What sealer/preservative will you use this season?

With all the wood care products out there on the market today it can make choosing a product difficult. Expecially when you consider the differences in climate, wear and tear, and the lack of shade on a deck.

What products are your favorite? This should be based on cost, ease of applying, penetration of the compound and how well it holds up under use by the clients.

There are too many products out there for me to list so I'm just going to post some of the store baught stuff and some of the preservative agents I can think of off the top of my head. If you use something I did not list, please add it to the thread.

I like Cuprinol from Sherwin Williams. It holds up well and has a huge selection of colors. They offer solids, semi transparent, and water based stains. I mostly stay with the oil based semi trans myself.

I will again stay with my favorite, ReadySeal. This will be my fourth season using it and well worth using it in every way.

I will add a little more in the use of WoodTux. This sealer I use primarily on Old wood that needs coating type finish to make it look good. The finding I have with woodtux's finish are that it is a penetrating sealer but has a little more of a coating effect on the top outer layer. Old wood really can use this, where as any other wood I will put on ReadySeal.

The primary colors I use are Natural Cedar for wood that brightened very light, almost a pine color bright. All other will get the light brown. The light brown gives the color for my area equall to western red cedar when it is wet. This is the look I strive for in every deck.

For the two tones, I use cuprinal pastel white with either Lt. Brown or Natural Cedar.

Reed

Ready Seal - is there any other kind?

Until theres something better, I will stick with Ready Seal.

I use the natural cedar on pine or light wood. I use light brown on cedar.

Last summer, I restored and sealed an old wooden bridge made out of pine. I used a mixture that Reed told me about. I used 3 gallons of natural cedar and one gallon of light brown mixture - it was beautiful. I also use 3 gallons of light brown and one gallon of natural cedar on this deck made of cedar - once again, turned our great.


Mike

Do you have to brush with Cuprinol? Are there lap marks? I often thought about trying it.

ya missed one (CABOT)

Anybody using cabot ? We have been looking to change. Although we have been using Wolman/Olympic and they have held up well. We try to stay with just semi-transparent, but we did do a few solids last year. Just hope they forget my number three years from now. Dont want to have remove the stuff. We have been looking at Cabot, Superdek and Wood Tux. Ready Seal I have not thought of maybe I should.

I think I will put a post for best product views.

I havent tried wood tux yet but I have been using ready seal with excellent results. No runs, lap marks and if it rains shortly after being sealed it doesnt trash the colering. I have used Olympic stains in the past but I hate them, they only coat the surface and they come off very easily with foot traffic.
When I researched ready seal I found an overwhelming response that people just loved it. My second year using it now and I have to agree I havent found anything as "easy" to work with yet. Too bad I can't buy it locally.

Hey henry. What kind of difference did you see in coverage ? I dont think we are getting the coverage with wolman/olympic that we should. Maybe ready seal is better. Also, I tried to locate wood tux on the net but cant find a website for them. Anybody know ?

There is only one place to get wood tux that I know of and thats at the grimescene. The online store for see dirt run. Beth said she was going to drop off a sample for me so I can try it out but we all just got back from the convention so I'm sure she's been to busy to deal with it yet. From what I hear its pretty similiar to ready seal but I prefer using products that have been on the market for a few years and where I can get ahold of them easier. I also want to see if there are any long term problems.
Just having a couple distributers doesnt exactly thrill me since that's what I had with abrx100 and most people don't carry it anymore. In fact, I don't think anyone does around here this year.
I really don't want to deal with being limited to one resource for my sealers again. Nothing against see dirt but with only one distributer they can charge whatever they want and if something happens I'm left hanging with no product when I have already contracted to use it. Last year I had to beg, borrow and steal to get it to finish two jobs.. Finally I had to change the contract to ready seal which I could get much easier.
I'll give wood tux a shot though when I get some and let you know what I think of it.

