Today we did 2 large pressure treated wood decks that have not been done in 20+ years. We gave is a quick 50/50 hit and while it ate most of it up, it left a very thick hazy film. It took us an extra hour just to get all the film off but it came out great! I assume the film is from the surfactant? Before and after pics for effect!
Thats normal usaully its like a grayish color. I just assumed it was old died wood. I take my adjustable pressure wand with a 40 degree and ease the pressure up until it starts to take it off then go up and down each plank. Make sire you rinse very good.
Its alot of work i under priced my first deck badly lol.
Heres a handy sheet to help you out.
I must have deleted the original file but heres one i wrote on
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I had gave them a price for 165 sq ft and it was actually 435 sq ft.
Could be furries…This is where the wood fibers on the surface tear apart into strands. If you rub your hand across is does it feel soft and well, fury? Like peach fuzz? If so, get the sander out…I just did 720 linear feet of that today. Got stupid with a 1 year old fence with no stain or sealer, just some gray and thought to use no chem and only light pressure to knock off the dead wood. Looked great while cleaning and after. Came back after 48 hour dry time and for reasons I have yet to figure out, about 400 ft of it was furried up or still had a layer of dead wood gray on it. Started at one end all the way to the other end, same technique, same pressure, etc.
I planned on spot sanding today to prep for stain tomorrow, but I ended up sanding all day…Still trying to figure it out.
Looks awesome!
The few decks that I have done turned out great. Only problem is, they are time consuming.
If I charged per hour what I make per house wash, they would be better off replacing the wood.
No one around my area will pay what I have to charge to make it worth my while.
Therefore, I don’t do decks anymore.
Why? How fury was it?
no furries as it was done with a soft washing process and virtually no psi… im just trying to figure out what exactly the haze is from.
Hard to tell by his picture but i would be somewhere around 450-700 dollars to clean and would take me 2.5 4 hours to do. Not even close to what it cost to build it. Double that and i would stian it too.
To much SH will cause wood to fur.
The grey is old wood.
what do you guys recommend for a wood deck mix? i was considering just getting an xjet
True.
I may have exaggerated.
I would be around $2000 for this deck, with the stairs and 2 story ballusters.
But I hate doing decks, so I price them high. VERY high.
The ballusters are my downfall. I get water and dead wood in my face.
I don’t like water and dead wood in my face. Therefore, I don’t do decks.
You did fine move on to the next one and collect the money. If you think washing wood is to much trouble then you need to charge more. Atleast that my opinion. I dont enjoy it but it pays well and worth it for me.
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Ya i know i hate doing steps or a deck where it blows right back in your face. $2000? Does that include staining or am i under estimating the size of that deck? I would also be higher in the price i mentioned if they wanted both undersides done. They say just use a longer wand to stay further away but im stubborn.
Doesn’t look like the bottom tier has railing and im assuming he is standing at the end to get the full shot.
Hey Grizz,
Just take it as I’m old enough to know that for me there is easier money to be made.
If you like it, have at it.
If they make me quote I quote HIGH.
If I quoted that at $2000, the customer would laugh, and if it was additional to the house wash they might reconsider the whole job, so I just tell my customers that I don’t do decks.
Ya i actually was thinking about it in the shower just now sorry if that came off wrong. Your price is your price for what your time is worth. Im just starting out so i haven’t got that down yet and i dont mind doing wood because there is good money in it and i would also try to schedule it for slow months and charge higher in months where i could be doing more house washes.
You could. Im wanting to try the sodium precarbanate and oxalic way to see if it will come out better but haven’t got a chance yet.
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You didn’t come off wrong, I just think you didn’t read into what I was saying.
There is definitely money in it, and there is definitely a need for it.
I just don’t like doing it, AT ALL!
I’ll leave it for you or someone else to have a chance at it. Plus, after I bid it you will look like a super star.
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There actually was railings on the lower tier but not a ton. Pic was taken from behind the railings. Either way, its done and it came out great and customer was happy thats all that matters. I was more curious than anything! Plus i was able to add on a partial roof wash while we were there
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