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Pam’s Pressure & Clean |
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A common comment we hear.......... |
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It is crucial to understand a few things about proper wood care. Wood starts to suffer damage almost immediately after installation. Even pressure treated wood. Pressure treating does well in protecting against insect damage, but it does nothing to protect against the ravages of the sun and the weather. The sun’s rays begin attacking the wood and UV damage is evident in as little as 30 days. UV damage is the grey, dull, weathered look that your deck or fence turns to. Acid rain, pollen, foot traffic, mud & dirt all combine to accelerate this damage. Our southern climate is great for us humans, but for wood, the heat and humidity serve to accelerate damage. These combined with the pollen, dirt, dust, and other environmental contaminants make a perfect environment for the growth of mold and mildew. Mold and mildew begin to attack the wood surface and create the black or green stains you see on your wood. Before any wood care or preservation is started, it is important to know that if the UV damage and/or the mold & mildew, and certain pre-existing finishes are not fully removed, premature coating failure is virtually guaranteed. The old axiom “Preparation is everything” could not be more true with wood care.
Some will tell of many different ways to prepare wood for treatment. Of these ways, select few are recognized by industry professionals and wood experts as truly safe and effective. These do not include simply splashing some bleach and blasting it away with high pressure or hot water. Wood is a relatively soft material and as such, extra care needs to be taken. Excessive bleach can chemically ‘burn’ the wood and actually stain it beyond normal repair. Further, excessive bleach causes a breakdown of lignin (lignin holds wood fibers together) and accelerates the destruction of your wood. Ultra high pressure forces water far deeper into the wood than need be causing excessive swelling, fiber destruction, cracking, excessive furring, and the most unsightly marks from the water stream. Hot water only exacerbates the issue and raises the wood grain to unbelievable levels. Wood that has been cleaned with hot water is clearly identifiable by a surface that looks more like an angry ocean than it does a board.
We are certified wood care experts by The Power Washers of North America, The leader in power wash training and education; The Western Red Cedar Lumber Association, who is recognized throughout the world as a leader in Cedar production, certification, training, and industry information; and also by Wolman, the innovator of pressure treated wood over 80 years ago and who manufactures a complete line of wood care products for residential, farm, and commercial use. Our tools are specifically designed for the proper treatment of wood using ultra low cleaning pressures, our methods are at the pinnacle of the industry standards and are what others compare to for the final word in the right way to do the job; and our products are exalted by industry experts as the absolute best choices to take care of wood and wooden structures. Our clients deserve absolute supremacy when it comes to products and service. Our goal is to provide nothing less. The first step in restoring wood involves either cleaning or stripping the surface. Surface preparation is crucial for proper coating adhesion, penetration, and longetivity. If your wood is new and/or uncoated, it needs to be cleaned thoroughly with a product specifically formulated to gently remove the aged surface layer, accumulated dirt and debris, mold or mildew spores, and any remaining wax or mill glaze left from the wood manufacturing process. Uncoated wood that is weathered gray or covered with embedded dirt and fungus growth will prevent a coating from adhering or penetrating properly, which can lead to premature color fading, cracking and peeling, or reduced water repellency performance. Once cleaned, however, your wood surface will be restored to its natural, like-new appearance, and will be ready to accept a protective finish. Previously finished wood will not accept a different type (water-base over oil-base, for example) without risk of performance failure and color bleed-through, and therefore, should be stripped before refinishing. Our process includes a visual inspection of your wood and performing a ‘test patch’ to gain a thorough understanding of what needs or needs not be done. We look for evidence of water damage, checking, splitting, cracking, peeling, and fungal or insect damage, among other items. Our test patch consists of a small inconspicuous area to which we apply an amount of cleaner to determine what efforts will be required to remove whatever is on the wood. Our goal is to use agents that are just strong enough, but no more, to effectively clean the wood. There is no point in going after the wood with a mix that is too strong. Besides wasting cleaner, and perhaps more importantly, it can be harder on the wood than necessary. After cleaning or stripping, The next step after cleaning is to let the wood dry completely and to perform sanding and nail setting. Properly drying is essential to permit proper sealer penetration and adhesion. Too much moisture forces the sealer out or prevents proper penetration and also serves to trap moisture in the wood. Neither of these is conducive to a long lasting and attractive finish or good wood health. We also reset loose nails and lightly sand the handrails when necessary for a comfortable touch and pleasing appearance. These details seem small, but are very important in offering a complete job to our clients. Many of our competitors leave these steps out as a method of cutting corners and thus seeming to offer a ‘cheaper’ price. We then complete the project by applying a clear water repellent sealer, a water repellent toner or pigmented stain, or a wood preservative coating, depending on the level of protection and finish look you want to achieve.
