Mold and Mildew Control Made Easy

Remove Mold & Mildew Stains Instantly.  Keep Them Away for Years.

Now there’s a headline that we’ve all waited for!  It’s true, too.  We have pioneered a “system” for removing mold stains and protecting the surface from staining for years.  It’s called the MiracleMist Mold & Mildew System.  We began putting the product in the hands of the willing to let them try the system in exchange for their feedback.  Here’s an example of the response:

MiracleMist Cleans Composite Decks – Removes Mold & Mildew Without Scrubbing.

Between the years of 1993 and 2013, millions of board feet of composite decking was sold under various brands.  These brands were very successful, promising homeowners less maintenance.  It was anything but that.  Turns out that the wood fiber embedded in the deck board mildewed and molded within months, creating a never-ending cycle of high-demand cleaning.  Want an easy way to clean composite decking?  This is a video that another beta user sent us:

Cleaning Composite Decking in under one minute.

Learn more about the MiracleMist system.

Yet another beta user (full disclosure: a very good friend of mine) used MiracleMist to clean his vinyl eaves and gutters.  Here’s his video:

MiracleMist Cleans Mold from Vinyl.

Then, another buddy tried it on his outdoor teak furniture.  MiracleMist instantly removed the grey from the teak and restored it to it’s original color.  From this point, he was able to oil or condition the teak if he chose to.  Here’s a pretty dramatic video of what happened:

MiracleMist Cleans Outdoor Furniture.

A Final Note on the MiracleMist Cleaner.

MiracleMist cleans virtually any surface but keep it off of fabrics because it does contain a certain amount of bleach that can harm fabrics.  Also, you’ll want to pre-wet area vegetation prior to applying MiracleMist as the bleach component can harm plants.  Otherwise, it can be used indoors or outdoors. On porous and non-porous surfaces.  It’s fantastic and produces some of the best results you’ve ever seen.

Once Mold & Mildew Stains are Gone, Keep Them Away for Years.

The second half of the MiracleMist System is perhaps the most exciting.  Imagine being able to safely treat porous and non-porous surfaces, fabrics, carpets and any other surface with a product that keeps mold and mildew stains away.  That’s the reality with MiracleMist Long-term Protectant (LTP).

Simply spritz or saturate surfaces and fabrics with this product and allow it to dry.  LTP forms an invisible barrier that prevents stains caused by mold and mildew.  I have personal experience with this chemistry that dates back to 2002 whereby I’ve treated a surface and mold didn’t reappear, in some cases, for 3.5 years, and in one case in 2002, has yet to come back.  I promise you – it works.  Our label says that it prevents staining for up to three years based on the application, which is how we manage the customer’s expectation.  In any case, use it and you’ll be delighted by its performance.

If you want to learn more about the MiracleMist LTP, click here.

If you have any questions, please give us a call at 888-776-2242.  If you are a potential distributor or retailer and want to team up, we’re forming those relationships now.  Give us a call or contact me through this blog.  Thanks for reading.

There’s A New Cleaner in Town and it’s Bad-to-the Bone!

IT’S CALLED BAD-TO-THE-BONE FOR A REASON!

Every now and then, you stumble onto something that stirs your soul.  That just happened to me and I’m excited to tell everyone about it.

I was developing a cleaner to remove oxidation from house siding when I realized that with little modifications, this baseline cleaner could do a whole lot more.  That baseline product was branded A to Z.  Bad to the Bone sounds much better to me.

How Bad to the Bone Works.

The idea of a cleaner having a detergent so strong that it nukes everything is a really bad idea.  There are cleaners like that on the market and they can really harm stuff that they’ve been applied to.

We approached things a little differently.  We believe that a mild, biodegradable detergent can clean almost anything if it can get under the grime so it can lift it from the substrate.  That’s where wetting agents come in.  A wetting agent reduces the surface tension of the water in the cleaner, making it very, very thin and slick.  This allows BTB to quickly penetrate through oil, grease, grime, oxidation, and dirt to deliver the detergent to the substrate.  There, the detergent lifts the grime where it can be easily wiped or rinsed away.

