I recently got SoftWash Systems certified like in September. My business is rolling but I have met my first challenge that I need help with. I don't remember much about wood wash in the certification process. I landed an all Cedar restraunt bid see pictures below. Does anyone who uses wood wash and wood restore have any suggestions do's and do not's?
Just do a small demo before you submit bid. Also make sure you include cleaning the roof.
Travis Gomez said
Dec 14, 2016
Thanks Tim When I do the small demo what should I be looking for to tell me to stop and change what I am doing? Will wood Wash at 1 or 2 % bleach out the wood or is it case by case? Thank you for your help!
Terry said
Dec 14, 2016
Travis
I did a similar job couple months back on a hunting lodge in a heavily wooded area. I used 3% Sh mix with 1oz per gallon of wood wash. I followed up with 1oz of wood restore when the wood was still damp. Owners were amazed at the results.i have pictures but not sure how to post here. I can email or text them to you.
Travis Gomez said
Dec 14, 2016
Thank you Terry please text them to 225-614-8309 I appreciate the advise.
John Aloisio said
Dec 14, 2016
Travis,
Pre-wet the surface lightly. Start with a 1.5%or 2 % mix, because you can always increase. The wood looks pretty decent and will clean up nicely. Work from the bottom up, when you can, to avoid streaking especially at siding seams and window trim corners. Spray and rinse heavily. If the results are desired and it is not too blotchy, which could require another coat, apply Wood Restore. We use the dial type sprayers and we like to apply at 2-3 ounces per gallon. It is a little heavy than required, but comes out little better in my opinion.
Couple of things to know...If the wood was sealed or stained, it might clean up a little blotchy or off shade. When you go to do the demo, wet a little piece of it with plain water and see if it beads up or is absorbed. If it beads, it might require more chems and multiple coats. It also could have some residual sealer/stain left on it in areas. Set the customers expectations and when you exceed them, they will be pleasantly surprised.
Travis Gomez said
Dec 14, 2016
Thank You John Will do!
John Aloisio said
Dec 14, 2016
Here a few pics of jobs we did recently. The single pic of the cedar siding, you can see how we the wood was. It was stained previously but you can see the difference when sprayed, how the black algae disappears. The other pics are shake siding and roof. The before and after of the side of the house is still wet, so I also posted a pic of the front of the house after Wood Restore applied and dried. I wanted to show the brightening action.
-- Edited by John Aloisio on Wednesday 14th of December 2016 09:12:43 AM
John's advice is spot on. Also I see Japanese Maple trees up close against the siding - make sure and pre-wet and keep those rinsed thoroughly during. Soak the soil with water.
Sometimes it is not a bad idea to let the customer know that these maples are sensitive to the salt in our solutions, and they may drop some leaves, but that they will come back in a week or two. This way, they don't freak out!
AC Lockyer said
Dec 20, 2016
Thanks for jumping in team!
AC
Travis Gomez said
Dec 27, 2016
Thank you all for your help with this one. I had to leave this job together to work around the restaurants open hours so the siding was first see pictures below. I will be back to do the roof and parking lot this weekend. The parking lot has some heavily Oil stained areas does any one have any tips on how to treat those areas?
You'll want to apply some Terra Wash onto the oil stains. I find it is sometimes beneficial to go with a pump up sprayer the day before and pre-treat the stains and let them soak overnight. If not possible, let it dwell for at least 30 minutes. Sometimes 2-3 applications are needed. In either case, let it dwell, agitate, then rinse. Hot water rinse is best to loosen and dislodge oils. Make sure you use an oil filter sock, like Faythworx BatGuard Pro and don't let dislodged oils enter the storm drains.
This looks great ! Good job tackling a commercial prop like that~
Troy Layman said
Jan 6, 2017
Excellent job! Looks like some good photos for advertising too!
Travis Gomez said
Jan 6, 2017
Brandon thank you for the tips for the parking lot/drive through. Thank you all for the kind words let's link up my LinkedIn address is http://linkedin.com/in/hydro-clean-soft-washing-749a25128 or just search Hydro Clean Soft Washing and friend me on Facebook @hydrocleanla I wouldn't mind having a few more likes on mypost and I'm sure I could learn a few things from halls as well.
see y'all in a few weeks!
