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.

[seymore 90]

:lgbow: :lgbow: :lgbow: :lgbow:

looks pretty sweet Rick way to go!!

[PressurePros 249]

Rick, you're like me. Thinking bleach may work but not willing to take the plunge. I am doing a deck today that a homeowner wants on the cheap. I explained to her that bleach cleaning would be her least expensive alternative and possibly not the best but she wants to run with it. I'll post some pics tonight.

[RPetry 564]

Ken,

As one gets older, it is hard to change. I've used staight percarb before on nasty shakes with good results and have the chems on hand.

I wanted to use a bleach mix final wash on this gazebo roof after neutraliizing, but cannot find the bleach! Stopped by a large pool supply house but all they had was 15% at 10 pH and I need 12%, 8 pH.

I've used Restore sodium percarb cleaner for the past few years to clean untreated or completely failed oil stained wood. Will continue that practice.

But from now on it will be a light bleach mix with low pressure for maintenance on all Ready Seal decks. It does not effect the oil and pigment already in the wood as much as percarbs and as far as I can tell from a bit of research, a bleach mix is more effective on killing mold and mildew.

[JFife 14]

That looks great Rick! Whatever you did, you cannot argue with results! Make sure to post 'stained' pics,

[bforbis 14]

Rick,

I have used ext ladder with stabilizers as previously suggested, but with an added security meaasure (especially if no help). Use a couple pieces of rebar, about 2.5' long and 3/8 diameter and bend one end in a large hook. drive them in the ground and on the bottom rung of the ladder. With the width of the stabilizers on the roof and the rebar at the bottom you are pretty secure.

I'm not as bullet proof as i once thought I was either, ansd the knees sometimes get sore from shaking together. It's diffinately helps the mental side

Good luck

[RPetry 564]

Brent,

Thanks. That rebar trick is a very good idea. This early in the season I work alone and have to be a bit more careful. Don't mind heights if I know things are secure, but am becoming unwilling to take chances on injury just to do a job. Not sure if it is mental, I prefer to think of it as wisdom with experience and age!

Jon,

The shakes turned out better than I expected and did not have to clean a second time. The nine foot wand with the 90 degree flex extention worked well, although it was a bear to control. I've had good results previously with straight sodium percarb and it again performed well. Wanted to hit the roof shakes with a bleach mix after the citric acid but have not found the proper sodium hypochlorite yet.

All the gazebo and deck cedar is stripped, brightened, splinter and spot sanded and popped nails driven. Weather permitting, staining starts tomorrow. I'll post a pic when done. Thanks for your help.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Very nice!!! Way to go!

Beth

[RPetry 564]

Thanks Beth,

If I don't fall off the ladder, I'll get it stained today. Should take a lot of oil, the shakes are very dry.

[PressurePros 249]

I was unimpressed by my results with bleach. At this point, I'm sure it is due to being inexperienced with using it on wood. I downstreamed 12.5% onto the deck. I ended up with about 2% solution of soap and sodium hypo hitting deck. Took more pressure than I am accustomed to and the dirt from deep in the wood didn't come up.

This was my forst forray into Bleachville, so I was tentative. I imagine my dilution was too weak? The same dilution cleans mold of of siding almost on contact. Anywhere here are the less than spectacular results.

[RPetry 564]

Ken,

To be honest, I think that old wood looks pretty good. Maybe its just the sun angle but the wood is brighter than I would have expected.

Jim, Shane, or Jon could give guidance on mix strength. I'm just an acolyte in the BDA myself. Don't you just hate those shadowbox dividers on townhomes?

[PressurePros 249]

I have had older wood come up cleaner with EFC or HD. The sealer on the floor came up much darker than I would have liked. Of course, five neighbors came up to me and wanted theirs done too. I hate shadow box dividers. Next door asked me what I would charge to just powerwash and I told her, whole job only. It was under $500 and she said, oh I'll rent a washer and do it myself. Good luck. Maybe when she has twenty hours into the job she will realize my cost to her was cheap. The best will be when she follows my lead and puts something from Home Depot over wet wood.

[Roger Oakley 14]

Ken

I know I'm new to Bleach World too, but I think the deck looks really good.

The deck I did the other week, was my first with bleach, (you guys gave me good feedback etc) But I found appling via a hand pump spray gave me more control and also I knew the dilution rate was stable, not a lover of downstreaming anything.

Just my veiw as a new BDA (Europe) member.

[RPetry 564]

Finally can put the ladder away. Stained the cedar shakes this morning with Ready Seal Natural Cedar color. Took 6 gals. of stain and could have easily used another 4. The shakes were bone dry.

