Paul B.

As many contractors as there are out there working deck restoration, you would figure that there would be some consensus out there on stains. - NOT I'm curious on how you chose the product you offer your customers and how you then present it to them. As a contractor or customer, what are your criteria for stain selection? Color, longevity, easy of cleaning, ease of application, cost, etc.? Is solid content an important part of your equasion? TWP 100 series deck stain for example has between 20-36% solids by weight or 14-27% by volume. By volume they vary as: TWP 101 (20%) TWP 102 (14%) TWP 103 (15%) TWP 104 (16%) TWP 105 (27%) TWP 106 (26%) Ready Seal claims solid contents between 85% (paraffin based) Wood Tux has solid contenta at 85% plus level (paraffin based) Wolman F&P contains between 60-68% (linseed oil based) I'd like to hear you opinions and thoughts. Thanks!

Is Wood Tux vegetable oil based or crude oil based?

I have not heard that in specific, but engines are changed almost on the yearly basis. Each manufacturer will try to reduce the manufacturing, materials and supplier costs to increase profits. In otherwords, it would not surprise me. For example, the 1988 chevy 350 engine blocks - they were trying to reduce the material costs and the castings were made so thin that they had cracking issues. I think they found the lower limit there. Many metal parts were converted to plastic parts to reduce costs, but these failed sooner, especially in higher stress and heat areas. I like the Honda engines, as I believe the ovarall quality is still excellent. I have heard of more problems in general about Kohler engines but that's general to include lawnmowers and other equipment. I suppose it depends on who you talk to. Be interested to hear more on this subject.

Hosting a party in his back yard, a millionaire announces to the crowd that he will give anything he owns to the person who swims the length of his pool. There is just one catch: The pool is filled with sharks. SPLASH!!!! Into the pool goes a man, swimming furiously. Fins are breaking the waterline and jaws are snapping. Just when it looks like he's fish food, the guy climbs out. "I'm a man of my word," says the millionaire, "and you are the bravest man I've ever met. So what can I give you?" Glaring into the crowd, the swimmer says, "Lets start with the name of the jerk that pushed me in!"

Mike offers his friend Jeff a ride home from work. During the drive, Jeff notices a brown paper bag on the front seat between them. "It's a bottle of wine," says Mike. "I got it for my wife." Jeff nods. "Good trade."

Fishing in a boat one day, Bubba and Billy Joe Bob see a bottle float by. Bubba, sitting in back, picks up the bottle and pulls out the cork. A genie appears. "Since you freed me from the bottle," says the genie, "I shall grant you one wish." Billy Joe Bob blurts out, "I wish the lake would turn into beer!" Just like that, they are floating on a lake full of beer. "Way to go," Bubba shouts angrily. "Now we have to pee in the boat."

The equipment was designed and initially built just down the street from me (had a couple friends that worked on it). It's a neat piece of equipment and was initially intended for boats, airplanes, etc. If I remember correctly, it could remove one layer of paint without touching destroying the primer below it. Also did a great job of cleaning boat hulls. I know the early models were a bit bulky and very expensive (like anything else in its early stages). That was about 10-12 years ago (can't remember). I can't imagine it to be cost effective unless it's used on large jobs and use it all the time (then again, I haven't seen their latest models either).

One thing about our world is that it changes with or without us. As a business owner, we have to make adjustments when the world around you changes (unless you are the one causing the change) otherwise we can become obsolete or non-competitive. We continually need to be aware of new competition, new products and service need opportunities. The faster we learn to adjust the less competition we will have (in the beginning) and have a better chance of becoming the "Go To" business. Anyone that believes that there is such a thing as "Maintenance FREE" has been sold a bag of goods that are full of surprises down the road. Hearing the words "Maintenance FREE" makes me retreat faster than horse spotting a rattle snake. As a customer, one of my first few questions is always "What does it take to maintain it?" and if I hear the words "Nothing", I quickly find another salesperson. As a salesperson, we should always think of what questions a customer should be asking and have the answers and at times provide answers even if the question was never asked. Plastics will get dirty (from the birds, from spills, from the environment), will be scratched or nicked, it will age or fade (one way or another). As a wood-care specialist, we need to learn the new products real advantages, disadvantages and maintenance requirements so we can intelligently discuss it with our customers if and when questions arise. Also, if we choose, we could be the "Go To" company that provides the service for cleaning, maintenance and/or repair. If we think of it as a "problem" it will be. If we approach it as challange or opportunity, it could become a goldmine. Ignoring it will not make it go away, but possibly make it spread faster.

