Gazebo cedar shake nightmare

[RPetry 564]

Help. I am getting too old for this. Pls. see attached picture.

18 yr. old cedar shake roof of a gazebo that is part of a large cedar deck. It appears that the shakes have never been cleaned let alone stained. Mold, mildew, and time have deteriorated the shakes to the point of ~ 1/2 of original wood thickness. Naturally, previous contractors have avoided the roof like the plague.

The problem is the roof is unsafe. Have a safety harness rig but, in my opinion, the the top pointy part or cupola is not strong enough to hold if I slip. And potential slipping is 50-50 at best. Not only are the shakes like ice if wet, the shakes themselves are prone to detachment. Look out below!

Can clean OK up to ~ 2/3rds of the way to the top from a ladder. After that, the angle of the extended wand runs parallel to the roof and water pressure both catches the underside of the shakes and blowing some off, and the angle of attack just does not clean the crud off.

Aside from a portable lift ($ and access makes this unworkable), anyone have any ideas?

Have specific disclaimers in the contract concerning this roof, but I really want to get it cleaned and stained. The finished project would look incomplete without refinishing. Yeah, I know, call a roofer. But when you're in the wood restoration business you should be able to prove it.

Thanks for any suggestions.

[squirtgun 122]

Seems as though replacing them would be the best thing to do.

[Celeste 341]

Can you put a flex attachment on your extension?

Celeste

[RPetry 564]

Hi Celeste,

Thanks for the reply. That is one possible alternative but I have tried that before on another job. The problem I encountered then is being able to control the extended wand. Just cannot seem to get the leverage with my left hand and hold the extension far enough up the shaft to keep the tip close enough to the wood to knock off the crud.

Plus, I have to work off a ladder. The roof edge starts at ~12 ft. off the ground and my portable scaffold is just not high enough to be useful.

If I do not get or receive other viable ideas, I think I will try that tomorrow with a smaller wand extension and just try to "reach".

I don't know, I think its just getting cautious with age. Took a very bad, frightening fall last year with no more damage than bruises and pride, but I do not have nine lives.

Probably do some wand replumbing in the morning and give it a shot.

[PressurePros 248]

Those things are warped and cracked and cupping all over the place.. nasty.

I couldn't think of a viable option for you, Rick. If you want some much younger muscle to strong arm that extension you just holler and I'll drive over the bridge. LOL. It's a beetch getting older and wiser isn't it?

:yoda:

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

I might just have to agree with Scott. They are pretty bad....

Beth

[RPetry 564]

Hey Ken,

Yeah, this is the worst cedar shake roof I have ever seen. The bad part of the whole story is that I did a similar job in the same neighborhood, 5 properties down, last year. Larger gazebo cedar shake roof, with about the same amount of crud. Shakes were in better shape but there was absolutely no where to tie in. Got it done but I took a bad fall, from near the top in the attached pic, onto the deck floor and staged ladder. Maybe superstition.

Big problem is that this job is a referral from that one. Customers saw that nice new looking deck and roof and wanted the same. Got my name and number and here I am. But it is cedar and I love the look of well stained cedar.

LOL. It's a beetch getting older and wiser isn't it?

Just can't help myself with that opening... Its bleach and getting older and wiser!

I think you are right. Just do not want to take the chances that were not even considered a few years ago.

[JFife 14]

Rick,

I know guys up north that just dump copius amounts of stong bleach on the wood, and rinse. As nasty as that is, might take a couple apps. Try and find some TWP200 stain, it will go on really dark, but in a month will look like wood.

[RPetry 564]

Hey Jon,

In the past I've used percarbs on nasty shakes, usually twice, and will again on this PITA roof. If I can ever get to all of it without killing myself. RS will be the stain. From what I understand, TWP is very similar in oil type and pigments. Can't go wrong with a good oil.

[James 624]

12 Foot Liddle Giant stepper and you can reach the top. Main problem is the crud between the shakes. You can bleach and a constant low pressure will do it.

Just don't fart in the direction of those shakes after a couple of Heinies......LOL

For oiling use Foster"s it come's in the oil can. LOL

ABR or TWP 500 for oiling real thick stuff and allot.......

Good day mate........>

[seymore 90]

Wow that's some purdy wood Rick got a match maby a torch?

Can't you work it from a step ladder from each side? It's hard for me to tell how big it is?

That would be a good canidate for some strong 12% and Gray Away..:cool:

[JFife 14]

ladder w/ stabilizers on the shingles?? Still say twp200 or greyaway (almost same thing), has tons of pigment and the pigment is copper....the way the pigment reacts with the brown copper pigment makes it extremely dark on applicaiton, but in a month will literally be bright golden looking. Would make those shakes look better than you could probably imagine. RS would be fine as well, just don't think you'll get that really bright color.

[Jarrod 22]

What about a lift? HD rents them now for $149.00 for 4 hours. Or call a tree guy.

[Jeff 232]

Should you even restore wood shingles in that shape, it seems like it would suck up the stain and probably look crummy in 6 months anyway.

When is wood to far gone?

?

[seymore 90]

When is wood to far gone?

Well when you can pass your finger thru the rotten board or the frame is shot and sagging rocking or about to fall down.

