[DeanV]

For decks, lets say you have a deck that you cleaned with a good deck cleaner, removed the existing finish (semi-trans) and sealed with something like Cabots, BM, or Rymar sealer. What is you procedure for the subsequent coats in 2 years? Do you do a full power wash and clean with deck cleaner that will remove a large portion of the coating or do you just do a quick clean that leaves most of the coating intact and recoat?

Most of the decks I get to do are done sporadically, maybe every 5-8 years and I want to try to get some of them to do more regular maintenance.

 

[MAK-Deco]

For decks, lets say you have a deck that you cleaned with a good deck cleaner, removed the existing finish (semi-trans) and sealed with something like Cabots, BM, or Rymar sealer. What is you procedure for the subsequent coats in 2 years? Do you do a full power wash and clean with deck cleaner that will remove a large portion of the coating or do you just do a quick clean that leaves most of the coating intact and recoat?

Most of the decks I get to do are done sporadically, maybe every 5-8 years and I want to try to get some of them to do more regular maintenance.

Hey Dean, I use Sikkens on my decks and the ones that I do every two years I just clean and hit again. Do not remove completely. Sikkens does a pretty good job of not building up over time.

If the product on there is a semi- trams after two years i think it should be removed since it will start to build up over time.

 

[PressurePros]

The way my maintenance plans work is as follows. First time is the initial $$ hit. We strip/pH balance the deck and get it back to fresh wood and apply a couple coats of a semi-trans penetrating oil. I guarantee that in writing for two years. Annual maintenance cleaning is done with a little bleach and soap and can actually be performed by the homeowner. Every second year we do the same type of cleaning and coat all of the horizontals. This is usually about 60% of the original project price. Every four years we re-coat everything. At 8 years we start the process again as the stain begins darkening too much. Maintenance plans are great because you can show the customer the cost of usage over the longer haul. Another selling point I use is the "easy" button. We worry about your deck so you don't have to. I have a full time crew that only performs maintenance work. Repeat business is the ticket in the service trades even with the reduced ticket cost. It just takes awhile to build a good d-base.

 

[boman47k]

At 8 years we start the process again as the stain begins darkening too much.

Complete strip at 8 years, right? Mind sharing how you recover the finish that is removed?? Lots of plastic?
Ever remove Behr? Seems to be a lot of it out there. Someone (Slick?) said it tends to become a goo like mess.

 

[PressurePros]

Yes, complete strip at 8 years.

If the finish is an oil it is emulsified and washed into the soil. Once our second step acid is applied the soil is about pH neutral. Waterbornes/acrylics are another story. They leave little plastic-like shards all over the place. If the deck is only a few feet off the ground we wash them underneath. If its a second story deck we lay down a disposable tarp to make cleanup easier.