# It's Deck season...



## ExcelPaintingCo

We've been maintaining this Ipe wood deck since new. This is it's fourth year, and maintenance coating. We strip, brighten, and buff every year. The product is Messmer's UV Plus hardwood oil.






We also maintain their teak wood storage boxes and table with chairs (not pictured).


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## Red dog

It's a beautiful deck. Great work!!


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## woodcoyote

Cool stuff. Kind of a moder. Design. Nice looking wood


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## Phinnster

Do u strip it every year ?
What stripper / cleaner do u use?


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## ExcelPaintingCo

Phinnster said:


> Do u strip it every year ? What stripper / cleaner do u use?


 I've been using the BM chemicals. They love the new-clean look, otherwise we could have just cleaned and recoated.


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## wje

Wow, that is a thing of beauty.


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## ExcelPaintingCo

wje said:


> Wow, that is a thing of beauty.


 the lift-and-slide door is a real thing of beauty. All three panels roll into the wall to completely open up the house to the deck. That's 4 year old,mahogany color, Sikkens Cetol 1,2,3+ on the exterior of the doors, btw. We've only done one maintenance on the doors last year.


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## Phinnster

Thats nice 
Was going to say strippimg every year is over kiill but it really isn't 
Nothing hold up on decks 

This is our first year where we have seen dek fail 
Brutal winter 
Just wish homeowners realized coatimgs domt last long on decks

Do u like the messmers ?


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## wje

ExcelPaintingCo said:


> the lift-and-slide door is a real thing of beauty. All three panels roll into the wall to completely open up the house to the deck. That's 4 year old,mahogany color, Sikkens Cetol 1,2,3+ on the exterior of the doors, btw. We've only done one maintenance on the doors last year.


We stayed In a luxury condo in Hawaii on our honeymoon... They had 2 of those doors that slid into the wall making the whole front of the ocean view wife open. It was breathtaking


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## Damon T

Dang those look nice!!


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## D&K Custom

Holding up well! Nice looking deck!


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## ExcelPaintingCo

Phinnster said:



> Do u like the messmers ?


It seems to do a good job on Ipe, although I doubt if it's any better than the other hardwood oils out there. We used it because it was on the the architect's specs. 

Originally the GC pre-finished it with one coat, then we top coated it following installation. The following spring it was covered with imbedded mold. I imagine that was due to lack of prep before pre-finishing, since we washed it prior to top coating. The homeowners concern turned to delight after we stripped and finished it that second year. Now that's what he wants every year. Since there hasn't been a reoccurring mold issue, I think a simple wash/recoat would suffice, but don't mind the extra work either. 

TWP-100 series is my favorite deck finish otherwise.


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## ExcelPaintingCo

wje said:


> We stayed In a luxury condo in Hawaii on our honeymoon... They had 2 of those doors that slid into the wall making the whole front of the ocean view wife open. It was breathtaking


 That sounds like an amazing honeymoon! It must have been a very nice place. Those doors cost big $$$!


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## wje

ExcelPaintingCo said:


> That sounds like an amazing honeymoon! It must have been a very nice place. Those doors cost big $$$!


Yea. It was a sweet honeymoon lol. The places we stayed at started at $2mill for ground floor and went up the higher you got. Prices have tripled since we stayed at the per night rate so we will probably never be able tongo back, but it was something special


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## GHP

Looks Fantastic!


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## Seth The Painter

One of the nicer deck jobs I've Seen in a while.


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## Phinnster

Just looking over this post again 
Excell do u know of any articles where it will tell If a clean or brightner is needed 
As apposed to say a strip job 
Also when you are stripping are you chemical stripping then brightening ?

