deckster or other spraying equip????

[Seymore_BlEaCh]

Shane, I DO NOT want to do these decks by hand at all. I am all for the spraying. That, for sure is the way to go and I understand that. I do not want to take any more time doing these decks than I have to. I want to blow them out in a couple of hours. I have my airless that I can use and then I have the shur-flo also. I have no issues knowing how to use the airless, I have used them a hundred times to apply latex. But from reading here and listening to the people that make sense I want to use what the pros use. it is just going to take time for me to make the adjustment to using it.

I just think spraying and back padding/ brushing to soak it in its the fastest way to stain any wood. If you have the labor to hand stain like Charlie does that's great when you a one man show for now it's tough on me and it's not how I price my decks or any stucture I work on.

What's your average size deck you work on Steven?

 

[Seymore_BlEaCh]

do you use all semi trans?

Well I only use the Gray Away and it's considered a semi but newer PT wood looks a lot lighter vs older wood. Now once I've stained a deck a few times it does get darker and starts to look semi solid after a while.

 

[junker1]

I just think spraying and back padding/ brushing to soak it in its the fastest way to stain any wood. If you have the labor to hand stain like Charlie does that's great when you a one man show for now it's tough on me and it's not how I price my decks or any stucture I work on.

What's your average size deck you work on Steven?

I agree on spraying. IT just has to be quicker. My average deck is 12x16, to 14x16, usually off the ground 4 feet. all spindles. maybe 6 steps ? now the one that took 9 hours to complete was Redwood, about 8 foot off the ground. under the deck was a lounge area so I stained underneath so they didn't sit there and see filth. I wanted it uniform. also had a metal spiral staircase that I painted gloss black. that deck was 13 with a ten % senior discount. Most decks average 12 hundred

 

[Seymore_BlEaCh]

I agree on spraying. IT just has to be quicker. My average deck is 12x16, to 14x16, usually off the ground 4 feet. all spindles. maybe 6 steps ? now the one that took 9 hours to complete was Redwood, about 8 foot off the ground. under the deck was a lounge area so I stained underneath so they didn't sit there and see filth. I wanted it uniform. also had a metal spiral staircase that I painted gloss black. that deck was 13 with a ten % senior discount. Most decks average 12 hundred

Well that's not too bad a size and it only gets easier in time the more decks you do Steven. It took me some time to get comfortable and more efficient. If you spend the extra time to prep and protect to cover your butt from making a mess then you can spray much faster and be more efficient. All decks have their challenges and some take longer than others so you price those accordingly to PITA factor. It's the experience you will gain over time to look ahead of yourself and foresee something that could be a challenge in the job.

I would rather take an extra 30 min to prep then 2 hours to clean up a mess!

$1200 a deck is good if you make about 40- 50% net 60% if you can get it!

 

[Ralph Q]

Spot sanding blows when you use a semi trans stain the deck should be be completely sanded IMO to look even but then you can't get enough oil to soak in to the wood.

What stains are you using now Ralph?

I live in Florida now. There are no decks! I had a deck cleaning/restoration business in NJ from 1996-2003. I miss the wood, just don't miss inhaling sealer.

 

[junker1]

Well that's not too bad a size and it only gets easier in time the more decks you do Steven. It took me some time to get comfortable and more efficient. If you spend the extra time to prep and protect to cover your butt from making a mess then you can spray much faster and be more efficient. All decks have their challenges and some take longer than others so you price those accordingly to PITA factor. It's the experience you will gain over time to look ahead of yourself and foresee something that could be a challenge in the job.

I would rather take an extra 30 min to prep then 2 hours to clean up a mess!

$1200 a deck is good if you make about 40- 50% net 60% if you can get it!

once i start spraying I plan on charging the same price but cutting the time to complete by at least 35% hopefully 50%. the decks here are so bad that once they see how much work is involved and how hard I work to get it done and then how good it looks they usually hand me a check with a big smile. no complaints yet

 

[Ralph Q]

Junker if you are getting roughly $3.00 per sq. ft.(I got that by using the three sq. ft. per linear foot of rail system BTW, a 14x16 sq. ft deck I would have calculated as 375-400 sq. ft. with rails and stairs, rim joist, etc) You are kicking a$$! Back in my day the high end was $1.25 per sq and $1 per sq. was the going rate. That's why I had to be fast. A 14x16 sq ft deck probably took me 1.5 hour to clean(include setup, moving stuff...etc) and an hour and a half to 2 hours to seal/stain.

