Backbrush Armstrong-Clark?

[cande 14]

Going to use some AC soon. Those of you who use AC, do you backbrush? If so, how? Truck brushes work well on the horizontals I'm told. What about the spindles, lattice, etc.?

[RPetry 564]

Eric,

We have only done three A-C jobs, two on cedar, one on ipe'. IMO, any heavily pigmented and/or linseed oil type stain should be backbrushed. Spray it on, brush it out. Goes fast with two workers.

Don't bother trying to brush out lattice, spray and go.

[bigchaz 157]

We spray the spindles and then walk around and brush out any runs or heavy areas. Unless we messed up and sprayed way to heavy in a certain area, I don't bother backbrushing the lattice

[PressurePros 248]

Everything should be back brushed to even out tone, eliminate drips and work the product in. A/C can be a little opaque on the surface of spindles if overapplied and not brushed in. I agree trying to back brush lattice is an effort in futility. Let it sit and anythiung that is not absorped or that is puddled up can be pushed in or picked up with a dry brush. Using a wet brush on lattice just makes the problem worse.

[cande 14]

Thanks guys. Ok, now another question. Is it forgiving? How concerned do I need to be about keeping a wet edge?

[Tonyg 14]

Thanks guys. Ok, now another question. Is it forgiving? How concerned do I need to be about keeping a wet edge?

Ive notice in the reds that it will lap in a way. Pretty easy to work with but you still need to be careful about going back on areas soaked in. It's not bad just noticeable. Didnt seem to have the same problem with the Super Cedar or the Cedar Semi

[plainpainter 217]

I don't know all this lapping business - lapping is something painters have to be concerned with when painting clapboard siding with paint. Back in the old days - and perhaps a technique I may revisit - we would get a 9" roller with a lambs wool cover and roll one board at a time - I'd get in the habit of rolling 3 to 4 boards at a time. There are issues with getting between boards - but there was never any lapping problems.

[cande 14]

I don't know all this lapping business - lapping is something painters have to be concerned with when painting clapboard siding with paint. Back in the old days - and perhaps a technique I may revisit - we would get a 9" roller with a lambs wool cover and roll one board at a time - I'd get in the habit of rolling 3 to 4 boards at a time. There are issues with getting between boards - but there was never any lapping problems.

I'm not sure what you are saying Dan. You like rolling instead of backbrushing?

[Tonyg 14]

I don't know all this lapping business - lapping is something painters have to be concerned with when painting clapboard siding with paint. Back in the old days - and perhaps a technique I may revisit - we would get a 9" roller with a lambs wool cover and roll one board at a time - I'd get in the habit of rolling 3 to 4 boards at a time. There are issues with getting between boards - but there was never any lapping problems.

Dan, you have a tendancy to sometimes overcomplicate..

This is what I am talking about. In this case I did the bottom level and then the top level. The overspray from the top, although looked much better when dried, was still noticeable. I also noticed it in the Sequoia/Natural mix. It's always better to back brush by the way, and keep a wet edge.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Thanks guys. Ok, now another question. Is it forgiving? How concerned do I need to be about keeping a wet edge?

In this business the cardinal rule is: Start a board, finish that board.

Rod!~

[PressurePros 248]

In this business the cardinal rule is: Start a board, finish that board.

Rod!~

Absolutely. It also is a good idea to tarp under rails also when you are spraying. You never know when you are going to get back to the floor.

I've experienced some flash drying with the A/C. I'm fairly certain the few times I have witnessed it was under circumstances that all products would have done the same (direct sun, hot, dry wood). Are you folks out there having any issues?

In addition to the above, what type of spread rates are you getting?

[RPetry 564]

... In addition to the above, what type of spread rates are you getting?

Ken,

For AC Rustic Brown on 5 yr. old knotty cedar, ~ 175 sq. ft. per gal.

Edited June 5, 2009 by RPetry
knotty, not clear

[RPetry 564]

In this business the cardinal rule is: Start a board, finish that board.

