So, in theory, you could offer to clean it properly and then recommend the customer get a stain or sealing professional out there to finish the job when the wood is dry enough?
Also, what would happen to the wood if the customer didn’t seal or stain it because they liked the color and look of it after the clean and wood brightener? What kind of lifespan are you looking at (before it will require another clean) with the cleaned look vs stained or sealed?
I did my own deck, took two years for it to turn grey again.
1 Like
That is with sealing or staining? Or just cleaning and using brightener?
None of the above.
1 Like
The man is full of questions! Joined the forum 6 days ago & already has 1 day of read time. I’d say you’re eaten up with it & that is what it takes. Punch ‘Deck cleaning 101’ into the search bar & grab some popcorn & a beverage. Decks suck, by the way.
4 Likes
and there goes his second day of read time… 
2 Likes
Yes sir lol. Also I been through a good amount of that section as well. Was only curious if it were different or treated the same way since this is just a one off rail tie piece to separate the pavers from what looks like a path to the back.
I try to limit repeat questions as well with more research.
Depending on where you’re at and how bad it was to start with. Could be 6months to 3-5 years.
Every wood job is different to some extent.
1 Like
Makes sense. Always adapt to situation and customer wants, and don’t forget to ask and set expectations prior to starting 
Setting expectations is one of the most important concepts i came across on this forum.
Open to criticism but wanted to provide some closure on the first photo.
17 blocks from the left, 6 from the bottom looks like you missed an ant turd but a good rain or two should take care of it. What are you gonna spend them fifty dollars on? Otherwise, nice work.
3 Likes
Nice work!
Looks good
Is this an exception needing the turbo and is surface cleaning usually enough? Starting cleaning and re-polysanding jobs this week. I thought i could just surface clean the old polymeric sand and weeds out.
Here’s a quick test i did with just the s.c.:
I have never used a turbo, maybe that works, but my go to is the yellow tip.
It’s going to be a messy job; what I might recommend first is a paint scraper and leaf blower once the joints dry a bit, then using the yellow tip.
If someone else has a better method, I’d love to hear it.
1 Like
If you have enough depth for new sand, sand away… if not either turbo or painter’s tool are going to come into play. How many areas you need more depth would determine which for me.
2 Likes
So 9 hours, 2 guys using surface cleaner then yellow tip then painter’s tool. 1200 square feet full of roots.
-what happens if some pavers move out of place/sink while washing the old sand around it? Is this to be expected? How should i fix that without it becoming a huge job?
- the installation was done by a diy in some areas, it’s not great. In some areas spaces vary widely, cuts are crooked, etc. What do i do when space between two bricks is just hair thin? I don’t think poly sand will go in?
-is one day of drying enough before sanding?
Set clear expectations with your customers. Are you there to clean, sand, and seal, or to do a full patio restoration? In my experience, most customers are aware of the areas where their patio is failing. When I provide a quote that includes leveling or other repairs, it either makes them realize those details aren’t that important to them, or it ensures I’m fairly compensated for the extra work.
When applying sand, get it into every space possible. If the pavers are tightly butted up against each other but still surrounded by other pavers and sand (i.e., not on an edge), they are unlikely to move. Depending on the temperature, one day should be sufficient for the process. With temperatures hitting 80-90 degrees, my last three jobs the cleaning was finished by 11 AM and I started sanding around 2 PM.
1 Like