Chad Eneix said
Jan 6, 2017
A tip when cleaning at a restaurant, a good "add-on" is to itemize all the signage and any parking lot lights. Remove the lenses or plastic and get out all the cobwebs and dead bugs, clean the lenses, and replace any bulbs if necessary. If the light or sign is sealed well and not full of stuff, just clean with a water-fed pole and pure water. I had been neglecting this for years until a customer asked me to do it. Now I offer it to all applicable commercial customers.
Travis Gomez said
Jan 6, 2017
Thank you Chad I will have to start adding those items to my scope of work.
Chad Eneix said
Jan 6, 2017
I'm sure it's obvious, but kill the breakers first. Sign cleaning, if the job is fairly easy, can be a good "free" item to give the customer a sense of value, and/or get them to bite if they are on the fence.
Travis Gomez said
Jan 6, 2017
You are dead on Chad I will post some before and after shots of the sign in the parking lot. it's half molded so it should look nice when I'm done.
Chris Mozick said
Jan 18, 2017
Make sure you rinse rinse rinse oh and don't forget to rinse
I recently got SoftWash Systems certified like in September. My business is rolling but I have met my first challenge that I need help with. I don't remember much about wood wash in the certification process. I landed an all Cedar restraunt bid see pictures below. Does anyone who uses wood wash and wood restore have any suggestions do's and do not's?
Travis,
Pre-wet the surface lightly. Start with a 1.5%or 2 % mix, because you can always increase. The wood looks pretty decent and will clean up nicely. Work from the bottom up, when you can, to avoid streaking especially at siding seams and window trim corners. Spray and rinse heavily. If the results are desired and it is not too blotchy, which could require another coat, apply Wood Restore. We use the dial type sprayers and we like to apply at 2-3 ounces per gallon. It is a little heavy than required, but comes out little better in my opinion.
Couple of things to know...If the wood was sealed or stained, it might clean up a little blotchy or off shade. When you go to do the demo, wet a little piece of it with plain water and see if it beads up or is absorbed. If it beads, it might require more chems and multiple coats. It also could have some residual sealer/stain left on it in areas. Set the customers expectations and when you exceed them, they will be pleasantly surprised.
Here a few pics of jobs we did recently. The single pic of the cedar siding, you can see how we the wood was. It was stained previously but you can see the difference when sprayed, how the black algae disappears. The other pics are shake siding and roof. The before and after of the side of the house is still wet, so I also posted a pic of the front of the house after Wood Restore applied and dried. I wanted to show the brightening action.
-- Edited by John Aloisio on Wednesday 14th of December 2016 09:12:43 AM
John's advice is spot on. Also I see Japanese Maple trees up close against the siding - make sure and pre-wet and keep those rinsed thoroughly during. Soak the soil with water.
Sometimes it is not a bad idea to let the customer know that these maples are sensitive to the salt in our solutions, and they may drop some leaves, but that they will come back in a week or two. This way, they don't freak out!
AC
Thank you all for your help with this one. I had to leave this job together to work around the restaurants open hours so the siding was first see pictures below. I will be back to do the roof and parking lot this weekend. The parking lot has some heavily Oil stained areas does any one have any tips on how to treat those areas?
Nice results Travis!
You'll want to apply some Terra Wash onto the oil stains. I find it is sometimes beneficial to go with a pump up sprayer the day before and pre-treat the stains and let them soak overnight. If not possible, let it dwell for at least 30 minutes. Sometimes 2-3 applications are needed. In either case, let it dwell, agitate, then rinse. Hot water rinse is best to loosen and dislodge oils. Make sure you use an oil filter sock, like Faythworx BatGuard Pro and don't let dislodged oils enter the storm drains.
http://faythworx.com/?page_id=115
Brandon thank you for the tips for the parking lot/drive through. Thank you all for the kind words let's link up my LinkedIn address is http://linkedin.com/in/hydro-clean-soft-washing-749a25128 or just search Hydro Clean Soft Washing and friend me on Facebook @hydrocleanla I wouldn't mind having a few more likes on mypost and I'm sure I could learn a few things from halls as well.
see y'all in a few weeks!
Thank you Chad I will have to start adding those items to my scope of work.
You are dead on Chad I will post some before and after shots of the sign in the parking lot. it's half molded so it should look nice when I'm done.