As for coverage with Olympic stains... I get about the same coverage with ready seal but it penetrates into the wood so the stain doesnt scrape off like olympics. I used olympics natural seal on part of my deck and it didnt last long at all. The ready seal and abr x100 are holding up just fine. abr x100 really stinks though for about a week and I hate the smell. Not as much as my wife though. <G>

I really don't want to deal with being limited to one resource for my sealers again. Nothing against see dirt but with only one distributer they can charge whatever they want and if something happens I'm left hanging with no product when I have already contracted to use it. Last year I had to beg, borrow and steal to get it to finish two jobs.. Finally I had to change the contract to ready seal which I could get much easier.

Click to expand...

Henry,
The product's SRP is determined by the manufacturer in this case, not by us. ESI prices it.

Also, your post seems a bit unclear above...some could read it as we left you hanging and you switched to another product. You have never purchased from us before. Just wanted to make sure that was clear.

Beth

What products are your favorite? This should be based on cost, ease of applying, penetration of the compound and how well it holds up under use by the clients.

I don't do decks but I do see something missing here and I also see it as an attack on a competitor who also has a retail sales division.

Henry you put COST as the primary reason for what you buy, I put QUALITY as primary and perhaps that is the difference in what Beth sales and what you buy.

I am going to say something here and I don't come here often but so many of your post attack Beth in so many words it shows your true colors.

Why not stop putting her down and start being a person who can stand up without picking on one person.

Beth said she was going to drop off a sample for me so I can try it out but we all just got back from the convention so I'm sure she's been to busy to deal with it yet.

So drive over and pick it up, your close to her. Or are you trying to make it look like she is not willing to give you that sample?

To many times when you talk about something that has to do with Beth you attack her so what is your problem here?

Jealous they do better work, have more customers, have a better product?

I would guess that most the better products would hold up equally well, not run and come close to matching the shade the customer wants.

You live fairly close to Beth if I am correct so why not just drive over and pick up that sample if you truly want to test it, then with a clear mind be 100% honest on your opinion of it which I doubt you would be.

Henry I see a pattern with you and that is attack Beth every chance you get since your local competitors, or are you really on their level or a few lower then Beth and Rod?


Jon

Henry,
The product's SRP is determined by the manufacturer in this case, not by us. ESI prices it.

Also, your post seems a bit unclear above...some could read it as we left you hanging and you switched to another product. You have never purchased from us before. Just wanted to make sure that was clear.

Beth



Hi Beth,

I did say that I had not tried wood tux yet so I could not give my opinion on it. As far as I know, it's the only sealer you carry so I don't think there is much of a chance of something thinking I bought abrx100 from you.
We both know that I have never purchased anything from you yet. Hopefully that will clear up any misunderstandings that you were concerned with,
I'm sure your products are fine I just haven't tested them out yet. When I have the time I might walk the two blocks over to your house and check them out if your home.

By SRP, you mean suggested retail price I believe, not set representatives price right?
If so, that would mean you do make a profit from the product (which is understandable) I'm going to guess that you could change the price if you see fit. (not that I would since people are buying it at the price your selling it at now) That's just business and we all do it with our products and our services.
As for what you charge for wood tux, that's none of my business you can charge what the manufacturer states or not.

The local distributor I used to get abr from just quit carrying the product so now it's almost impossible to find. I'm sure he had his reasons for doing so but he won't explain, that's another reason why I quit using it. If he can't explain it there may be something going on that I'm not aware of at the purchaser level. I'm a firm believer in covering my butt.

My point was, I don't like being limited to one local distributor for a product, no matter how good it is because I would be at the mercy of one source for my sealer again.
I'm really not trying to make this out to be negative towards see dirt run or the grimescene so don't take this personally it's just the way I run my business.

Lets take you and your products out of the loop since as I said earlier, I have never purchased anything from you or either of your companies, and I don't want you to think that I'm saying anything against you as a distributor so don't take this personally....

This is a thread I created, because I wanted to find out what other companies have used, and will use this season.
Usually I will just email people I know or call them and chat. With all the people on this BBS I thought this might give us all more information and background on products.