Another great reason is that Ready Seal has always, and still now (with no change in formulation like the competition) also conforms to the new for 2005 EPA regulations for VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) content.
Water Repellents Often advertised as “Water Proofers” these coatings prevent water and moisture absorption by creating a physical barrier between the wood and the outside world so that structural damage like cracking and warping are minimized. On its face this sounds like a grand idea, but by creating an impenetrable barrier, the ability of the wood to breathe is eliminated. Some water repellents are also made to protect other porous surfaces, such as brick, concrete and masonry. Many basic repellents for wood are wax based. Wax based repellents are generally the lesser expensive brands, tend to be less durable and have a shorter effective life span. Our opinion is that a product that is not designed specifically and solely for wood, may not really be the best choice. We would say that repellents meet minimum protection levels, but require maintenance at least every year and often times more frequently. Also most do not have adequate UV protection (many have none at all) so the wood may still turn grey and look relatively unattractive. Stains and Common Stain Terms Transparent (Clear)
Semi-Transparent (Tinted)
Solid Color. (Covers like paint, but isn’t)
These coatings can be oil or water based based, contain pigment to provide color, and most offer protection against UV damage. They come with varying degrees of transparency, which gives you a range of options for showing off the wood grain, or covering it completely. Typically, a clear finish contains no or very little UV protection and should be avoided unless the grey, dull, weathered look is desired. We suggest penetrating oil finishes in virtually every case because maintenance is typically less intense and at a lower cost, the wood is protected from within, maintenance is generally less labor intensive, and because they just plain look better. Penetrating Stains These coatings contain pigment to provide color, and protect against UV damage. They come with varying degrees of transparency, which gives you a range of options for showing off the wood grain, or covering it completely. They are designed to penetrate the wood, thus giving the best protection, while still allowing the wood to breathe, and the natural grain of the wood to show through. Typically the darker the stain, the more UV protection is gained. In addition, the best quality stains will have fungicides, mildewcides, or algaecides (or all 3) to help prevent the growth of the same. Our primary product and the one we endorse over many others is Ready Seal. Ready Seal is professional contractor grade and not sold in the big box stores or the ‘Marts’. Exclusive to distributors who specialize in wood care and restoration, Ready Seal may cost a bit more, but is worth every penny. Ready Seal is available in several different tones to fit just about any palate and Ready Seal has always, and now (with no change in formulation like the competition) also conforms to the new for 2005 EPA regulations for VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) content. Film Forming Stains Film forming coatings are most like paint. They form a physical The upside of some file formers is that certain types, like the acrylic based finishes, are initially incredibly tough. Flood Spa & Deck is one that comes to mind as a top product in this field with exceptional performance and superior appearance. The downside is that they will eventually wear off, especially in high traffic environments and some require very regular maintenance. Further, stripping is virtually a certainty every time maintenance is required, driving the cost and the labor upward. Another consideration is that some are very difficult if not impossible to remove completely without extensive restoration operations, so color change options may be limited at best. We only suggest these types of finishes on decks that are ‘on the last legs’, where traffic is to be kept at a minimum, on vertical surfaces (as in a two tone deck), and in the case of the super tough acrylics, on boat docks. Preservatives These coatings are formulated to resist fungal attack on the wood surface, and should be used to protect any outdoor wood that is not pressure-treated, such as fences, barns, and other farm or industrial type applications. Some also offer an insecticide to protect wood in ground contact or water contact installations from termites and other wood-destroying insects. Common uses are the black colored preservative seen on pasture fences and the green colored wood coating for non-pressure treated lumber. The widespread availability and affordability of pressure treated lumber makes preservative-type finishes relatively uncommon. They are not typically used on decks or furniture. What is Ready Seal? Ready Seal is a semi-transparent sealer and stain in one. It is a unique blend of resins, pigment, oils and fungicide that penetrates deeply into wood to protect and preserve it from the elements. What colors does it come in? Ready Seal comes in seven colors: Gold, Light Brown, Medium Brown, Medium Red, Dark Brown, Dark Red, and Natural Cedar. We have found that our clients prefer the Medium Brown and the Natural Cedar by a wide margin over the other colors available. What types of wood can Ready Seal be used on? Ready Seal can be used on all types of wood. There is another formula called "Redwood Only" made for use on redwood. It is also recommended for mahogany and furniture. Does Ready Seal contain UV protection? The pigment is the UV protection. All Ready Seal colors contain transoxide pigments except the Gold. Transoxide pigments contain small pieces of metal that refract the sun. The Gold contains a clay pigment which does give some UV protection but not as much as the other colors. The darker the color the more UV protection you will have. What is solid content? Solids are defined as what percentage of the product does not evaporate into the air upon application. Based on this: the solid content in Ready Seal is between 85% and 90%. The three most important things to look at in a Semi-Transparent sealer are the resins, mildewcide, and the pigment.
