Woohoo! Love the way this sprays!

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

We did two side by side decks today. We sealed them with the new thinner release of the Wood Tux Warm Honey Gold. We can report that the new Wood Tux is quite sprayable, and easy to apply. Excellent coverage as well! A neighbor came by while we were working and had to get a card, so she could get her deck done too!

Beth

p.s. attached are before, during and after photos. Rod is spraying in one of the shots...

[Russell Cissell 65]

It looks like there are plenty more neighbors in need right behind those two!

Nice work as usual guys!

[Henry B. 4]

I just saw the new wood tux in action a couple of days ago and it works great. It seems to have a bit of a gloss in it also which a few of my customers will love.

I'm not ready to drop Ready Seal for it but I have to admit, it did look nice. I'm looking forward to seeing how it works out this comming year.

[Celeste 341]

I am really looking forward to seeing this stuff in action :) It truly gives the wood a rich look that I love :) Nice jobs again as usual guys !

Celeste

[PressurePros 248]

Same sentiments here. I am awaiting a pail from ES after seeing your results, Nice job, guys! Wood Tux is so far ahead of everything out there in terms of contractor profits and quality of raw materials. The spraying factor was the thing I was waiting for. I'll post more results as I get them.

[Cleveland Mobile 14]

Are you using an airless or a deckster to apply?

Andy

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

I just saw the new wood tux in action a couple of days ago

Henry, ok.... I'll bite... where?

Andy, we use a Decker, which is HVLP like your Deckster. Spray, and back pad or back brush. You could also use a pump up if you wanted to.

Wood Tux is so far ahead of everything out there in terms of contractor profits and quality of raw materials.

Ken, we have been saying this since it was released a few years ago. I can't say more than that, but I can tell you that the quality of the raws and the care that went into the formula are great. The first season we applied this, was that year we had like 5 straight months of cool temps and rain. (this was with the non-wet formula mind you) I can report that even then, we applied it as high as 17% WMC, and none, that's ZERO decks had any mildew growth issues, which is a common problem in a really wet season with many products in general. Heck, I have seen products have mildew growth after a dry application much less a moist one in a wet year.

No doubt this is a far superior formula.

Beth :cup: :cup: :groovy2:

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Its a Decker 5'er. Same as the deckster but with a 112 pump. It was retrofit with a bypass valve and primer bulb kit from sunbrite. We have this one which is dc powered and another which is ac powered that is used for applying chems.

Rod~

btw Ken, nice logo and avatar. Been meaning to mention it. Looks sharp.

[PressurePros 248]

Thanks, Rod!

[Russell Cissell 65]

Henry-

Don't give up Ready Seal for Wood-Tux WET!

Switching from Ready Seal to Wood-Tux WET would require you to change the entire way you do business. Nearly everything about the two products is different. From application to maintenance every step you take will be different. I get calls from contractors almost everyday asking me if Wood-Tux is better than Ready Seal. Before that question can be answered there has got to be a clear definition of "better."

Wood-Tux WET was designed after studying the wood restoration industry from the contractors point of view for over a decade. Our goal has always been to design a system that would allow our contractor customers to separate themselves and rise above their competition. We are not interested in reaching the masses. We designed Wood-Tux WET for the high end restoration contractor who has chosen wood restoration as a career.

We carefully looked at the entire process including bidding jobs, scheduling work, selling maintenance contracts, collecting monies owed and most importantly referrals. Then we set out to develop a system that would allow a contractor to maximize their profitability.

The one thing that we decided was the most important characteristic was quality. The main thing that sets the high end restoration contractor apart is how they get their work. The majority of their work comes from referrals and repeat business. High end contractors work for high end customers and those customers know quality.

The next consideration had to be maintenance. There had to be the proper balance between the life of the finish and the ease of maintenance. Wood-Tux WET was designed around the concept of a maintenance program. When it comes time to do the maintenance work the surface had to be easy to remove without removing all of the healthy product from the wood. This allows the contractor to re coat the surface and restore a rich beautiful finish with much less product.

The third most important thing was profitability for the contractor. We knew we were designing a finish that was going to be expensive almost from the start. Rather than try to be frugal raw material selection we decided to go the opposite. Our goal became to see how flexible we could make the product if cost was not an issue. From that point we never stopped to consider what an improvement was going to "cost" only if that improvement was possible. We created a finish that would allow the contractor maximize his earning potential.

We knew we had to come up with a system that could be applied to wet wood. This would allow the contractor to complete more jobs and in many cases eliminate return trips to smaller jobs. It would also allow the contractor to work more days that would have been lost to rain.

The final consideration was ease of application. Wood-tux had to be slow curing to minimize overlapping however we knew we had to lock up the surface. With our unique approach to curing we are able to insure a long lasting rich finish that is very user friendly. It is not as easy to apply as a product like Ready Seal but it's not too far off.

