Cedar siding, need comments.

[Colorado]

Hey guys, I'm crossing into some residential work and need help with a bid tomorrow. I'm looking at just a basic wash on some tongue and groove cedar siding up here in the mountains. The home owner just wants a wash so they can re-stain their house. It's a raised ranch so only 1.5 sories in the back. I was thinking low pressure and no chemicals or heat. They dont want the old stain removed, just cleaned. I've never touched cedar and need some help with this quote. I wanted to stay around $220 for the bid, is this a decent price? What pressure setting should I use?
Thanks in advance,
Josh

 

[TPenland]

Josh, get in touch with Jake @ Archie Renewal here on the forum. He seems pretty knowledgeable when it comes to wood. Not to take anything away from anyone else here though. All the guys here are top notch without a doubt. I wouldn't hesitate to take advice from anyone here.....good luck on the job man!

 

[Colorado]

Holy crap. Now I see why people dont like home owners. The whole front side of the house is BLACK. Not sure what it was stained with before, but they've let it go WAY to long. HO went from wanting just a wash, to making all the cedar on the house the same color. Any suggestions on a chemical to lighten up the dark area. The cedar is also VERY dry in that area and kinda flakes off just by rubbing my hand on it. Seems to be lighter wood just behind the black, is this good? Thinking that I should just walk away from this one, but if I could make it look a little nicer there should be plenty of work up here on the hill for the rest of the 9 million homes that are cedar.
Josh

 

[Doug Rucker]

Dont walk to soon. Get a hold of Jake or Call Pat Motz at 406.465.9334 and he can put you in touch w someone that can help you. IMO I would just use a house wash mix. That's what a lot of guys use to clean cedar fences, but this might be different. With that many homes I wouldn't give up until you've exhausted all resources.

 

[archie_MN]

Odds are pretty good that if the whole face is black, it was a semi-transparent sealer that failed. If that's the case you'll get away with percarb (oxyclean) to clean it, a mild acid to brighten it. The process for something like that will be LOW pressure (1500 Max) and patience (if it's really soft, 4inches/second). NO HEAT. Post up some pics or give me a call this evening, I'll get you set up.

Don't walk away from cedar homes...they're a BIG moneymaker.

 

[Colorado]

Thanks for the info Jake. I'm a hour or so behind you here, So I'll give you a call in a few.
Thanks again guys. And yes, you are correct. All of the cedar up here is semi-transparent sealed for some reason.
Josh

 

[archie_MN]

Nice chatting with your Josh, now go take over Colorado!

 

[PressurePros]

Odds are pretty good that if the whole face is black, it was a semi-transparent sealer that failed. If that's the case you'll get away with percarb (oxyclean) to clean it, a mild acid to brighten it. The process for something like that will be LOW pressure (1500 Max) and patience (if it's really soft, 4inches/second). NO HEAT. Post up some pics or give me a call this evening, I'll get you set up.

Don't walk away from cedar homes...they're a BIG moneymaker.

Not at $220 they aren't. With as little disrespect meant to the OP as possible. Walk. You have no idea what you are doing and are either going to lose your shirt or make the homeowner very unhappy. If you insist on experimenting with a homeowner's property, spray it down with bleach and cross your fingers.

 

[archie_MN]

Not at $220 they aren't. With as little disrespect meant to the OP as possible. Walk. You have no idea what you are doing and are either going to lose your shirt or make the homeowner very unhappy. If you insist on experimenting with a homeowner's property, spray it down with bleach and cross your fingers.

[p2]<---- Not gonna do that with you about bleach <----

Josh and I talked about his area, and it sounds like he has a huge opportunity in the siding restoration market down there. I certainly wouldn't pass it up, his only "big" competition for the siding is a cob blaster.

 

[PressurePros]

I would not advocate just bleach but at $220, what else could he do? Maybe that was a misprint and he meant $2,200?

Not knocking your technique, Jake, I know you know wood. Percarb cleaning is a long and slow process with multiple applications from a powered pump needed to actually kill mold. (if it kills it all on a vertical surface with no cling). The house needs to be restained and should be stripped, pH balanced and buffed. I'm not trying to give this guy a hard time because he is seemingly new at this but he is in over his head. This isn't a deck where you get some margin for error and learning.

 

[archie_MN]

I gotcha. We're good. No doubt old siding is a tough place to start wood.

...don't under estimate what an awesome teacher I am over the phone....[spin]

 

[PressurePros]

LOL, I learned everything I know from a phone call. Gimme a call sometime, Jake

 

[Colorado]

Ken. Lot's of things have taken place since the First post. No price was given in the second. The Original price was $220 for just a wash, not restoration. Only a newb to washing, not to business.. I'm gonna try Jake's technique on a friends cedar fence BEFORE I try it on any customer!

 

[archie_MN]

Keep us posted. How'd it go?