What model Graco do you have and are you satisfied with it? Latex reacts to humidity and makes working with it a pain (especially if you have to brush any areas). Paints are worse than stains (if I can distinguish a difference). In the summer, the humidity level is continuously in the 80's to 90's. in this area. Last week it was 98-100% for 2 or 3 days. Thinned with water per mfg recommendation but it only helped a bit - never flowing as well as it should have. It took 2 days for it to completely dry - NEVER had that happen before as it should have dried in a couple of hours. Finished product look good in the end. I have more doors to paint with latex. I am on my way this morning to pick up some Floetrol. Just recently hooked up with a door/window installer - painting doors. He brings in 5-10 doors at a time and picks them up a few days later. Charge between $60-90 per door (he charges $90-120), trying to reduce our charge to $45-60 after the first 100 doors. All doors are factory primed so it takes about 30-40 minutes per door to mask, hang, apply (2) coats of paint and clean up, less if all the door colors are the same (does not include dry time between coats). Trying to get the process down to reduce time, then document and hand off to someone. We'll be getting into staining and finishing wood doors after we finalize the metal door process. I've always painted with compressed air until I decided to try a Wagner airless about 12 years ago (what a waste of $$$). I didn't even bother to return it. No matter what I put in it, it seemed to get clogged up in 5 minutes. I played with it for two weeks trying to get it to look like the results I got from the CA - never could get there and ended up throwing it in the trash after running over it a couple of times (anger management). We're using a Titan 440 for decks and it's great for the type and amount of work we do with it at this time. We may get out of the deck business after this year - all this rain and high humidity has made scheduling a nightmare and is driving up the cost. I'm spending so much time on the phone with the customer that many are becoming friends (don't want that - they will want the friend discount). I'm debating on a HVLP set-up for the doors instead of compressed air - but I need at least one more contract and target of 12-15 doors a week (paint no more than 2 days per week).

Ron, I viewed the website and read the product info. Not clear how many coats they recommend for deck horizontal and vertical surfaces. Assume 1 coat covers all. I also assume the coverage rate is same for decks and roofs at 250 sq ft per gallon. Toned solution is about $40 per gallon plus S&H. They had no MSDS available to review for the coating or the stripper. I would also be interested in their stripper as it is claimed to be solvent based. Everyone makes claims - it's hard to tell by that. Need to find someone that has used it or has an experimental project coming up. I noticed they also carried "DeckHand" and DeckMate" applicators. Did you have any specific points you wanted to discuss?

Thanks!

I wasn't going to tell you folks how I expand my knowledge but sooner or later you were bound to find out anyway, so here it is: www.HowStuffWorks.com P.S.: I've also read the book in our library several times. It's a good one but I wish they would get another one soon ...the pages are starting to fall out. :2eyes:

Jon, Please take the mouse out of your pocket! Jon, without the mouse you are still a good man and one of a kind (ykwbr). :cheers: Did you know? ...Paganini was self taught from youth and it wasn't until he was 43 that he felt he was good enough to perform outside his country. At age 48 he performed on one string a piece that many vertuoso had difficulty playing on 4 strings. ....THAT's a challange! Did you know? ...At 58 Paganini was dead. There are no audio or video recordings of his performances. ....Now THAT's disappointment! :arg: Have you heard? ...I pulpiti, Op. 13 ...THAT's a challange! :bandplay: I don't have 40 plus years to practice before I can unleash myself on the world ...THAT's a disappointment! So here I am practicing!

Penetrol is for oil/alkyd based coatings (it is not for latex / water based coatings). Most oil based deck stains are very fluid (fairly low viscosity), spray and brush on very easily (the better ones containing 60-85% solids others much less). The manufacturers do not allow for thinning on most oil based stains (there may be some exceptions I'm sure). I have use Penetrol when spraying oil based paints (with air sprayer) that are highly viscous and decide to spit and sputter with good results, but prefer paint thinner as I always have some on hand. I normally thin water based paints with water. When painting metal, I always use oil based primer with oil or water based top coat. Is Floetrol only for Flood products or is it compatible with other brands? I will have to try Floetrol as I painted a couple of steel doors this weekend and I must admit I struggled on the first one with thinning even in mild weather and low humidity.

Disappointments lurk around every corner. :arg:

Most Latex can be thinned with water (per mfg. direction) for easier application. The water will evaporate as it dries. If using Behr, consider adding a packet of mildewcide per gallon.

Should not the word "brevity" be a one-syllable word? Who coined the phrase "To coin a phrase"? Where do they send Siberian criminals?

Acid based cleaners will normally not harm paint such as Hydrochloric, Hydrofluoric or Phosphoric. I would try a weak Hydrofluoric based acid cleaner or Phosphoric acid based cleaner. Some household cleaners contain Phosphoric acids. I would also try a household cleaner such as Simple Green or a citrus based cleaner. Remember, almost all stains can be removed with the correct chemistry.

My day started out kind of rough today so I decided to make an attitude adjustment.

How many times have you heard the saying "In business, it's all about location, location, location!" Here is proof how bad location can influence your business.

I think we're getting somewhere now!

Good start but I could still chew rusty nails! This should help.

Choose your words carefully and have someone look over your shoulder. I'm not sure I'd want to be a member of this country club.

While we're on the subject of advertising and marketing, make sure you choose your fonts carefully. Here is an example of careless design. Now you may attract a lot of customers with a mistake like this, but it may not be the type of cutomers you were after.

Forgot to mention todays weather for the crazy area I live in: Clear, sunny, breezy with temperatures in the 60's may reach low 70's today. Calling for more showers for overnight. Yes, I said 60's. 2 years ago we had 2 weeks of 60's weather in July. We also had 80 degree temperature during Thanksgiving. The birds don't migrate from this area as they get very confused. I have to drain water from the pool from all the rain and add Pool Shock 3 times a week for the sun and rain.