If you want a Wood-Tux product that goes on like Ready Seal you will want to consider Wood-Tux DMC. It dives very deeply and goes on without any streaks or runs. It utilizes the same high quality transoxide pigment system used in Wood-Tux WET. Wood-Tux DMC is also priced much more closely to Ready Seal. DMC is an open system that uses paraffinic oils to replenish the wood. It was designed as a conditioner for very old and dry wood and is intended to be used together with Wood-Tux WET as a top coat. When used by itself with no top coat you will get results similar to what you see with Ready Seal in terms of service life. If you were to use DMC by itself you would want to plan on annual or biannual maintenance.

[tropical wave 22]

Don't give up Ready Seal for Wood-Tux WET!

It is not as easy to apply as a product like Ready Seal but it's not too far off..

Russell, what makes the wood-tux wet a bit more difficult to apply than ready seal? more back brushing? flashing? drips? overlaps?

[seymore 90]

Russel

What does the BMC stand for in "WT BMC"?

[Russell Cissell 65]

Mike~

Wood-Tux is a closed system which means it dries at the surface. Because of this there is a chance that you can leave overlap or run marks. It was designed to dry relatively slowly so it is much easier to apply than most oil based stains. It does require back brushing to prevent puddles.

Shane~

DMC = Deep Moisturizing Conditioner

This unique formulation was created to condition and restore aged or UV damaged wood. Engineered to have extreme dive properties Wood-Tux DMC will penetrate deep into the wood replenishing the voids created by the depletion of natural oils fats and sugars. Long after the application of Wood-Tux DMC our proprietary biocide package will fight to prevent the onset of mold and mildew growth. The deep rich pigments not only enhance the woods natural color they also provide plenty of UV protection.

Wood-Tux DMC couldn't be more simple to apply. This rich, beautiful finish is so forgiving that even someone who has never stained a piece of wood will achieve professional results with their very first pail. Works great on aged wood and any time you need high quality protection on a budget. Ideal for fence protection. Wood-Tux DMC can be applied by brush, roller, pad or spray and because of the extreme dive properties and self-leveling nature of this product it is virtually impossible to leave lap or drip marks!

Wood-Tux DMC was designed as an open system and is compatible with the same tint system used in other Wood-Tux Products. Wood-Tux DMC comes stock in the popular Warm Honey Gold color.

This product was created after surveying some our contractor customers who work primarily on cedar homes and log cabins. A challenge they face is how to care for severely dry and neglected wood. Often times a wood sided home will go many years without any care and the wood will become dry and lifeless. The reason for this is because the natural fats, oils and sugars have been depleted. The same thing happens when someone uses bleach or other products that were not specifically designed for wood restoration.

Often times even professional contractors will use a product designed as a concrete cleaner or something else to strip a finish from wood. I guess their thinking is if it has sodium hydroxide in it and it removes stain it's ok for wood. The fact is they will cause more damage to the wood by burning out what nature created to protect the wood. This will require that you apply more stain to replenish what the harsh chems have depleted. For example if it were just about speed we make a vent hood cleaner that will strip almost anything and it will do it FAST but it was not buffered out to be gentle on the wood. If I were to use the vent hood cleaner and oxalic acid rather than HD-80 and Citralic I would expect to use up to 1/3 more stain. This makes no sense considering stain is nearly 10X the cost of quality wood restoration chemicals.

If you come across wood that has a whitish "dead" look and you can tell it is very thirsty DMC is a good choice to replenish and moisturize the wood.

[Henry B. 4]

Nah,

I'm not planning on dropping Ready Seal at all. I don't see anything wrong with carrying a couple of products. I just know of three of my clients that want a glossy look on the deck and Wood Tux might give them what they want. I didn't have much time to test or play around with the Wood Tux, I had went to visit a power washing buddy and to give him a few business tips and ideas on how to increase his income so that was my main focus at the time.

As for Wood Tux and many of the other sealers and strippers on the market, they all have their place and in the future maybe I will try them out a bit more.

[Mathew Johnson 123]

As always Henry, Thanks for the tips

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

I just know of three of my clients that want a glossy look on the deck and Wood Tux might give them what they want.

Henry...

Seeing it wet is not the same as dry. Properly applied, when dry Wood Tux is not shiney. It has a satin finish due to the refraction of the UV off of the transoxide pigment, but it is not a "topcoat" film...

Beth

[Russell Cissell 65]

If your client is looking for a shine to the finish it is possible to build a surface and create a shine by adding a second coat after the first has begun to dry. In doing so you will want to take care to apply the product very thin and evenly across the surface to insure a beautiful finish. This could be particularly desirable on rough cedar siding.

A couple of things to keep in mind, this product has a very high pigment content so not only will you add a bit of shine to the surface you will also deepen and thereby darken the finish. If you over apply after the first coat has completely dried you could encounter issues with a prolonged curing cycle which could be undesirable. This would present the greatest concern on deck floors. Additionally on deck floors if you build the surface such that you do create an actual film the finish would then be susceptible to scratching by rocks caught in shoes and hard table legs.

