Deck problem

[Outlaw 14]

I just got a bid to clean and seal a deck with Dark red Ready Seal, and I have a few questions, actually getting this deck job this close to Xmas suprised me, but anyhow, they want it done in time for the holidays and I want the cash in time for the holidays:~)

well to start off with I didn't have any cleaner or brightener so i went to lowes and got some Flood Deskwood, its an oxcillic based cleaner and I wasn't terribly impressed, yes it took it from black to light grey, but it still looks like dodo, so any suggestions on a store bought cleaner that I can get quick?

Secondly, the plantpots that were sitting on the deck must have been there since it was new, because I've now got circles that look like new wood, should I try and feather them out with a sander or what, anywway I'm going back tommorro and hopefully the weather will hold and I'll be staining next week.

Thanks

Gav

[reed 500]

Gav, it may be a bit pricey, but OxyClean can get it clean for ya if you are on a real tight schedule. Deckswood isn't the best i agree, but oxyclean maybe the only way to go, unless you consider using a mild bleach solution.

Reed

Also, ReadyProducts in Livingston TX is where ReadySeal is made. You may try and contact them via their website. I know they have cleaners, but if you are not pressed for time, get some efc38 from beth, can be there is just a few days I'm sure, Then follow it up with citrallic or I prefer oxallic acid for readyseal. Either way, leave the brightener on the deck. ReadySeal LOVES an acidic deck, so rinsing isn't necessary. Others do rinse, but I don't.

[Outlaw 14]

Thanks Reed

My main problem is time does seem to be one of the larger factors, I would have quite happily put it off till after Xmas and i knew I was taking a chance getting shelf bought goods, i have enough Wolmans wood brightener for about two gallons, do you think the oxy clean would mix with that, or would that be chancey.

Also, I'm worried about the cirlcles of new looking wood where the plant pots are/were, how bad do you think they would show up through the Dark Red?

Thanks Gav

[Paul B. 523]

I'm not sure what you have down there but check your local hardware stores like 84 Lumber, Hader Hardware, etc.

For brighteners:

Sherwin Williams carries Cuprinol Revive (which contains oxalic acid).

If anyone carries SuperDeck products, they have a liquid brightener DB-1450 that contains oxalic acid.

Cabot brightener also contains oxalic acid.

SuperDeck also has a wood cleaner DB-1440 which contains Sodium Hydroxide, Potassium Hydroxide and Sodium Metasilicate.

Cabot & Cuprinol cleaners contain Sodium Hypochlorite (bleach).

Like Reed said, you could try (10-12% pool shock) bleach mixed at 1:3 or 1:4 and this should clean & brighten but I would still use an oxalic brightener to get the alkaline pH to neutral or somewhat acid levels.

It shouldn't be a problem to mix the Wolman and Oxy-Clean however, I think you would get better results if you added a 1/4 cup (2 oz.) of TSP to 1 gallon of the Wolman mix.

[ron p 500]

go to a costco,BJ"s,ect.. type store and go to the cleaning supply section. Their you will find OVEN CLEANER IN ONE GAL CONTAINER'S. Spray that on with a pump-up. Then rinse.

Home depot will have deck brightener.

Ware the plant's were no sunlight got to the wood. So no damage from UV. Also moisture was held in. Im sure the dark red will cover.

p.s. the reason for the oven cleaner is because it's very high in sodium hydroxide and has a 'cling' so it stick's to oven wall's.

It also make's a great gutter cleaner when deluited correctly.

I get mine from BJ's when im in a pinch. $3.50 per gal.

[Outlaw 14]

i just did a search for the SuperDeck products and there's a place just down the road that sells them, do you think that the Db-1450 would do a better job than the Flood product?

Gav

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

If you don't have time to wait for EFC-38, I suggest trying the OxyClean, and neutralize with whatever oxyllic you can get locally to you. (ABR makes one too)

Beth :groovy3:

[Outlaw 14]

Thanks all, and rest assured, come the new year I will be keeping enough supplies around to keep me out of these fixes.

Gav

[James 624]

Just put the plants back in the same spots? Bleach , water, Dawn' , Little TSP. Acid. Dark Red Texas Tea. Dark Red looks great I used it a lot this year. It makes the wood look very rich.

[Outlaw 14]

Hey, james, without sounding more ignorant han I am, what kind of acid are you on about in that cleaning solution?

Gav

[James 624]

I use Ready Seals or oxalic. Ready seals is phosphoric based. This is for neutralizing not cleaning. Acid cleaner's for wood are crap !!!!

[Outlaw 14]

Do I have to neutralize if useing Oxy Clean?

Gav

[Atlantic Power Washing 14]

.Acid neutralizers are for lowering the PH levels in the wood. There are ways of checking it but you can usually tell by the red color of the wood and also by the feel when it's wet. High PH (sodium hydroxide)feels silky and slick. Low PH (oxcilic acid) feels just the opposite, gritty and leaves the wood a bright color. I’m not sure what the level of PH is in an oxygen based cleaner like ox clean. I think it is a little high and most places that sell the oxygen cleaners recommend using a brighter after the cleaning.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Gav,

Have I sent you a sample kit yet of Extreme Solutions products?

If not, email me your address and I'll snail mail you one.

Beth ;)

[Outlaw 14]

Thanks Beth, I just sent you my address.

I recleaned the deck with oxyclean yesterday but I did not neutralize, though I did spend longer rinsing the darn thing than I did cleaning it, I don't have a job for tommorro, would I be better off going out there and nuetralizing?

Gav

[reed 500]

I would still put the neutralizer/brighner on it. It will certainly help you in the long run. Plus it will get the deck ready for the readyseal by getting it on the acidic side. If I were doing it, I would flood it with brightner and may consider doing a light rinse to get any undissolve granules off the deck.

Reed

[Outlaw 14]

Thanks Reed, any store bought nuetralizers you might rcomen for this? I can get that done in the morning though we are meant to have rain tommorro night and then a full week of sunshine.

Gav

[Aaron Ochsner 14]

I know this may be a little late in the game for me to post, but I didn't see what kind of wood this is. I notice with PT lumber that acid brightener doesn't do much because the pine has such low tannin content. I still use it though on PT wood to correct the PH for an alkyd sealer/stain application. On PT I see oxi-bleach or chlorine bleach doing better as a cleaner. With Cedar or Redwood I only use the oxi-bleach only as a cleaner, and always brighten/neutralize. A good way for you to be able to tell if a cleaner is high alkalinity is to see if it darkens the wood. A high alkaline cleaner will pull the tannic acid of the wood to the surface, this is a means for the wood to protect itself. Again this is not as notable with PT wood compared to a wood with higher tannin content. I also notice with PT wood you can up the pressure a little bit more, to clean it. Hope the job went well.

Cheers,

Aaron Ochsner

Alpha Craft Restoration LLC

[Outlaw 14]

Thanks for all the help on this one guy's, the job went great (though I did spend more time on it than I figured), the husband wasn't home when I left after staining it, so the wife paid me.

But he did call later that evening to thank me and tell me how wonderfull the deck looked, that dark red Ready seal does look good and I have enough left over to do one of my decks:~)

once again thanks

Gav

[reed 500]

Glad everything worked out for ya. Happy Holidays

Reed

[James 624]

Acid doesn't work on wood as a cleaner as the wood ages because it doesn't get rid of the mold/mildew. Its ok in the first 3 months of a decks life. After that mildew might be your new friend.

Oxi-stuff will darken new pine, cedar or any new wood. I find Bleach doesn't do this.

Stripper's darken the wood and draw tannins to the surface..