Painting deck
by
Judy Kelley
+71
I am considering painting my deck with either a product from Lowes' or Home depot that puts a new finish on your deck. Which product is better? Also, can anyone recommend a good deck cleaner or have tips on how to pressure wash a deck?
59 answers
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Looking at your deck surface. I would suggest as a first step power wash it. You can rent these units at several locations. You need to move just fast enough to clean, but fast enough so you do not tear into the wood surface. As the power washer will lift the grain of the wood, making you need to sand before you apply finish, As far as prep materials. This is dependent upon the brand of stain or sealer your using. Each has their own product. But if you clean the deck and allow to dry, you may find that you will not need these products. I suggest that instead of using one of the big apron store brands, that you go to a local paint supplier in the area. They will have name brands and the necessary experience to advise you on the product that you select. The apron stores simply do not have this expertise at all of them. In any case, its not really the brand that is a concern, its the quality of the prep and application of the product. If you prep wrong,, even the best install will fail.
Woodbridge Environmental Tiptophouse.com
on Aug 05, 2014
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He's right--a power washer will remove most of the weathered gray from your deck.
P.j. C
on Aug 05, 2014
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I painted mine twice in 5 years, did everything properly according to the instructions and it was a total waste of time, the paint flaked and peeled terribly....... this spring I removed the remaining paint and prepped it, then applied TWP Total Wood Preservative, their kit comes with a cleaner and a wood brightener, it looks great and I believe this product is the answer to my problems, remember paint goes "ON", stain goes "IN". Check their products out at www.twpstain.com Lots of colors to choose from and a great cleaner and old wood brightener also.
Energy Wise Mfg.
on Aug 07, 2014
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Your deck looks nasty like mine. I live among very large trees and no matter the season, there are leaves on the deck...leaves get wet and make it ugly. We have had a very wet winter and summer so mine is very ugly! We used a deck cleaner and then put on a spray that was supposed make it look new but it was just sticky and oily...I hated it. All we are going to do is clean it up and live with it. I had a friend whose deck did not get leaves and it got a lot of sunshine...it was bright and beautiful! Oh well...can't cut down all the trees. BTW, what I have read on reviews on these "restoring and covering" applications, I would never use one. They are expensive and I have not read a single review that says they work.
Jeanette S
on Aug 07, 2014
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Hi Judy I have a large cedar deck, and a large pressure treated deck too. It seems each summer after we stain them, by the time winter comes and goes the decks look like they need to be sanded and stained again. Believe me we have tried so many products, stains, and sealers. We are definitely getting tired of doing all this work year after year. I found this product this year by Rust-Oleum called Restore for wood and concrete. I bought the Restore for concrete and boy my front entrance looks fantastic. The finish is 10x stronger than paint, is like a liquid armor, is non slip, and there are 60-80 colours to choose from. It is recommended that you apply two coats. Go to the link below and check out this product. http://www.rustoleum.com/product-catalog/consumer-brands/restore/deck-and-concrete-restore-10x My husband and I are going to do our decks in the very near future with this product. I have a boardwalk in my front entrance leading to my front steps, and in the winter this boardwalk is super slippery. (I almost fell a couple of times) So if this Restore product is non-slip, then I have it made for the winter, and years to come. This product is no more expensive than a gallon of stain. Hope this was helpful.
Kim Dagenais
on Aug 07, 2014
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Judy, I would try the power washing and cleaning step like the others suggested. You maybe able to use a semi transparent stain and protection after cleaning. You will have to power wash and treat your deck each year to keep it looking good. We do this every year and our deck is 15+ years old. If you discover that you need more than a stain to help the deck I would recommend a product called Restore by Rustoleum. Here are 2 links of people who have use it.http://designeddecor.com/applying-rust-oleum-restore-deck-concrete-front-steps/ or http://www.oneprojectcloser.com/rust-oleum-deck-restore/
117135
on Aug 07, 2014
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Def power wash first - we used Behrs DeckOver from Home Depot . Our deck is OLD and it is unbelievable how good it looks ! We have previously used HD stains , but this is the best thing we have ever done ! HUGE transformation - everyone comments on it ! Rustoleum also has a similar product , but gets bad reviews . Also, it comes in a lot of colors !
