Frequently Asked Questions

BIOWASH

Q: How many gallons of Natural Deck Oil will I need for my deck?

A: Natural Deck Oil covers approx 150-200 sq ft per gallon, per coat. Always do two coats on bare wood.
Example: 400 sq ft deck = 4 gallons NDO.

Q: Do I need to use Stain Prep/Mill Glaze Away?

A: Yes.

Q: Always?

A: Yes.

Q: Why?

A: Stain Prep/Mill Glaze Away will ensure the proper pH balance of the wood surface prior to applying Natural Deck Oil. Stain Prep/Mill Glaze Away also ensures an even penetration on the stain by opening up the pores of the wood. Always do Stain Prep/Mill Glaze Away the same day you plan to stain your deck. Warranty on Natural Deck Oil is void if Stain Prep is not used.

Q: After using the Stain Prep/Mill Glaze Away how long do I have to leave the deck to dry before staining?

A: With Natural Dedk Oil, only 2 to 3 hrs or until deck is dry to the touch. If you are using another coating, check manufacturer's instructions.

Q: Can I apply Natural Deck Oil overtop of my old coating?

A: No. You will have to strip the old coating off before applying NDO. Use Stripex or Stripex-L to remove your old coating.

Q: Can I spray it on?

A: No. A brush application with a synthetic paint brush (either nylon or polyester) is the only way to ensure the stain will penetrate properly. If you have to spray or roll it on, ensure someone is following behind with a brush and working the sprayed product, as well as additional product into the wood.

Q: How long do I leave between coats?

A: Natural Deck Oil will be dry to the touch in approximately 1 to 2 hrs and will cure (meaning completely dry) within 12 to 24 hrs. You need to apply the second coat BEFORE the first coat cures; the second coat should be applied 2-4 hours after the first coat, otherwise it will not penetrate properly.

Q: My deck is peeling - why?

A: There is only one reason why a penetrating stain would peel - something has occurred to prevent it from penetrating properly at the time of application, causing it to dry on the surface.
Things that can cause the stain to not penetrate properly are many, but here are a few of the most common causes:

• Not enough stain used to cover the surface
• Stain was applied with roller, sponge or sprayer
• Deck was too hot when applied
• Product was applied in direct sunlight
• No Stain Prep/Mill Glaze Away was used
• Staining done too long after Stain Prep/Mill Glaze Away
• It rained on the surface too soon after application
• Poor ventilation under deck (too low to ground, too close to water, etc.) If the deck is too close to the ground, the wood will absorb moisture from the ground from the underside. As the sun hits the top of the deck, it will draw the moisture out of the top of the wood at 200lbs per square inch. Natural Deck Oil is micro-porous and will allow a certain percentage of water vapor to escape out the top of the wood (through the coating), unlike other stains, but it won't allow EXCESSIVE moisture - like when the deck is close to the ground or directly over water (without at least a foot or more of space). As the water is pulled out, it will push the coating off.

Q: Okay, so now what?

A: If the stain is peeling on less than 20% of your surface area, lightly sand those areas, wash the entire surface with Stain Prep/Mill Glaze Away and apply a liberal coat of stain - pay special attention to the areas that are bare.
If the stain is peeling on more than 20% of your surface area, use Stripex-L to strip the entire surface, wash with Stain Prep and apply two coats of stain.

Q: How often do I have to recoat?

A: This will vary depending on your regional climate and seasonal changes - always best to re-coat whenever the surface stops beading water. This is usually 10-15 months. No need to strip, just wash with Stain Prep and apply a fresh coat of stain.

REMOVALL

Q: How much surface area will the RemovALL strippers cover?

A: Depending on the amount of layers you're trying to remove, RemovALL will cover anywhere from 40-90 sq ft per gallon (1 to 2.2 sq.m/Litre).

Q: Can I brush the paint strippers on?

A: You can brush on the following products:

• Interior wood and Furniture Stripper
• Metal Paint Stripper
• Concrete and Masonry Paint Stripper
• RemovALL 220
• RemovALL 320

The rest of our Paint Strippers have a gel consistency and require airless sprayer application.

Q: I applied the RemovALL product but it doesn't appear to be working. How do I know if it's working?

A: After applying the product to the surface, you should notice tiny little bubbles forming on the top of the surface. When you see those, you know it's working. The RemovALL products are based on SARA technology (Selective Adhesion Release Agent), which works by releasing the bond between the coating(s) and the substrate (surface).

Q: How much paint will the RemovALL take off?

A: Depending on the type of paint, the RemovALL products will remove anywhere from 3-9 layers of paint. The product must be applied one and a half to two times the thickness of the coating you're trying to remove. You should simply not be able to see your underlying paint.

Q: How long does the RemovALL products take to remove the paint?

A: The best way to determine this answer is to do a test area. Apply the stripper on a small area of your project. This will tell you exactly how the stripper will perform and how long it will take. The time really depends on what type of coating you're trying to remove and how many layers of paint you're trying to remove. Coating removal time will vary anywhere from 2 to 24 hours.

Q: I did everything right, but the paint stripper did not take off all of the paint. What do I do now?

A: There are a few reasons why this happened.

• You might have applied too little of the RemovALL paint stripper. The paint absorbed it all and it stopped working. Remember that you should not be able to see your underlying paint after you have applied the paint remover.
• Your project was in the direct sun during a very warm day and the paint absorbed the stripper too quickly.
• Your project might have been painted with latex paint overtop of oil paint or vice versa, resulting in bad adhesion between the layers. In that case, the stripper will travel through the first layer or two then stop because it believes it has reached the surface.

In situations like these you will need to scrape that paint that has been lifted and re-apply more RemovALL product.

Q: Do I need to do anything after I stripped my project?

A: After the coating has been removed, a simple rinse with water will neutralize your surface. You do not need any other chemicals to neutralize the product. Neutralizing is necessary if you are going to re-apply paint to your project.

Q: I'm going to buy an airless sprayer to apply this product, what do I buy?

A: RemovALL products work the best with sprayers that are higher grade/industrial-based. Sprayers such as those made by Titan, Graco (nothing smaller than a Graco 495 model) and Lemmer work well with the RemovALL products. Beware of lesser quality sprayers sold at large retail stores. (See application instructions for further information)

Q: I'm trying to remove graffiti from my brick wall, which RemovALL graffiti remover do I use?

A: Multi-Purpose Paint Stripper or RemovALL 330 will remove graffiti on non-painted porous surfaces (brick, cement, concrete, wood). If you have metal or plastic surfaces (non-porous) or painted porous surfaces, the Graffiti and Gunk Remover or RemovALL 400 product will take care of the problem.