How to-first deck

[mark b 14]

A woman called me the other day and wanted to know if I could wash her deck. She said she just wants to wash the mildew , dirt etc. off and that she wasn't thinking of re-sealing it. I mainly wash houses, trucks, cars so I need a little help so I don't ruin this deck. It's 24 x 24 with plenty of railing, ballisters. PT wood stained 6 years ago, with what I don't know, neither does she. I do have some hd-80 and some citralic acid that i've used on concrete. If I want to wash this without stripping what would I use and what would be the procedure or process. Again it's mostly black mildew, mold etc. I'm using 4.6 gpm, 3400 psi. Should I use hot or cold water? Help a deck illiterate guy out boys. I'd like to get more deck jobs but have stayed away untill now.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

If it was done 6 years ago, chances are that it's not being protected except maybe on the verticals. If you don't plan to seal it, use EFC-38 and citralic. But warn her that once it's clean she may see it needs to be stripped and sealed. Better to go with HD80 and citralic and seal it, then go through it twice. Always use cold water on wood. Never use hot. Use low pressure, and stay back from the wood. The pressure isn't the tool. The chems are.

Beth

[Paul Freeman 14]

Beth, I have a monster deck that I've been working on for 4 days. I tried a liquid sodium hydroxide based stripper (similar to HD-80), a paste stripper (Super Strip), and soda (Sodium Bicarbonate (I wouldn't recommend that you try this) and Master Blaster, which I had to go to Dallas to get). The results were poor at best. Then, I decided to hit it with 200-degree water (at 1500 - 1800 PSI) to break down the painted finish... The logic was to destroy the 'seal' of the paint on the wood. It worked pretty well - although I had to be careful to move on once the paint started bubbling/breaking/failing. Anyway, after breaking the paint up and letting the wood dry, I applied a wet coat of sodium hydroxide based stripper, let dwell for 30 minutes (while keeping it wet). Then, I went to cold water at 1000 PSI, and bingo, about 70% of the paint blew off.

We'll be stripping it again tomorrow (to remove the remaining paint and sealer/stain that’s under the paint). Whatever's left will simply be sanded off, but I think I've got it licked. I was reluctant to go with the hot water, but I was at wits-end.

This is the weirdest deck I’ve come across. In some places you can peal the paint right off (high traffic areas), but most of it seems like they used contact cement with a red pigment.

Before accepting this job, I did a test area on one of the steps... Bad move, (high traffic area), the paint and sealer came right off with 2 applications of paste stripper and 1 application of liquid stripper.

Mark: Just for the record, I agree with Beth. Normally, I would use cold water to strip a deck, but this is the deck from hell, so I had to fight fire with fire.

Unofficial VP, BFCPC!

[One Tough Pressure 580]

Paul,

What is a BFCPC?

[Paul Freeman 14]

A figment of someone elses imagination :)

[One Tough Pressure 580]

That bad huh?

[Paul Freeman 14]

OPT,

Not at all ;)

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Paul,

Next time you run into paint, try MEK. It's nasty...be e VERY careful if you do.

Beth

[mark b 14]

okay- I talked to the woman about her deck and she still says no stripping! She just wants it clean. Like I said: mold, mildew, the black stuff. Anyway I don't have any efc-38. She wants it done thursday. I am afraid that some of the stain will come off during cleaning. Whats the best stuff to use? If I had the efc34, I'd use it but Ill have to wait for the next deck. Can I use the citralic acid that I got from you or will it take the stain off? Sincerely, Mr Deck Illiterate!!!

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

You need a percarbonate to wash with..... try the <cringe> Wolman deck and fence brightener if you have that in a store near you... It's more expensive, and in our opinion not as effective, but it may get you out of the bind you are in.

[mark b 14]

Thanks for the help Rod. I got another call today for "just cleaning a deck". the guy said he wanted the 5/4 board only done but depending on price MAYBE the whole thing. We'll see. i have to go see it tomorrow and give him a price. This time I'll be pushing hard for stripping and brightening. I hope I've learned my lesson with the first deck- don't get caught unprepared and try and sell the complete job. Not only would selling the whole job ( which for me is stripping and brightening ) benefit me, but the homeowner would benefit from it too.