Bad to the Bone is Available in 5 Formats

We have developed five major categories for Bad to the Bone:

• Motorcycles & Autos,
• Industrial,
• RVs & Campers,
• An Exterior cleaner for your home, and;
• Boats

Over the past few months, we’ve done countless demonstrations, given away hundreds of free bottles, attended trade shows, and have done many of our own experiments to show the public what Bad to the Bone can do.   It’s unanimous.  We have 100% customer satisfaction on this product.  In fact, we have lots of folks wondering how they can get involved.

Bad to the Bone is also sold under a different brand name, called Bad Ass.  Bad Ass Cleaners have gained a following, especially in the motorcycle and auto communities.  If you want to learn more, visit badasscleaner.com.

Bad to the Bone will be sold through national retailers starting next month.  Bad Ass Cleaners are sold through independent distributors and dealers.

For more information on Encore Coatings, visit our website.

Understanding Pool Deck Paint & Coating Options.

Maintaining Your Pool Deck Surface.

2016 may be the year when you’re thinking about maintenance on your pool deck.  If so, this Post can help you understand the options that you have when it comes to pool deck paints and pool deck coatings (there are differences).

I’ve been in coatings since 1997 and when it comes to a pool deck, the number one concern of the customer has been surface temperature.  Pool deck owners want a pool deck surface that won’t get hot in the sun.  Next, in no particular order, they want low- maintenance, good-looks, and long-term performance.   Read on, and you’ll learn about the products that let you check one or all of these boxes.

First, let’s talk about pool deck paint and dispel any idea that it’s the right way to go. Pool deck paint is nothing more than a traditional deck paint (hardened for foot traffic) with texture added for slip-resistance.  It costs the manufacturer about $8/gallon to make it.  They sell it for three times that.  On summer days, your deck gets hotter than Hades.  It lasts for three or four years and then you’re blasting it off and redoing it. Enough said about pool deck paint.  Don’t use it.  Look at other options and save yourself the grief that you’ll otherwise create for yourself.

After nearly 20 years in the business, here are my recommendations:

Cool Pool Deck Coating

Here are the top 10 reasons I love Cool:

1. It reduces heat buildup by up to 38% on concrete.
2. It can be tinted to ANY color under the sun – simply by adding a gallon of paint in your color choice to the 5 gallon bucket.
3. It is stronger than the concrete to which it is applied.
4. It can be applied to freshly poured concrete or concrete that’s 30 years old.
5. It can be applied faster than any other pool deck coating on the market.
6. It can be applied by the professional or the homeowner.  It’s super simple.
7. It’s ADA-compliant for slip-resistance – even when it’s wet.
8. It can be applied as a textured roll-on, or a knock-down finish.
9. It has a lifetime residential and a 10-year commercial warranty.
10. It is the only coating that can be applied over an existing coating (such as the ones below) that keeps the surface cool.

For transparency, it’s important that readers know that I manufacture this product so my company makes money when people buy it.  However, working to create the absolute best coating product(s) has been my life’s work for nearly 20 years.   Cool works as advertised and I guarantee you’ll be satisfied.  The reviews speak for the product.  If you want more information on Cool, here it is – click here.

The Original “Kool Deck”.

Kool Deck, a brand created in 1962, is the “Kleenex brand” of the pool deck coating industry.  Because of its knocked-down appearance, any cementitious coating that is applied to a pool deck and then knocked down is referred to as Kool Deck.  As a result, many contractors inadvertently tell their clients that they’re installing a Kool Deck finish, when in fact, they’re not – they’re installing something that only looks like Kool Deck.

Left:  A typical knock-down coating.

Is Kool Deck different from all of the other knock downs?  

It seems to be.  According to its manufacturer, Mortex, Kool Decks formula creates a surface that stays cooler than concrete.  I’ve talked to customers that agree with this point. It is a good product.

What are the limitations of Kool Deck?

