fireandrain

This will be my first big restoration project of the season and it’s looks to be a real kick in the pants! The deck is Alaskan Cedar. This will be my first cedar project…deck has little to no failing finish present. There is the large main deck and two other decks (split-level) on the side. The gazebo is really something to behold. I had been eying this project for the last couple of seasons and finally go into production next week. Cleaning: My initial approach was to go sodium percarb on the cleaning. However, I’m beginning to think the bleach route may make the most sense considering the presence of fungus on this deck. Bleach makes me somewhat uneasy about all that surrounding vegetation...maybe i'm over reacting though. Sealing: Torn between AC and RS for the sealing. Still pondering this decision. This promises to be a portfolio project and I really want it to look smashing. Deck has not been cleaned or sealed in 4-5 years. This may weigh heavy into my selection on which sealer to use. Just love my RS but have to say that I was impressed by AC in a heartwood project a couple months back. Homeowner wants the deck to look more “gold” on the color scale. I’d love some input from all you East-Coast Woodies on this Cedar project... Any last minute advice always appreciated…

...still giving consideration to cleaning approach on the yellow cedar.... it's been awhile since i used bleach on a deck... concerned about the mildew growth on the floor of this deck. wondering if the usual sod. percarb brew might be a waste of time with this one... Close to deciding on my sealer...thinking AC Cedar Trans.

Thanks Rick. Jim, I appreciate your willingness to advise on this one, I will definitely be giving you a jingle. The background information provided by the homeowners was spotty. Among their recollections was that prior staining faded very quickly. This deck was built appx. 15 years ago and the original homeowners coated it with what the new homeowners could only describe as...."paint-like finish", barnyard red! The new homeowners had the deck sanded to removes the old finish, and then re-coated with a semi-trans "driftwood" finish...manufact. unknown. Apparently, the new 'driftwood' semi-trans. faded within a month. I'm new to Cedar restoration, but one thought that came to mind was that the wood had been burnished...

Few more pictures...

Daniel, I target my 10,000 addresses, the same 10,000 address every round of advertising. The addresses are what I would refer to as 'premium', that is, million dollar + homes in my area. As I mentioned, I believe that the heart of any direct mailing strategy is FREQUENCY. I realize that my targeted client receives a mountain of mail each day. Important people receive important mail, and LOTS of it! Your postcard is your 'billboard' in a way...You need to get your branding committed to your target markets' memory. Same $6K advertising "wad", continually re-generating into my market. Again, I can't stress enough how important it is to have your postcard PROFESSIONALLY designed. I think that too many guys just sit down in front of their computer with photoshop and slap something together that 'seems to look professional'... I always encourage people to gather their local competition's advertising, i.e. their yellow pages ads, postcards, coupon mailers, etc... Then, and only then, begin designing YOUR mailer. If it looks a bit like theirs, RE-DESIGN IT! Unique layout, simple message, articulate catch-phrase... an your outta there...

Your all gonna' really hate me... Just completed a split-level redwood deck yesterday out here in N.California... We've been blessed with no precip. high 60's mid 70's for the last week and a half!!! Unbelievable. First time in 5 years that I've done a complete restoration in January. Great client, great decks (views of the Bay and Golden Gate Bridge). I'll be posting some pics later this week. The deck had NEVER been sealed..15 yrs. old. mixed heartwood construction. Carpeted with moss, but the wood cleaned up beautifully. Sealed with AC Redwood Tone. My first experience with AC. Long overdue, as Jake set me up with a couple pales during the summer. Because the deck was suspended and on a sloped hillside with million dollar homes flanking AND windy weather, AC was applied 100% by hand, no spraying. I was very pleased with AC. 1-Coat on verticals, 2-coats on floor. The floor was as thirsty as a lion, and it really drank it up. Because application was by hand, didnt get a chance to evaluate over spray clean up issues, a big reason why I love my RS. My helper follows me with a bottle of Simple Green and takes care of over spray as it happens. Big positive with AC over RS? Single coat application potential. Cancels out extra cost of AC. Also, can pick up AC two blocks from my house at the B.Moore paint store. Customer service? Jake and Peirce are both superb, so that doesn't really figure into the equation for me. Looking forward to working with some of the other AC colors, the cedar tone looks real nice as well. I have an IPE to clean and seal next week, may work with AC again for that. Reading all of the posts lately, I just feel SO incredibly lucky to be in production in January... Planning on launching first round of '09 advertising in late February if weather cooperates. p.s. Got a nice tan yesterday as well! :D

p.s. My season runs from mid March-October. I like to get 2 ad campaigns out p/month. So, in a typical season, my advertising schedule goes something like this: Late February (weather permitting): 1 Campaign March: 1 campaign April: 2 campaigns May: 2 campaigns June: 2 campaigns July: 2 campaigns Aug: 2 campaigns Sept: 2 campaigns Oct: 1 campaign Frequency is the key to any guerrilla advertising campaign. I keep $6K in an advertising account, replenish IMMEDIATELY when jobs roll in. Gotta stay on top of it. Thats the key for me.

