Happy Days Are Here Again!My First Acrylic Strip in Process

[fireandrain 39]

Thanks to everyone who chimed in on this one this past month. Client finally left for Europe yesterday and it was time to get at this strip! My first acrylic strip, and I was up tossing and turning last night worrying that this stuff was going to get the best of me. Here are some process pictures...

Treatment:

8oz p/g F18 sprayed with Deckster

20 min dwell time.

Stain started to wrinkle up real nice after 2 minutes dwell.

1st pictures taken before treatments.

[fireandrain 39]

5 minutes into dwell time, bucklin up real nice, smile returning to me face! Its budgin'! Hallelujah!!!!

[fireandrain 39]

Gettin at it for the 1st rinse, this stuff peeling off, blood pressure getting back to normal. So enthused that I thought I'd one-hand it and snap a picture with the other hand while I shot the deck... Had to.

[fireandrain 39]

Never thought I could be so happy to see that redwood go black!

[fireandrain 39]

Redwood 1x2, yes, you heard it right, 1x2 decking coming back to life again! This picture is after a "tester" shot of DS'd brightener.

I'll be back tommorow to continue stripping (more decks on the other side of the house) and brighten everything back up.

So far, I feel pretty good about how this one is going. I was armed with boost, but didnt seem to need it. Again, thanks to all of you awesome woodies who have helped me prepare for this one, my 1st acrylic strip. I appreciate it greatly!!!

[fireandrain 39]

These film forming stains are pretty rare around here. Like I said in previous posts, seen only 4 in 8 years. All four in the last 3 weeks!

[gt2003 18]

Nice job F&R. Keep up the good work and keep posting pics.

[fireandrain 39]

Thanks Greg, Ill be back at it tomorrow, take some more pictures, hopefully the whole kit and caboodle after brightening....

[FLORIN 21]

NICE!!!! Great job

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Very nice strip!!!

Beth :cup:

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Looked like Sikkens Dek.

Good job!

Rod!~

[Mountain View 14]

Very nicely done!! Can't wait to see the finished product.

[NewYorkBoraPL 22]

Amazing work Matt!

[bigchaz 157]

man you lucky dog. Melted that acrylic right off nice work!

[gt2003 18]

Come on F&D, we need our fix, uh, I mean, more pics...

[fireandrain 39]

JUST got back after Day 2 on this strip... Downloading todays pics now...

[fireandrain 39]

Well, finally got some sleep last night after Day 1 on this acrylic strip proved to be more bark than bite. As I mentioned before, the previous guy had been top coating this deck with ? acrylic for the last few years. This "expert" was returning every year for a maintenance visit that was setting the HO's back $1,200 each visit. Never been stripped before. Nicest clients ever, really felt for them.

Anyways, here are todays pictures, still a small front deck to knock out next week.

First pics were taken during 2nd strip...

[fireandrain 39]

Spent a good 2 hours on the 2nd round of stripping. First layer wrinkled up right away, but a 20min. dwell @ 8oz. p/g didnt seem to want to get at that next layer at all. So much peled up finish on surface after 1st dwell, had to rinse pretty thourougly and re apply my stripper (again 8oz. p/g direct) to get that next and last layer to release...

Here are a few pictures taken just after brightening. Acrylic finish, full release.

[fireandrain 39]

...and couple more taken 10 min. after brightener set in...

[bigchaz 157]

Get much furring?

[billrt 14]

When a professional does work it usually comes out great.

Well Done

Bill

Regan annd Son Power Washing

[fireandrain 39]

Get much furring?

Yes I did. I guess I was expecting that. It would be nice to have more experience with larger buffing/de-felting equipment since I don't have any vertical de-fuzzing to do here. Thinking maybe it would be a good opportunity to rent something larger and gain some experience with a new tool. My de-furring arsenal is lilited to a few buffers w/ 3M pads. But whatever it takes, the HO's return in 2 weeks and I really want to knock their socks off. I built enough margin into this one to allow for mistakes or unforeseen nightmares. Since everything seems to be going better than anticipated, I'll be re-investing this "extra time" and head space into taking this deck to the next level. After all the con jobs these nice HO's have been subjected to in the past few years, I think they deserve a product that exceeds their expectations.

[Doug Dahlke 114]

Looks good. Can't wait to see the finished pictures.

[MMI Enterprises 289]

Cool deck and good job Matt!. If you do opt for the swing machine don't forget the most important part in finding the Hipro pads. Think Janitorial supplier.

That thing is gonna look like a new interior floor by time your done.. :)

[RPetry 564]

Matt,

Terrific work on a wonderful wood. With the right strippers, additives, knowledge, and equipment, not so bad, eh?

Congrats on a difficult restoration. Future redwood trees owe you one...

[fireandrain 39]

Matt,

Terrific work on a wonderful wood. With the right strippers, additives, knowledge, and equipment, not so bad, eh?

Congrats on a difficult restoration. Future redwood trees owe you one...

Thanks Rick, appreciate it. Couldn't have done it without all the great help! Almost turned my back on this project when I first laid eyes on it, but figured it was a necessary hurdle if I wanted to build more knowledge and confidence with respect to stripping. It was time for some dues payin'. Thanks again for your advice,Rick. I'm in contract for my next acrylic strip to begin Aug.4th. I have pics posted on another thread of that one. That deck was done up by the same guy that did this deck! Hopefully she'll behave as well!

And I know, I definitely got off easy on this one! Smooth release, no vert work. I'm grateful.