Came out pretty good as compared to the 1st picture on this thread. Earned the "Wood Restoration" on my business card on this one. Very tired of climbing that ladder, glad the roof is done.

[RPetry 564]

Ken,

At the beginning of this thread you mentioned some jobs not worth doing. This is why I did that lousy shake roof. 18 yr. old clear cedar that had to be stripped of some unknown Cabot stain. I really like cedar, the older the better.

[bforbis 14]

Rick, Looks really nice. I know youre glad to be off the ladder. I spent about a month one day on a ladder and legs took a beating.

Just cleaned up a deck today myself, will post some pics later.

I had a 8-9' wand with about a 30 degree bend in it and could not hold it for long, I can imagine what you felt like after dealing with a 9 footer and 90 degree bend!

Have you got a hot tub to soak in!!!

[RPetry 564]

Brent,

Nine foot is too long, especially on a ladder. Could hardly control the monster but it did work out ok. Did not fall.

No hot tub here but a whirlpool bathtub is where I am headed, pronto!

[James 625]

Rick , looks perfect for drinking some oil !!

[RPetry 564]

Hey Jim,

Isn't old cedar a treat? You can actually get some oil into it. Attached pic is Ready Seal Natural Cedar on the left, and Light Brown on the right. Had a bit of a go round with the customer but finally convinced them on the Natural Cedar. I think it will look good and I know the wood is ready for some heavy staining!

Thanks for your help on Saturday. Just got a call no more than a half hour ago for that cypress job that i called you about. Looks like its a go. Meeting with the customer again on Sun., probably go with a 2 tone job as the balustrade is cedar with two coats of solid Cabots oil stain. I know I can get the Cabots off the cypress floor, but solids on vertical cedar are tough to completely strip.

If anyone has some good pictures of Ready Seal stain on cypress I would appreciate an email attachment. This is a new wood for me so any prep and staining advice would be appreciated. Love something new. Psyched on cypress!

[seymore 90]

Rick you shouldn't have a hard time with Cypress that is soo much like cedar but is natually white.So your color shades my vary some but not much.

I haven't seen Cypress since i lived in Cecilia Louisiana where it''s allover the place being all in the Henderson swamps! :cool:

Gee that color sample is a toss up huh eenie meenie might MOE?

I like showing pics of the whole job after 2 coats on a complete job cause samples are always so light looking and are hardly true to the finished product.

Do you have a truck full of oil ready to back up to the job and dump it on the deck? :D

[RPetry 564]

Hey Shane,

So thats how you applied 120 gals. of stain in two days! A truck with a fire hose! I'm workin' hard to get 10 gals. a day into wood. Stay out of New Jersey, you will put us all out of work! You and your cohort are industrial strength stainers.

With your last name, would guess you're a Cajun? Great food, wild women, and good dancin' Zydeco. Had more fun in La. for five days 30 odd years ago than anyone deserves in a lifetime. Fine country.

Guess you know cypress, I think it grows in Southern swamp lands. Just do not see it up here. Feel like a little kid, trying to work on something new.

Customer has 2 coats of solid Cabots oil on the cypress. Stuff is peeling like a foul acrylic. Test stripper worked ok so not too concerned about getting the Cabots off. May take some sanding but if cypress is anything like cedar, its 60 grit at low speed. So your advice is that cypress is very similar to cedar. That I can deal with.

With Ready Seal, those color samples are near identical to the final look of the wood. I'll post a picture when done. If my friggin' legs can move after too many hours of ladder work.

[RPetry 564]

Shane,

Final pic of the job. With Ready Seal and the iron oxide pigments, the grain direction and the sun's angle obviously makes a difference in appearance, ie. the adjoining roof sections of that leg killin' gazebo!

[seymore 90]

Shane,

Final pic of the job. With Ready Seal and the iron oxide pigments, the grain direction and the sun's angle obviously makes a difference in appearance, ie. the adjoining roof sections of that leg killin' gazebo!

That's a sweet looking job Rick very nice! :lgbow:

I know what you mean about the sun and taking pics it's tough in the afternoon!

[RPetry 564]

Shane,

Yeah, finished last Friday and went to put the furniture back on the deck and collect the check this afternoon. Was ~4:30 PM when I got there and took a few pictures. The worst thing about this job was there were 4 flowering cherry and pear trees around the deck. Must have used the blower about 8 times just doing the floor at the end and those d*mn petals just kept on falling on the wet stain and untreated wood!