Getting started

[mordy 14]

Hi, I currently do interior wood restoration and floors, and I want to switch over to exterior wood restoration (much less competition). My questions are many, but i will start with just a few.

1) it seems that this line of business is only 3 seasons. what do you do during the winter months to supplement income? (i am referring to those that market themselves as exterior wood restoration professionals, not just general Power Washers) ?

2) I need some direction as far as what equipment i should invest in: I want a good pump sprayer (brand?), and a good PW (brands? PSI? GPM? etc...) mainly for decks and fences (can i get a good one for $700-$1000?)

3) I practiced on a couple decks at cost(friends & family) and i am wondering if there are any tricks to doing spindles, or is it meant to be hard and very time consuming?

I will leave it at that for today. I would greatly appreciate any info, help, and tips for someone who is just starting out.

Thank you very much

Mordy Breiner

Coral Flooring LLC

[RPetry 564]

Mordy,

1. Market and work like *ell for 7+ months of the season here in NJ. For the first few years, you may want to keep your interior wood business for income in the winter months.

2. Talk with and visit Tom Vogel of ACR Products in Easton, Pa. It is about a 1 1/2 hr. drive from Lakewood. Tom has both practical experience as a contractor and knows equipment, appropriate chemicals, and stains. Phone is (610) 253-8005, web site is ACR Products, Inc.

ACR sponsors a round table style seminar each spring in March. Plan on attending this coming year.

You cannot purchase an appropriate commercial cold water PW new for $1000. Tom may have something used to get started at that price.

3. Forget the pump up. Purchase or build 12 v. electric sprayer(s) designed for applying chemicals and exterior wood stains.

Edited November 20, 2012 by RPetry
addition

[James 625]

Keep your interior job. Exterior wood I wouldn't recommend to do unless you get into all aspects of exterior

cleaning.

[mordy 14]

Rick,

Thank you very much. I will definitely reach out to Tom sometime next week (hey, I might reach out to you too). I got to say, its nice to see how everyone here seems like family, and wants to help each other. I look forward to share my own PW experiences. Till then, I will be asking questions, and trying to learn as much as I can.

Mordy Breiner

Coral Flooring LLc

Lakewood NJ

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Tom is the way to go for equipment and the PWNA is the single best way to go for exterior wood education and certification.

I agree with Jim do NOT let go of that interior clientele. Add decks as a supplement, and enjoy both. You'll fill in the weather and temperature gaps.

Beth

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

3) I practiced on a couple decks at cost(friends & family) and i am wondering if there are any tricks to doing spindles, or is it meant to be hard and very time consuming?

Spindles aka balusters, tend to be the most time consuming aspect of most decks.

1. Reason being is that when stripping, the chems don't stay on them well. Frequent re-application

is necessary to get a complete removal of existing coating in some cases.

2. spraying sealer on the opens up the over-spray issue and so you need something to catch it like plastic, cardboard etc.

3. sanding is the most difficult as the common tools available do not get in between very well.

When washing, you will have a better time if you attack them at angles pointing at hitting 2 sides each time, then reversing that to get the other angle.

Repeat for the outside. This ensures you get the corners of each spindle and don't have any missed edges.

When sanding, using an osborn brush on a 7" variable speed grinder/polisher works great to remove the fuzzies.

There is also a roto sander attachment you can put on a drill to get in between each set of spindles when needing to sand remnant stain or

smooth the surface.

Bidding should weigh the spindles heavily. That is where the majority of your time will be spent. Floors and steps are fast and easy for not only access but computing sq/ft.

Rails measuring is best done length X height. If you take each side of a spindle (4 sides) 1.5"X4=6" That equates the distance between them so you can literally calculate the sqft of rails and add that to get a more complete total sqft to help make sure you cover your time, labor costs, material costs.

Start timing how long it takes to do a section of rails (between each 4X4 rail post) inside and out. keep track of that and use to compute your time for completing on a sqft basis.

Rod!~

[mordy 14]

Rod,

Thank you very much for this info. I am staining my brother-in-laws deck on friday. I hope it comes out nice, since he has alot of neighbors checking it out.

As an aside, I am wondering how the pros here feel about TWP 1500. I am using trying it out this week. It seems like alot of the pros here go with Anderson Clark.

Mordy Breiner

Coral Flooring LLC

Lakewood NJ

[mordy 14]

Rick,

Thanks for sending me to Tom Vogel. I went out out to visit him today, and he is a pleasure to talk to. He really knows it all, and he is very patient with newbies. He mentioned that he might even have some sort of educational workshop for newbies this February. I will stay connected with him, and will very likely get some equipment from him

Thanks

Mordy Breiner

Lakewood NJ

[bigchaz 157]

I believe Tom sells several brands of stain including Armstrong and Ready Seal. You may be able to try each out to find which you prefer using and gives you better results. If Tom is local to you it will save tons on shipping not having to order stain online

[John T 744]

Mordy best thing you did here was to not only listen to some great advise but to also follow thru with what some of these seasoned pro's here are recommending by going to see Tom Vogle at his shop. ACR Products, Inc. does a great Roundtable at least once a year and Tom and his wife Barbara are excellent host. Many of us have gone there for years and besides making some good friends there, on the business side of things to be there is priceless.