I personally would not use any product no matter how good it was, (even if it applied itself to the deck on its own) if I had to rely on one source to get it.
I see no reason to leave myself to the mercy of one distributor that may change prices, product lines. Or something with a limited length of history.
I like my products to be used for at least three years in different areas, with different lumber and different conditions of exposure and use. This way, I can get a better feel on how well a product will work and if I can expect it to work well for at least three years.
I hate stripping decks, so I would not want to have to do it, if I found out a new product didn't work well for a three to five year timeline.

As I said in an earlier post, one time I had a problem with the prices for abrx100 going up each year ($7) per gallon when I had set up maintenance contracts with it for many clients. For three years I was stuck in these contracts and I had to honor them by finding the product when my local source stopped carrying them last year.
After taking a day long in depth certification class with them and spending money to take it I'm not real happy about not being able to use it any longer. It is/was a great product if you were standing upwind of it for a few days and the decks I had maintenance contracts on still look great this year but it's just not worth the headaches anymore.
I have switched over to ready seal which I can get much easier, better prices, with the same results, actually even better without that damn smell. <G>

In closing, if anyone has ever used abrx100 or other products and your tired of dealing with similar issues I would suggest checking out other products and this poll should make that easier for you.

Hey Jon, I'm not sure why you think I'm putting anyone down here. I'm only saying what I do and how I base what products I use. For you to ask if I'm on someone else's level or below sounds more like I'm the one being put down here, not Beth.

As I said in the very beginning of this thread "What products are your favorite? This should be based on cost, ease of applying, penetration of the compound and how well it holds up under use by the clients." This means quality also since the best products do hold up better under use from our clients.

I'm not here to make enemies but I do not think its appropriate to say someone's companies or values or experience are less than anyone else's. I've been operating in my area for almost 15 years now. No one on this list knows each other well enough to make an assumption on what a companies values are so lets not take pot shots okay?

Obviously your a friend of Beth and I would like to consider myself one of her and Rod's friends also and we do chat on occasion when were both able to. When I make a post on this BBS I'm talking about my opinions and experience this is business for me. My personal friendships have nothing to do with what products I use or don't use.
Beth and I are professionals and I highly doubt that she's taking this thread personally it just happens to be about products and she carries one of the products on the poll. I put wood tux in there because I want to see what others have to say about it so I can get a feel for it. If nothing else, it may help her sell more product so what's the problem?
I never intended for this whole thread to turn into some kind of Beth topic, this is about sealers I didn't mention Beth or anything about her until someone asked me about it and I simply stated that I had not used it yet. Yes, Beth and I do live close to each other and we will both be at the roundtable on Saturday. Just because we live close to each other doesn't mean were both home at the same time for me to get some wood tux and even if I could right now. It's too cold to test it here.
As for the rest of this discussion it doesn't have anything to do with the main focus here. Why don't we talk about that? Should I put you down for a wood tux fan or what do you use?

Reply

Henry and I spoke today and I think this is one of those situations where the typed word is different than the intent. Henry was/is just trying to get a feel for what products others are using and what others are trying. He is having a problem with a supplier and just trying to get the lay of the land so to speak. I agree with Henry about not having all your eggs in one basket for just the reason he explains. I know where this could go, let's get back to who is using what and why. I personally am a Cabot fan.

Everett,

Question on Cabot. Why do ya use it over the other brands ? We have been considering changing to Cabot. I like the fact that they offer free sample cans. But I am really worried about coverage area. Can you give me some insight ?

Henry it would not be fair to put me down as a fan of any wood product since I don't use or do wood sealing.

I believe you know I tend to read things that may or may not be as intended and reply accordingly and there are times I hit that nail squarly on the head and times I smack my fingernail instead and scream out in pain.

You and I have never met nor talked either by Email or phone so don't take what I said as an attack against you personally, it was how I read it that looked like you were sort of saying only Beth has that product and you would rather others carry it so you can chose who to buy from.

As far as being able to have more then one supplier for an item I am with you there, be it sealer or any other product, one might be out of it when you need it most and if no other supplier has it your out of a job or have to go redo it to make things match.

