Bleach Or Brightener/stripper?
- Thread starter MIKE FP
- Start date
bigchaz
Moderator
The bleach can be used if done properly and diluted enough. Some people have used bleach for years, but if you are not cautious, it ends up breaking down the lignin in the wood as well as bleaching the natural color. Brighteners and such are formulated for wood and although they are harsher for humans, they might not necessarily be harsher for wood
PowerWash Pros
Member
I love the wolman deck brightener - it is by far the best product that I have used for decks. The wolman deckstrip is also my choice for stripping decks and fences. They work amazing. But on the other hand I am not a fan of the wolman stains or sealers...I prefer Cabot
MIKE FP
Member
i know a lot of contractors who apply brightener on the deck then power wash. i usually, if the deck peviously had sealer, just use straight up water from power washer. i see videos where guys spray some unknown chems on deck then a little while later rinse off with a garden hose, no pressure needed.
Pete Marentay
Distinguished Professors
The chemistry of what you are doing is extremely important, Mike. People use bleach (an alkaline) to clean mildew and break oils. Mixed with a surfactant, bleach can be used as a cleaner on several surfaces. There has been an ongoing debate for decades about the wisdom of using bleach. Bleach, if too strong, breaks down the wood. In fact, that is one of the ways paper is made - wood pulp broken down by a bleach mixture.
The reason many experienced professionals advise against the use of bleach is that there is a tendency to use it way too strong. You know - if three "glugs" are good, then four glugs must be better.
I think PWNA took the position years ago that bleach is fine to use in the hands of experienced professionals but can be abused by those who don't understand. I suggest that bleach (with an added surfactant) can be safely used at concentrations of 1% - 2% on wood.
Brightener, on the other hand, is an acid. It is effective at driving natural tannins back down into the wood. On cedar you can see the effect immediately while PT often doesn't show the effect for several minutes. Brightener is the secret weapon of the most successful contractors because it makes the wood as light and bright as possible. A semi-transparent sealer then looks so much better on the wood. Think about dying a white T-shirt and dying a dirty T-shirt. Which one will look better?
Applying the brightener neutralizes the caustic cleaner that was used (whether bleach or sodium hydroxide). It leaves the wood with an acidic surface, which oil sealers bond best to.
The steps to use are: 1) wash the deck with a good wood cleaner (either a stripper, a bleach/soap mix, or a percarbonate cleaner. 2) Brighten the wood immediately after washing it. Rinsing the brightener of is recommended but usually not necessary. 3) Allow the wood to dry and then apply the sealer of choice.
The "unknown chems" you refer to are likely sodium hydroxide based strippers. These caustic cleaners strip off any previous oil sealers. The contractor then follows up with a brightener.
You have a lot to discover as you learn about wood restoration. It isn't that tough, but you do need a working knowledge of the chemistry involved. You can search the BBS for previous posts and learn a lot. You might also consider taking a class. The difference, with the right knowledge, is faster jobs and higher customer satisfaction. This is not a trade you should learn by experimenting on your customers.
The reason many experienced professionals advise against the use of bleach is that there is a tendency to use it way too strong. You know - if three "glugs" are good, then four glugs must be better.
I think PWNA took the position years ago that bleach is fine to use in the hands of experienced professionals but can be abused by those who don't understand. I suggest that bleach (with an added surfactant) can be safely used at concentrations of 1% - 2% on wood.
Brightener, on the other hand, is an acid. It is effective at driving natural tannins back down into the wood. On cedar you can see the effect immediately while PT often doesn't show the effect for several minutes. Brightener is the secret weapon of the most successful contractors because it makes the wood as light and bright as possible. A semi-transparent sealer then looks so much better on the wood. Think about dying a white T-shirt and dying a dirty T-shirt. Which one will look better?
Applying the brightener neutralizes the caustic cleaner that was used (whether bleach or sodium hydroxide). It leaves the wood with an acidic surface, which oil sealers bond best to.
The steps to use are: 1) wash the deck with a good wood cleaner (either a stripper, a bleach/soap mix, or a percarbonate cleaner. 2) Brighten the wood immediately after washing it. Rinsing the brightener of is recommended but usually not necessary. 3) Allow the wood to dry and then apply the sealer of choice.
The "unknown chems" you refer to are likely sodium hydroxide based strippers. These caustic cleaners strip off any previous oil sealers. The contractor then follows up with a brightener.
You have a lot to discover as you learn about wood restoration. It isn't that tough, but you do need a working knowledge of the chemistry involved. You can search the BBS for previous posts and learn a lot. You might also consider taking a class. The difference, with the right knowledge, is faster jobs and higher customer satisfaction. This is not a trade you should learn by experimenting on your customers.
Pete Marentay
Distinguished Professors
If you want to get a more detailed explanation of the chemistry of wood restoration, I have several articles I can send you. Call me if you want them.
Seymore_BlEaCh
New member
I've been using bleach/soap for over 10 yrs on my maint jobs or new slightly grey wood.Like Pete said bleach can ne used at the right mix for the right job.
MIKE FP
Member
YEAH, IVE TRIED IT AND FOUND IT TO WORK AT THE RIGHT MIX.
Seymore_BlEaCh
New member
Cool just have to remember to rinse plants,grass b4 during and after with all chems.You can cover some plants w/plastic but not for long cause they are gonna burn.