Gerry Snyder
on Aug 07, 2014
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Rustoleum restore worked great on one deck and totally failed on another. I wrote to the company and they refunded my money and sent step by step instructions for the deck that failed. I followed them and took pictures of each step in process and at completion. The key is to do a thorough power washing and a water test. If the deck absorbs the water it is ready to stain. If the water puddles power wash or sand until it does. We'll see how deck 2 makes it through the winter.
Dog Geek
on Aug 07, 2014
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thank you for your response. I will research it.
Judy Kelley
on Aug 07, 2014
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yes, you are correct. the more I review these products the more I am apprehensive. I got a reply from a guy that I will pass along to you. A product called TWP stain.
Judy Kelley
on Aug 07, 2014
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you might want to check out a product called TWP stain also. I am thinking strongly about this product. I will let you know if I do and what my deck looks like.
Judy Kelley
on Aug 07, 2014
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We just used the new Home Depot deck paint. It is heavy and seeps into the cracks and nail holes. Deck looks great! It did take hand paint brush to work it in, roller wasn't getting great coverage. Would highly recommend this product.
Barbara
on Aug 07, 2014
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thank you for replying!
Judy Kelley
on Aug 07, 2014
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Use a good deck wash, then use Restore.
Cheryl Anderson
on Aug 07, 2014
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have you used this product. If so, how long ago and can you send pictures.? thanks
Judy Kelley
on Aug 07, 2014
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Had terrible results wuth Restore by Restoluem! Would never use it again and would Never recommend it!!
Susie Norton
on Aug 07, 2014
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Can't wait to read all the advise. My deck looks like yours so I hope its an easy job due to my deck being so large.
Jane Cashion
on Aug 07, 2014
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Sigh we have to do this too---this last killer winter did ours in! HARBOR FREIGHT has a power washer that we bought just to do this for MUCH LESS than ones at WM etc (which we bought but returned as it didn't really power wash at all!) We have used it a few times (not on deck yet) and a few tips---the soap is NOT used on the POWER setting; use the hose and wand to get the soap ON the wood and THEN power wash. Don't aim at one spot for more than a few secs as it can actually damage the wood esp if it is old. Even on well water this has a LOT of force behind it! Don't use it on paint that you want to save. You prob WILL need a stiff brush and paint scraper to get all the crud off and out between boards etc. Then wash it away. So far we have used this on our motorcycle--the extremely buggy crusted windscreen came very clean even with cold water; the chrome washed nicely; the wheels (alloy) came out really nicely which is a big issue on this bike; we used it for second story sliding glass doors; and we used it to test clean an old pet cage that had yucky stuff on the bottom. Oh--and for CARS!!!! All worked really well. For under $75 (don't forget the COUPON!!!!) this is a great investment. Other things we are going to use it for---those pesky webs and old (sprayed) wasp homes; garage doors; the strip of alum siding under our roof that is weirdly discolored; prep for re-doing our metal exterior doors---Oh and it does a GREAT job on your car and wheels too!!!
Comet
on Aug 07, 2014
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Simple pressure washing will make it look brand new!
Mary Beth
on Aug 07, 2014
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@Judy Kelley your deck looks like mine, I'm in NW FL. I have huge old Oak Trees. After much research I've decided not to use any commercial deck coating products. The way I am cleaning mine is a hose sprayer pot (Ortho) and I sprayed decks wet with plain water and brushed off debri, then put bleach (the bleach is to kill the mold/mildew - that is what makes the green and black look on the wood) in the pot and set on 8 and sprayed deck, then scrubbed with deck brush on long handle. Then sprayed very well again with plain water while brushing again several times. I am thinking of something like Murphy's Oil to wash the decks. My son wants to pressure wash the decks for me but I am worried about damaging the old wood with high pressure, we may try it on a section out of the main area of the deck to test it. Once I get mine cleaned up I plan to use a recipe that I found online. It is an excerpt from a book by James and Morris Carey. They say after deck is cleaned well, then mix up equal parts of mineral spirits and boiled linseed oil, pigment (the kind used to color paint,) and mildewcide (a pesticide that kills mildew; it’s available at paint stores) and then add pigment to the intensity you like, and stir in a package of mildicide. (Follow the instructions for the mildewcide as if you were adding it to an equal volume of paint.) I started a page on my blog to record my deck restoration, I should put it on here also.
HandCrafter Maggie
on Aug 07, 2014
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Power washed ours and used Home Depot's Deck Over in Barn Red. First picture is truer to real color (copied off phone). I had new and old wood, so needed something to cover both and have them look uniform. Pretty thick paint, but we did it ourselves. Really love how it looks and so far, it's holding up well after 6 months.