 

[Seymore_BlEaCh]

I live in Florida now. There are no decks! I had a deck cleaning/restoration business in NJ from 1996-2003. I miss the wood, just don't miss inhaling sealer.

I remember you from the deckcare.org board when I first found the boards.

Good to see you around Ralph!

 

[Ralph Q]

I remember you from the deckcare.org board when I first found the boards.

Good to see you around Ralph!

Thanks, Yup, I've been around. I just turned 50! I look pretty good for an old man....Huh?

 

[Seymore_BlEaCh]

Thanks, Yup, I've been around. I just turned 50! I look pretty good for an old man....Huh?

Nope don't look 50 one bit Fla has been good to ya!

 

[Seymore_BlEaCh]

once i start spraying I plan on charging the same price but cutting the time to complete by at least 35% hopefully 50%. the decks here are so bad that once they see how much work is involved and how hard I work to get it done and then how good it looks they usually hand me a check with a big smile. no complaints yet

That's how you get customers for life with that big ole smile on their face!

 

[bigchaz]

Steven I only use the deckster for fences and lattice work. I find I get better results brushing, it looks better, less mess and its a huge selling point. Never have to worry about wind either.

I think it all depends on who you are marketing to. Sanding is included on every job we do, smooths the wood out and removes splinters. Two tones are cool and very popular with our wealthy clients. They look great and it doesn't matter how long it takes if you are making good money on it. Some two tones with spindles one color and stained top cap like you mentioned we'll get $25/linear foot. $1200 is a great average steven and if it took you 9 hours that should be some healthy profit.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

 

[junker1]

Steven I only use the deckster for fences and lattice work. I find I get better results brushing, it looks better, less mess and its a huge selling point. Never have to worry about wind either.

I think it all depends on who you are marketing to. Sanding is included on every job we do, smooths the wood out and removes splinters. Two tones are cool and very popular with our wealthy clients. They look great and it doesn't matter how long it takes if you are making good money on it. Some two tones with spindles one color and stained top cap like you mentioned we'll get $25/linear foot. $1200 is a great average steven and if it took you 9 hours that should be some healthy profit.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

13 hours total with washing. but yea I still made some money. Charlie I apologize I thought you were spraying your stain. have you been brushing forever or did you spray in the beginning and change over later??

 

[Everett Abrams]

Charlie, I have always done the same a you brushing everything and selling a premium service with "best" application method. We spray fences, lattice, and cedar shake roofs. When we spray we always back brush though.

 

[junker1]

Charlie, I have always done the same a you brushing everything and selling a premium service with "best" application method. We spray fences, lattice, and cedar shake roofs. When we spray we always back brush though.

Wow I am at a loss, I just assumed that all the pros would be spraying. I do understand that most everything needs to be back brushed. I even take it one step further and carry a bag of rags to every job. I keep one with me at all times while staining and wipe off any excess. what about houses ? would you spray or hand brush those? me I would like to spray and back brush with a 4 inch on a pole. this one will be easy because there isn't anything around it . ...

 

[Everett Abrams]

We have all seen Shane's work and many others here who spray, the end result is what matters the most. This is just how we operate our companies and how we sell and market our services. I would brush that cabin as well.

 

[Heritage]

I got tired of the mess. Got tired of cleaning out the sprayer, got tired of dealing with stain soaked drops (and the risk of fire they pose), tired of masking everything.

It is very windy around here in the spring (the busiest time) and wind and spraying don't mix.

BUT, fences, lattice, I will spray. Like I said before though, I don't do much wood anymore.

 

[junker1]

We have all seen Shane's work and many others here who spray, the end result is what matters the most. This is just how we operate our companies and how we sell and market our services. I would brush that cabin as well.

I hear ya on the end result part. so far ( fingers crossed ) everything I have done the customers have been thrilled with. I on the other hand feel that certain things I have done could have been done better.