There are several limitations that customers should be aware of when installing or maintaining Kool Deck.

1. Kool Deck is only available in a few colors.
2. Kool Deck is best when installed over freshly poured (inside of 28 days) concrete.  Consult with your pool professional when thinking of applying this product to existing concrete.
3. Kool Deck cannot be applied over existing finishes which must be completely removed.
4. If you want to give your Kool Deck a new look or freshen it up by coating it, Mortex says to use a product called Systex.  They also say that when you use Systex to coat your Kool Deck surface, that it will get hotter and slicker (Yes. They too, use bold letters to make this point).  Essentially, you trade your cooling properties for good looks.
5. It has no warranty.

For the life of me, how does the leader in the business, tell you that when it comes time to maintaining the look of your Kool Deck, you’re going to trade cooling properties for a fresh, clean look?  This is letdown.  A big letdown.  It’s the reason you chose Kool Deck! Well, have no fear.  You can apply Cool over Kool Deck and not compromise a thing.  Your Kool Deck surface will remain textured and cool on your feet!

Other Textured Knock-Down Coatings

There are numerous manufacturers of knock-down coatings.  In fact, you can’t tell one from the other.  Manufacturers recommend that fresh concrete be allowed to age for at least 28 days before applying.  The nice thing about textured knock-downs is that they cover up the “sins” on the concrete.  Cracks, variations, etc. in the concrete are disguised and covered by this textured finish.

What are the limitations of knock-down coatings?

The number one myth that needs to be debunked is that these finishes keep the deck surface cool.  Proponents of the myth say that the textured surface creates air pockets under bare feet and that keeps the surface cool enough to stand on.  I don’t know about you, but the bottoms of my bare feet contour to the surface on which they are on. They’d have to be as stiff as a 2″x4″ not to.  As a kid, growing up around pools, I can attest that these surfaces get just as hot as bare concrete.

Here are a few other limitations and concerns:

1. They are limited in color options.
2. Most of the time, the color is applied to the knock-down finish.  If it’s ever scratched, the white knock-down finish below is exposed.
3. Knock-down finishes are hard to keep clean.  The crevices of the coating harbor body oils, suntan oils, dirt, leaves, and grime.  How to clean a pool deck.
4. They don’t have warranties.

A Word of Advice.

Take a moment to make a checklist of the things that are important for your pool deck. Product characteristics such as coolness, safety,  good looks,  ease of maintenance & preservation, and warranty help differentiate your options and often expose the product that’s right for you.

Encore manufacturers every product that you need to install the perfect pool deck.

the cleaner that prepares your concrete

the pool deck coating

the sealer

a phenomenal cleaner that maintains a fresh, clean look.

The Encore website is full of useful information that helps homeowners make the perfect decision.  Our technical team is always here to help.  Call today – 888-776-2242 or visit encorecoatings.com.

Encore Releases a New Concentrated Cleaner

It’s funny how new products get developed.  The story of A to Z reminds me of the story behind the Post-It Note.  The developers at 3M were trying to create a certain type of adhesive.  During the process, they created an adhesive that wouldn’t stick very well.  It was discarded as an option, but then that one of the developers realized that it had a purpose and the rest is history.  Post-It notes became one of 3M’s most popular products.  That’s sort of what happened with A to Z.

We had been working on a safe, biodegradable cleaner that could be used prior to applying our REJUV paint restorative product.  Dozens of possible formulations had been tried.  One stood out.  When applied to an oxidized or faded surface, the dirt and oxidation melted away in just a few seconds.  This is what we were looking for. It was easy and produced fantastic results.

We then began looking at other things that it would clean and we’ve been amazed.  It literally can clean everything “from A to Z”.  In fact, you can cut it up to 20 times and end up with a great window cleaner, but at 100%, it can clean a car engine, remove gum from concrete, and clean greasy restaurant floors.  It also cleans black streaks on RVs, pontoon boats, and all sorts of other surfaces.  It does not contain bleach, which means it won’t remove deep black mold discoloration.

