Cleaning siding

[Richard Ivy 14]

Hello everyone

Just as I was cleaning some windows the other day, I happened to look across and see some large buildings that are half clad in what you call 'siding', and we call 'cladding'.

Nomenclature apart... the siding I saw was once white, but on two sides of the building the siding was green and covered in this mess. The roof tiles were also green.

When I saw this, I imediately thought of TGS - it's actually quite rare, I think, in the UK to see this stuff.

Anyway, I took a closer look, and far from the siding being uPVC (plastic), I could see that it was wood. I could see the nail holes. I could see the mouldy algae on it, and I could also see that the paint underneath was also degrading.

Sorry for the waffling... but, I wondered how you deal with this kind of job? Do you simply clean with your pw and chemicals and walk away, job done, or do you make arrangements for someone, maybe yourself the cleaner, to repair the paint work?

I can't imagine cleaning a building like this and leaving the paint as it was - maybe even the bare wood underneath.

I don't imagine that the timber in my example will be anything other than the cheapest pine going.

How anyone could let this buidling fall into this state is beyond me - I can't say where this is, but it's an educational establishment in this town.

Your opinions are valued. Sorry I don't have any pictures - the top half of the 30' building are cladded/sided, and the lower half brick. Clay roof tiles, difficult to access fromt he ground.

All the best for the coming week.

Richard.

[Jeff 232]

Richard, If its moldy painted wood and its rotted, it would be replaced. But if its not rotted yes you would clean it prior to repainting with PWing & chems

I do work for some painters, Paint Prep. I'll clean the exterior of a house/building so you remove dirt, mold, mildew to give the painter a clean surface to repaint. Its a must so the paint will adhere to the wood surface.

Many paint contractors will do their own pressure washing to prep for paint

In many cases Ive washed houses and people were going to paint say the trim of the house that was covered with black mildew and after we cleaned it, they realized it didnt need painting it was just dirty with mildew. This is one reason PWing is needed to remove the dirt, mold & mildew so you dont have to paint as often and so it doesnt rot the wood

Maybe that building could be your 1st PW job

JL

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Good day Richard,

It is good that you would take into consideration that you may need to make recommendations based upon your inspection. Relative to your service capabilities I am sure your will proceed accordingly.

As per the scenario you posted, I would agree that in addition to washing you may need to repair and paint the siding which is great money for you. I do not know of your skill set here but this would surely set you apart from other pw'ers in your league if you could do it all.

Rod!~

[Richard Ivy 14]

Hi ROd, Jeff,

Thank you. I am not at all experienced in pwing - only carried out a few driveways (concrete) in a year, as my main work is window washing.

I have on order from the US a new, more powerful machine, and a whirlaway/lance and a few bits and bobs (x-jet etc.), so want to make more of this pw than I have already.

This job would probably suit one of you guys! As for the painting, well, I would have to put scaffolding up, and that's out of the question really, as with only one person working at painting, the cost of scaffold would be too high. Surely you don't apply paint with a pw do you?

If I can get some pics in due course I will definitely put them on here, as I think you will all feel at home with this!

Richard.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Hi Richard!

Sure hope you can post a few pics. We are always glad to help.

Beth :sunshine:

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Do you have rental opportunities? Scaffolding rents around here for around $50/day and around $150/wk. The rental company sets it up and takes it down. Do you have this where you are?

Also, most painters in this area use ladders with stabilizers to paint up high.

just tossing out a few ideas...

Rod!~

[Richard Ivy 14]

Hi everyone,

Sorry they have been so long in coming, but here's the photos I promised of the 'cladding' I have seen on a building or two or three around here.

To be viewed in conjunction with my original post above.

Thank you.

Richard.

[Celeste 341]

EEuuuuuwwww.!

[StainlessDeal 16]

What a mess. Looks like the brick and roof need attention as well.:lgmoneyey

Richard, I was doing some research last year, and noted that in some areas of Great Britain, I forget exactly where and can't find my notes as yet, there are protected Lichen species. If I remember correctly, this mostly applied to churches, churchyards, and gravestones. If you are going to be washing any lichen off any older buildings, you may want to search on terms like "protected lichen" and the sort.

Hope this saves you trouble and good luck with the new endeavor.:)

[Richard Ivy 14]

Yeas, it's a mess alright. Such a big job. Like earlier posts have said, this cannot be a job properly done just cleaning the green off - the thing will want painting again, I'm fairly sure of that - you can see, (up close) the peeling paint in places.

