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...

[JEAPAINT 14]

JEA

Yes, we've got brochures that you can show your customer. They describe the wood restoration process and why it is important to have a professional perform the work. You can view a sample of this brochure at:

http://www.esproducts.net/Wood-Tux_Brochure.htm

Does the mark left by this insect look like the wood is actually peeled or does it look like a grove cut into the wood? We've got a critter here that leaves like smooth walled trenches in the wood.

I would be really hesitant to say if Wood-Tux would do anything to help in this situation. At best it will help block the smell that attracts them and make it a bit less tasty.

I really didn't take a close look at the deck. She mentioned it to me as I was leaving. I was on the deck months before and I didn't see anything. Then again I wasn't examining the deck.

Should I e-mail you with my address so you can send some brochures my way?

I know sunbrite sells WTW. Do you have a distributor close to me in NJ?

Doug

[Russell Cissell 65]

Doug

The nearest distributor I have to you would be in Bethlehem, NY. This time of year they let their wood restoration products run out.

It only takes 3 days to ship to your door step from our main warehouse in St. Louis, MO. As for brochures, if you want to e-mail your address I will get a few on the way to you.

Best of Luck!

[Aplus 525]

This is what carpenter bee damage looks like.

Staining, painting, or whatever is not going to solve the problem. A pest control company can treat the wood to prevent further damage.

[JEAPAINT 14]

The next time I go to her house I will have to take a closer look at the deck.

Russel,

Can wtw be used over a stain like Cabots as a 2 part system?

Doug

[Russell Cissell 65]

Tony-

We've got something in St. Louis that digs a smooth channel in wood about 1/2 inch wide and about 1/4 inch deep. It does not bore into the wood like the carpenter bee and it also digs in irregular lines. I will try to get a picture.

Have you ever heard of or seen this?

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Doug,

WTW will not perform over any other product with the results for which it was designed.

We in our exprience have not found any other product that works like WTW and compatability is an issue. If any other stain is present, it must be removed before applying WTW.

If you are considering WT DMC (deep moisturizing conditioner) as a 2 step restoration method in combination with WTW on dry and aged wood, than you have a complete system.

Rod~

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Tony,

It's not a carpenter bee. They make a near perfect 1/2 inch diameter hole. This is a beetle at work. Have seen this on logs. http://www.upcrc.com/guides/wdamage/oval1.htm

Beth

[Aplus 525]

I guess every region has different pests to deal with. Probably the best way to deal with wood boring, or any pests for that matter is to seek the advice of a local pest control pro, who is familiar with the pests in your area.

[Russell Cissell 65]

Now, I've got this painter friend that would simply say. . .

"Ma'am the critter that causes that is the Japanese Fortune Beetle and to get that many of them marks is a sure sign of good luck!"

[Rfitz 14]

I noticed in the post by Beth and Rod he was spraying, we would not get alot of jobs if we were to spray, when I tell my potential customers we brush and roll all their wood, that usually seals the deal, most of our competetion sprays and alot of our customers have had damage in the past from other compaines spraying, I know it takes longer, but regardless of the product as long as it is a commercial grade product, Ready Seal, Wood Defender, Wood Tux etc.. your finished product will look so much better, one of the hardest things I have to re-teach the painters I hire is that staining decks and painting drywall etc etc.. are miles apart and in no way the same, I see their mistakes everyday, I try and teach them you have to physically work the stain into the wood with the end of the brush not the side of the brush, and spraying wont do the same as that either,..

and I do not have to be at the site all day while they are staining decks, they can be staining while Im out stripping decks, house washing or whatever..

because I know and I tell them I know the average person can average 150 sq ft per hour of staining, so If I come back in say 4 hours, and there are 2 of you, you both better have a combined 1200 sq ft stained, or they start to lose money, because they are subs that work for/with me by the hour, as long as they can do the neccessary work in due time, if not their hourly drops according to the job, and after 30 days all call backs are done on their time not mine.. Just thought I would share what works for me..

Have A Great Day...

[PressurePros 249]

Rfitz, I agree with you one respect.. sending workers out to spray can be a bad idea. Where I disagree is that you can get better results. I get more product on in a quicker amount of time and every bit that is sprayed on gets brushed and worked into the wood. I find most times with a brush, coverage is not as complete (missed areas)

[seymore 90]

Rfitz, I agree with you one respect.. sending workers out to spray can be a bad idea. Where I disagree is that you can get better results. I get more product on in a quicker amount of time and every bit that is sprayed on gets brushed and worked into the wood. I find most times with a brush, coverage is not as complete (missed areas)

I totally agree Ken that spraying is faster and just as good if not better than brushing/rolling.I find spraying is much better to get in between the cracks more evenly than rolling.I'm picky when it comes to my cracks!

Now when i spray i mostly always back pad especially decks but not always on fences.

I just can't see myself brushing/rolling a 2000+sqft.deck that most of my jobs average!

