brightners

[Target P/W]

I am having a heck of a time brightning old cedar after stripping it. I have used many different types in the past and the wood still looks dark to me, not like those beautiful pics you guys post.
I apply at recommended strength and let sit for 10 mins. then blow it off with 1500 psi, about 12' away from wood surface.
Is my problem in strength or dwell time or both?.
Thankfully I do alot of pressure treated and they turn out fine.
One job was simply to clean 15 year old unprotected cedar, applied cleaner, rinsed, then brightner, sit, then rinsed again. It was clean but not rich in color.

HELP!

Confused.

 

[mhpoole]

Here is the correct method for brightning your deck. Use Behr cleaner and brightner, soak deck for 20 min keep wet the whole time, use a pressure washer atleast 4gpm, 3000 psi, hold the water approx 7 to 8 inches away and start cleaning.

Mark

 

[Dan Flynn]

Hey Mark,

How come you sell Penofin stain on your site for $144.00 per 5 gallons when you can get it for $106.00 at Home Depot?????????

 

[Dan Flynn]

If this is a cedar deck the second you apply the acid it will start to brighten it. I personally don't rinse it off. I spray it on and check to see if I need to apply again. Then I start to rap up the job. By the time you’re done the deck should glow. When it's dry it will really lighten up.

If you need help call me anytime at 832-754-5068

Good Luck

 

[mhpoole]

i dont really sell penofin, if a homeowner wants to do everything themselves but wants me to bring it to them, or give them some advice then thats what i would charge.

 

[mhpoole]

Dan,

Did you say you dont rinse the brightener off? Arent you supposed to rinse off the acid? Surely you dont apply your stain right over oxallic acid do you?

Mark

 

[Scott Lefler]

penofin

THAT'S NOT FAIR! HOME DEPOT DOESN'T EVEN SELL PENOFIN WHERE I LIVE! IN FACT, HARDLY ANYONE CARRIES IT HERE, I HAVE TO GO TO A PLACE WHERE I CAN'T STAND THE PEOPLE AND BUY IT. BUT I DO GET 10% OFF THE PRICE, SO THAT HELPS.

CHOW,

SCOTT

 

[mhpoole]

Might want to try some lumber stores, they could get it for you. Although i havent found it cheaper then home depot

 

[Dan Flynn]

Scott,

I just started to see it at Home Depot, you should ask them about it.

Mark,

I never stain a deck until there is at least 3 days to dry. Plus I got that information from Chris Detter from Sun Brite Decks. He also is the person that runs the wood restoration certification program for the PWNA.

I guess it would be a good idea to get some more opinions on this. All things said though. I think with time the wood should neutralize itself anyway.

Good point with the home owner price.

 

[Greg Rentschler]

Whether or not you rinse the oxalic/brightener off depends on what you are applying in regard to a sealer. With Ready Seal you do not need to rinse but with a product like F & P or Cabot I would absolutely rinse.


Here's the typical result of brightening a stripped cedar deck....

 

[Dan Flynn]

Ahhhhhhhhhh Greg,

Just the guy I was looking for. Thanks for taking the time to help out with this.

Have a great weekend!

 

[Greg Rentschler]

Anytime Dan... are you still doing alot of deck work now that your down in Texas?


Greg Rentschler

 

[Dan Flynn]

Not really, mostly houses and driveways. If I do a deck it's a clean and water seal if that. I might have stained 4 or 5 in the last 1 and a half!

Just did 3 recently though.

 

[reedsterstl]

I am currently using Sunbrite's Neutralizer/Brightner. For ReadySeal, no rinsing needed. Even using HD-80 for stripping, I apply the brightner after stripping and you see the brightning taking place. If a step can be omitted, rinsing brightner, safely and effectively without compromising results, why not do it?

Reed

 

[Greg Rentschler]

Hi Reed,

Actually until Ready Seal I would have never left a brightened deck un-rinsed (and actually we rinse our Ready Seal decks). Oxalic solutions will only dissolve into a 10% solution leaving anything remainingto settle or be pumped onto the deck. My biggest concern with NOT rinsing is in the fact that once the water evaporates from the solution the salts (or crystals) are left on the deck. With fully penetrating finishes like Ready Seal I don't think it's much of a concern because theres nothing trapping the brightner to the deck. However with anything that has even a slight film base ( F&P and most others ) the crystals would be left under the finish. The strong acidic nature of the brightner would surely cause a product to fail/cloud or otherwise prematurely in my opinion.

Greg

 

[reedsterstl]

Greg,
That's a very good point. Rinsing will depend on the properties of the sealer/stain one uses. And we should all keep this important point in mind.

I did notice that when I use hd80, I have to apply the brightner heavy to get the ph back to normal on the more denser cedar boards.

Hey East Coasters, rain on it's way to you, I don't need it here anymore!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reedster

 

[Mike Hughes]

Ditto to above. I dont rinse either. And I do use Ready Seal.

 

[mhpoole]

does ready seal show overlapping marks? How do you guys apply it, and how often just wondering. thanks.

Mark

 

[Target P/W]

Another question,

if you encounter a pressure treated deck and find that it is relatively clean except for a few tannin stains, can't you just use brightner to clean instead of the woodwash?
It seems like a step unneccessary when the day is done.
The wood wash alone is 20 dollars a gallon.
When is brightner a good cleaner, and when do you figure in a wood wash as being the correct procedure. (woodwash being the one with the sodium whatamacallit in it, which needs a neutralizer).

Chris.

 

[Mike Hughes]

Originally posted by Target P/W
.
The wood wash alone is 20 dollars a gallon.

$20 a gallon!...........are you serious? For deck cleaner? I realize things are harder to get up in Canada at times, but you need to do some shopping around.

I never use brightner as a cleaner. And I brighten every deck that I clean, regardless of which cleaner was used.




Mark,

Ready Seal is "goof proof". It will not leave lap marks, and can be rained on shortly after it is applied. Except one time I had a problem with rain, but it was because it was a brand new cedar deck, which does not soak up the sealer very quickly.

Give Peirce a call and get some samples..............then grab a piece of wood and seal it sloppy as anything.......and dont backbrush. That should give you a pretty good test. Make sure the wood is dry and has no previous stain/sealant.