Brightening after cleaning

[RPetry 564]

9 month old ipe' cleaned with a percarb wood cleaner. Through a malfunction on a dual pump setup, the acid Shurflo pump leaked a small amount of citric acid onto the wood. Oxalic acid was actually applied to the job.

Pretty obvious the color difference, both on wet and dry boards, from the citric acid.

An acid not only neutralizes caustic cleaners and strippers, but brightens the wood to a large degree. When using oil based semi-trans stains, the finish looks a whole lot better.

[plainpainter 217]

I cleaned my front porch a couple of months ago with 12 oz/gallon of F-18. And the wood didn't look dark a couple of days later - and now that I have unleashed my floor sander on it - it looks as light as some soft pine or alder wood you find at home depot - makes me wonder what the benefit of acid would be in this case?

[PressurePros 248]

Dan, a deck will stain multiple shades darker on a caustic balanced deck. In addition, a slightly acidic environment will promote covalent bonding in drying oils.

I think it is possible to balance a deck to within one measure of neutral with proper rinsing. That's why I downstream acid. You don't need a strong solution of it. It just makes the wood dryer and leaves it unnaturally white.

[RPetry 564]

... I think it is possible to balance a deck to within one measure of neutral with proper rinsing. That's why I downstream acid. You don't need a strong solution of it. It just makes the wood dryer and leaves it unnaturally white.

Ken,

Depends on the wood. Some woods, particularly hardwoods, in the extreme new ipe', have so much natural oils and extractives, that you want to purge them out of the wood surface to make room for a stain. The "whiter" I can make newer ipe', the better. More oil/resins/pigment is able to penetrate. Otherwise, the wood will just "push" out a stain application.

[PressurePros 248]

I agree, Rick. That's what I advocated to customers who purchased WoodZotic. I was generalizing about softer species decks.

I've found that since we switched to a lesser solution of acid, we eliminated decks looking overly yellow or turning orange when using certain sealers. Deck stain consumption was also reduced by about 15%.

Edited October 8, 2009 by PressurePros

[RPetry 564]

Ipe' percarb cleaned, oxalic brightened, and lightly R/O sanded with 60 grit. Ready to go, if the owner shows up to approve of the stain sample! And it does not rain.

Stain sample is Ready Seal light brown.

Disregard the Budda looking head. Have no idea and am not going to ask. Well, probably will, more than a bit curious myself.

This is one amazing house of new construction.