Jayne Ciasto
on Aug 07, 2014
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Be very leary of the Behr Deckover. A lot of good reviews the first year it was out, but then all of the reviews go way downhill after the first year. It peels and curls up, and it can be a real bear to get off so you can re-stain the wood with a good stain.
Julee Ellison
on Aug 07, 2014
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We used treated wood when making our deck. How long does one let this treated material (wood) dry before putting on Thompson's or paint
Will Luthi
on Aug 07, 2014
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Our home is 12 years old. Previous owners appear to have never given any thought to preserving the deck. We power washed it, then used Restore4X on it. Friends used the 10x option as they had more deck damage to cover. The colors they have are great. We were able to get an almost perfect match to our shutters. Looks like new!
Donna
on Aug 07, 2014
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i am thinking I may go with Olympic deck stain
Judy Kelley
on Aug 07, 2014
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Over the years I have tried numerous products. This year, I rented a floor sander and sanded our decks down to clean bare wood. This year I used a toner made by Olympic that a four year warranty. I rather doubt any deck product will last that long but after thirty five years of looking for a good product, I have settled on one without any sort of pigment. In the past, I would clean the old stain off the deck but could never get all the old pigment off and the deck would look blotchy. All of our neighbors have commented as our deck looks brand new. No more pigments of colors for this guy. Oh, by the way, never ever paint your decking.
David And Gloria
on Aug 07, 2014
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I hope you are all careful with the pressure washer. If you get the nozzle to close to the wood, it will take the soft wood leaving ridges like you find on a spit shingle. After years of redoing our deck, we started feeling the ridges but the sanding to care of that. OK, I'm done.
David And Gloria
on Aug 07, 2014
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thank you for your reply
Judy Kelley
on Aug 07, 2014
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Our company does restoration on log homes. Most of them have large porches and decks. We use Sansin log home products. We power wash with Sansin multi-wash and then stain with Sansin DEC stains. Paints tend to crack and chip quickly when exposed to the elements. Water gets under the paint chips and leads to rot. The good quality stains are more expensive, but re-doing a deck is a lot of work. having to do it once every 7 years or so is much better than every other year. The big box stores don't sell the better quality stains. You can learn more about them on Sansin's website and can be ordered here: http://www.loghelp.com/c-23-deck-finishes-log-home.aspx
LaVonne D
on Aug 07, 2014
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I was thinking about using deckover, and checked it out on line and ask on this page decided not to use it, so glad I didn't, but got some good advice from hometalk, so I used Behr stain and sealed all in one, I'm happy with my decision, good luck with whatever you decide.
Carol Harris
on Aug 07, 2014
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I built a pool deck using reclaimed wood from an old barn that we tore down. I sanded the planks and then used Glove-It marine epoxy, that is used on boats. I ordered it from Amazon, it's a little pricy for each quart, but well worth the price.
Amanda Kohl
on Aug 07, 2014
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Do not use the deckover. I used it last year and none of the things they state are true. Its much hotter than my plain deck and its coming off. I followed directions exactly as stated.
Toni Allgeier Jines
on Aug 07, 2014
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We researched products from Home Depot and Lowes and after reading poor reviews for the Home Depot product, purchased one from Lowe's. It is called Rescue It and you can watch a video online for instructions on how to apply it. We also purchased the deck cleaner, which we used first, then sanded the deck. It looks really good and we are pleased with the quality of the product.
Kathy Fleming
on Aug 07, 2014
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We did ours last summer with Restore! It is chipping and coming off in a lot of places. Our deck is 12X 32 so it was not cheap to do! Next summer a new deck and we will just stain it!
Mikell Paulson
on Aug 07, 2014
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I don't recommend ever painting a deck! When we bought our home it was 6 yrs. old and the treated lumber was already rotting in many places and the paint was peeled terribly where the sun was most brutal. I saw that on a lot of new homes I was looking at also. Builders took the easy cheap method. Now after replacing all of the decking and rails, I have tried to get the horrid paint off the posts and it doesn't want to come off where it was shaded. Terrible mess! I am only staining my new deck with a high quality stain. I will never paint!
