Spray wand tracks

[degraffreed]

Hello to all,

I have a deck job coming up this weekend to perform. So I thought I would practice on my deck since it needed cleaning. Anyhow I read a lot of posts from this BB and decided to tackle it on last Sunday. The results as follows below:


I use my pw( commercial rk41 5 gpm 3000 psi) I use cold water and a 40 degree tip reduce to 1500 psi.

I used a bleach solution with a little dawn in it, let it dwell for 10 min and cleaned the deck.

I wash the deck from a distance of 4 inches and cleaned the boards with the grain of the wood.

After I let it dry and looked at it today. I see a lot of lighter spray patterns as if i held wand in the area to long or maybe to close. I sprayed half of the deck to do abefore and after pic for my pony show.

My Question is what can I do to clean the deck uniformily or did I use to much psi. Should I spray at 700- 800 psi.

I need advice by 6-24 before the job this weekend.

I would like to also know if I use simple green as my cleaner, would this be good enough to clean the deck satifactory, or should I go to HD or lowes and purchase a deck cleaner.?


Degraffreed

 

[Tim Lynch]

Well this should be moved to the wood forum.

You are using to much power 700 to 900 psi would be more correct. To stop wand marks come into the area whith a sweep high to low and end the same way. It takes a bit of practice.

As for you choice of cleaning chems to each thier own. I would need to know what was on your deck to start. If it was oil based start with a deck cleaner like Super Decks Decktergent. Then after the deck is cleaned apply Wood brightener Oxalic Acid Deluted Super deck also has this.

Wand work on wood is a learned art that takes a while to get to a 1500 psi level of cleaning and most won't go that high. When you are re cleaning the deck you should beable to remove the marks if they are not that bad. Sweep up and in then up and out and do one or two boards at a time. Don't do sections do complete boards end to end.

The chems I talked about do the work for you it sounds like you tried to power the deck clean.

CAREFULL of deck cleaners now! To hot a mix will burn the wood and show worse than wand marks. If your trying to remove and old stain most deck cleaners BLEACH type are not what you want. Find a super deck dealer in your area you will be happy get the powderd deck tergent not the blue cleaner in mixed form.

Thats all can can do with the info you gave.

Good luck

 

[klean_freak]

UM A SURFACE CLEANER
RENT ONE VERY CHEAP IF YOU DONT OWN ONE.
KEEPS IT UNIFORM.
rental co. are your friend if you dont have money.
plus you should not need any chems.

 

[degraffreed]

kleenfreak.

Who in Gods name, gave you the advice to use a surface cleaner one wood? I know that I a new but do you have any clue to what a surface cleaner will do to a wood deck?

Thanks for your advice BUT I will continue to educate myself with thus BB and so should you.

DeGraffreed

 

[onecallpowerw]

A surface cleaner if used properly (with the grain) and at low pressure with the right chemicals can cut your time in half (easily).

 

[A1PW.LLC]

I agree I use a surface cleaner all the time.

 

[jon chapman]

1. How do you use surface cleaner with the grain? at some point it will be against the grain.

2. How you reduce the pressure enough and still keep it spinning?

 

[oneness]

I agree with not using a surface cleaner....This is advice given by every experienced wood restoration contractor I've talked to...Like jon pointed out, you can't make a surface cleaer spin "with the grain". You might get away with it on PT pine, but I wouldn't chance it. Of course, some who don't know better use surface cleaners on roofs too. Saving time isn't always the way to go.

 

[Dan S]

THE SURFACE CLEANER ON A DECK WORKS GREAT

you just have to use lower nozzels on it ..........cut the pressure back and you wont hurt the "grain" no matter what direction you go.

YES IT WORKS AND WORKS WELL!!

hey one,
I did use a surface cleaner on a roof before........... That also worked great ..........low pressure!!

The only draw back from using it on a roof was dragging it back and forth @ the angle the roof was.

 

[onecallpowerw]

It takes all but maybe 60psi to make the spinner spin. Going with the grain of the wood only allows you less stripping. It amazes me that some that claim to know this business, dont have a clue.

Using the right chemicals and time is what makes this such an easy task. I doubt a so called experianced wood restoration contractor would know the difference. I would put anyone of our deck restoration jobs up against any wand professional and I guarantee you, you would not know the difference.

You guys are just working too hard....

Anybody up to the task ?

 

[Larry L.]

""dragging it back and forth @ the angle the roof was."""

