Saturday, August 31, 2013

Deck stripping, staining, waterproofing , restoration


As the season comes to a close for staining decks and fences, I often get calls regarding on what to do or how to do it. I believe we get the calls because of the quality of work we put out when we do a deck. Deck stripping is tricky business. A lot of decks are covered with inferior paints and stains that have to be removed properly to get a quality finish as an end result. This is neither fun or easy. It is not fun even if you know how to do it properly. You can tell that it is not easy by the cost involved just for stripping. Those range from $1.50- $2.00 a square ft just for that part of the process. Add in sanding the felt, fuzz or fur created by the stripping and you tag on another $1 per foot. So a complete well done project is in the $4-$5 range. 
I believe this is why people who want a deck -build out of synthetic decking or paint the wood instead of re staining it. This of course creates more maintenance later if you paint and does not look anywhere near as nice or as intended. (save the paint for house and home siding where it belongs)
So what do you do on that half baked, bad stain or painted deck before you at the end of summer?
I tell people that we can strip and clean it for you then visit it next spring when it can be nice and dry to stain it. I always recommend this for cedar. I like the way cedar accepts the stain after a season of... Seasoning. I believe cedar is stained to early by most deck builders. Cedar leaches natural oils out of it when new. Staining over this with inferior stains hinders this process. Another reason why choosing a quality stain is important. We never use organic oils or acrylic stains. The first will rot even with mold inhibitors and the second will burn flake and peel and is hard to remove. 
We use stains that can be re applied naturally as a color reviver every season with no adverse  or unusual lap marks. 
So go ahead- strip and clean the deck now and stain later when it is nice and dry for several days with no eminent rain.
Or call Fast Finish and shell out a few bucks so you can enjoy the finer things in life.., like a beautiful finished deck.


Sunday, August 25, 2013

Cedar siding, deck, and fence cleaning made easy by Fast Finish in Salem Oregon

Cleaning and restoring cedar is a challenge if you have ever attempted it. Fast Finish makes it look easy but it is a process that usually involves 1)stripping old finish 2)brightening and neutralizing 3) Sanding 4) Stain & Sealing.
Proper stripping of old stain can be very tedious and time consuming. Most box store strippers lack the needed strength to do the job properly and usually only frustrates the consumer. Add in the bad acrylic water based stains that are often applied by a lot of the home owners only complicates matters worse for removal. Most quit before they even get started. An inexperienced pressure washer will only add more mayhem and damage to the soft cedar surface.  Lastly, most of the stains available over the counter are lacking the needed ingredients for a long lasting finish. After a season most will chip, peel, fade or grey out. Add all these things up and the home owner starts thinking paint!!
Before you go the last resort paint option on your cedar, deck, fence, or siding, get a free evaluation from Fast Finish to discuss a great natural looking option. 




Sunday, August 11, 2013

Decorative concrete designs made easy by Fast Finish in Salem Oregon

Have you thought about a new look to that old patch of concrete at your homestead? Fast Finish may have just what you need to cover that old, cracked, or unsightly area of cement around the yard. We are official Elete Crete decorative concrete specialist for the greater Salem Oregon area. We can even do indoor areas in beautiful concrete overlays. Bathroom floors, basements, bedrooms, and even travel trailer floors. Our light weight polymers blended with proprietary concrete mixes allow us to do overlays only 1/4 inch thick and attain an excess of 7000 psi, making it stronger and more flexible than any other finish on the market. Commercial concrete averages only 4000 psi and residential only 3000 psi in comparison making our decorative overlays a great choice for heavy traffic areas, or areas you just want to last and look good doing it...when you want the best and live close to Salem Oregon then consider a Fast Finish designed overlay.
www.fastfinishor.com