If you have built up a film on the deck surface and wish not to remove it you should use mineral spirits to buff out any scratches. Simply dip a rag in mineral spirits and use the rag to dampen the blemish. After a few moments use the wet portion of the rag to buff out the scratch. In most cases you should not need to touch the area up with stain.

[Henry B. 4]

I know things are shiny when wet, I'm talking about a dried and cured sample. The sample I saw was applied as suggested and it did have a bit of shine to it. Not like a wax mind you, just gave off a little flash from the grain as you tilted it in the light. Kinda like what eggshell paint does, not glossy or flat but between flat and semigloss.

If having this shine will leave the wood open to scratches from animals and such it wouldn't work for the three clients that I mentioned. They have dogs and kids that would definetly wear off the finish.

I applied some medium brown ready seal to my deck a few months ago and it's held up really well to my siberian husky.. I can see marks in the wood but she hasn't scratched off the sealer at all yet.

[Aplus 525]

I've been using Ready Seal for about five years now. I have always been able to call Pierce, and have my stain in about 3-4 business days. I don't have to worry about shortages, formula changes, or anything of the sort.

When Wood Tux gets to the point where the distribution and formulations are reliable, I may give it a try. Until then, no.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

as you tilted it in the light

That's the UV protection. It's a satin finish.

I have never seen anything scratch the Wood Tux, but I have seen things scratch the wood. It's not on the surface it is near the surface - big difference.

One other thing - you won't see Ready Seal come off from dog scratching. It's a penetrating oil, not a film coat. It's in the wood, not on the wood. Sikkens Cetol DEK is a film coat - best example of a topical resin I can think of. Your acrylics like the old Wolman Extreme are also top coat films....

Beth

[Russell Cissell 65]

If having this shine will leave the wood open to scratches from animals and such it wouldn't work for the three clients that I mentioned. They have dogs and kids that would definetly wear off the finish.

Henry-

I did not mean to imply that under normal application you would have any risk of scratching. This would only be if you over apply to the point that you have built up a surface that is higher than the grain of the wood.

Over application is not recommended.

[Steve Moore 14]

are you spraying with an airless ?

[Russell Cissell 65]

Steve

Most contractors who apply oil based wood stains will use an HVLP (high volume low pressure) sprayer.

[Henry B. 4]

No problem Russell, thanks for the tips and keep up the great work. I'll be looking into wood tux in the near future.

[Pams Pressure & Clean 64]

Great Thread !!

I have a great deal of experience with Ready Seal and admittedly limited experience with WTW, (the last/old/previous formulation)..I consider myself pretty much up to speed on the largest parts of the difference between the two, but I am waiting to try the newest version on some test wood.

There is no doubt that Ready Seal is by far my favorite, but WTW does has served a purpose within my aresenal of wood care products.

I do have some questions and observations concerning WTW though..

Along the course of this thread and others across time, (no, I'm not going hunting for quotes..) WTW has been described as a film former, a light film former, and a top coat. Would it be a fair statement to just say that it is a film former?

How can the shine be UV protection if the pigments are the UV protection?

Will the shine wear off and show traffic patterns? I can see how shine will reflect some sun, but were we not all taught at wood school that the real work here is being done by the pigments? Is this not why we buy SPF 40 instead of baby oil?? For the work of the UV protectors? Admittedly there is something quite ...impressive... about certain baby oil shines ;)

If WTW goes for about $140 a pail, Ready Seal for about $95, but you have to strip WTW for maintenance (it's a film former) how is this saving any $$..??

I know some folks will buy stuff based solely based on shipping costs, but I can't possibly see the two being $45.00 per pail different by UPS/FedEx.

Yes, I see the savings by being able to do a one day deck, but the real hard number savings there are not much more than a few bucks in the gas tank required for the trip back. The time to strip and seal still remain constant.

Is this DMC something brand new as well or did I miss the rollout some time ago while away in my cave?

For really old, dry, and nasty wood, and having read that WTW is a film former that dries at the surface as opposed to diving deep to properly moisturize, are you suggesting a primary coat of DMC followed by a coat of WTW to achieve a proper finish?

Can WTW be applied over DMC?

Can a two step be more cost effective that a one step stain?

If this is correct, what happens to the DMC when you strip the WTW for maintenance?

Cujo

[Russell Cissell 65]

Great Thread !!

Along the course of this thread and others across time, (no, I'm not going hunting for quotes..) WTW has been described as a film former, a light film former, and a top coat. Would it be a fair statement to just say that it is a film former?

Cujo

Simply put, Wood-Tux Wet is a deep penetrating oil based stain that dries at the surface to lock in the oils and biocides. It will only form a "film" if several coats are applied. It was designed to be applied in one saturating coat.