curious bout low pressure washin wood

[gutterdog 14]

got a job comin up, washin a deck. i got it down pat. look at my pics! what is low pressre washin wood? is it quicker? what chemicals? better job???

[bigchaz 157]

If you're not using low pressure you don't "have it down pat" Low pressure is the only way to properly clean wood with a pressure washer. There a myriad of chemicals available for cleaning wood. I would advise you read some of the FAQs at the top of this forum and the "stickies" at the top of the wood restoration forum. There is tons of information on wood cleaning

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

If you're not using low pressure you don't "have it down pat" Low pressure is the only way to properly clean wood with a pressure washer. There a myriad of chemicals available for cleaning wood. I would advise you read some of the FAQs at the top of this forum and the "stickies" at the top of the wood restoration forum. There is tons of information on wood cleaning

+1,000!

If you are using just water and pressure, you are not truly cleaning but are doing damage. Wood is SOFT. Pressure Washing and Contractor Cleaning Forums - The Grime Scene - FAQ: FAQ’s on Wood Restoration

Beth :cup:

[gutterdog 14]

and forward i will move on this thanx guys!

[gutterdog 14]

well what ive learned so far. if ya good with the gun. and i am. then high pressure is ok,... if your good, and know what ya doin. read bout the different chemicals in the faq section now im more confused? lol!!! bleach turns the wood white, diff than natural color, and im not stripppin the woood just makin it look new again. i only do clear water seals. ill throw the colored seals from now on to anyone that recipocates me work, gutter cleanin is one ya can throw me if ya aint got a 40 ft ladder or ya dont do gutter cleanin. after a wash from me just a hard bristle brush takes care of what little over abrasion to wood i might do. and its not much. and it gets the dry dirt off too. always do that before i seal a deck. and take a leaf blowe n blow it all off to. if there is a better way chemicals cheap,... quicker? help me out and i will help you out. - Mike

[bigchaz 157]

Mike I don't think you're qualified to professionally take care of a deck. If you are good with the wand...it doesn't matter if you're a 10th generation pressure washing expert, high pressure is a NO NO for wood. Sweep the dry dirt off??? After I'm done cleaning a deck I would eat my meals off the wood. I certainly hope you don't have dirt on the deck.

There isn't a cheap way to wash wood, however there is a right way. Search these forums some more, I would recomend a weekend worth of reading. If you are cleaning unstained wood you can use something called sodium percarbonate. Apply the chemical, rinse it off and then apply a "neutralizer" or a "brightener" These can be either "oxalic acid", "citric acid" or blends of those.

You can also look up "sodium hydroxide" This is typically used to remove stains from a deck, but you can use a weaker mixture (diluted more with water) to simply clean the wood with. Then you still want to rinse and apply a brightener or neutralizer

[Rick2 42]

HD 80 works well.

Edited August 4, 2009 by Rick2

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Michael,

There is NO reason to EVER wash with just pressure. It's not correct, and it doesn't kill the mildew and algae spores that reside in the substrate. You can't just "brush off" the the raised grain you create, you would have to sand to do that. (and you can't perform that while the wood is wet)

You might think you are working smart now, but you aren't. What you are doing is wrong. I won't elaborate any further. It wouldn't be nice of me.

Beth :cup:

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Mike,

I think you will find many seasoned professionals here would not agree with your approach or ideology towards wood.

After 10 years of doing wood ourselves, we have found that the methods and techniques advocated in your post create more problems than they solve.

Using a clear sealer for example is an easy on and off process but for the customer, you are doing a disservice because that product won't last for more than 9 months and the deck will turn grey as well which is the very reason for wood care to begin with to help the customer avoid.

Not trying to beat you down or anything but cause you feel you can use a pwing gun doesn't mean you understand HOW it is NOT to be used. On wood, we nor anyone else worth their salt will not endorse high pressure and no chemicals to clean with.

Please take some time to do some searches on TGS and find out more about how others are doing it so you can improve not only your service but the customers appreciation of the work by helping them to keep their deck looking good for longer than it takes for the wood to turn grey otherwise.

Customers who have been bitten will know to watch out for you, others won't. Help keep the standards of wood care respectable and learn how to do it right please.

Rod!~

[gutterdog 14]

i am gonna do more reserch on this. there is a big company out this way washin decks for 99 dollars??? how can that be if there is all these chemicals to use? i will do more reserch. im the one that asked the question, i want to learn. and stay competitive, price and quality.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

There are no "BIG" companies doing decks for $99 bucks....

Beth

[gutterdog 14]

Mike,

I think you will find many seasoned professionals here would not agree with your approach or ideology towards wood.