If you want to read more about A to Z, here’s a link to the webpage.

Here’s a link to the data page, which give you all sorts of ideas of what A to Z will clean.

We’ve given lots of samples of this product to industrial cleaning companies and they are loving the results.  However, A to Z finds a great home in every kitchen cabinet as a great multi-purpose cleaner. When cut with water, A to Z is the most affordable cleaning product on the market.

A to Z is a fabulous option to consider when cleaning your outdoor deck, so please keep it in mind when that time comes.  Thanks for reading!

Get Your Wood Deck Back in Shape!

Although Spring is off to a wet start across much of the Country, folks are beginning to think about their outdoor Living projects.  Among the most popular projects are those associated with maintaining and “freshening up” exterior wood decks.

Here are a few suggestions.

For decks that just need cleaning:

If you have a wood deck that’s in decent shape – just in need of a good cleaning, you can save a little money by blending your own deck cleaner.   Here’s a formula from the US Dept. of Agriculture’s Forest Products Laboratory:

1 qt. sodium hypochlorite solution (household bleach) •1/3 cup powdered laundry detergent •3 qts. warm water

In a 5-gal. plastic bucket, add the bleach and detergent to the water, then brush the cleaner onto the deck. Rinse thoroughly before applying a finish such as a stain or coating.

Caution: Do not use a detergent that contains ammonia. Ammonia and bleach react to form a poisonous gas.

For decks that are in good shape, but need a facelift:

First, reseat any loose fasteners.  If you have nails that are heaving, it could be caused by heavy foot traffic or because the wrong type of deck nails were used.  Smooth finish nails will heave as the wood expands and contracts during changing weather and for this reason, should never be used on wood decking.  I recommend pulling those nails and replacing them with a 3.5″ deck screw of equal or larger diameter.

Next, inspect the ends of the deck boards for trip hazards.  We’ve all seen a trip hazard where two old deck boards butt up. Use 3.5″ deck screws to tighten down any warped ends.  Some boards are going to be past this fix and will need to be replaced.

Now that loose fasteners are addressed and the boards are tight, use the above cleaning formula to clean the wood.  Rinse thoroughly and allow to dry.

At this point, you can choose from hundreds of possible deck treatments.  From semi-transparent stains, to clear sealers and solid color treatments, your choices are almost endless.  Go with what you like!  I always prefer the look of wood over a solid finish, so that’s the route I would take if my deck were in good shape.  (I recommend SealBack, Encore’s nano-acrylic sealer.  You can add stain tint to the SealBack and stain and seal your deck in one shot! It’s a great option.) However, as decks age and splinters begin to appear, a penetrating stain is no longer practical and commercial properties open themselves up to liabilities (Encore recently worked on a commercial property where in the year prior to the work, the property paid out over $17,000 in splinter-related injury claims!).

For Decks That are Splintered, Checked, and need Real Help.

This is the World in which I live.  Being able to resurface an existing wood deck versus replacing it can save thousands of dollars and keep treated lumber out of landfills.  Forget the time associated with removing boards and carting them to the landfill, the cost of new fasteners, new wood, and time out of service is enough to make most homeowners throw up their hands.

I began developing wood coatings in 1997 and have seen it all.  Here are my suggestions for resurfacing a wood deck:

1. Replace any boards that show any signs of structural defects.
2. Follow the inspection and repair steps described in the section above.
3. Thoroughly pressure-wash the deck, removing any loose coating, dead wood, dirt, mold, etc.
4. Allow to dry.
5. Treat rusted fasteners with KnockOut, Encore’s Rust Converter & Primer.
6. Allow to dry for 4 hours.
7. Apply two coats of Encore or Refresh (your choice).

Customers ask me how to treat their handrail and vertical baluster rails and I always suggest that they can save money by adding POLYMATRx to a gallon of paint and using that product to paint the rail system.  I won’t go into any more detail about this phenomenal product, but here’s a link to learn more about a “lifetime paint”.

