Save Your Deck!
If deck restoration is in your plans, then take the time to understand what is involved in bringing your deck back to life. Although it may look beyond repair, you may be surprised to see the difference after stripping the wood and applying a quailty sealer. Remember when picking a color espeically semi-transparent stains, darker colors last longer. Clear or natural sealers are best saved for the interior.
After Stripping and One Coat of Sealer
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Deck Restoration
Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Percarbonate and Sodium Hypochlorite are the three main cleaning agents used in deck restoration. Each chemical has its place in the cleaning process, however, knowing when and how to use each one is often misunderstood.
Sodium Hydroxide, the strongest of the three, can be used either as a mild cleaner or when mixed properly, an aggressive stripping agent. Sold over the counter it is one of the main ingredients found in oven cleaners, dish washing liquid, stain removers, degreasers and deck cleaners as well as a host of other products. City municipalities even use it in the purification process of drinking water.
In deck restoration it is used to remove mildew, grayed out wood fibers and oil based stains and sealers. With proper dilution it can be applied to the wood preferably by spraying but also can be brushed on. It is very important to note that proper safety measures be taken when using this method and all instructions should be closely followed. Never mix water into Sodium Hydroxide. Instead, always mix the chemical into the water slowly and carefully. Mixing water to the chemical first causes a reaction that produces an enormous amount of heat and fumes. Safety goggles and gloves are mandatory as well as other protective clothing. Also, this chemical will kill grass and plants as well as stain glass, siding and other surfaces. If you are not sure about how to use this product, it is strongly recommended to find a professional who does. This is nothing to play with.
If there is no sealer on the deck or if only traces remain, a mild solution of Sodium Hydroxide and a good surfactant can be applied and allowed to dwell for a predermined length of time. This allows the mixture to soften up the surface contaminants and degraded wood. A scratch test can be preformed to determine how easily the deck will clean up. If it is hard to remove, either more mixture will have to be applied and/or more dwell time allowed. If it is determined to be at a point that it can be removed, then a pressure washer will be used to remove a very thin layer of the degraded wood and any stain or other contaminants such as mildew, grill grease, flower pot stains, etc.
Care must be taken when using a pressure washer. If someone is not familiar with using a pressure washer, irreversible damage to the wood can occur causing costly replacement of decking boards or handrails. Actually, less than 1000 psi / of pressure is needed. Water pressure is not as important as water volume. The more water, the more cleaning and rinsing power. At the very least, 4gpm is needed to properly remove the unwanted material. This rules out most homeowner type pressure washers which usually rate less than 3gpm (gallons per minute.)
Sodium Percarbonate is the same chemical found in the popular “Oxy Clean” products advertised on television. A non-chlorine cleaner, it is a good choice as a deck cleaner when a less aggressive cleaning or stripping is needed. Although it may remove some stain residue that may be left intact, it is better suited for the removal of mildew, dirt, light grease spots and gray, degraded wood. It will not harm grass or most surfaces if properly rinsed.
It is mixed to a predetermined solution depending on the severity of the job, allowed to dwell and removed with a pressure washer as with the Sodium Hydroxide. With this product it is advised to only mix what can be used in a couple of hours as it looses it cleaning power over time.
This is a good, less aggressive cleaner that can be used where there may be delicate plants and flowers in the area or animals in close proximity. Safer for the homeowner to use than that of the more aggressive strippers, it will clean the wood well enough that a sealer can be reapplied with decent results.
Sodium Hypochlorite is chlorine found in typical household bleach. Used as a disinfectant and sanitizer, it is excellent in removing and killing mold and mildew. It does little however in removing dirt and other contaminants.
Many homeowners and some less informed contractors use bleach to clean decks and other wood surfaces. There are a few things that need to be considered when using this method for cleaning wood.
Most importantly, chlorine bleach (Sodium Hypochlorite) is one of the main chemical compounds used in paper mills to brake down the wood fibers in the paper manufacturing process. Chlorine desinagrates the lignin in the wood which is the glue that holds the wood fibers together in the wood. Once the lignin is removed the fibers are reduced to a pulp that then is extruded through a series of rollers that expels the water and leaves a paper substance after it dries.
The point is that too strong of a chlorine mixture can destroy the wood fibers in the deck.
If bleach is poured onto a piece of wood and allowed to dwell any length of time, you can take a stick and actually scrape away a significant layer of the wood. If you examine it, you will find that it has turned the wood to pulp. Not only does this destroy the wood, but it is almost impossible to rinse all of the bleach from the wood. If you put bleach on your fingers and try to rinse it off, you will find that it is very slippery and very hard to remove it from your fingers. This indicates a high ph level. The same thing is true with the wood. So there ends up being a bleach or stripper residue left on and in the wood. Not the ideal situation to be applying a new finish. Since these chemicals are hard to completely rinse from the wood even after copious amounts of rinse water, the wood will still have a high ph level. To counter this, the wood has to be neutralized to lower the ph level in order to stop any damage to the wood and also interfering with the new finish. To do this Oxalic Acid is used. Applied by sprayer, the acid lowers the ph level of the wood and at the same time brightens the wood. This process whether intentional or not, is often overlooked by the homeowner and painters during the deck or log home restoration process leaving residual amounts of chemical in the wood. Again, not the ideal situation to be applying a new finish.
Also, chlorine by itself does little for cleaning dirt and other contaminants. Therefore a detergent must be added. TSP (trisodium phosphate) is a good cleaning agent mixed properly. TSP is a derivative of borax and care must be taken when applying to any surface. Be sure to never let it dry on glass or certain metals.
