Lifting grime from grain

[jim123]

Afternoon,

I've got some old rafters that i am sanding back but without gouging right into the timber i need another way of lifting the grime and dirt from the grain. I've heard that caustic soda does it but have heard differing opinions on how effective it is.

Does anyone have any other advice or tips?

Thanks

Jim

 

[Spindle]

Hi

If they're not in situ and you can wait for them to dry out I'd go for a pressure washer and soap.

Regards Mick

 

[jim123]

Nope, not in situ, on my bench outside being sanded back.

Ok, will have a look at that. I've got a karcher in the shed so i'll have a crack with that.

Cheers!

 

[bugbear]

Some kind of drill mounted rotary brush, (but not a steel wire one, too harsh) ?

BugBear

 

[KevM]

Go easy with the pressure washer - I did similar a few years back, and while the pressure washer did indeed remove a lot of the grime very effectively a moment's over enthusiasm produced an interesting surface effect by literally blowing the fibres of the wood apart. I was just refinishing some exterior timber so was then able to re-coat with a water based finish, and the damaged patch wasn't too visible.

 

[bugbear]

Go easy with the pressure washer ... a moment's over enthusiasm produced an interesting surface effect by literally blowing the fibres of the wood apart.

A neighbour of mine bought a pressure washer. He's a bit of a straight talking, no nonsense, bigger engines, "more power!!" type of guy. He certainly didn't bother reading the manual for a pressure washer, or any of that bullsh*t.

He just put it on maximum and pointed it at some mud on his car.

Whoosh!

Hmm. Odd. The dirt's gone, but the paint looks a bit funny... :lol: :lol:

The respray cost more than the pressure washer.

BugBear

 

[KevM]

A colleague of mine 'washed' his work boots with a pressure washer - nice suede effect.... They're great tools, but as BugBear says their potential for causing damage is often underestimated - after all, it's only water...