Thoroughly confused...

[Deckcare]

Ok everyone I have been reading through countless posts trying to decided what I want to use as not only a stripper but also a brightener.

I am pretty set on ordering HD-80. Is there only one place to order it? And does anyone know how long the 30# tub will last? As in what is the mix ratio etc..

However for brightener I have been using Wolman Brightener for as long as I have been doing business. It works ok. But people are all about the citric, oxalic, and the #80 brightner from sunbritedecks.com

What brightener do most of you use? I am cannot decide which one to try. I am guessing a lot of you might suggest trying all of them and seeing which I like best, but I plan to order it offline so I would like to just figure out which will work the best beforehand from others opinions.

So then the process will go as follows:

Weathered and previously stained deck:
1. Strip with hd-80
2. Brighten with Oxailc (or any of the others)
3. Then seal with desired sealant.

Is that right?

If the deck has not been previously stained can you just use one of the above mentioned brighteners and then seal? What do brighteners do to kill off mildew? Anything?

Thanks in advance,

J.R.

 

[Kevin7022]

J.R. , By no means am I one to give alot of advise. However, I would suggest you use something safer such as EFC-38 to strip.
Better yet Call Beth and Rob and they can get ya started

Kevin

 

[Mike Hughes]

That's fine and dandy, but efc-38 wont strip everything. Might want to have both on hand.

When cleaning a deck that has no finish, you still need a cleaner first (not a stripper), then wash, then brighten.

I use nothing but Ready Products #80 brightner........wouldn't be caught without it. 410-381-8400


HD-80 mixes 8oz to a gallon to make full strengh. Go to a dollar store and buy a measuring cup. I have no idea how long it will last you.........depends on how many decks u do.

Brightners will not kill off mildew.

 

[Deckcare]

I recall some people talking about using bleach as their cleaner. What do you use?

The #80 is just a brightener right?

 

[Aplus]

Since we know that HD80 comes in a 30# pail, and know that 8oz makes a gallon of stripper at full strength, then we can figure that at least 60 gallons of stripper can be produced from one pail. Remember that some finishes can be properly stripped using a weaker formula maybe 5oz per gallon, so you may get even more gallons of stripper out of each pail.

I find that an average deck with typical railings requires about 1.5 gallons of stripper per 100 square feet. Some will use less, and some will use more. I apply with a Sureflow pump on a cart setup, and I probably apply a little heavier than needed, but I prefer having to apply chems and wash only once, rather than skimping and possibly having to reapply chems and rewash the deck.

You will have to make decisions on chem ratios, strengths, dwell time, etc, based on your experiences as you learn. For starters, follow the directions on the products you buy, or ask the suppliers for starting points, and adjust up/down as needed. You will soon figure out what works best for given applications.

That is the best I can tell you.

 

[Sunny1]

Strippers/Britners

J.R. I'm glad to see you're doing your homework. Mike is right. Britners are not for washing. They are a neutralizer for alkalin cleaners and affect the PH of the wood. They also keep some tannins suppressed in the wood and take out some stains. Strip or clean the wood, THEN apply a britner, let dry, then seal. I would just like to point out that if you are concerned with the cost of HD-80 and the quantity you must purchase, chek into mine. I know ours is less expensive(about half the price), and you can get a smaller quantity at a time, depending on your needs. One other thought. I do not only carry #80 Britner. I have another less costly Britner that works just fine. #80 will take out some stains better than other Britners but that's not always needed. It does work very well on Cedar wood, though.Just some thoughts to expand you horizons.

 

[charlie]

Call Russell Cissell about these chemicals.

Charlie