On 8 Jul 2006 17:27:26 -0700, "Ether Jones"
wrote:


George E. Cawthon wrote:

I presume you are talking about a house or wood
construction outside. If it is old
construction is should have been painted or some
type of finish applied, As a result, washing
doesn't affect the wood (except in small spots
where the paint has worn or flaked off, and those
places should be scraped or sanded).

It's an 8-year-old exterior wrap-around porch with white cedar decking
and stairs, previously oil-primed and latex-topcoated.

There's a 200 square foot section (including stairs) that's in bad
shape. Large areas (as big as a postcard in some cases, or bigger) are
blistering (both paint and primer) revealing large patches of weathered
wood beneath (light grayish-brown).

I don't mind paying top-dollar for a quality paint if I just knew what
to buy and how to prepare the surface properly.

Sanding is out of the question; I don't want the mess, or the dust in
my lungs.

I was leaning toward power-washing, but you (and others) have said
don't wash bare wood, is that correct? (Or is this situation an
exception?)

What options does that leave? Scraping? I could do that, but how
effective would it be? (Should I use a heat gun or just try to get the
stuff that comes off easily with just mechanical scraping?). And how do
I get rid of the ground-in dirt, if I don't wash it? In your previous
post, you mentioned wiping with a damp cloth; does that advice apply
to the situation I described?

If I wash it, should I use just clear water, or TSP, or TSP substitute,
or something else? If I use TSP, should I use an acid rinse to get rid
of the residue?

Lots of questions I know, but that's what I'm trying to figure out.

I don't mind touching it up every spring. What I don't want is large
areas of blistering that leave the wood unprotected.


A good book on painting and
other finishes is far more likely to provide
useful information

Do you have a favorite book in mind which you have found to be
well-written and accurate, that you could recommend?


For exterior wood. Dissolve 1/2 c. TSP in 1 gallon warm water, add 1
cup household bleach, add to a garden sprayer. Use a brush with a
long handle, rubber gloves, boots, old clothes, eye protection, and
garden hose. Wash one section at a time. Rinse twice using a nozzle
set to a fan spray. If the deck is really dirty, you may need to wash
it twice. A pressure-washer will work too, although you can damage
the wood. Allow the wood to completely dry before you paint or
stain--perhaps a week. Repair any damaged areas, set nail heads, etc.
You can use "JoMax" instead of the TSP.