Hi everyone,
I have a customer who has a very large Ipe deck(200ft×25ft). There is no stain or sealer on it. So that does not need to be removed or applied. It’s just grayed-out. What is the the safest way to take off the gray? She knows that it will gray again. She’s okay with that. Just looking to have it cleaned 2 or 3 times a year. There is a glass partition on one side and metal on the other side. So nothing caustic. Thanks in advance!
Here’s a pic I took of a customer’s house that we did some pressure washing and window cleaning at. I did not do the deck, a painter did. I kid you not, the painter used a mixture of bleach and Purple Power degreaser and water to clean it, and then he used Deckwise IPE oil to oil it.
(And, yes, that’s me and one of my guys goofing around with my drone)
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Thanks for the responses Steve. She doesn’t want anything applied. Just wants the gray cleaned off.
@MDA1775 might know…
Google, lot of info out there on cleaning them. I’ve only done a couple so no expert on them. Wonder why she doesn’t want anything on it. Then she could go about 1-2 years. Sodium Percarbonate is probably the best thing to use if not super dirty.
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I used a 60 degree tip with 8gpm
Trick is you have to fade on and off perfectly not to leave lines or uneven spots.
Once you start on a line of wood you can’t stop till the other side
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I’ve only run across Ipe one time. It’s extremely dense and does not cut as easily from pressure like most woods. I actually used Sherwin Williams deck cleaner (Hydroxide) and brightener (Ox) on it. It looked good and I wasn’t testing for chem mixes. Ipe is way too expensive to replace, hence my decision to use the premixed low strength product.
I know a lot of customers think they have Ipe but it’s actually mahogany. I always like the look of it grey. A lot of shore houses in my area have it and its rarely ever stained or even power washed.
precarb in what ratio?
Start at about 8 oz per gal. Mix in warm water(not hot) to get it to mix better. You need to use what you mix in a few hours. And don’t tighten lid tight on whatever you mix it in. It expands - think peroxide you pour on a wound.
the deck was also cleaned with straight water about 3 years ago and came out nice. we also put a stain on it but the deck is all nasty again.It has white vinyl railings around them. last time i think i did a pump up sprayer with simple green but obviously want to use bleach this time . I’m worried about the run off on the ipe . what do you think even if its pre wet.
Just pre-wet and you’ll be fine. The handrail shouldn’t need much more than a hw mix anyway and that’s not going to hurt that ipe deck at all.