Ready Seal is becoming my stain of choice on fences...This stuff looks great with 2 light to medium coats with no back brushing. We love Ready Seal! Why use anything else? Workability is great, easy to spray... Ready Seal has an average spread rate with a heavy spraying application at about 100-125 sq. ft per gallon. Penetration is the high point I think, with a massive absorption rating... Ready Seal has deeper penetration than anything I have used thus far. I liked the initial color and the color now after it is starting to settle. In comparison to other sealer/stains I would say Ready Seal has the most furniture like finished look that I have encountered with really beautiful grain accents. Think I might be moving towards Ready Seal exclusively.... Another thing I liked was that even with a really heavy wet on wet application there was no matting or sheen at all, unlike a linseed oil that is very easy to see an over-application. 2 thumbs up for Ready Seal from me. Consider applying a high-quality semitransparent stain like Ready Seal... These products have fine pigments that help overall durability. "If you have any wood that must remain in place, treat it with the stain called Ready Seal. It locks the toxins, even CCA (copper chromated arsenate), into the wood and gives it a good appearance." Penetrating oils, such as Ready Seal... easy to apply... are the best finish for decks. Some penetrating oils, such as Ready Seal, contain loads of ultra-violet inhibiting pigments, ground to near-microscopic levels... These tiny pigments, in sufficient quantities, effectively block the bulk of the UV rays from reaching the wood. |
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we then neutralize the cleaners/strippers to restore a natural Ph balance to the wood. We also apply a brightener to restore the natural bright, clean appearance of the wood. Neutralizing the cleaners/strippers and restoring the Ph balance is necessary so that wood begins its new life as close to it’s natural state as possible. This also ensures a good solid bond between the new finish and the existing wood. Many times wood that is as old as a decade or more looks brand new after this process. It is truly something to behold and continues, even after seeing it so many times, to thrill us. 
Our primary product and the one we endorse over many others is Ready Seal. Ready Seal is professional contractor grade and not sold in the big box stores or the ‘Marts’. Exclusive to distributors who specialize in
wood care and restoration, Ready Seal may cost a bit more, but is worth every penny. Among the many benefits to using Ready Seal is the ease of maintenance. While some products make incredible claims to years and years of maintenance free life, the reality is that no product can last indefinitely in our climate. Our long hot summers and high humidity wreak havoc on exterior finishes. In fact, we have found almost no finish that lasts much beyond two years on flat surfaces without need for maintenance. Ready Seal answers this by offering a product that does not require stripping for maintenance. All that is needed is a gentle wash to remove any accumulated dirt or contaminants and to then apply a light coat of product. The savings from this single aspect alone drive the overall cost of owning Ready Seal treated wood down to very affordable levels. Combine these with the incredible beauty, strength, and superiority of Ready Seal and the choice is crystal clear.
barrier between the wood and the outside world and offer tremendous protection in the short term. They may be latex (water) based, oil based, acrylic, or a combination of the above. However, they wear very fast and require continual maintenance. Film formers also tend to lock in any moisture and can rapidly accelerate wood rot as shown in this photo of cedar that was painted when wet. Cedar, when properly maintained, will last well beyond our lifetime. This bit here lasted less than 10 years. |
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A Professional Power Wash, Power Washers of North America |
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