Roger Oakley

Seasons Greetings Lord Jim, how you been keeping ?, I'm still keeping the BDA process going over here, I have educated a few to it.

Yes Rick it is Bill Gates, been doing his decking for around 3 years now, he has a place in Central London, we get it ready for when he comes over after the Cannes Film Festival and just before Wimbledon. It is really only I small deck outside his private bathroom, I have to have security guy with me at all times as we have to go through the house, he stands in the bathroom while I am working on the deck, just don't ask what the house is worth.

Hi Rick, Hope you are well, Yes the Queen's speech is still broadcasted at 3pm on Christmas Day, and it is in 3D this year for those that have a 3D TV, Yipee. Ipe has been over here for years, it has just taken some time to become popular, we have a few year on year Ipe deck's we maintain including, Wimbledon and your very own Mr Gates, so we must be doing something right. :smile-new:

We have the same issue's over here, gardeners/landscapers, window cleaners, handyman all think they can clean & restore wood. Most just hit them with water then apply a cheap off the shelf stain that any homeowner could buy themselves. The upside of this for us is when these stains fail or the decking just isn't clean enough for the homeowner, they the homeowner start looking for a company that can do what they thought they were paying for in the first place, and when/if they find my company we usually get the work, all be it, it comes as a greater price then what they have just paid for. For me only one way to work with wood, just do it properly. We do a lot of Ipe deck's and it saddens me when we see a deck that has been messed up by the "add-on" merchants who have no idea what Ipe is. There are a few decking restoration companies over here, bit few and far between, but luckily we are one of them.

Hi All I know I haven't been on here for nearly a year!!! Our work load over the last year or so has just been manic, had a new website built and business has just kept rolling in. Finished our last job for this year yesterday and we kick off again 1st week of January. So I just wanted to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and have a Great New Year.

Hi All, Haven't posted in ages we have been really busy over here this year, anyway could someone post a photo of the Osborne brushes you guys all use, and some info, (I did a search but couldn't really see any photos) as they are not called Osborne over here and suppliers don't have a clue what I talking about. Using 60 grit on random orbital's at the moment so are the Osbornes quicker? Also de-felting pads we don't have them over here or they are called something else. Many Thanks Roger

Thanks guys, I'll look in to this over the winter period, and see if McMaster-Carr ship to the UK. Would really like to try the brush out esp. on spindles/up-rights etc

Thanks again Ron I'll have a look at the UK Makita site see if they have anything as I have a 9227c

Thanks Ron, That looks like what is known over here as a cupped wire brush. So if it is a wire what grade is it?

Hi All I know haven't posted for ages sorry :goodgrief but the year has been manic over here. Anyway though I would post some photos of some of the work we have done this year. Ipe deck that needed stripping. They are from left to right, before, stripper on deck, brightened, sanded and oiled.

Thanks all for the nice comments, it is this site that taught me the way. Here is an old favorite the ridged deck at least this was a wash & oil.

Rick, There is loads of Ipe over here, great for yearly maintenance. The oil used on these two is new it is Colourtrends water-based natural glow. It is very much like WTW. Would liked have to tried WTW but sent emails to suppliers in the States to try and get some samples etc but never got a reply. Here is an Iroko deck finished Cabot's ATO Mahogany Flame (old formula) plus Cedar cladding fence finished in OTO Natural.

And a couple more. Another Ipe deck that had water marks/damage

I imported the first trailer set-up to England from Podells. The pump & engine side of it is great but have gone through 3 generators in 12 months, they just keep breaking down. All in all not a bad set-up.

Belated Happy New Year to you all, This is just out of interest really, but how long has pressure washing been an industry in the USA, over here I would guess about 5-10 years maybe.

Garland over fire-place. A Merry Christmas to everyone from this side of the pond

John, That block paved drive you were cleaning, sealed or unsealed? If unsealed how did the swabby handle the sand coming out between the pavers.

We imported the first Hot & Mighty trailer systems here in the UK. Great piece of kit.

Could I get your opinions on this trailer set-up please guys. I found this, they look pretty good, and equipment seems very good. Anyone had any dealings with them? www.tgeorgepodell.com It is a turn-key set-up, price is very good (even with the shipping to the UK) compaired to what it would cost to put together over here. The trailer would be made to UK laws, as we have very different rules and regulations over here, a ballpark for the whole thing (except shipping) is $16500.00 Many thanks

So after months of delays etc the trailer is finally ready to ship to the uk. One quick question, with this being a hot water set-up which or what flat surface cleaner do you guys use? The one I have for my cold machine won't work to well as the hot water damages the "O" rings, the make of mine at the moment is Tech-clean an english make, and the "O" rings do brake-up under hot-water. Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

Ok I'll be the first dweller to jump in, for me cleaning would be 4-1 hypo mix with some liquid soap, dwell for 15 mins, serious flush off and a citric acid wash after, about 30 mins dwell time. For stripping Sodium Hydroxide, a little liquid soap dwell time will vary as to what you are stripping, followed by a citric acid wash again 30 mins dwell time. I know some don't like the Hypo but it works for me.

Rod & Beth, First Class as always :cheers:

Rod, We do still have the original formula over here, I think the change happens for us in the next couple of years though.

For me, Cabots Mahogany Flame ATO works.

Just a quick update re the trailer, it now should be over here in hopefully 4 weeks, axles had to be shipped to the USA as our braking system is very different to yours over there.