As with any blog post, this is fairly general advice.  If you have any questions, please consult a professional painter or deck company with specific concerns.  You can always give us a call at 888-776-2242 and we can help you.  You can also get more information on the Encore website.  Thanks for reading and get out there!

Rejuvenate Faded Painted Surfaces with REJUV, Encore’s Newest Product.

 

Over this long, cold winter, we have put the finishing touches on a new product concept that we’ve developed over the past year.   She’s on the launchpad for Spring!

Imagine a product that restores faded paint to its original lustre and one that has the ability to keep the surface clean. That’s the essence of this new product that’s about to hit the store shelves.

REJUV contains near zero VOCs and is applied using an airless sprayer.  Within 3 – 5 seconds of being applied, REJUV pulls the color out of the oxidized finish*.  It’s dry within a couple of minutes.  This is done at a fraction of the cost of repainting.  It has a five-year warranty.

REJUV brings out the original color on faded painted surfaces. Great on metal, too!

REJUV penetrates through the oxidization and binds to the paint and the transformation happens right before your eyes. One gallon of REJUV can treat approximately 1,000 square feet of surface.  The cost is pennies per square foot. Overspray dries almost as fast as a dry fall paint and dries clear, so mishaps are minuscule and rare.

Once Applied, REJUV Keeps the Surface Clean.

Each gallon of REJUV is packed with trillions of nanoparticles that cause water to “sheet off” versus “trail off” of the surface.  This allows rainfall to wash the building clean of airborne dirt and other particulates.  This is called a super-hydrophilic surface and may be the first super-affordable, self-cleaning treatment.

REJUV can be used on any painted surface, but we are discouraging its use on passenger vehicles because of the abrasion they receive in car washes.  The list of applications are endless.  For example, we are doing our first crane restoration this week.  I see REJUV being used on metal roofs, awnings, and siding.  It has worked well on faded fiber cement siding, too.

I believe this product will be a real winner with property owners who want to stretch a budget or don’t have time to paint. REJUV eliminates much of the prep and labor typically associated with a paint job, saving tens of thousands of dollars.

For me, this is one of those products that is really exciting because I see what we’re doing for our customers and their budgets.  Here’s a link to the REJUV page on the Encore site. Visit this link for more information and pricing.

* For best and brightest results, I recommend that oxidation be washed off prior to applying REJUV.

Want to See A Self-Healing Deck Coating?

If you’ve been reading my blog lately, you can tell that I’m excited to discuss what Encore Coatings has accomplished in regard to the development of intelligent, self-healing wood deck coatings.  Our new coating is simply remarkable.

I recently attended a meeting where I was asked to present the technology, so I created the following Keynote Presentation. In this presentation, you’ll see actual photographs of cracks and pinholes that heal themselves between 7 and 12 days of having been wet with water.  As you’ll learn from this presentation, most coatings fail due to water intrusion.  Encore’s new technology “kicks into another gear” when water hits it, making it the most durable and intelligent coating available today.  This formula is now available for delivery.

Here’s the video.  Please contact me if you’d like to discuss this technology.

A Great Coating for Steel Boats & Barges.

A Tough Coating That Kills Rust & Prevents Rust Bleed-through.

Marine contractors love the benefits of the RustOx Rust Coating System.  The system, made up of Encore’s KnockOut Converter & Primer and the RustOx DTR/DTM coating, combine to provide the user with an exceptional experience.

The RustOx System is a great option for barge coatings.

The Fastest Way to Protect Against Rust.

The barge in the above photo was sandblasted, primed with KnockOut, and painted with two coats of RustOx – in one day! Try doing that with Coal Tar Epoxy.  The customer told us that he was super impressed with how well the coating went down and how tight it bonded to the barge.

Two days later, the contractor contacted us and said that he had to do some welding on the barge and that the coating was not affected by the welding – which he found astonishing.  We had not considered this, but believe that the reason for the non-reaction is due to the different ingredients in RustOx.  They have very high flash points and require temperatures above 2,800 F before they begin to break down.

