Help! Need to get Cedar wood even brighter

[Rob R. 14]

Last week I power washed a weathered/grayed cedar playset.. I applied sunbrites ez off stripper with a pump sprayer in the recommended dilution to clean and dwell time..I then power washed, and last applied sunbrites wood brightener thoroughly and let dwell for the recommended 15-20mins..

The playset looks much better but I would like to get it just a little bit brighter, sorry I dont have any pictures at the moment, I willl try and get some up...Any suggestions?

Thanks

[RPetry 564]

Rob,

You can try straight oxalic acid mixed at maybe 6 oz. per gallon of water. Faster and a bit more powerful than the citralic mix.

[Rob R. 14]

Rob,

You can try straight oxalic acid mixed at maybe 6 oz. per gallon of water. Faster and a bit more powerful than the citralic mix.

I may try that, maybe even increase the strength of what I have now including the brightener and repeat..

[PressurePros 248]

You may be shooting yourself in the foot. Unless its really dark or has tannin issues, go ahead and stain. The "whiter" you make it two things will happen. Any red pigment in your stain choice will look orange or bright red, and you will increase the amount of stain you use on the deck. Is this your first wood project?

[James 624]

Bleaching it will brighten and lighten....

[Rob R. 14]

You may be shooting yourself in the foot. Unless its really dark or has tannin issues, go ahead and stain. The "whiter" you make it two things will happen. Any red pigment in your stain choice will look orange or bright red, and you will increase the amount of stain you use on the deck. Is this your first wood project?

First wood project no..

I should have specified this job was more so for a friend than an ordinary customer and she just wants it to be perfect since she does not want to have any sort of stain/seal put on the wood for various reasons...

[PressurePros 248]

Then Jim's suggestion of bleaching is the way to go. You will have a uniformly, albeit artifical looking, white playset.

My apologies.. the way you described your technique made it sound like your first experience with wood.

[acegot 14]

First wood project no..

I should have specified this job was more so for a friend than an ordinary customer and she just wants it to be perfect since she does not want to have any sort of stain/seal put on the wood for various reasons...

If she wants it "perfect" as stated you need to sand it thoroughly. & if not sealed or stained, sanding will hold the color longer. There's no alternative to perfect.

[Tonyg 14]

There's no alternative to perfect.

Great statement!

[James 624]

With cedar and other woods the natural extractives leach out and evaporate overtime. So even if you removed the degradation on the surface the next layer of wood may appear darker. Sanding or buffing is the only way to reach bringing out the natural colors of the wood again. This is more apparent with hardwoods.

[Rob R. 14]

Great thanks for all the suggestions!

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Talk them into sealing it. It's the best thing for the wood.

Beth