Sealmaxx

[Kennedy 14]

I've been lurking for a while, but this is my first post and much thanks to those who keep this great site going. We just washed and brightened a redwood deck today with Cabot's Problem Solver that was sealed with Sealmaxx about a year or two ago, but didn't look like it had anything on it (black, faded, water tested and soaked right in). The problem is that it didn't brighten that much and we tried a second time scrubbing our buns off, but not much better (rails and spindles grayed out). Does this stuff need to be striped, can it be, or has anyone else had any experience with it. We were intending to stain to give it some UV protection, but I worried that if the brightener didn't work so well should we put stain on top of it?

[Don M. 14]

I thought seal maxx was supposed to be a product that you didnt have to touch for many years?

I dont know much about it Kennedy, but you could use the search function and type in seal maxx and see what you get.

[Kennedy 14]

I did and it seem nobody really knows anything about it, just what they hear. I am primarly a painting contractor, but do some (@ 10 per year) deck strip or clean and stain, and have never come across this problem.

[PressurePros 249]

We have discussed this problem and every contractor I know, including myself thinks it is JUNK. To clarify, their claims of 25 years waranty are JUNK.In all probability, this deck may be ruined. I don't know of anybody making a product that will strip it. At the very least try a sodium hydroxide based stripper on it and then brighten it again and se if you get results.

[Celeste 341]

If I recall, SealMaxx can't be stripped as it is a product that virtually petrifies the wood from inside. It's supposedly stainable but as far as eradicating the SealMaxx product itself - NO ONE, contractor rumor or SealMaxx person, has ever answered my question of "what if the next homeowner doesn't like it - how do you get if off".

Kennedy, if you pull this one off, I want to be one of the first to know what you did! :) !

Celeste

[tedg 14]

I used to work for S***MAXX.

At best they provided TERRIBLE customer service (IF ANY), on a job that many innocent people paid 2-3 times the price of the competition, in hopes to "Never seal your deck again".

They are shown pictures of FRESHLY done jobs when they placed an order.

About 8-10 months later, the phones began to ring.....people were IRATE.

IF they called enough times, or threatened to sue or report the company, MAYBE S***MAXX..MAAAAAAAAYBE....would go look at it (then stall them as long as possible).

As I understand, they're close to bankrupt.

My thoughts: "Couldn't happen to a nicer guy!!"

[Celeste 341]

Welcome to the bbs Ted - glad to see you made it out alive :)

[seymore 90]

As I understand, they're close to bankrupt.

My thoughts: "Couldn't happen to a nicer guy!!"

It doesn't suprise me hearing this about Seal Crap! :cool:

[tropical wave 22]

I used to work for S***MAXX.

At best they provided TERRIBLE customer service (IF ANY), on a job that many innocent people paid 2-3 times the price of the competition, in hopes to "Never seal your deck again".

They are shown pictures of FRESHLY done jobs when they placed an order.

About 8-10 months later, the phones began to ring.....people were IRATE.

IF they called enough times, or threatened to sue or report the company, MAYBE S***MAXX..MAAAAAAAAYBE....would go look at it (then stall them as long as possible).

As I understand, they're close to bankrupt.

My thoughts: "Couldn't happen to a nicer guy!!"

I havent heard their radio ads up here in awhile....??? and Ive never run into anything they've done either...thank goodness

[Don M. 14]

Last year it was seal maxx on the radio here. This year it has been Seal St. Louis.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

You say it is redwood...don't expect it to turn out like PT lumber. The wood's natural color is not the same, neither is the way you treat it or the results.

Beth :cup:

p.s. TedG - welcome to TGS. We expect you to follow the rules and post professionally. :lgangry:

[PressurePros 249]

I've been warning homeowners about this stuff for two years. It plays right into people's desires as do most scams. "Mrs Johnson, I'll bet your tired of paying to have your deck redone year after year. Pay me a little more up front and I can guarantee you you won't have to touch your deck for 25 years" Who wouldn't jump on that? Another black eye for the industry.

[Guest Bama2112]

I used to work for S***MAXX.

At best they provided TERRIBLE customer service (IF ANY), on a job that many innocent people paid 2-3 times the price of the competition, in hopes to "Never seal your deck again".

They are shown pictures of FRESHLY done jobs when they placed an order.

About 8-10 months later, the phones began to ring.....people were IRATE.

IF they called enough times, or threatened to sue or report the company, MAYBE S***MAXX..MAAAAAAAAYBE....would go look at it (then stall them as long as possible).

As I understand, they're close to bankrupt.

My thoughts: "Couldn't happen to a nicer guy!!"

So do you know the name of the chemical company in Canada that makes the stuff and what its callled. Because apparenly its still being marketed under a different name. I am just curious.

[RPetry 564]

There is a very old saying. "You can fool some of the people, some of the time". Madoff is a prince compared to these scam artists.

[big mike 14]

Rick,

"You can fool some of the people, some of the time"

True statement. To update (because this thread is a few years old), they are still out there, but most are operating under different names. They're still scamming people though. We have one or two in my general area, but I think that people are catching on to the BS. The brochures I leave with homeowners, has an entire fold dedicated to debunking their ridiculous claims.

[Greg R 82]

We've cleaned and sealed a few sealmaxx decks just as though we would any other deck with a clear finish on it. As far as I can tell the only difference may be in how much finish it absorbs but in looking at the decks a year later (after sealmaxx) you couldn't tell it was ever done. It did take the sealer fine though. The homeowner paid something like $7grand for them to do it too! :(