anyone use fans?

[woodguy1]

I was wondering if anybody has tried using fans or airmovers to speed dry times after cleaning? I was thinking it might be possible to clean or strip in the morning, put fans down, and finish in the afternoon. Woodguy1

 

[PressurePros]

Not unless you are using Wood Tux Wet or a product made to go on wet wood. The minimum drying time is usually 48 hours in direct sun, above 75 degrees to get a moisture content below 15%

 

[Tim Lynch]

I was wondering if anybody has tried using fans or airmovers to speed dry times after cleaning? I was thinking it might be possible to clean or strip in the morning, put fans down, and finish in the afternoon. Woodguy1

You mite get the surface dry but inside will still be wet. You would be better off setting your schedule to something like.

Monday/Tuesday Wash Days
Wednesday Seal Mondays Deck(s)
Thursdays Seal Tuesdays Deck(s) And Friday for large jobs that need two days seal, makes for a nice easy end to the work week.

Friday Wash Sunday Seal ( I do smaller decks for Friday/Sundays, and have to use Friday for an extra seal days on larger jobs at times.

I always Bid my job's on Saturday Mornings and Sundays sometimes. I never Bid Decks after working all day and looking ragged.

This area during Spring or Summer we can get 100 degree dry heat, I could seal the same day on small decks but I still wait.

BTW were you going to use your customers electricity? I would toss a fit if someone did that to me. Running Fans all day long is a bit wasteful I think.

 

[Tim Lynch]

I was wondering if anybody has tried using fans or airmovers to speed dry times after cleaning? I was thinking it might be possible to clean or strip in the morning, put fans down, and finish in the afternoon. Woodguy1

I don't use fans but I do use my blower on small areas that are damp from fog drip or the famous hotub cover spill from the steam when lifting and flipping the sides.

 

[woodguy1]

BTW were you going to use your customers electricity? I would toss a fit if someone did that to me. Running Fans all day long is a bit wasteful I think.

The electricity used would only be a dollar or two, at the most. I can't remember how many amps the air movers use, but it is suprisingly low. I was just wondering how one could speed things up on the drying end. It seems like a lot of costs to come back a second time to seal, but if that is what it takes........

 

[PressurePros]

It is a ton of cost. Throw in a few rainy days when you planned to seal and you can get wayyyy behind. That is why true wood professionals charge above the going rate of weekend warriors.

 

[Tim Lynch]

It is a ton of cost. Throw in a few rainy days when you planned to seal and you can get wayyyy behind. That is why true wood professionals charge above the going rate of weekend warriors.

I watch the weather close to make sure during wet times I'm not going to get screwed. But then again out here on the Left coast when the rain stops it stops for 6 to 7 months. The heat then becomes the factor.

I don't know if you were saying I'm a weekend warrior? Im not.

Most here one this forum do the one day dry routine, very few seal the same day. You could have a job under trees, shadey side of the house. Nighttime temperture problems sealing later in the day, fog and more. Plus a large deck takes time to seal. Washing is faster! now again if your doing baby decks like 10 X 10 with no railings thats another stroy. My avarage deck is in the thousands of square feet very few are little jobs. I like the little jobs! I can wash 4 to 5 a day and seal the same and make more money. But the jobs we get out hear are the size of yards.

 

[PressurePros]

Yeah out here it is a different ball of wax. When it's warm it's usually humid. In the summer you can have two or three thunderstorms that come out of nowhere in an average week. I also hear you about the monster decks. I have an area out here surrounding a resevoir where the houses start at a million and go up to five. Most of those decks measure over 2000 sf. Little decks to me measure under 600 sf of wood. (14x10 with steps and rails) There is still no way we could average 4-5 decks in a day unless they were wooden patios.


Tim what products do you use to seal and what moisture content do you usually shoot for?

 

[steve r]

I watch the weather close to make sure during wet times I'm not going to get screwed. But then again out here on the Left coast when the rain stops it stops for 6 to 7 months. The heat then becomes the factor.

I don't know if you were saying I'm a weekend warrior? Im not.

Most here one this forum do the one day dry routine, very few seal the same day. You could have a job under trees, shadey side of the house. Nighttime temperture problems sealing later in the day, fog and more. Plus a large deck takes time to seal. Washing is faster! now again if your doing baby decks like 10 X 10 with no railings thats another stroy. My avarage deck is in the thousands of square feet very few are little jobs. I like the little jobs! I can wash 4 to 5 a day and seal the same and make more money. But the jobs we get out hear are the size of yards.

if ya sealing in one day you must be using wood tux wet or something

 

[jrwem]

You mite get the surface dry but inside will still be wet. You would be better off setting your schedule to something like.