[RPetry 564]

Ok, got the message loud and clear. Tried and true bleach it is. Still need to get the wand near the wood. Celeste affirmed my backup plan, I'll give it a try tomorrow. Bleach and TWP 200 or 500 or whatever, if Diamond Jim, Texas Shane and Tennessee Jon say it, I'll give it a try. You guys know a lot more that me. Advice asked and good advice given should be followed

Any guidance on bleach mix strength? 3%, 6%, or even stronger? Its not like I'm going to hurt the friggin' lignin in this wood! Problem is trying to get TWP around here. And I am not flying to Texas for Grey Away.

Greenies do not cause flatulence. But lack of same can cause shakes on the shakes. Foster's is a very good beer. Ever party with Aussies? I could not hold a candle to those blokes many years ago. The container does look like an old oil can.

Thanks to all. More fun tomorrow.

[Jonathan Chiplock 14]

Coming from a firefighter perspective, find a 6 foot wooden ladder and nail a board to it that is enough to cover the rails the length of the ladder. Once ontop of the roof, lay the ladder down and use that to stand on, it will dispurse your weight and shouldnt slide out from under you, maybe tie a rope around it and the top of the roof. Then as you work, just slide the ladder around. Good Luck!

Jon

[JFife 14]

Do you know what I mean by using stabilizers?? Rather than you ladder resting on the EDGE of the shingles, the stabilizer will hold the weight and be rested about 2' up the roof. This would allow you to safely stand with your feet at about 1' below the fascia.

....Remember the post about strong bleach, and rinsing?? When I say "rinse", I mean from the ground with the xjet. The wood will look silver/white when done, but the stains I mentioned will still look grand. I guess my point is, there is no need to risk your life trying to apply "pressure", just go with a strong bleach and rinse.

[seymore 90]

Ok, got the message loud and clear. Tried and true bleach it is. Still need to get the wand near the wood. Celeste affirmed my backup plan, I'll give it a try tomorrow. Bleach and TWP 200 or 500 or whatever, if Diamond Jim, Texas Shane and Tennessee Jon say it, I'll give it a try. You guys know a lot more that me. Advice asked and good advice given should be followed

Any guidance on bleach mix strength? 3%, 6%, or even stronger? Its not like I'm going to hurt the friggin' lignin in this wood! Problem is trying to get TWP around here. And I am not flying to Texas for Grey Away.

I would try a 6% mix of bleach/soap and see how it reacts to the wood you might have to go stronger Rick.

[JFife 14]

Everytime I see the name "Jonathan Chiplock", it for some reason makes me think of "Jimmy Chipwood", of 'Hoosiers' fame. Man that kid could shoot! That is one of those movies that never get old. [end of hijack]

[seymore 90]

Do you know what I mean by using stabilizers?? Rather than you ladder resting on the EDGE of the shingles, the stabilizer will hold the weight and be rested about 2' up the roof. This would allow you to safely stand with your feet at about 1' below the fascia.

....Remember the post about strong bleach, and rinsing?? When I say "rinse", I mean from the ground with the xjet. The wood will look silver/white when done, but the stains I mentioned will still look grand. I guess my point is, there is no need to risk your life trying to apply "pressure", just go with a strong bleach and rinse.

Yeah Jon I know what you mean with the stabilizers.That's kinda the way i stained my last gazzebo but the without the stabilizers.We just let the ladder stick up a few feet above the gazzebo and i stood on the bottom of the ladder while my helper worked at the end of the ladder.It might sound dangerous but he was lightwieght and my big butt wasn't letting the ladder move..:D

[RPetry 564]

Hey Jon,

I understand the stabilizers. Its just that I use a 12' step ladder. With it, I can get my feet ~ 18" below the edge of the roof safely. In all honesty, I'm not a real fan of ladders. Don't own an extension ladder, don't want to. Thats why I do decks!

6% bleach is ok but with the thick, baked on mildew on the shakes over years, the crud is truly like coral. I mean hard, like you need a knife to cut it. Can't fathom that without getting down to real wood, any stain will make more than a temporary fix.

[seymore 90]

6% bleach is ok but with the thick, baked on mildew on the shakes over years, the crud is truly like coral. I mean hard, like you need a knife to cut it. Can't fathom that without getting down to real wood, any stain will make more than a temporary fix.

You might need to spray a second lighter mix 25% or so of bleach after you clean off that beautiful layer of a science project growing on that gazeebo..:D

[PressurePros 248]

This is a perfect chance to marry the camps..use both bleach and percarb. I would go right to sodium hydroxide if there was that much buildup but with those shakes in the condition they are, they would disintegrate. You are a brave man, Rick. Though there are very few, I may have turned that job down. Good luck with it. I am off for a nice maintenance (bleach) cleaning of a deck I did two years ago with Cabot's Clear Solutions.

[RPetry 564]

Hey Ken,

I would never consider doing the gazebo roof if it were not for the large cedar deck that goes with it. I'm a sucker when it comes to cedar.

You are also using bleach? Must talk to Shane, he is the keeper of the honor roll in the BDA (Bleach Dwellers Asssociation).

[RPetry 564]

Celeste wins the gypsy rigger equpment prize of the month. Fabricated a 9 foot wand with a flex extension on the end. The contraption bucked like a wild bronco under pressure but was able to get to the top of the roof and clean these old cedar shakes. Three separate wands and guns were needed.

Used a straight sodium percabonate chemical mixed 8 oz./gal. and let dwell for a while. Single application and pressure wash was all that was needed. Brightened with citric acid yesterday.