Redwood and Mahogany Deck

[Aaron Sullivan 14]

i had a bid today for a deck with redwood flooring and mahogany rails. they suggested i uselow pressure and hot water. i suggested not.

my question is this...do i strip and neutralize this the same as any other deck? if not, how should i prep it? 99% of the decks we do are ptp.

they have a painter lined up to seal/stain it. i want to bid on staining it, but i have never done one and i don't want to goober it up. should i feel confident in it coming out well. i use ready seal and do great work. i just know this deck cost a fortune and i don't want to mess it up.

thanks for your responses,

aaron sullivan

alpine window cleaning

& pressure washing

nashville, tn

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

The low pressure part is correct for the Redwood, Hot water in not advisable.

Is there anything currently on it?

If so, how old?

If not, then you can just give it a wash with a percarbonate and neutralize.

Some woods such as Redwood may give you some grief and the painter may know this and be farming out the responsibility for the overall job to someone else. Be aware of this and insist on the whole enchilada or nothing.

Rod!~

[RPetry 564]

Aaron,

If you have worked on cedar, redwood is very similar. Hot water is neither necessary or wanted for any exterior wood. I believe the primary reason is that hot water just makes cleaners and strippers much more aggressive and possibly harmful to the wood.

The lowest effective pressure is best for any wood. Like cedar, redwood is soft in composition. You can really tear up the wood, but as you have worked with wood, you'll know in a second if you are using too much pressure. Mahogany is a bit more forgiving, but both are expensive, attractive woods and the usual care should be taken with both.

The customer wants you to prep the wood and is then going to let a painter stain it? What's with that? If this painter is unable to properly prepare the surface he has no business staining it. I'd have a talk with your customer.

Ready Seal works great with both woods. One caveat with some redwoods. Old growth may have a ton of tannin in the wood. Once prepped, apply a small test spot of regular Ready Seal. If it turns very dark, almost black, within a few seconds, you've got tannin coming to the surface. Ready Seal makes a redwood only formula that solves this problem. Looks and applies just like the normal Ready Seal stain.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

The customer wants you to prep the wood and is then going to let a painter stain it? What's with that? If this painter is unable to properly prepare the surface he has no business staining it. I'd have a talk with your customer.

Thank you Rick, I couldn't get the words out right.

Rod!~

[Aaron Sullivan 14]

the deck is 6 years old and so is the previous sealer. the contractor that built the deck is the one subbing all the work. normally, i would be a little insulted that i am not the one staining after i prep, but i am a little hesitant about this wood. according to ya'll i shouldn't be, so i will talk to the contractor and put a bid in.

so, i figured start with a light sh mix and go from there. using as little chem and as little pressure as possible?

thanks everyone for your help,

aaron

[Aaron Sullivan 14]

they have a painter lined up to seal/stain it. i want to bid on staining it, but i have never done one and i don't want to goober it up. should i feel confident in it coming out well. i use ready seal and do great work. i just know this deck cost a fortune and i don't want to mess it up.

by the way, i meant i have never stained a redwood/mahogany deck. not any type of deck.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

by the way, i meant i have never stained a redwood/mahogany deck.

Willing to bet you a donut the painter never has either.... ;) At least not knowingly...

Beth :cup:

[RCBill 14]

New to wood, but contracting for many years. Once you get involved you'll own all the problems.

Not for nothing Aaron, but Rod's been doing this for quite a while. You may want to take his advice.

No business is better than bad business.

Bill