I got tickled on dat remark,did it feel like you were trying to push your toes out the front of ya shoes

but I wouldn't chance it. Of course, some who don't know better use surface cleaners on roofs too.

why not,, afraid someone would take a picture huh

 

[degraffreed]

Thanks, for the info gents. Did the job this weekend and purchased tips that lowered pressure to 800 psi and used a mild detergent-r109 and a stiff brush to remove the mildew and stains. Cleaned on board at a time.

Customer was very pleased with the housewash and deck wash. This is really a great money making industry. I like to say thanks to all the gents who post answers to my question. Thanks a bunch.

Degraffreed

 

[Tim Lynch]

Originally posted by onecallpowerw
It takes all but maybe 60psi to make the spinner spin. Going with the grain of the wood only allows you less stripping. It amazes me that some that claim to know this business, dont have a clue.

Using the right chemicals and time is what makes this such an easy task. I doubt a so called experianced wood restoration contractor would know the difference. I would put anyone of our deck restoration jobs up against any wand professional and I guarantee you, you would not know the difference.

You guys are just working too hard....

Anybody up to the task ?

I have fixed 3 decks some lazy pressure washers tried to clean.
I am talking redwood I know for a fact that this form of wood cleaning on soft redwood is not do-able with quality results. I'll take your challenge! common down to sunny Ca.

I'm not going to be able to professionally offer an opinion on pine or PT wood but 15 years I would rate my self as a professional Deck Refinisher and stand by what I say.

Problems found were swirl marks in corners rough wood grain and uncleaned cracks as well as deep cutting on higher boards and low wash effect on lower cupped boards. How can you deal with each boards individual characteristics? Some boards are hard grained some soft and open.

It's not concrete! a wood deck has many variables that make this style of cleaning low quality at best. Based on the varaiables a wood deck will have your concept has no merit. Yes you can clean but true Deckrefinishers do not wash a 10 to 50 thousand dollar plus deck with a concrete tool!

We mite be working hard true but we are also doing quality work not fly by night wash and run work quality.

 

[sullivan1970]

I agree with Tim,

Using a concrete cleaner on a deck is absurd.
Going with the grain of the wood means exactly that,
IN A STRAIGHT LINE, NOT A CIRCLE!!

 

[Aplus]

I too agree with Tim.

 

[onecallpowerw]

Those are the reasons a non seasoned profesional should not use a surface cleaner on a deck. If you have swirls at the corners then the psi is too much. If you have to have your psi up that high to clean a deck then you are not letting the chems work for you. That is about as simple as it gets.

Same goes with using the wand. Not using the proper cleaning chems with the proper amount of pressure/gpm then you are just wasting time. If your pressure is too high then you have fan marks, cut marks that have to be worked out etc....... If you are by any means having to straigten any of that then your psi is too high.

As with everybody, most are under the impression that Power Wash means just that POWER, POWER, POWER. If done properly, all cleaning can be completed with the right chems and LOW PSI.

 

[klean_freak]

first of all i said a surface cleaner.
does not mean a spinner.
look around there are many types of SURFACE CLEANERS.
they keep your spray at an equal distance to the SURFACE you ARE cleaning.

 

[Dan S]

So if we do use a surface cleaner on wood ...we are not called a "profesional"

I guess each to their own!!

Never tried it on redwood,you prob. have merit with that but I have used it several times on PT with Xlnt results!!

you gotta use a lil bit of brain power; when it comes to doing a corner you dont just "ram" it in there to see how far you can get . You stop well before the corners and then use your wand!!

or just PEEEEEEEEEE on it

 

[Dan S]

Originally posted by Larry L.
""dragging it back and forth @ the angle the roof was."""

I got tickled on dat remark,did it feel like you were trying to push your toes out the front of ya shoes

AS A MATTER OF FACT YES IT DID !!

SORE FEET @ THE END OF THE DAY DATS FER SURE!!

 

[Dan S]

I guess to better sum it up >>

Just because you do it one way// and we can do it another// dont mean a whole heck of alot about anything// now does it?

some folks mow their grass different //or plow snow a different way ......... it dont mean that what they are doing is wrong ..........or how they do it. different folks master different ways in the cleaning process. If we all did it like alike we would not have a bb. or A cleaner times Mag.

Just last week I used one of those hand held surface cleaners and use it on BRICK!! OH MY GOD!! you may say !! talk about a great job that did . and NO it did not hurt the Joints.
Low pressure and proper chem!

you may be surprised at how many different ways you can clean ..........and clean great!!