I’m definitely not as experienced in the wood world. But we used sodium hydroxide and it needed more applications than just one and furred more. We would try experiments on the same pieces of wood just like cut em in half. The next experiment is leave the sodium hydroxide on the paint for like 45 minutes misting the whole time and see if it strips it. I heard that works never seen it or tried it.
You can up the amount of hydroxide (sodium/potassium) in the mix 8-12, up the dwell, up the strip attempts, etc.
Most people on this forum don’t strip paint, they only clean decks. Some will stain. Stripping is a weird thing, what might look like 1-2 coats could be 3-5. I’ve stripped decks and log cabins and nothing is easy with it. If you use hydroxide it is going to fur. Once you start unwinding those tiny straws all bundled together crap happens. Look at a picture of wood close up.
The reason we pre wet the wood isn’t just for S&G’s, it is so that the wood doesn’t take the hydroxide as deeply as it would if bone dry.
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Yea it keeps it on the top layer. Do you use deck brush to agitate or just let chem do work. Well that’s prolly a silly question because every job will be different the way you take on jobs.
I’ve never taped off anything for SM except my normal pre-wash prep like keyholes, sockets, etc.
I’m using SM more and more. Still use SH as well.
I used SP a few times but felt that SH, SM, or hydroxide could do just as good if not a better job with less hassle.
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I Didn’t do a deck but I did a wood house using the same procedure in post one almost… i Only used 8% Oxalic no bleach … can I post pics or is this for decks only… I don’t want to dilute this thread if I can help it . lol
Sure, post it. It’s mainly decks, but most things wood related.
Learned from You Racer… customers where THRILLED! It was my First Wooden house I was Nervous as a Turtle on a Freeway lolol. But turned out Great… They Stained the house them selves about a month later… This was Year before last. This was the same day… She never sent me the stained pics like she said she was… I use this pic on my Web Page.
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I believe I could have done a lil more on that roof line. But like i say it was my FIRST wooden house using this procedure.
@Racer rick I think that looks pretty good sir. I think wood cleaning and wood restoration are two different things. I’ve got about 200’ of fence coming up to do for a friend and I’m torn between doing it right or just getting it done. You in Charleston next week? Lol
Looks good. Going to steal ‘turtle on a freeway’, LOL
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There definitely is. First thing I ask them, then explain the difference between process and cost between the 2. 90% opt for the clean only, which is fine with me. In and out quick instead of a multiple day process. I like doing a restoration occasionally, but not sure I’d want to do all the time.
Not sure I have the patience to, though there is good money in it. I could never do a log cabin like @Dirtyboy. If I’m doing a multiday project, want it to be a shopping center or something like that, where there are multiple things to do. I would never do something like a piece of furniture restoration. I admire the people who can but think I’m too hyper or something to be good at it.
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I can’t believe your using the SC on decks, but it appears to be working for you.
only on occasion on pos decks
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Do you change the tips out on the surface cleaner or anything preventative?
Coming here for critiques and for some advice!
I have a few wood restoration projects coming up…I’ve cleaned and sealed a few successfully last season. I wanted some advice on why the wood is furring up. Not sure if it’s too much pressure, or not enough to wash away the dead fibers. Any advice would be appreciated?
Method.
SP @ 1 cup / gallon.
Dwell 10 mins.
Brush with deck brush
Rinse with M5 on my 8gpm machine.
Hit again with SP for 10 mins, scrub again since deck was still dirty.
Rinse again.
Citric acid for 10 mins at 1cup / gallon.
During, after and close up photo attached.
Seems like the nuts of the wood also stay white / grey after drying.
Thank you!
To be honest, a little bit of furring is almost impossible avoid. My humble opinion only.
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What type of wood is the white looking. The only time I’ve seen furring like that is when I left about a 3%mix on some cedar way too long
It’s pressure treated pine.
It wasn’t in the worst shape by any means, just a bit dirty and grey.
Is sodium precarbonate safe over water like that? I don’t wash many docks, but there are plenty around in my area. I tell my clients that I’ll be using water only. Maybe I’m missing out, but maybe I’m saving myself a lot of headache.
My supplier said that it was since it’s basically water. The chemical make up is H202.