[Rfitz 14]

Im not saying that spraying and then brushing into the wood is bad, my point was stating that just spraying and never working stain into wood is not the greatest way to seal wood, and believe it or not a 2000 sq ft deck is not that big, at least for us it isnt, I can do a 2000 sq ft deck brush and roll my self in 1 day so if I had 2 guys experineced, they could stain 2 of those a day easily, while Im out washing or stripping 2-3 more to stain the following day, we average 5-10 decks per week 3 guys total and maybe another 8-12 house wash's and then some of our commercial work we fit in as well, it is all about organization and scheduling, and keeping a whip on your workers.. Literally

[Deck Guy 14]

If telling your customers that you brush or roll "seals the deal," that says more about salesmanship than results. I spray and folow-up with a pad or brush, and I'd put my results up against anyone. The difference is that even working alone (at times) I far exceed 150 sq. ft. per hour. A 10x15 foot area (or about 37 linear feet of railing/spindles the way I estimate) in an hour???

It's funny how things can be different for different people. 95% of my customers are people who have never had a deck professionally done, so they haven't had any "damage" before. Strange that "alot" of yours have. I have only done around 100 decks, so maybe my time is coming, but overspray or poor results are not an issue with my customers.

[Rfitz 14]

Salesmanship is my strong point, however I see alot of stain on siding, patios, etc etc.. so whether they did it or a company did it, it really doesnt matter, they percieve brushing and rolling is better, safer, more bang for their buck, so to speak, plus 2 coats horizontal surfaces, sanding horizontal surfaces, striiping, brightening, back house wash, these are just a few in my arsenal of out selling the competition, we are by far at the high end of the price scales for deck restoration in our area, but we are doing 5-6 steps more than the competiton, so are we higher priced I ask..? and usually the customer will look at me confused, and say well you are double the price, of whoever, but you are also doing 5 times the work, so in actuality we are cheaper arent we I ask..? and they shake their head yes while signing the estimate,, it is all about perception, although we are better than most anyone here locally, in wood restoration, people percieve they are spending their money wisely when using us... and I do think they are, and that comes across when I am closing 15-30 deals a week

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

I noticed in the post by Beth and Rod he was spraying

We:

1. spray... and then

2. back pad (certain jobs also require brushing)

We never just spray only. We always work the product in.

As for overspray, it's all in masking and spray technique. I've seen some very sloppy decks that were brushed and rolled, but I don't knock the method, its the applicator's fault.

Off the soapbox.

Beth

[JFife 14]

...I agree--I find brushing/rolling to be more sloppy than spraying.

[Rfitz 14]

It's all in technique, I can brush / Roll/ Spray decks fences etc.. all day long and go out for dinner in a nice restaraunt right after, same clothes and no one would even know what I did for a living.. However, my subs after working all day look as though they showered in stain for hours, and I do 3 times the sq ft per hour than they do... go figure... Employees / Subs you gotta love these folks, sometimes I wonder where their minds are, I would guess in the gutter, no pun intended...

[PressurePros 249]

It's all in technique,

Bingo

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

I've always had trouble with rollers leaving bubbles and loose nap on the wood plus it doesn't apply very well to cupped wood. Brushes are ok but they work best in tight spots where our stain pads don't quite fit.

As far as over-spray, it tells me that some of RFitz's competition is not masking. Teaching a crew to respect a customers property is an extremely important lesson if you want them to be able to do a good job. Although, there are some people who just don't give a unowhat no matter how much you try to impress upon them the importance of what you are training them to do.

I will agree though that technique is something each of us has and applied to whatever tool we have chosen to use. It sounds like we all are getting the results we need.

Rod!~

[Rfitz 14]

Unfortunately, My 3rd and 4th title is BABYSITTING, I can tell my subs/ employees how to do something or not to do something, and I'll be damned when I return in 4-5-6 hours after going on bids jobs whatever, that I see 5-10-20 mistakes literally, so I have to constantly babysit and watch their every move, or trust me they will Fuc$#^%&!@@ it up, and it will be another call back, and what is funny although they know they will be going back for FREE on their own time they just dont give a shi^%&%$#$%$^%...? it is amazing,now hwta is crazy, is I dont just make them work for FREE on call backs but they also have to pay me for all expenses occured while on the call back, so maybe it's only 3 hours to them, but I then charge them back $$3-$500 bucks for that call back, becasue that is billable time I am losing, and they wonder why at times their check is short $ 500 and then I explain why it cost me $500 for that call back, and then they realize they just worked 40 hours that week for FREE... AND THEY STILL DONT GET IT...? FOR A 3-4 HOUR CALL BACK nor do they care, you wouldd think after 2-3 of those weeks they would get it, but they dont... Go Figure, but I guess in time they will a 2 hour call back cost them 3 days pay Hello, wake up you get it now...??

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

RFitz,

Be careful you are not violating any labor laws...

Beth :cup:

[Rfitz 14]

When interviewing possible people, I always give them the choice .. either employee or sub contractor, now the difference is about $4.00 an hour so most if not all want to be subs, and I have them sign waivers, aggreements etc.. stating so, now I hope it all pans out if something were to happen, but you never know in this litigation happy society we live in...?