Deck Restoration....

[PressureForce]

5-Star - you mentioned you focused a lot on restoring decks... While we don't do that with PressureForce, I am currently experimenting a bit with my own deck with hopes of having a better looking deck and some ideas on providing the service.

1. Processess... I've cleaned half with Olympic deck cleaner and a rinse, the other half with high pressure. The results are certainly different, and frankly I'm still not sure which result I am more pleased with. I think I'm going to like the Olypmic spray and rinse though.

Next I'll stain.

Anyway, my questions are two fold... 1. What services and processes do you do for deck restoration. Obviously clean and seal or stain - but do you do much sanding? Drive any nails? Replace many boards?

2. How's the money in it? My deck is 2 ft tall, and I guess about 12x12 with 2 steps and ofcourse a rail. To clean and stain it - what would you charge? About how much time and materials would you have invested?

Many thanks.

 

[CaroliProWash]

NO HIGH PRESSURE ON WOOD!!!!!!!!!

Marc, we have 28 decks starting week after next - wanna come spend a day?

Celeste

 

[onecallpowerw]

Process

We always sand the top railings as well as reset/replace any screws/nails. This is part of Deck Restoration. It takes all of 1/2 hour to do this and is a have too. Even though we use a low pressure cleaning process the tops should always be sanded.

 

[PressureForce]

One call - and I assume you just use some orbital sander? Electric? Cordless? How large?

 

[onecallpowerw]

Well.....

Only on a few occassions have we had to resort to any type of electric sander. Most is done by hand. Most just need a light sanding to remove any type of furring etc..... If you have to use an electric sander, then the owner probably needs to replace the top railing. I would always recommend this to them upon estimate. But the answer to your question is we do carry palm sanders just in case.

Hope this helps.

 

[5 Star Johnny]

PressureForce - Ditto what celeste said....NO high pressure on decks!! As I've stated before, we are certified through and use all ABR (American Building Restoration) products. Great Stuff, although there are other products worth looking at. The chems do the work and allows a more thorough job with low water pressure so you're not tearing up soft wood fiber.

Sanding - we use Brown 3M pads, by hand, to take off any furring. Although low pressure tends not to fur the wood, if there is a lot of fungus and the hyphae (threadlike root system) is integrated in the wood, furring is almost inevitable because its bringing wood fiber with it when its being pulled from the substrate. Even at low pressure.

Again, I will not post pricing structures on a forum. If you would like, you can call or email me and I'll be happy to pass along info. In short - we make GOOD money with deck work. We will do about 70 - 80 this season, all with annual maintenance contracts.

Hope this helps. Good Luck!

 

[boho444]

Let me get this right. Apply a stripper/brighter, rinse with no more than 1000psi. Let dry for at least 24hrs. Sand the top of the rails with no more than 80 grit sand paper. If deck has feathered (happened to me last year on a cedar deck) sand boards. How often do you sand typically? Remove all excess wood dust, hammer in loose nails. Apply sealer or stain. I will not paint a deck unless it's pressure treated wood which I may just turn down.
What is your preferred stripper/brightener? All in one?
What is your preferred sealer/stain?
Thanks

 

[boho444]

anyone? Has anyone used opwdecks.com products?

 

[Doug Rucker]

Never used there products.....

 

[boho444]

What grit do you use on the railings? How often do you sane the actual deck boards?
Thanks

 

[highpsi]

My 2 cent

If you have to add a second coat of stripper you are wasting your time i go straight to sanding. I uses an electric sander made for indoor hard flooring. It does a great job and can be rented at home depot. They are not made for it but home depot is aware of its used for decks and are ok with it. It does a magnificent job. Any stripper product is ok with me. The only advice I can give based on my limited experience is this. If you are staining a deck in a northern region do not use product suck as BHER etc. these product are made from Californina and peel after one winter, no matter how good your prep work good is. I suggest "Thompson" This product his pigmentation base, it fades instead of peeling or creating this shining dirty coat. So each year a quick pressure wash and more Thompson on top of the old one does a fantastic job. Again this is for northern states and Canada and is based on my experience. Like my friend above I dont have 30 decks lined up for the next few weeks. Cheers