Expect a call from me someday, and it won't be at 9 AM your time since I will still be sleeping!

Jon

One Call Power said:

Hey henry. What kind of difference did you see in coverage ? I dont think we are getting the coverage with wolman/olympic that we should. Maybe ready seal is better.

Click to expand...

Most likely your coverage will not be any better with Ready Seal. However, you will find it very easy to work with, provided the deck is dry enough (below 12% moisture).

Don't be too worried about coverage............focus more on the quality of the product at hand.

I agree with Mike, I don't mind using more product if I need to. When I do a job I want to make sure the sealer is on REAL well becouse when I come back the next year to maintain it my job will be much easier and faster to do. I like products that allow me to do a very quick wash and a light recoat. I may have to use more the first time than other products but it makes up for it when the client loves the job so much they refer me and call me again the following year.

Hey Jon,

I hope your fingers heal quickly so you can continue posting. I've seen lots of posts from you and I really like what I have read in the past. I know your a moderator for Beth's BBS area I respect your loyalty be standing up for what you believe in. I also respect you for trying to gallantly protect a ladies honor, that also shows your a gentleman.
In this case it wasn't necessary though.
Sometimes we all read things too quickly and jump to conclusions, I won't take your misunderstanding personally, since I make similar mistakes all the time...lol


If nothing else it's an online etiquette lesson for us all, I learned,
1 Don't read into what someone is typing.
2 If I'm not sure, call and ask first.
3 Re read my posts before I send them.
4 If I make a mistake on my wording in a post try not to do it again.
5 The most important thing I forget, spell and grammar check!!!



In your most recent post you were correct though. I do prefer the option of buying my products from more than one source. Not because of who the source is but because I want to make sure I can get it when I need it, and I want to make sure I can get the best price on it when I buy it. With ready seal I have 7 people now that I can buy it from and they all have different prices for it. I usually buy in bulk or buy it from another local company that buys it in bulk so I can get a better price on it.
As for Beth, and this is the last time I will discuss this on this thread. Beth is a local competitor and so is the other company I buy ready seal from. I don't choose not to buy from her because she works in my area, I just haven't needed to buy anything from her since I already have everything I need. If I need something I will do what I always do, shop around for the best price and the quickest delivery and buy it. Just like everyone else does. I have great sources for buying what I need and I have a couple of distributors that have asked me about selling them with a private label. So far, I haven't done it because I really don't want the extra hassle or the extra time dealing with it all. Beth must be working her fingers to the bone running her company, her BBS and all the volunteer stuff she does for pwna. I'm glad she cares about all of it as much as she does, that shows dedication which we all must have to run our companies.
As for shopping, I shop for the best I can afford for the best price that's what makes the Internet such a great tool for all of us. Most of the stuff I want to buy Beth doesn't carry, she was about 4 months late on selling me a hot water trailer rig. Now she carries them and I have one already.
Beth and I have been calling all the local companies to try to get them to come to the roundtable that she is hosting nearby. I also refer ALOT of stripping jobs to Beth because I hate doing them.
If I truly had a problem with her I would not be doing any of this. Beth has persuaded me to get more involved in pwna and that's what I'm doing. I haven't seen Beth post on this thread or heard any complaints from her about what I have said here so I'm guessing she doesn't have a problem with it either. She always seemed like the person that would say something if she had a problem with it and she has contacted me in the past if she had a question or comment.
Let's just continue with the original thread and put this all behind us.

Anyone is welcome to call me if they like I would be happy to chat on the phone about anything at all.


Henry Bockman 240 274 0300 9am-11pm eastern time.

Thanks Henry,

Appreciate all those kind words, but if you think I work hard you should see Rod... He's been a huge source of both inspiration and motivation, and we are fortunate to work well together.

Sometimes posts are hard to read (structure). Some are equally hard to write (complex). Over time I have learned to read things and to write things multiple times before posting to try to avoid problems. It gets easier with time.

Group hug.....
Beth
p.s. I'm bringing complete wood care sample kits to the round table for those who want them.