Chlorine does have its place in the cleaning process. Mixed properly and applied sparingly, it is the best method of not just removing mold, mildew and algae, but also killing the mildew spores deep into the wood cells. Used properly, chlorine can do an excellent job without damaging the wood, but it must be used correctly and must be neutralized to achieve good results without damaging the wood.
Remember, the key to a long lasting stain is properly cleaned and dry wood. Anything that will interfere with the performance of the sealer; existing stains, dirt, mildew, chemical residue or moisture must be completely removed using one of the cleaning methods, neutralized with an acid bath and allowed to dry. Dry is defined as moisture content of at least 15% or lower. Anything higher and the oil stain will not absorb properly into the wood.
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LOG ROT PROBLEMS
Probably the first place to expect log rot on your log home is at the deck. If your deck is under roof, great, but most decks are exposed to the weather. For the most part, decks are constructed out of material that can withstand the elements, the most popular being pressure treated lumber. However, the log wall the deck is attatched to generally is only coated with a semi-transparent stain, that while intact will provide protection, but too often is neglected, opening the door to mildew problems and even wood rot.
When rain water runs off the roof and onto the deck, it will splash back onto the logs, keeping the wood wet. Oftentimes the wall will be shaded either from trees or even from the eaves of the house making it hard to dry out. With a failing stain and exposed wood, you have a recipe for log rot.
Replacing logs can get expensive, especially if it involves outside or inside corners. Even replacing with 1/2 logs is labor instensive. Therefore, a solution must be found to resolve this problem.
There are several options available. Some better than others. The first thing however is to keep a quailty sealer on the logs and then explore other ways to protect the wood. The last option is log replacement. Don’t let it get to that point. A few dollars in a gallon of stain can save several thousands in replacement.
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Some jobs, depending on what is required, will be accessed using different lifts. This job was 3 stories to the peak so for safety reasons a 36′ lift was used because of the difficulty at removing the finish. 
We always put safety first. Even the smallest accident is one too many!
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Back to Black Mountain
Be on the road next two days. Better keep the cell charged up.
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Log Home Restoration:Facts About Painting Trim
Applied 2 coats Benjamin Moore latex semi-gloss
[/caption]Most log home restoration consists of stripping off failed finishes, caulking and or chinking and applying a new sealer. However, there are a few log homes that accent the trim, doors and windows and maybe the shutters to contrast with the logs. Although I prefer a solid oil stain rather than a latex paint, some homeowners want to use paint.
Painting the trim with contrasting colors or shades can make your home look great and really make it “pop”. You can personalize it by adding as much detail as you like, but appearance is not everything. The main purpose is to protect the wood.
Painting as with staining requires preparation. There are a few basic steps to doing it the proper way, and you get out of it what you put into it. With the amount of labor involved to apply the paint, it is worth putting forth the extra effort to insure that the paint will adhere properly resulting in maximum performance.
To prepare your home for a fresh coat of paint, it first should be cleaned thoroughly.
The best method is pressure cleaning using a chlorine and TSP (trisodium phosphate) solution. Chlorine is used to kill and remove mildew from the painted surface while the TSP removes dirt, pollen, grease and other pollutants. The TSP also removes any glossy finish that will hinder proper adhesion of the new coating. This is normally done along with the overall house preparation.
After cleaning, a close inspection should reveal any problems with insects, loose or missing nails or screws as well as any wood rot or other damage. Rot or soft wood needs to be addressed at this point. Depending on the severity of the wood rot will dictate what repairs will be needed.
Loose and flaking paint should first be scraped, then sanded and feathered out leaving a smooth transition from the bare wood to the existing painted wood so as not to leave any visible lines or ridges that may show when the final coat of paint is applied. Once sanded, a good primer should be applied followed by the top coat. Caulking around windows, doors and trim should be inspected and replaced if dried out and cracked using a high quality latex caulk.
At this point, the woodwork is ready for coating. Make sure to use the best paint you can afford for your project. With such an undertaken, the longevity of the paint will determine how long before the process will have to be repeated. The better the paint, the longer it will last. Because of the relatively small amount of wood involved, the preferred application method is by brush. Spraying can be used, but must always be back brushed and trimmed out so as to work the paint into the wood to achieve proper coverage and adhesion. Spraying alone only allows the paint to set on the surface. On larger log home restoration projects or multiple units, it may be beneficial to spray, but be sure to mask off and tape surrounding areas from overspray. If the wind is blowing at all, be careful. Paint spray can travel a great distance and settle as far away as the neighbor’s deck, car or other horizontal surfaces.
Following these simple but necessary steps will insure that your log home will be protected from the elements for many years to come. Taking short cuts in the preparation, using inferior products and improper application will not only shorten the lifespan of the paint, but will make it more difficult to prepare the surface the next time painting is needed.
On your next exterior painting project, take the time to do it right and it will not only look great, but also last for many years. In the meantime, if you have any question, contact us, we love to help.
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TASKMASTERS WOOD MAINTENANCE
My wife will soon be offering rustic interior design with country flair for log home owners. She has been asked many times to help with decorating new and vacation log homes so we have decided to offer it as another service to help meet the needs of our coustomers. Stay tuned for more information. I must say although she is my wife, she really has a gift for the country look. If you like the inside of Cracker Barrel Restaurant, you will like her style!
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Log Home Restoration Video
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