Anyone use a surface cleaner on wood?

[Deck Guy 14]

Well...I just bought a used 16" Whisper Wash and was wondering if anyone here had used one for wood restoration. My plan was to use it to upsell concrete and flatwork, but I have a big strip job tomorrow and it would save me lots of time if it would work without damaging the wood. I could practice on their sidewalk in back of the house before getting on the deck. Any suggestions or input would be appreciated.

[Keth 15]

You are gonna want to change the nozzles I suspect. The pros will have a solution I am sure.

Well...I just bought a used 16" Whisper Wash and was wondering if anyone here had used one for wood restoration. My plan was to use it to upsell concrete and flatwork, but I have a big strip job tomorrow and it would save me lots of time if it would work without damaging the wood. I could practice on their sidewalk in back of the house before getting on the deck. Any suggestions or input would be appreciated.

[Adrian 155]

It has been done before, I believe most would advise against it due to potential damage to the deck. Practiceing on your customers (concrete?) sidewalk, for woodwork, is not the way to go. It takes more psi and gpm for flatwork vs. woodwork. If you use the same psi on the wood that you used on the flatwork, then you will have only gained a free box of toothpicks and a triple loss of time.

[Barry M 73]

Surface cleaners are for concrete and flatwork. If it ain't broke don't fix it, keep doing what you been doing Larry and post some more awesome deck pics.

[Deck Guy 14]

Yeah, I suspect that it would be possible reduce the PSI by changing the nozzles, but that then makes it unsuitable for concrete. I guess I'll stick with my original plan.

[Don M. 14]

Larry, the tips are easy to change out. I had a bad tip and once I got one from Bob at pressuretek I changed it out in about 3 mins.

I dont know if it would work or not( for wood) but changing the tips out is pretty much candy.

Are you still using Steve's RM?

[Barry M 73]

True that the tips are easy to change, but there is still something I don't understand. I know you don't use one on decks Don but there are some that claim to. But how do they keep from getting wand marks? The way I clean or strip a deck is working in small sections and using a half golf swing type motion to keep from getting these marks, but how would you accomplish that with a surface cleaner even with low pressure?

[Don M. 14]

Barry, I dont have a clue. I am going to stick with the wand thats for sure. A good dose of Roof Magic and some dwell time and I have had a lot of success. I've got three deck jobs going on right now but the rain has messed me up.

I dont know how to stop the marks from a surface cleaner on wood, but I dont think I would ever try it.

[Barry M 73]

This rain is unreal man, I'm glad I don't have any decks going on right now. I did a big house and driveway today in the pouring rain. I didn't even have to rinse the drive after surface cleaning. Oh well it helps the mold grow, job security right?

[Deck Guy 14]

Don,

I wasn't worried about the difficulty of changing tips, so much as just having to do it, then undo it regularly. I tried Pressure Tec's F-18 this year with good results, but I think both have their place, one being liquid and the other a powder. I expect it'll be a 50/50 deal next summer.

Barry,

I do each board full length with a 4010 tip, rather than sweeping the wand. Don't you get uneven areas at the end of the arc?

[John Orr 206]

Larry,

You can "feather" each stroke - kind of like spray painting. Feather in and feather out. Overlap each stroke and you will not leave a mark, assuming you have used the right chemical and the proper amount of pressure.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Surface cleaners are not advisable on wood. They cut across the grain and can tear it up badly. Your wand is the way to go.

Beth :cup:

[JimCrossley 14]

Larry,

I also have a 16" Whisper. I turn my compressor down to about 800 psi and do my thing; that is at 400 psi per jet. I have done over 30 decks this way. Just don't try this method on soft wood such as cedar.

[Barry M 73]

I do each board full length with a 4010 tip, rather than sweeping the wand. Don't you get uneven areas at the end of the arc?

No uneven marks, that's what the sweeping motion prevents. It takes a little getting used to but I think it's easier than walking the distance of one whole board at a time. I also use a 4010 tip.