KnockOut and RustOx are water-based products and easy to apply.  Application is by brush, roller, or sprayer.

For more information, please visit our website!  Thanks for reading.

 

 

SealBack Makes a Great Ipe Treatment.

Maintaining Ipe and Other Types of Brazilian Hardwood Decking.

It’s funny how things happen.  About two months ago, I was in South Carolina with one of our devout contractors.  I was there for other reasons, but he reminded me that he had bought the first gallon of Encore’s clear sealer, SealBack, when it hit the market over a year and a half ago.  During our conversation, Daniel mentioned that the Ipe he’d applied SealBack to was still looking great.  I was stunned.  Ipe? Sealed? With a water-based sealer? And it’s still there after 1.5 years??  No way.

Daniel went on to explain that he was just experimenting and that he was amazed when he saw SealBack actually penetrating into the Ipe.  I cannot recall at the time of this writing whether he applied a second coat, but he told me that 1.5 years later, it still looks great.  This news had me doing a cartwheel in the parking lot of the restaurant.  Here’s why:

I’m a second-term Ipe deck owner.  The first deck was on a cabin I built in North Georgia.  The Ipe was gorgeous, but eight months after it was installed, it was greyed out.  I applied Penofin, which made it look great again, but eight months later it was grey.  The fact is, there are only a few products that treat Ipe and they don’t last for more than a year.

My second Ipe deck is the one you’re looking at in the above photo.  I have cleaned it and I will apply SealBack to it shortly.  Additional photos will supplement this blog post when that work is done.  However, here’s what we know:

Ipe and Hardwood Deck Maintenance At Its Best.

• One thin coat of SealBack will penetrate Ipe, restoring its deep, rich color.
• A second thin coat enhances the first coat.
• SealBack seals the Ipe, protecting it from UV, rain, and snow.
• SealBack has a similar effect on other hardwoods like purpleheart, camberra, mahogany, etc.
• SealBack is not like the existing oil treatments that are difficult to apply and remain tacky if you apply it too thick.
• SealBack dries quick – like in 10 minutes.  It leaves a beautiful light satin sheen.  It’s tack-free.
• You can enjoy your deck hours after applying SealBack.
• In Southern climates, expect 18 months or more out of an application.
• SealBack is self-cleaning.  Airborne dirt and dust (from lawn mowers, etc.) is washed away by rainfall.

As word gets out, I think SealBack is going to become very popular.  It’s already doing a great job as a clear sealer on other substrates, but the hardwood market is clamoring for a eco/user-friendly solution.

SealBack is currently available through select Encore dealers and online.  If you want to purchase SealBack or learn more, please visit the Encore website.  As always, thanks for reading!

Encore’s New Deck Coating is Self-Healing

The New Standard in Deck Coatings is Here.

The thought of a film or coating that can heal itself when cut or breached is something that was sci-fi not too long ago.  But today, it’s here and the industry innovators have made their moves.  For example, you can get a clear finish on your car that heals scratches when placed in the Sun.  Other coatings (corrosion coatings) activate their self-healing process when a change in pH (brought about by rust) occurs.  Other coatings use UV rays to activate.  We chose to activate our self-healing process with water, because water is what causes most deck coatings to fail.

Below is an illustration of the problem all deck coatings face:

 

Encore’s new nano-based chemistry changes the rules by creating a coating that is intelligent and ever aware of its environment.  Billions of nano-particles lay dormant, waiting for their moment to protect the Encore coating from moisture intrusion that would eventually lead to the coating’s demise.

Below is an illustration of how these nano-particles work:

We have been testing self-healing formulations for several years now and have selected our chemistries based on long-term performance and economy.  Don’t expect to see price increases to own the best deck coating ever made as we expect a negligible effect on our costs.  Instead, expect to be amazed and impressed.

Your Encore deck will only get better with time as the nano-chemistry continually heals the weakest elements in the coating. Regardless of your attention to it, Encore’s new chemistry is at work for you, 24/7!  More information will soon be posted on the Encore website.  Please check it when you can. Thanks for reading.