Originally posted by jon chapman
How do you get the Stain in the cracks between boards. and what is meant by back brushing?
Lets get a few things right first... Wood rot's from the bottom up! Unless it is under one of these great inventions called half oak or wine barrels. Then they rot under top to bottom. Rot is cuased by bringing the fungus into the area example Wood chips, non-sterilized soil and clogged cracks that hold crap in them for extended periods of time.
It's just about that simple!
If a customer asks you to seal the thin cracks in the deck then go ahead and do it but your doing zippidy squat for the customer and just making more money and if your busy wasting your time and the customers $.
Wood sealer if anyone reads instructions is made to go on as one lite coat on smooth flat areas. Why? To prevent small chunks of wood from entering ones foot or hand. How far does sealer go into wood? About 1/8 inch if your wood is rough I have never seens a flat deck built with 1x6 fence boards and beat up so bad to need two coats if it's new with lumber glaze then 3/32 is about it. You are expected to see whats called a dry film suface when done. Meaning a coat of oil that will no longer set ( INTO ) the wood. Anything above the wood is useless and makes problems and does nothing for the wood but incapsulate it with a stickey hard to remove glaze.
Latex and wax finishes do not let wood get the small amount of water it needs. I hate dip heads that use wax!!! for sealing decks they just make bad names for the trade.
Cracks in the deck sealed? Please you do not know what your doing by your questions and thats okay! But you should charge a customer that wants this done 150 an hour for doing it and it is worth nothing to them.
We are in basic form washing a car, and or a kicthen floor and putting a protectorant on the surface to make the area look nice and prevent wood from entering the skin and prevent stains from kids with kool aid.
Im crazy right now! and hate pro's that say two coats of this water based crap will last two years and then go away after making the $ so real Pro's can fix the problem.
Take your car like folks treat decks and don't wash it for one year and tell me it holds up for two with out washing? Cooooooooooooooommmmmooooonnnnnnn it's going to like like crap!
Once a year!!! Just like the carpets in the house! One lite coat and educate your customers about planters and keeping cracks clear.
TIm OUT!
Maybe a bad day but sometimes pro's are nothing but one time jerks thats don't know the trade and make things crappy for those that do.