Rod!~

Relearned that rule last year. AC will lap.

Had not used a linseed oil based stain for years. Left my best helper on our first AC job to stain, while I did estimates. This was entirely my fault.

He cut in by the house by hand, prior to using an HVLP to spray and backbrush the floor. This is what we always do using a paraffinic oil stain and I did not think to instruct him otherwise. See the first pic.

Easily and mostly fixed. A second application evened the lapping out, although you can still notice a slight color line.

[Tonyg 14]

In addition to the above, what type of spread rates are you getting?

Mine has been 140sf-170sf on older wood and in the 200sf-215sf on newer wood

[plainpainter 217]

Relearned that rule last year. AC will lap.

Had not used a linseed oil based stain for years. Left my best helper on our first AC job to stain, while I did estimates. This was entirely my fault.

He cut in by the house by hand, prior to using an HVLP to spray and backbrush the floor. This is what we always do using a paraffinic oil stain and I did not think to instruct him otherwise. See the first pic.

Easily and mostly fixed. A second application evened the lapping out, although you can still notice a slight color line.

Why would you bother cutting each board 3 feet out from the house and do all of them at once? I cut each board one at a time as I get near the side of a home - when I can't get any closer with my sprayer.

[RPetry 564]

Why would you bother cutting each board 3 feet out from the house and do all of them at once? I cut each board one at a time as I get near the side of a home - when I can't get any closer with my sprayer.

Dan,

It is a matter of speed and efficiency. Cutting in is done first at one shot with a worker(s) with a bristle brush and knee pads.

Then, the remainder of the floor is sprayed and quickly backbrushed. We use Ready Seal stains almost exclusively. Ready Seal does not lap.

[plainpainter 217]

Dan,

It is a matter of speed and efficiency. Cutting in is done first at one shot with a worker(s) with a bristle brush and knee pads.

Then, the remainder of the floor is sprayed and quickly backbrushed. We use Ready Seal stains almost exclusively. Ready Seal does not lap.

Are you cutting far away because you don't mask the side of the home?

[RPetry 564]

Are you cutting far away because you don't mask the side of the home?

Yes. It is a rare job where we have to do any kind of plastic or tarp masking.

[plainpainter 217]

Yes. It is a rare job where we have to do any kind of plastic or tarp masking.

I understand - the way I do it - is I will take the time to tape the side of a home and even run blue tape across the bottom edge - and then I'll just spray almost right up the side and backbrush/cut in on the spot

[Tonyg 14]

I do things a little backward I guess. I will cover/tape tight where needed but most walls will get covered "loosely" which will also cover the few inches of the wood next to the house - sometimes even using a 2x4 or rolled up runner at the bottom. I will spray a section, pull the plastic, and cut in when I back brush it.

AC will lap if not careful but to me it is very forgiving and gives you time to work.

[Bryan C 14]

It is almost always the first thing I look at when doing the estimate. I have been fairly lucky this year - the first board runs parrallel to the house, so brush it, and spray the rest of the floor.

[MMI Enterprises 289]

On the innitial questions I would echo Ken for the sake of drips and tone..not necessarily for any reasons of the latter lapping topic brung up.

When it comes to AC I got hardly an issue at all and I backbrush the horizontals with either the big whister or a small pad on long pole for sake of smooth/clear tone that lets you see the grain rather than being so opaque..

On the lapping I got to echo Dan and mention to Tony that Dans likely analogy/complicating things with talk of painting is very reasonable direction to turn for sound advice because painting deals more with a coating/mil thickness usually more prone to the term lapping. There is another thread last year of this talk as well. I get out of such issues by way of blending/feathering the spray if I am cutting in. I only cut in with brush on very small tight spots or places that the plastic or cardboard messed me up. Lately all my jobs get the plastic/tape gun method same as my concrete deco jobs. Overspray concerns are via plastic tarp.