Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Fall Warning!!

Author: MN Deck Stainer

Fall comes quickly and with that will be cold nights and plenty of rain.  Staining should not be done when the nights get too cold, and that can be just a few short weeks away.

Contact Deck ReDo ASAP to get your deck stained, sealed and protected before it is too late – we will be booked up for the year quickly.

Have a great rest of the summer and feel free to contact us for your deck needs.

Deck ReDo

952-303-1311

If you cant ReDo, start new

Author: MN Deck Stainer

We are frequently asked, “can our deck be fixed or do we need to tear down and rebuild?”

Let’s face it, most decks we come across are in need of some good old TLC.  Stain has faded, the deck has become gray, mildew has turned the deck green, the boards are starting to splinter, or the deck just isn’t impressive.

After a quick phone call to Deck ReDo a game plan is established and before you know it the deck looks good as new and you are back on your deck soaking up every short minute that MN summers have to offer.

HOWEVER, some decks are so lucky and major repairs are needed.   Perhaps too many boards have rotted out, support beams are no longer sufficient, or perhaps the deck just isn’t what it could be.

Today I had the pleasure of touring Ugly Deck’s show room and see what they are up to, and I must admit, I liked what I saw!  So many of us enjoy the real cedar decks – the ability to try new stain colors, see true wood grains, and keep the outdoor feel when on the deck.  Others like the lower maintenance of the composite decking.  Whatever it is you fancy, Ugly Deck aka All Seasons Building Company, will help you make the right choice.

So today Deck ReDo gives a big deck restoration ugly deckshout out to some guys doing it right – Bill and Josh of Ugly Deck: http://www.uglydeck.com/

As always feel free to contact Deck ReDo with questions or comments, we  are happy to be helpful in any way we can.

Cheers,

Deck ReDo
952-303-1311

TWP color options and examples

Author: MN Deck Stainer

Twp comes in a variety of colors.  The “Main Choices” Below are all able to be mixed, so if you want a little more red, or brown or rust, we can mix and match to create the color you want.  Cedartone is the most popular color as it was developed to bring out some of the natural yellows and slight orange undertones of natural cedar – the most common wood used in MN for decking.

Included below are two slightly different sets of colors as they can vary slightly.  Also please note: the darker colors do get a bit hotter in the summer, this is often overlooked but quickly remembered on those hot July days.

The main choices are:

Cedartone
Honeytone
Rustic
Dark Oak

Some alternate choices:

Redwood – is more red than these depict
Prairie Gray – is much more grey and solid color than these depict

twp deck stainmn deck stainer

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minneapolis deck stain colors

Cedartone Above

minneapolis deck redo

Rustic Above

edina deck stain colors

Honeytone Above


Minneapolis Deck Owners

Author: MN Deck Stainer

deck stainersMinneapolis and surrounding area deck owners, can you believe that just two weeks ago today we were having snow?  Just one week ago our lows were in the 30’s!

Good news, the forecasters are telling us that spring is here – for real this time.  Time to roll out the grills, plant your annuals and seed your grass.  That’s right we survived the winter and now are ready to enjoy the Minnesota Summer – arguably one of the best summers around.

minneapolis award winnerFUN FACT:  There is only one month that MN has never seen snow!

Be sure you are squeezing the most out of summer, and if you need help with this be sure to call Deck ReDo, your experts on deck staining and deck sealing :)

Before you stain your deck!!

Author: MN Deck Stainer

Spring is here the snow has melted and we are itching to get out on our decks.  For many of us we are looking at a deck that may have seen better days.  If you are considering having your deck or staining it yourself, do yourself a favor and give us a call.  We offer free estimates with absolutely no obligations.

Considering staining it yourself?  Have you done a google search for: how do i stain my deck or how to stain a deck?  Have you gone to the local handy man store and asked what they recommend?  Do yourself a favor and call the pros at Deck ReDo.  You will learn that not all stains are created equally, preparing a deck does not involve scrubbing with a chemical cleaner, and that some stains will end up peeling and costing you years of grief (that’s right, your choice in stain could leave you stuck for a couple years – minimum).

Semi transparent solid stain, penetrating oil based stain, paraffin, wax, oil rub….   Give us a call and let us help you out.  952-303-1311

Bob Baker is Back

Author: MN Deck Stainer

Although it is not 100% official, Bob Baker of Deck ReNu will be coming out of retirement to lend a hand with sales, project management and even a little deck staining for Deck ReDo.  For all our loyal customers in the combined 20+ years of operations we look forward to a great season of deck restoration, staining and sealing.

As always give us a call or send us an email for all your deck needs.  Servicing Minneapolis and surrounding areas.

Enthusiastically,

Jason Dailey
jason@deckredo.com
Deck ReDo
952-303-1311

Can I Stain a New Deck?

Author: MN Deck Stainer

The construction crew has just finished your beautiful new wood deck and winter is fast approaching; now the question is, “How Do I Protect It”.

Stain, Sealers and Preservatives are crucial to keep wood from rotting and keep it looking great.  The stain protects from UV light, Sealers prevent water from rotting the wood, and preservatives help against both – in addition to protection from bugs.  What many homeowners don’t understand is that new wood is not stain ready!

When wood comes out of the Mill there is something known as Mill Glaze left on the boards.  This glaze actually protects the wood from moisture and from penetration – this includes stain! New wood needs a little time to weather outside and in some cases requires the assistance of a mill glaze removing product.  Once the wood has weathered for a length of time (which depends on the elements and amount of sun exposure) the deck still needs to be power-washed and prepped to properly receive and hold the new stain.