I have a hard time knowing when a brightner is a good idea 
Recently we recoated a deck ( real small ) that was previously done by home owner with super deck oil 
It looked fine and we simply re coated it 
It turned black instantly and I should have known this but didn't think it would 

I guess I am always looking for info on cleaning process for natural work


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## racx

Cleaner and brightner go hand in hand in my opinion. The cleaner raises the alkali level in wood the brightner brings it a back to its acidic level that wood naturally is. As far as stripping well that depends on the condition of it and what the home owner wants or is paying for


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## ExcelPaintingCo

Phinnster said:


> Just looking over this post again Excell do u know of any articles where it will tell If a clean or brightner is needed As apposed to say a strip job Also when you are stripping are you chemical stripping then brightening ? I have a hard time knowing when a brightner is a good idea Recently we recoated a deck ( real small ) that was previously done by home owner with super deck oil It looked fine and we simply re coated it It turned black instantly and I should have known this but didn't think it would I guess I am always looking for info on cleaning process for natural work


 We only brighten after stripping, as it only seems to visually affect bare wood, as opposed to wood with an existing coating. A thorough rinsing seems to suffice after cleaning. With semi-trans deck finishes, stacking coats year-after-year, usually results in darkening. This particular home owner really likes the new, bright natural finish look of his Ipe. That is why we choose to strip every year. It also completely eliminates any possibility of entrapping any mold between coats, which will really darken it.

The difference between cleaning and stripping this ipe deck are relatively small. There is so little finish remaining on the surface after a year that I could probably strip it by only pressure washing. However, that can be more damaging to the wood, so we use a relatively light mix of sodium hydroxide to strip, mild acid to brighten, and a light power buffing to remove any loose wood fibers. The buffing step is very important after stripping ipe, as the loose fibers will cause the finish to flash with light yellowish splotchy patches, when they are allowed to remain on the surface. I learned that lesson the hard way, once upon a time.


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## doctors11

ExcelPaintingCo said:


> We only brighten after stripping, as it only seems to visually affect bare wood, as opposed to wood with an existing coating. A thorough rinsing seems to suffice after cleaning. With semi-trans deck finishes, stacking coats year-after-year, usually results in darkening. This particular home owner really likes the new, bright natural finish look of his Ipe. That is why we choose to strip every year. It also completely eliminates any possibility of entrapping any mold between coats, which will really darken it.
> 
> The difference between cleaning and stripping this ipe deck are relatively small. There is so little finish remaining on the surface after a year that I could probably strip it by only pressure washing. However, that can be more damaging to the wood, so we use a relatively light mix of sodium hydroxide to strip, mild acid to brighten, and a light power buffing to remove any loose wood fibers. The buffing step is very important after stripping ipe, as the loose fibers will cause the finish to flash with light yellowish splotchy patches, when they are allowed to remain on the surface. I learned that lesson the hard way, once upon a time.


 How do you go about buffing the wood?


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## ExcelPaintingCo

We willl rent a power floor buffer/cleaner. The type that use abrasive pads. Similar to a large, thick, circular, scotch-bright pad. HD has them for rent.


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## doctors11

So that does a good job of removing the dead fibers/fuzzies without closing up the grain?


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## stelzerpaintinginc.

doctors11 said:


> So that does a good job of removing the dead fibers/fuzzies without closing up the grain?



Go to www.loghomestore.com and search for Osborn Brush. Best tool for that job IMO.


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## ExcelPaintingCo

doctors11 said:


> So that does a good job of removing the dead fibers/fuzzies without closing up the grain?


 The buffer takes the dead fibers down very easily, without planing or leaving swirls. Due to the thickness and forgiveness of the buffing pad (as opposed to a floor sander), the boards don't all have to be pool-table-level to evenly buff the surface clean. The coarse pads make the wood look similar to if it were sanded with 60-80 grit. 

The trick to opening the grain of ipe is to wipe the wood with acetone immediately before applying stain. That is said to eliminate some of the natural surface oils of the wood, and allow the new oil finish to better absorb.


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## ExcelPaintingCo

stelzerpaintinginc. said:


> Go to www.loghomestore.com and search for Osborn Brush. Best tool for that job IMO.


 that's would be a lot of slow, hands-n-knees, work on a large deck floor. The floor buffer makes it relatively easier IMO.


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## doctors11

Is there such a thing as an Osborn brush floor machine?


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## I paint paint

doctors11 said:


> Is there such a thing as an Osborn brush floor machine?


Maybe, sort of, if you move up to really, really big decks.


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## doctors11

I paint paint said:


> Maybe, sort of, if you move up to really, really big decks.


 Ha! Not quite what I had in mind...:no:


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## stelzerpaintinginc.

doctors11 said:


> Is there such a thing as an Osborn brush floor machine?



Yes they do. I certainly wasn't referring to a single brush attached to a grinder.


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## thomasj

The deck looks awesome!


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