After 10 years of doing wood ourselves, we have found that the methods and techniques advocated in your post create more problems than they solve.

Using a clear sealer for example is an easy on and off process but for the customer, you are doing a disservice because that product won't last for more than 9 months and the deck will turn grey as well which is the very reason for wood care to begin with to help the customer avoid.

Not trying to beat you down or anything but cause you feel you can use a pwing gun doesn't mean you understand HOW it is NOT to be used. On wood, we nor anyone else worth their salt will not endorse high pressure and no chemicals to clean with.

Please take some time to do some searches on TGS and find out more about how others are doing it so you can improve not only your service but the customers appreciation of the work by helping them to keep their deck looking good for longer than it takes for the wood to turn grey otherwise.

Customers who have been bitten will know to watch out for you, others won't. Help keep the standards of wood care respectable and learn how to do it right please.

Rod!~

my friend, ive gone through ya site, grime scene, good name!. my jobs with high pressure is sellable. its a good job. bought diff attachments for the wand. when ya aint so close to the wood but close enuf to do the job rite, ive been very lucky. for bout 5 years. i want to learn low pressure but noone.... all these clues. no straight answers. Beth gave me a phone # to call. supply company... thanks Beth.... i called em. left a message, mentioned yall name. maybe i can move forward this way. Look I go to church every week, do what I say, run a cancer awareness group. got tons of testimonials, wanna see them? the originals in my truck. reciprocate work, when i subed n asked for a card didnt give one. i have great contrator friends. I never done noone wrong, Rod Im a good guy man... All ya friends findin what they can to knock me. I'm shootin from the hip. with what i got n what i know.

[bigchaz 157]

Congratulations. You run a cancer awareness group. You go to church. You have referrals. You could **** gold dust for all I care

You still don' know how to take care of a deck. You can defend your techniques all you want, but unless you are interested in the right way to do things quit wasting everyone's time if you don't want to listen and you don't give a hoot what anyone else says.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

my friend, ive gone through ya site, grime scene, good name!. my jobs with high pressure is sellable. its a good job. bought diff attachments for the wand. when ya aint so close to the wood but close enuf to do the job rite, ive been very lucky. for bout 5 years. i want to learn low pressure but noone.... all these clues. no straight answers. Beth gave me a phone # to call. supply company... thanks Beth.... i called em. left a message, mentioned yall name. maybe i can move forward this way. Look I go to church every week, do what I say, run a cancer awareness group. got tons of testimonials, wanna see them? the originals in my truck. reciprocate work, when i subed n asked for a card didnt give one. i have great contrator friends. I never done noone wrong, Rod Im a good guy man... All ya friends findin what they can to knock me. I'm shootin from the hip. with what i got n what i know.

Michael,

Forgive me, but you are being entirely too stubborn and....you are ignoring the help you ask for. Why bother asking? I don't care how long you say you have been doing this, your questions only reveal to those of us who understand wood, how little you know and how far you have to go. Instead of digging in your heels and refusing to learn what is offered and try new methods, why not try new method and products and and learn to perform wood care services the right way. What you are doing now doesn't even qualify (my apologies for being blunt) as wood care.

Have a great day, and please consider that you have far to go, and many who are willing to help, but you have got to listen....

Beth :cup:

Edited August 5, 2009 by Beth n Rod

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

All ya friends findin what they can to knock me. I'm shootin from the hip. with what i got n what i know.

Fair enough, just keep in mind what I said, we do not agree with you and this comes from a national standard we all practice. What you got will suffice and what you know needs to improve and that is shooting from the hip.

I am not trying to knock you but I am surely not going sit back and say "Hey great job!" when I know it isn't according to what you are posting.

Let me put it this way...do you wash your clothes without laundry soap or bleach?

How about your dishes, do you wash them with just cold water?

These are examples of what I am trying to get across to you. I tried in my first post and I don't beat around the bush either. Your a man and I know somewhere inside you can take the criticism like everyone else who is wanting to learn and is possibly finding out they are not doing it right.

I invited you to search these forums, Beth gave you a supply company to talk to. This is valuable information for you because all the questions you can ask in learning how to do wood care has already been answered on this forum and others.

The supply company can tell you which chemicals to use, how to use them and on what conditions will call for them and so on. That is their job, not ours. We recommend certain products according to what deals we get from the closest supplier. Call the banner ads on TGS, they can help too!

Take it for what it is and remember, we are all business people here who have businesses to run and not a lot of time to spend going through a wood course 101 with every person who joins this forum that does not want to take advantage of the free search feature it has at their disposal.

It took us some time to learn wood care the right way and I suppose it will for you to because you have to forget what you "think" you know and replace it with what is tried and true.

Search the forums please...it's free!

Rod!~