What the heck is this??

[bigchaz 157]

First picture is before we cleaned the deck. Second picture the deck is stained...ignore the color...will be redoing it next week. But what is the cause of these squiggly lines?

First thought Jake had when he saw it was a pressure washer going at uneven distances. The homeowner did attempt to clean his own deck but I asked him about it and he only used a bucket and deck brush. My helper did this one and he knows that my cardinal rule for pressure washing decks is to do each board in one pass, never stop and certainly never sweep from board to board.

I also stain with a pad and go up and down each board. So any ideas?

[Adrian 155]

Definately looks like wand marks. Maybe the H.O. withheld info from you due to embarassment.

Looks larger than the typical DIY pw wand, maybe a turbo nozzle. Some home units have a turbo attachment.

That's my guess anyway.

[PressurePros 249]

Charlie, ask the homeowner if spray paint was ever cleaned from the deck. I've never seen that. The pattern look deliberate.

[bigchaz 157]

I never noticed it until the deck was stained. Even when cleaned and dry there was no difference. It obviously affected the penetration of the oil or opened up the wood grain more in those areas since it is visible and touchably more oily in the dark areas

[Adrian 155]

sure messed up those nice tiger stripes.

[PressurePros 249]

I never noticed it until the deck was stained. Even when cleaned and dry there was no difference. It obviously affected the penetration of the oil or opened up the wood grain more in those areas since it is visible and touchably more oily in the dark areas

That's what leads me to believe there was some type of solvent from spray paint. I'm reaching.. I dunno.

[plainpainter 217]

I'm so glad I sand my decks after washing.

[acegot 14]

Charlie, ask the homeowner if spray paint was ever cleaned from the deck. I've never seen that. The pattern look deliberate.

+1 Ken

[bigchaz 157]

Is sanding the best way to get rid of it? I was only planning on stripping the top layer of oil off so I can recoat but after I saw that squiggle I need to figure how to remove it. Semi trans might mask it a little better though

[offduty 25]

Charlie, just flip those boards. If you ever see me with a sander anywhere near a deck you have my permission to whack me with a shovel:)

[acegot 14]

What did you use to clean it with, percarb,F-18? Sanding isprobably the only way to mask it. I had some thing similar once when HO washed the their deck, & the Son decided to write his name on the deck, you really couldnt see that it ate in to the wood just left darker color. We sanded it what I would say was a medium sand & you could still see it faintly. You may have to sand it pretty hard.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

That looks like a chemical sabotage to me.

Rod!~

[Scott Paul 164]

I agree with Rod. It is not from a pressure washer but from some kind of chemical changing the pH balance causing the AC to stain differently.

[Greg R 82]

Just a thought but did you try and put down another coat maybe? Not sure if that would bring the other boards into that deeper color range or not but it's something to try. I agree in that it seems there's something in the wood there that 1) is keeping all the finish from absorbing or 2) is shifting the pH and color of the wood to take the finish darker.

[bigchaz 157]

Yea I sampled that area with another coat but its too oily so the dark areas got darker and just didn't dry.

As it is in that picture it had tons of stain put down. (wet on wet but probably 3 back-brushings or coats in some spots) Ate it right up....except where you see the dark line

Edit: Here's a picture from the side. You can see the line based on the shininess

Edited July 11, 2009 by bigchaz

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

I agree with Rod and Scott.....

Beth

[bigchaz 157]

So solutions for chemical "sabatoge" as you call it? Do I need bare wood to rebalance PH with a good brightening?

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

So solutions for chemical "sabatoge" as you call it? Do I need bare wood to rebalance PH with a good brightening?

In my opinion? Yes. Strip, brighten, seal. When dry evaluate, then seal when ready. Sorry...

Beth

Edited July 11, 2009 by Beth n Rod

[jnoden 15]

looks like the stain you applied did not penetrate in to the wood which makes me think that there is a barrier. Perhaps the customer applied a clear sealer to the wood that was not removed during the cleaning process? I agree that a strip, brighten and restain should take care of it. I wouldnt charge them for the intial cleaning but would charge more for the stripping and would just explain that to the customer. Im also reaching with my opinion about the squiggly line but maybe after the deck was sprayed with the sealer the customer got rid of the little that was left over by over applying it and sprayed it in the shape of the squiggly line?

[MMI Enterprises 289]

Looks like a python was out there sunning theirself :).. either that or like the others say something of a solvent or synthetic spray was put on.

[James 625]

In the last photo it looks like bleach could have been miss used or just swished around and lighten that area. To correct a bleach solution can be used to even everything out. Do a sample area.