Daniel... Same with me. I only mail out 6x9 cards, 10,000 at a time. .50 p/ card = $5K. For every campaign, I put up $5K, average 10 jobs p/campaign, average job (I only do deck restoration), is $2K. I gross $20K on every $5K I invest in mailing campaigns. works for me. If it aint broke, why fix it?

Dan, Your right on. DEAD ON. Period. I've marketed my business like this for the last 10 years. Price shoppers need not apply. I'm lucky that I have a boounty of million plus dollar homes in my market here in SF Bay Area. My marketing is 100% guerrilla. I spent years locating the highest end neighborhoods in my service are, created a database with appx. 12,000 addresses, and direct market via distinctive, high quality 6x9 postcards with eye-catching well layed out color photographs. I spent many a nights visiting various high end spa and fashionable hair salon websites in attempt to create a piece of advertising that my target market would WANT to read! Key to the postcard design is simplicity. Clean, sophisticated fonts, minimal text (my prospective clients, the ones Im after, don't have time to read through endless promo mumbo jumbo...looks cheap and bound to land in the trash can before they even realize that what im 'selling'... Clean, well articulated, I repeat, WELL-ARTICULATED and concise. Thats the kind of guy my high-end prospectives want to do business with. They don't have time for BS and have no problem parting with the cash it takes to do business with me. Distinguish yourself. Period. Forget about the "10% OFF" approach, your just ensuring that you'll be doing business with price shoppers. Find the neighborhoods where your "ideal" clients live, create a database with these adresses, and ONLY advertise to these folks DIRECTLY via distinctive LARGE (6x9) full color postcards that include photographs. Thats my approach. I say, if your local market only has 500 homes that qualify as 'higher end households', then hit these homes with your mailers every week of the season!!! Forget about the other areas. This approach has worked for me very well... Dan, you are definitely on the right course for 09'. Great posts. Matt

Rick, Beth... Sign me up! We got snow down at sea level here in the SF bay area last week! Great skiing on Saturday though!

I second Jim's comments re: tannins and redwood... I always neutralize 2nd time after sanding. I skipped it on a deck this year and the deck darkened up in all the areas where we spot sanded before sealing. Looked like crap. Fortunately, HO's were thrilled with th overall transformation and didnt sweat the darker areas. I wasn't happy at all though.

You will find all your questions readily answered if you utilize the search function my friend. Your questions have been asked and answered many, MANY times on this board, hence, the lack of input. You'll find that you may receive many more responses when it (at least appears) that you have first done a bit of research by using the search button..... happy reading!

Can be used to write large messages on sandy beaches to attract an air rescue.

I wrap my house with duct tape. Sticky side out. Home security purposes.

Does the deckmate use a lambswool applicator? We often use Padco stain pads (lambswool) and they take quite a lot of abuse.

I use duct tape when fashioning my space suit. I appreciate duct tape's reflective qualities. Everything looks better when wrapped in duct tape.

I wish to fashion a spanking paddle from such wood.

...just type this in search: My First "challanging" Client of the Year!!! Aye Yaye Yaye! my thread on similar topic....

Lawyers!!!! Not sure where it is located, but I posted a similar thread earlier in the summer. Perhaps you can find some more 'moral' support there! And, yes, my troublesome client was a LAWYER!!! Ughhhhh.

By your comments, can I assume that you had the product manuf./color authorization in writing, included in your contract?

LOL, for him, I'm guessing it was.

The Bush administration inflicted terrible damage on the health of this great country. However, the spine of this country is too strong not to be able to stand back up again! I think we are closer to becoming the UNITED states again. This election has inspired the world. Certainly on par with the defeat of the Nazis in WW II.

Two words... MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

That's a great cartoon,Beth. My country feels like a safer place today.

Man, am I proud to be an American tonight.