Wood That You Just Would Not Stain

**Rick Petry** · 10-09-2009, 05:51 PM

Originally Posted by topcoat

... Ultimately, if you are a woodie for long enough, you get to do some things you would rather not. ...

Scott,

I disagree. Once established in the wood restoration business, many only do what they want, what they know is best for the long term. Smart customers hire us not because we know how to clean, strip, and stain wood. They pay us for our expertise.

**topcoat** · 10-09-2009, 06:43 PM

Originally Posted by Rick Petry

Scott,

I disagree. Once established in the wood restoration business, many only do what they want, what they know is best for the long term. Smart customers hire us not because we know how to clean, strip, and stain wood. They pay us for our expertise.

Rick

Perhaps I didnt explain well enough. The situations I am referring to are more in new construction finishing than wood restoration. In other words, very often on a high end house that has an exterior that is paint grade, the spec for trim species will be mahogany. It is the best option of life cycle and it does prime and paint well. So, even though I love the look of oiled mahogany, there is no way its going to fly on a six million dollar home sitting against painted siding. We get our appetite for natural filled by the decks, thresholds and doors in many cases.

I dont consider it selling out. I consider it agreeing that the proper species and coatings are being used for a high end paint grade new home. Wood restoration is a bird of a very different feather. I am fortunate to dabble in both. I am established in my local market for wood restoration. I do more with cedar, both new and resto, than any other painter in my area. And, believe me, I do what is best for the long term, in new construction and in wood restoration. Sorry I didnt explain this more carefully in my initial post.

**PressurePros** · 10-09-2009, 07:27 PM

Rick, whatever became of that project we discussed?

**The Cleaning Doctor** · 10-09-2009, 08:48 PM

Petrified is a species that I just can't get to hold a stain. Washes off every time.

**Rick Petry** · 10-09-2009, 09:29 PM

Originally Posted by PressurePros

Rick, whatever became of that project we discussed?

Ken,

We sanded the ipe' yesterday afternoon and went up first thing this morning. As has been too usual this season, it started to rain, putting the kibosh on oiling the ipe'.

Second pic shows the 80+ yr. old cedar siding with a test of RS clear applied yesterday. No cleaning or acids, just non-pigmented baby oil into the wood. Soaked it up like a sponge. This morning, it had "lightened" up considerably, but I think it will take at least a month to settle in to true color.

The story is this. The owner has spent a veritable fortune building this structure. Its old, yet new. He has the resources, money is not a problem.

The real problem is that this very old, Amish country barn cedar siding was installed while the moisture content of the wood was too wet. The GC routed the cedar to T&G, installed, and now it has shrunk to the point of the tongue pulling away from the groove, especially on the "sunny" side which is the front of the house.

I can get probably a gal. of RS per 75 sq. ft. into this old cedar, and that will be great conditioning for the wood. It will "swell" or expand the cedar a little bit, but nowhere near 1/4 to 1/2 inch needed to tighten the siding. So, the ball is in his court. Oiling the structure, if he wants it, will probably wait until the spring.

**Rick Petry** · 10-09-2009, 09:41 PM

Originally Posted by topcoat

Rick

Perhaps I didnt explain well enough. The situations I am referring to are more in new construction finishing than wood restoration. ...

Scott,

My apologies. One becomes a bit myopic in their specialty, and I am very guilty of that. Odd, I can stain exterior wood all season, but ask me to paint and I pass! Hope to meet you in Orlando.

**topcoat** · 10-09-2009, 09:50 PM

Originally Posted by Rick Petry

Scott,

My apologies. One becomes a bit myopic in their specialty, and I am very guilty of that. Odd, I can stain exterior wood all season, but ask me to paint and I pass! Hope to meet you in Orlando.

I hear you Rick. A few years ago I found myself specializing in interior wood staining, and earning a bit of a hardcore following in it. Whenever that happens it scares me. My grandfather used to say that if you specialize, the goal is to learn more and more about less and less, so that eventually you know everything about nothing. My condition is more one of knowing next to nothing about just a few things.

I wish I could make it to Orlando. I have a couple of other trips happening in Oct and Nov that involve flying, which preclude me from journeying to Orlando. Hate to miss it.

**Rick Petry** · 10-09-2009, 10:16 PM

Originally Posted by topcoat

... My grandfather used to say that if you specialize, the goal is to learn more and more about less and less, so that eventually you know everything about nothing. My condition is more one of knowing next to nothing about just a few things. ...

Scott,

Your grandfather was a wise man. Wish I could be so adept. We did an ipe'/cedar job a few weeks ago in a small, out of the way newer development of, as a guesstimate, $1.2 mil. stucco homes.

Many of these McMansions are covered with green mold/mildew, especially on the north side and in shaded areas. These homes are literally screaming, "Clean Me!".

If I was younger, smarter, and just after the bottom line, I'd grab this prime house washing market in a heartbeat.

Who knows, maybe I'll learn something in Orlando to change my ways. Sorry you cannot make it, I'd like to meet you.