[James 625]

If you are doing or have interior and exterior work going on at the same time it's very difficult to transition from exterior to interior. I tried to do it and always wanted to be outside and settled on just scheduling inside work for the winter. Very different pace and different style and approach with regards to attention of detail. Everything about it is different!

[James 625]

Mordy, been thinking of selling my back up unit. Always garaged, less than 300 hours on all new parts. Coil, cat pump,unloader, hose reel , trailer is newer too. This is a compact trailer 4x8 with a hydro tec 5 gallon hot/cold 3200 psi125 gallon water tank. Perfect for all aspect of cleaning! This sale comes with one week of training from Sir Knowledge Wood. This alone is worth thousands. Start 2013 fresh ! 3500 green ones......

Motor is new too and is bigger than the original 18 horse .

Edited November 30, 2012 by James

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

When you offer a product for suggestion, you need to look into a few aspects.

1. ease of maintenance.

This is important because decks require a lot of it and frequent maintenance can be expensive if the product

doesn't age well or creates conditions which require stripping instead of cleaning and recoating.

If it is easy to maintain, the customer in down times could do it themselves and therefore save money.

They will thank you in the up times and look for your services.

They should be able to get the same results each time as if a professional did it.

2. Color shift.

This is when the product darkens with age and exposure to the UV rays.

Problem is, when you try to maintain it, and portions have eroded, faded or otherwise are no longer in tact,

The product out of the can will not match what is currently on the deck. This results in a splotchy effect which is

undesirable.

3. Compatibility.

This is referring to the products ability to adhere to itself in the future applications.

Some products are designed to repel with additives like silicone, teflon or epoxy ingredients.

These products can create the need not only for stripping but sanding as well.

Twp as you mentioned is a good product, we prefer the version that can't be bought in our/your area, but VOC's forbid its sale.

Armstrong is a product that meets a few criteria for wood.

It moisturizes the wood and helps to keep water from penetrating.

It absorbs quite well and deeply which gives a long lasting result

It cleans well and recoating is easy and the results and always the same. A great finish.

Rod!~

[RPetry 564]

Rick,

Thanks for sending me to Tom Vogel. ...

Mordy,

You are more than welcome. Tom started ACR Products about the same time I started this business. I purchased a new Hydro Tek PW from him initially, possibly one of the first units he sold. Since that time I've relied on ACR for nearly all my equipment, parts, repairs, chemicals, and wood stain.

You will not find a better distributor and business partner than ACR.

[mordy 14]

Thank you everyone for all the positive reinforsement.

James, it sounds like a nice package, but im guessing its out of my budget. I am still curious to hear about it and what you are asking. Feel free to text or call me at 203-273-2453. (I am originally from CT, but now seside in NJ)

Mordy Breiner

[John T 744]

Hey Mordy--Your area got hit pretty hard from Hurricane Sandy. We go to Lavalette every summer and rent a house on or by the water right down the road from the Seaside Boardwalk that got blasted. It was heartbreaking to see what happened.

That area besides all the devastation they have to deal with, there going to need some serious Powerwashing to be done. If you have a decent Powerwasher especially a hot water Powerwasher there should be a ton of work in there.

[KGILL 14]

Mordy, been thinking of selling my back up unit. Always garaged, less than 300 hours on all new parts. Coil, cat pump,unloader, hose reel , trailer is newer too. This is a compact trailer 4x8 with a hydro tec 5 gallon hot/cold 3200 psi125 gallon water tank. Perfect for all aspect of cleaning! This sale comes with one week of training from Sir Knowledge Wood. This alone is worth thousands. Start 2013 fresh ! 3500 green ones......

Motor is new too and is bigger than the original 18 horse .

What is the weight limit for the trailer?

[mordy 14]

John,

This could be a great marketing idea. "We are giving back to the community" with a hurricane Sandy special. something to think about. thanks

[James 625]

Trailer can hold 2100 pounds

[Jason Reider 25]

Mordy, been thinking of selling my back up unit. Always garaged, less than 300 hours on all new parts. Coil, cat pump,unloader, hose reel , trailer is newer too. This is a compact trailer 4x8 with a hydro tec 5 gallon hot/cold 3200 psi125 gallon water tank. Perfect for all aspect of cleaning! This sale comes with one week of training from Sir Knowledge Wood. This alone is worth thousands. Start 2013 fresh ! 3500 green ones......

Motor is new too and is bigger than the original 18 horse .

Jim - Can you send me some pics of this trailer unit if it is still for sale? Looks like a great deal. jason@waterdogrestoration.com Thanks!

[James 625]

Jason, give me a couple of days our main computer is down for warranty work.

[Jason Reider 25]

Sounds good. Thanks Jim!