This is a shame, because I'm not in a position to do the whole job. As Rod said, perhaps prep it for a painter?

How would you prep it? Simply clean it down with a detergent (I know you guys turn the pressure down and tend to let the chemicals do the graft)? I think there are places in the UK where I might buy the relevant chemicals.

I couldn't reach it, but the roof tiles (shingles?) are green too, where they were once brown.

Scott, I can well believe church headstones being protected perhaps - they do get lichen growing on them.

Richard.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Along with the detergent, you will need a mildewcide. Bleach is a common ingredient in most house wash mixes in the USA. The detergent should be compatible with chlorine bleach (sodium hypochlorite) in order to avoid any dangerous gas generation. Quick rule: Do not mix bleach with an acid, the reaction produces a toxic gas. If you are unsure about any ingredients compatiblity, ask your supplier.

Rod!~

[PLD 14]

Am I the only one that really got excited by Richard's pics? Challenge and profit all rolled into one icky package!

[Richard Ivy 14]

So would you guys clean it with your pw and detergent then have scaffolding erected and get access to clean the roof then paint the siding?

ALL of that? ???

[PressurePros 249]

Would the school agree to have the painting done? The pictures are deceiving as the paint does not look to be in terrible condition. You did mention there was peeling though. Here in the US, schools and churches are on tight budgets. If you could get away with spot painting or perhaps proposing that they clean first and paint next year might help to make the sale a little easier.

First step would be that roof. I'd rent a 50 ft articulating platform lift and have at it with a 4-6% solution of sodium hypochlorite. The biggest problem there is going to be your runoff. There doesn't appear to be any type of gutter system. I'd probably build the cost of sodding ten feet out from the building into the job just in case.

The siding would be next with a fairly strong housewash mix. Based upon what I see, this portion of the job could be done from the ground using an X-Jet.

The final portion of a thorough cleaning would be hitting that brick with a restoration chemical of blended acids. It wouldn't be mandatory, but the brick being cleaned properly would make the building look like it was built this year. (Is that desirable in the UK?)

I would also bid the painting but I have the available labor to build scaffolding and have four or five guys working on it at once. The flaking paint would have to be burned off, the siding primed and then a couple layers of topcoat added.

Looking at that one building (I'm not sure how many there are) Doing the roof, all the prep, Painting all windows and siding a customer would be looking at spending about $25,000 US.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Richard,

The ground is level enough you could use ladders with stabilizer standoffs or you could add a second ladder with a platform (supported by a ladder stand on each ladder) between the 2 to work on a larger area at a time.

There is also a system using what is called pump jacks that basically consists of two jack stands that are anchored to the roof (each spaced equally top to bottom according to the length of the platform you will be working on) and the platform itself which can be raised or lowered by means of a foot pump that can either raise or lower the platform as needed. It works best with 2 people but can bee used by one if necessary.

Sorry if this sounds complicated but I will be happy to elaborate if you need further clarification.

And the answer to your question

Rod!~

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Richard,

The ground is level enough you could use ladders with stabilizer standoffs or you could add a second ladder with a platform (supported by a ladder stand on each ladder) between the 2 to work on a larger area at a time.

There is also a system using what is called pump jacks that basically consists of two jack stands that are anchored to the roof (each spaced equally top to bottom according to the length of the platform you will be working on) and the platform itself which can be raised or lowered by means of a foot pump that can either raise or lower the platform as needed. It works best with 2 people but can bee used by one if necessary.

Sorry if this sounds complicated but I will be happy to elaborate if you need further clarification.

And the answer to your question of

Rod!~

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Richard,

The ground is level enough you could use ladders with stabilizer standoffs or you could add a second ladder with a platform (supported by a ladder stand on each ladder) between the 2 to work on a larger area at a time.

There is also a system using what is called pump jacks that basically consists of two jack stands that are anchored to the roof (each spaced equally top to bottom according to the length of the platform you will be working on) and the platform itself which can be raised or lowered by means of a foot pump that can either raise or lower the platform as needed. It works best with 2 people but can bee used by one if necessary.

Sorry if this sounds complicated but I will be happy to elaborate if you need further clarification.

And the answer to your question of would we be doing all of this if given the opportunity is ... yes! (with the exception of the roof, I hate working on roofs personally and would refer it to the pertinence of another's bailiwick)

Rod!~

[Richard Ivy 14]

Thank you for everyones' input to this.