Deck Maintenance

[Joe Chadwick 14]

I am in the process of bidding on a Mahogany deck sealed with Sikkens Cetol dek for yearly maintenance. Problems, the deck floor was not sealed on all six sides by previous contractor and the deck floor has started to fail, peeling, cracking and darkening of the wood in large areas. To bring the deck back what you do? Would a light sanding of the failed areas and one coat on these areas followed by a final coat on whole deck floor do the job or what? I also seemed to getting more requests to look at Sikkens finished decks for maintenance, what is everybody charging for this type of maintenance compared to easier type finishes to maintain?

Thanks Joe

[Mike Cappa 14]

I charge 400% higher to do anything that has to do with sikkens. Tell me, how do you apply this sealer to all six sides if the deck is not in the air? if the deck buts up against the house? Will you remove all the boards and coat them, then re install it? Maybe sikkens tells you to do this so when it does fail, they don't have to be responsible.

[charlie 14]

Remove sikkens completely with chemicals and then lightly sand it with a 50 grid sand paper. Then apply something else on it.

Alot of work price accordlenly.

Charlie

[Littlefield 65]

Just so you know, of you coat spots, you will get nasty overlap lines around each spot. This will not cover up as you apply additional coats. Use this opportunity to strip the Sikkens, and apply a more maintenence friendly coating, if possible. If not possible, inform owner of exactly will happen, and get them to sign a release on appearance and durability. Better yet, call Sikkens, and ask them what to do. 1-866-SIKKENS

[Mike Cappa 14]

I don't know about asking sikkens, they say you are supposed to wash a deck with a bleach solution. We all know what bleach does to wood.

[Guest rfitz]

I stripped a deck a few months ago with HD80 and it was very time consuming, it had to dwell at least 1 hour or more, so you have to keep wetting, and it took 3 times of washing to strip, so when I normally price a deck to strip, wash, briten and re-stain & seal, I charge $2.00 a sq ft plus materials, if 2nd story add 35% to total price, this was my second experience with sikkens, I would charge a minimum of $3.50 a sq ft plus materials for any deck with sikkens, and that is for ground level, add 35% to total price if deck is over 6 feet off the ground, at this price you can still make money, barely

[James 624]

Strip off the sik-ick product ! If your going to do yearly maint. stay away from film forming finishes. I take care mahog. decks they get better with age by using a penitratihg oil. Bleach water and soap for maint.

[Joe Chadwick 14]

Thanks everybody for your input, not being a big fan of Sikkens cetol for outside decks my first thought is always strip and replace. This time I thought I might try to save one if possible, my first impulse was probably right.

Thanks Joe