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Your Deck is better served by a Painting Contractor

Please call us to consult on protecting you Deck

Most people who hire the local Power Washing kid to wash and treat their deck are disappointed.  Keeping with the food analogy:  it is like hiring the pot washer to serve you and friends a good meal. Power Washers know how to clean surfaces with pressure, but know very little about the coating (Paint) industry.  Seeing that the coating is the most important aspect of your deck job, You are better served by a Professional Painter for your deck work than someone good with a hose.

With the record rainfall in June 2013, we had decks washed but waiting for over a month to get their top coating—you have to wait at least 3 days for a deck to dry out, then let it “cure” for at least a day after the application. 

Besides the wash, Special products (and knowledge thereof) can be used from the different paint companies for the different conditions decks present:  Repair work (replace or fill rotten spots), Special coatings strippers, conditioners, chemicals to revive (and sanding if necessary) the surfaces, special applicators (hard or soft spray, brush, roll, mop) and conditions for application (e.g., we actually tarp decks on sunny days prior to coating application—the wood can be too hot for the coating).   Does your power washer contractor know these things?

Fast does not mean High Quality

Items worth considering from this:

--when hiring a contractor, don't cut corners or he will.

--Control of the actual workers is very important

We recently lost a bid on an old home purchased by a lawyer.  This 100+ year old house had wallpaper on the walls of over half the rooms. The trim work was large with much grandeur.  He went with a “splash and dash” company out of PA. because they were ready to start the next day, were a little lower in price, and gave a good presentation. 

 

They were right:  they did start the next day.  And the written proposal was respectable looking. 

 

When the project was completed, the homeowner told me about the flaws in this company.

--He found that they could start right away because they hired subcontractors (day workers) to do the work, workers who do not know this company's way of doing quality work. He came to the conclusion: with all other good painters and companies busy this time of year, there was a reason these workers were not busy and could start right away--they did not have a good reputation.

--Although there was a “full” crew there the first two days, after that, rarely were they all there, dragging out the project.

--The company owner, who was a good salesman and personable, was unavailable almost the whole project.  What he understood the client wanted was not conveyed well to the workers.

--The workers did not control the lead dust they created, resulting in much frustration (the owner has children under 10) and ultimately a very expensive whole house cleaning--including heating system.

--The crew was not fully equipped:  rather than using a steam machine to remove the wallpaper, they scraped and gouged the walls, stained the wood floors since the stripping water was left sitting on the floors too long.

--After the project, noticeable gouges in the hardwood floors had to be fixed. The contractor did not return calls of the owner to settle this. 

 

These headaches could have been avoided by:

--Dealing with a reputable contractor, like the ones who

--practice professionalism by joining their trade association(s),

--have their signs around town regularly,

--have a list of references you have checked,

--use their own employees and not uncontrollable subcontractors, and are trained, certified and experienced in the painting tasks (e.g. lead paint control, wallpaper removal) they do

-- And have the right equipment.

--Controlling the urge to want immediate results:  work with a good contractor within his schedule.  Like a good meal, a painting project takes a little time, rushing it will only give you “fast food” on the walls.