strip issue

[CLASSICPW 14]

I had my first strip job of the season the other day, which is weird because usually I would have had at least 6 so far, but I guess I've been lucky. Anyway I went to nuetralize it and the battery on my washer was smoking! Apparently I neglected to put water in it and the washer wouldn't restart. My main question is....what are the repercussions of staining a deck without it being neutralized after being stripped. I've never done it before. The guy wants a clear sealer, which I refused to put down, I talked him into a toner. The deck looks great, I'm just curious if the finish will hold since I used HD-80 and didn't ph balance it.

[seymore 90]

I take it that was PT pine deck?

How big is the deck? Is it pretty old and dried out?

What kind of sealer you gonna use oil base water base etc?

My only thoughts that the deck might look uneven or look a little dark if you had any leftover stain.You also said the deck looked pretty good after stripping like it was all yellow again?

If it was me and I would bring some bleach when you go back to stain and if the deck looked uneven.You could spray a really light coat of bleach to even the deck out and just let it dry don't rinse.The deck will even out hopefully it will be sunny for you that day.

Now you might hear from someone that the finish will fail too soon if you don't use Oxalic "I'm sorry I believe that causes the failure"

[CLASSICPW 14]

my worry is not the color, but the stripper residue. Even though I'm a rinsing fanatic I'm worried that the hd-80 residue will not let the sealer adhere correctly.

[seymore 90]

my worry is not the color, but the stripper residue. Even though I'm a rinsing fanatic I'm worried that the hd-80 residue will not let the sealer adhere correctly.

I wouldn't sweat it especially if you are asked to use a light color stain that i would be sure to say 1 yr warranty because it's so light.

trust me if the deck grain looks even and it's dry the sealer will stick.

[James 625]

Just keep on rinsing and you can nuetr. a day later.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Any sealer you apply after applying a caustic and not neutralizing will fail prematurely, have seen it happen as early as one year.

A few years ago we had a deck that the employees neutralized the rails on, but for some reason they missed the floor. Some of the Citralic hit part of the floor by the rails but as you can imagine, the middle of the floor failed. We redid that area.

The HD-80 will be reactivated when the deck gets wet, and if you have already sealed it, well...

Go back and neutralize. Do the right thing, neutralize before you seal. It makes a difference.

Beth :cup: :groovy:

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Just a note here, I have been known to apply the neutralizer with a pump up and rinse with the garden hose to save fuel. You don't need the pw'er just to neutralize the deck really. Since the most of the stripper has been washed off you are neutralizing the residue and it is easily accomplished like I mentioned above. I do this for ground level decks where I don't need to rinse underneath, otherwise I may use the pw'er to move the wash water and remnant crud from patios and places where drainage isn't as accomodating.

Just a thought for those of us who are trying to control costs as fuel prices rise to rediculous rates.

Rod!~

[Sun Brite of Maryland 14]

Rod made an excellent point, use a pump up sprayer and apply your neutralizer before staining.

A pump up sprayer may take a bit more time to apply with but it's a great thing to have on your truck in case something like this happens. It will also use less product and allow you to use pin point accuracy at the same time.

No matter how you do it, apply a neutrilizer first, it will take a bit of time but not nearly as long as redoing the job when the finish fails early.

[steve r 14]

I always neutralize before i stain .I;m old fashion of the pump up sprayer method more direct route.Takes a little more time but it will show when ya seal

[CLASSICPW 14]

I always apply citralic, I live by it. My problem was that my battery died on my washer after the stip. I actually turned the washer off to give it a break while i mixed up the chems and when I turned the key.....nothing. It all worked out though, it's supposed to rain tomorrow so I'll go back out and wash his house and neutralize the deck. MMMMMMM the sweet smell of chlorine gas.