Iron Wood Boat Dock

[Palmetto Home and Deck 167]

I'm bidding cleaning and sealing a 1,400 sf iron wood boat dock on Lake Hartwell near Clemson, SC. This lake is closely monitored by the Corp.of Engineers so I know I will have to carefull about getting chemicals or sealer in the water. This dock has turned silver and grey as iron wood does. I think it still looks good overall, but with stains from suntan lotion and oils and from gasolene spills it is has gotten pretty splotchy in places. The owner wants to get it cleaned up and stain it back as close as possible to it's original color.

Does anyone have any tips on working with iron wood and working over water?

[Celeste 341]

An Ipe boat dock - must be nice! Sodium percarbonate cleaners would be our choice over water but I don't know about the oil & gas stains you're dealing with - could be a nasty pain. The brightening step will be your biggest problem over water - better to go with citric acid than oxalic I would think. Applying the stain shouldn't be as much of an issue - timewise it won't be as good because I would think that spraying would be riskier than padding or brushing. (We'd love to come help out on this if you get it!)

Celeste