Monday/Tuesday Wash Days
Wednesday Seal Mondays Deck(s)
Thursdays Seal Tuesdays Deck(s) And Friday for large jobs that need two days seal, makes for a nice easy end to the work week.

Friday Wash Sunday Seal ( I do smaller decks for Friday/Sundays, and have to use Friday for an extra seal days on larger jobs at times.

I always Bid my job's on Saturday Mornings and Sundays sometimes. I never Bid Decks after working all day and looking ragged.

This area during Spring or Summer we can get 100 degree dry heat, I could seal the same day on small decks but I still wait.

BTW were you going to use your customers electricity? I would toss a fit if someone did that to me. Running Fans all day long is a bit wasteful I think.

Hey Tim,
How often does Mother Nature cooperate with your schedule?

 

[Tim Lynch]

Yeah out here it is a different ball of wax. When it's warm it's usually humid. In the summer you can have two or three thunderstorms that come out of nowhere in an average week. I also hear you about the monster decks. I have an area out here surrounding a resevoir where the houses start at a million and go up to five. Most of those decks measure over 2000 sf. Little decks to me measure under 600 sf of wood. (14x10 with steps and rails) There is still no way we could average 4-5 decks in a day unless they were wooden patios.



Tim what products do you use to seal and what moisture content do you usually shoot for?

When I said 4 to 5 decks a day I mean small no rail type and that wash 4 to 5 in one day dry one day then come back and seal them the third day. I have some customers that I always schedule this way, I wish I had more little decks but it's still a two day affair.

The best product for the redwood decks out here IMO is Super Deck I use the full line Detergent Acid and Seal. I used to use the Olympic New Look Redwood on older decks that were beat up and not taken care of well. But they Pulled it off the market air pollution laws err.

The TWP from Kelly Moore that's similar just does not hold up under the intense sun and starts chalking and tracking into homes. Plus it's over priced.

Moisture Content is not a fear factor in my area a good 24 hours out here during Spring and Summer will dry a deck completely.

My fear is the Home Depot Customers out here that do it them selves and Painters that don't know about decks, Home Depot sells only the Bear Water Based stain now NO OIL AT ALL. You should see what Customers do to decks it just gives me nightmares.

 

[Tim Lynch]

if ya sealing in one day you must be using wood tux wet or something

I don't wash & seal in one day never have and never will, I like my week schedule just fine it's worked for 15 years now. Remember too I do it all Just one guy and lots of decks. And out here it's a once a year routine.

Once the first of January hits my Calls start coming in for Spring, By the middle of march I am booked an easy 3 months with very little room for new customers. Most wait some don't , Most of my new Customers wait a month to a month and a half till I can get to them. Once that starts happening the snowball keeps rolling till October when the weather gets iffy. And I start Gutter Cleaning again.

My base is Regular customers till they Die or move away then I can pull in more new customers. So Sealing the same day is not a problem for me and would be a risk to my Schedule that I hold near and dear to my customers. When I say I'll be on the job in four weeks I'll be on the job.

I hope you guys have the same problem.

 

[Tim Lynch]

Hey Tim,
How often does Mother Nature cooperate with your schedule?

Weather is a problem from March to about the end of April. Then it's all the way to the bank till the middle of October.

I have the luxury of regular customers understanding the schedule during early spring. They know rain outs can happen and understand delays. Now last year out here was a very stressful year the first in a longtime the rains stopped around the middle of June lost My Dad if February Lost a great Friend in March My wife was out for 7 weeks after surgery and then My Best Cat of 5 years died of a hart attack in front of the whole family. So things were a little messed up. but also October and November was dry and warm. Go figure?

Other than that Mother Nature shines everyday for us. Once and a while A bit to much and I have to double up a few days for sealing I can wash in the heat but not sealing, maybe 5 days total it gets to hot.

PS: I won't do a job if rain is scheduled and reschedule the work for the next opening, I always have my ace in the hole for such during the march April time and late October.

 

[Tim Lynch]

Just to make sure everyone knows!

I really feel for you Guy's/Gal's Working on Decks full-time back east. I grew up In Marlboro Massachusetts and know about those rain storms weekly and Humidity.

I know why we have a difference in products and scheduling, I would not want the headaches you have trying to support your families. I respect you all for what you have to deal with weather wise.