you have horror stories related to that issue, we must be using different strippers (or concentrations), or different neutralizers (or concentrations). To each his own.

It can work either way. You should eventually learn to discern a few species/types of wood from experience, so you look like a guy who knows what he's doing.

Thanks Chaz, I guess it popped up on "New Posts" due to the question posted above my response. I guess I should take a peek at the dates before wasting my time.

Why on earth would you ever spend $10+ for two pounds of Wolmans brightener?? Get the stuff the pros use, and save some $$$ at the same time. I refuse to show up at a customers house with anything from Home Depot in my truck. It just makes it harder to explain why I'm charging $600-$700 to prep and stain a deck when they could have bought the same stuff and done it themselves. Please tell me that you don't use Flood CWF-UV to finish decks!

You don't need to rinse brightener at all. I never have, except the house and vegetation. I apply to a wet deck, rinse surrounding area, and walk away.

I bought an 8x6 fence panel from a local lumberyard that they intentionally left outside turn gray to match existing fences. I sawed the pickets in half horizontally, left the top 4 inches of each (now) 3 foot picket gray, the next 4 inches clean, and stained the rest. I use them as samples. You will have to limit your colors, because some customers will then have a hard time deciding. My customers love RS Natual Cedar, but I just sold a big job with their 020 (is that medium red?). I keep a few pickets around just to try different stains on if I run into something interesting. Bottom line...I like samples I make myself that I can carry, and I lean the boards against the house when I quote. You'll find that you can suit most people with just three or four different colors. Like Don said, call Pierce at RS.

I'll add... I would have asked before buying that machine. That's one mistake we could have helped you avoid. If you haven't used it yet (or if you can find a way to do it) return it, and find a machine that will give you at least 4 GPM. You'll earn the difference in price by the time you save in you first full week of work. What Ken said is absolutely true, and many of us started in this biz because, like yourself, we felt we could start-up for a reasonable cost. Don't make the mistake of trying to find the cheapest way to do everything though, or buy the cheapest equipment you can find. Good equipment, chems, and techniques will save you time and produce better results than your competition, and your savings will come from working faster, getting referrals, developing a good reputation, and securing repeat business. Look at this like a pro, and you will be one faster than you ever imagined. It's happened to many of us.

Simple question, no lectures please (because I probably agree with you). I just am looking for a good, and if possible, easy to apply clear sealer, or something with a little amber or honey to it. Share your experiences.

You may want to just contact a vendor who sponsors here and ask them a few questions. Not one of them will sell you what you don't need. You won't be saving any money when you cobble together a system that costs you time compared to what you can get off-the-shelf. Don't spend time re-inventing the wheel. I'm assuming that you plan to make money at this, and if so, don't cheat yourself when it comes to the tools that will make you successful. If you are looking at housewashing, my best guess is that you will be in the $4000-$5000 dollar range for a insurance, licenses, trailer, a cold water unit (4+ GPM), lances, wands, extension wands, ladders, hoses, reels, and some of the other basics. Many people who post here have made that in a week, so don't sell yourself short on equipment. You might get by cheaper with some used equipment.

Thankfully, most of the cedar I've dealt with here has not been treated at all, so it's not that great a problem. I fall more into the "take care of the obvious problem spots." I have a Makita belt sander and a Craftsman RO with 80 grit that do a decent job. I haven't had a complaint about it from anyone, so I guess I'm alright. I suppose it goes back to how each of us looks at things. I learned from my day job that we all see things differently. We have two custodians clean the facility, depending on what day it is. They both "clean" the bathroom, but I can tell who did it on what day, based on it's appearance. Yet they both consider it "clean." Maybe what I consider slightly fuzzy would be horrendous to you, or vice versa.

Tell them that you're a pro, and you will find a color that suits them, but a stain that you like. They may get something that doesn't do the work you've already done justice, or worse yet, something difficult to apply, adding to your aggravation. At least try one more time when they ask you to use CWF-UV that they'll be sorry!

I love fences. Fast work, great results, good money. I bet they're thrilled. What finish are you going to use?

Yeah, we all are I would imagine. Unfortunately, Wolman products just aren't available around here. The only product I found locally was their percarbonate cleaner, and you can get a more effective cleaner from almost any vendor on this site for less than half the cost. Never got to try their stains.

Fool me once...

Relax and enjoy a nice cold Budweiser! Then get to work.

Count me out on Flood anything. I do hope they sell the hell out of it to Joe Homeowner however. I probably strip more of that than everything else combined. It's a real moneymaker for me about two years after its put down. I'd almost be willing to pay for their commercials, so I can get more work removing it after it has failed!

In my mind, I can see a great print ad with that across the top! Kind of in the style of the Indiana Jones movie posters. Of course, it would be me with the fedora, and a wand intead of a whip! It would be great. I wonder if the paper would take it??

I'm just as fortunate...20 years on May 23 this year. We dont' always appreciate what we have, do we?

Interesting...I usually just walk away. I guess if the money were right, and they knew what they were getting into... You would think they would reconsider as they're signing something that says that their stain is junk.

Cabot's is a good stain. The key with almost any stain is to work from a wet edge, and don't even get one drip where you don't want it. If you do, brush it out immediately to soften the edges. You should also mask areas that you're not working on. Staining is not like painting, since you are using a semi-transparent material which becomes more opaque with each layer. That's what those drip and lap marks are...two layers of stain. With paint, you wouldn't even notice those areas. Ever considerd hiring a pro? We do this every day, and there are definitely tricks of the trade that are only learned through experience. The odds of a good finish go up when applied by a guy who's done it a hundred times or so. I can't imagine all the time and effort involved for you so far, let alone that you will probably still end up with a so-so appearance. Am I an idiot for suggesting this?

He was my primary helper, but wanted to work elsewhere, too. There are alot of conflicts. I often start early, or work late. He prefers to start late and finish early...go figure! I worked circles around him anyway, I guess he felt inadequate. He's a good kid, but he's at that age where he needs to work for someone else, and who won't cut him any slack. Maybe I should send him your way. He's got experience! Believe me, I'd be willing to trade for a teenage daughter right about now!

Rails are easy to replace. Break out the power miter saw, and use the existing boards as templates.

Russel, it's been awhile (last fall) since I was out there. That's why I'm going out there again before even starting. Just to make certain everything is as I remember it. I remember it as about the same color as the house on the Timber Oil label. I have been playing phone tag with my customer for three days, so hopefully I can finally get in touch with her this evening. If so, I'll email her a copy of your color chart and see what she thinks. I'll have a look for myself before I do any ordering, of course.