Are you a bit skeptical?  Give it a water test.  Sprinkle a few drops of water onto you deck, did it bead up??  If the water beads up and doesn’t sink into the wood in just a couple minutes than it is reasonable to believe that the stain will not adequately penetrate into the wood either.

Feel free to visit our home page and contact us if you have any questions regarding products, length of time to wait to stain, stain suggestions or quotes.  We are happy to be your resource for Deck Maintenance and Protection.

Deck ReDo Team
952-303-1311

Deck ReDo Gets Angies List Recognition

Author: MN Deck Stainer

Angieslist.com has recognized Deck ReDo as a Preferred Company due to our outstanding ratings and customer satisfaction.  Earning a spot on Angieslist “Page of Happiness”.

“We are proud of our work and we take time and energy to listen to our clients and their needs, regardless of the project size.  Taking the time to learn about how the client will use their deck, what kind of traffic it may have (pets), the amount of sunlight, etc. will make an impact on the way the deck is stained and sealed.  We take this all into account and take the time to educate the client before any formal agreements are made”, says Kevin Dailey of Deck ReDo.

A couple of Deck ReDo customers write on Angieslist.com:
First Review From Michael of Savage MN:

Overall: A
Price: A
Quality: A
Responsiveness: A
Punctuality: A
Professionalism: A

Kevin and crew power washed and refinished our deck. They were also happy to provide a bid and then perform the work to wash and finish the front cedar shakes (4 different sections, very high up) and front entryway of our home.

I recieved bids from a few different deck maintenance companies and found Kevin to be very professional and honest about the work he does and service he provides. After awarding Kevin the job, Kevin and another employee did an excellent job refinishing our deck, plus the front cedar shakes and front cedar entry of our home. I found Deck Redo’s work to be of equal or better quality than what I would expect from a higher priced competitor and felt very comfortable knowing they were going to do a great job. The quality of their work made the cost a very good value. I stongly recommend considering Deck ReDo if you are looking for bids for deck maintenance (ask about other cedar maintenance you may need done, they might be able to do. I was glad to have them do this work for us too).

Common Deck Restoration Mistakes

Author: MN Deck Stainer

Deck Restoration: Deck Cleaning, Staining, Sealing in MN

The first step to restoring any deck is to clean and prepare the wood for sealing.  If preparation is not done properly, it will severely reduce the length of time your deck is protected!  As experienced Minnesota deck stainers, we have seen what the harsh weather here can do to a less than professional deck cleaning.

clean and seal a deckThe Art of Pressure Washing:

Choose a pressure washer that is 2500-3500 psi.  The nozzle should have a spread of 15-30 degrees.  No conic nozzles!  Uneven pressure from the washer will leave marks in the wood which can be permanent!  Think of it this way – If it is strong enough to deeply clean your deck, it is strong enough to literally cut your deck.  Be sure to avoid direct skin contact with the pressurized stream!

Tip:  If you leave a cut mark, as seen in this picture above, give us a call!  It is very important to take care of these marks before staining because it will only make the marks more visible.

mn deck stainerContrarily, if you use too little pressure, your deck will not absorb the stain properly.  This will cause the stain to fade in as little as one summer.

The appropriate amount of pressure should be enough to remove old stain, dirt or mildew while not causing the wood to fray or splinter.

Take a look at this deck washing before and after photo:

If you are considering staining the deck yourself Deck ReDo offers you some options:

  1. If you or your kids are set on staining it yourself, consider having Deck ReDo properly clean the deck.  We are very reasonable and can save you enormous amounts of time and money.
  2. Call us for your free estimate.  We all like to be handy and accomplishing a project is a great feeling, however consider all the costs.
    1. High quality deck stain is really expensive and choosing the right products can be really important.  Deck ReDo has great product buying power for stain and can give great recommendations on colors and mixtures.  Darker colors are recommended for certain woods, decks with different light exposures, and decks with pet or high traffic.  Why learn from mistakes when you can learn from our experience.
    2. Renting washers and sanders can be expensive and requires experience to operate.  Consider adding up the time you have spent and money invested in rented a washer and Deck ReDo becomes the obvious choice.

Give us a call.  Bids are free and so is the advice.  952-303-1311
Located in Richfield and Burnsville MN.  Servicing Twin Cities and Surrounding Areas.

Question from a non-customer:
“I have a client that had their deck stained two weeks ago. Red stain. It is all over the black railings( I think they are aluminum), concrete and vinyl siding. Do you know how to remove stain from these items? Can it be done? Do you remove stain? Thanks for your help.”
Answer:

First and foremost, thank you for your question.  This is not uncommon when staining is done by the inexperienced, but rest in the fact that if you approach the situation carefully and patiently, the results can get better.

There is a product line that can be found at Home Depot called Lift Off, by Motsenbocker. I have had success on all of those surfaces with their lift off #4. When using it try it on a small area first, and apply it in small amounts a couple times until you have reduced the stain.

I have found that excessive application or rubbing on the stain will begin to take off the original surfacing, so please read the bottle carefully and follow their instructions above my suggestions. Also, depending on the surface you may not be able to remove all of it, however you will probably be pleased over the current condition.

The content included is for educational purposes only.  Deck ReDo LLC is not to be liable for any actions taken as a result of this message.  Please respect product details and instructions at all times.

Back To Home Page www.DeckReDo.com or call 952-303-1311