Linda K
on Aug 08, 2014
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Talk to the experts at Lowes or Home Depot and watch the video's that Rustoleum has on their products. http://www.rustoleum.com/Rustoleum/pages/homeowner/how-to-videos/
Cheryl Anderson
on Aug 08, 2014
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Clean the deck with deck wash and a brush. Do not use a pressure washer. Let the deck dry fully (days) and use a stain. I would not recommend a paint product. Stain will fade but it is easy to apply more every couple of years. Paint will always fail and chip. Also you have to do a ton of work when repainting (sanding, removing loose paint, etc). My brother used one of those deck paint products last year. Less than a year later parts have peeled up on the decking in high traffic areas. The railing still look nice.
St. Paul Haus
on Aug 08, 2014
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I used Olympic Rescue It on our wooden porch and am very pleased! Did not hear good things about the Rustoleum product (too thick, texture, etc.) Our Extension office recommended a mixture of 1 cup beach, 1 cup SpicNSpan, 1 cup powdered laundry detergent to a gallon of water. Worked better than the retail deck cleaner that I bought.
Madeline M
on Aug 08, 2014
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Thanks for the info!
Darlene Nieman Morris
on Aug 09, 2014
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Once you pressure wash off old finishes, apply Tung oil. It seeps into the wood fibres and strengthens them. Darkens the wood a tone but protects from moisture, doesn't get boiling hot, etc. Then reapply as needed. Worked for me. Haven't heard good things about the Rustoleum product. Maggiescornerdotorg uses Lindseed oil - below.
Marion Nesbitt
on Aug 09, 2014
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We researched both Restore and Rescue, knowing people in our subdivision had used both. NONE of the people that had used either of these products were happy. The biggest complaint was that it chipped off in high traffic areas and not being able to set patio furniture on it without it rubbing off. We decided to go with semi transparent stain from Behr. Absolutely love it.
Karen
on Aug 09, 2014
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Did you let the wood DRY for several day? Because I know you have to let the wood be completely dry and then not apply the product during certain temps or times of day. Perhaps you did not follow the directions 100%?
Cheryl Anderson
on Aug 09, 2014
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We were disappointed with the Home Depot Behr brand. In less than a year it has peeled up in strips. Followed directions, but the deck had been stained and water treated in the past which may have added to our problems.
Robin
on Aug 09, 2014
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I have NEVER liked the Behr products. I would trust Rustoleum.
Cheryl Anderson
on Aug 10, 2014
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Olympic all the way. I have tried others and hatted them, they did not perform well.
Patsy Price
on Aug 10, 2014
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I bought an attachment for my pressure washer at Lowes. A large, round scrubbing brush that you attach to the end of your pressure washer. And I use dawn dish detergent to scrub my deck. I throw buckets of dawn in the water andscrub away. I have a 20 yr old trex deck
Debbie Kuhar
on Aug 11, 2014
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I have a cedar deck and have used a pressure washer on it. The secret is to keep the spray pattern wide and keep it moving, you will get a feel for how long you can leave the washer on one area without damaging the deck if you have a tough spot. Let it dry for a week, I have used SuperDeck (it has a duck logo - at the local Ace Hardware store). I have used the Natural, but you can get it tinted or it comes in a variety of colours). Follow the directions as far as application temp range. This is the product the US Forest Service uses on its outdoor products and I have found it lasts about 2 yrs before you need to refresh the coating. I did use a Behr product in the past and was not happy - it seemed like it began to peel within a few months.
Jill
on Aug 12, 2014
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Restore is an awesome product to redo a deck. It is thick, covers well and does not chip. We redid a large deck and it came out beautiful and is still in good shape after a few winter snow seasons. They also have stain to match as we did that too on all the railings. It even works on concrete as we did our very old front porch that had pitted areas. Highly recommend this product for its beauty, restoration and durability.
Kathy
on Aug 13, 2014
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I just save an article on Restore. interesting.article.
Debbie Kuhar
on Aug 13, 2014
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I used the Restore by Rustoleum. I hate that it did not last a year. My deck is 12X 32, and was not a cheap fix. Followed the directions to a tee. I hate that next year we will remove the deck and do cedar and Tung oil! Good luck
Mikell Paulson
on Aug 14, 2014
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Just type in your search engine, Rustoleum, but I may have read mine throw Home Depot pro. Mikell is right, there are alot of steps to follow and I do not think you can get it done in one day. Being I have the trex deck, I only looked throw the article briefly
Debbie Kuhar
on Aug 16, 2014
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I bought the Restolium and will begin my huge week long (at least) project next week. In the mean time, after reading the cons of this product, I have a BIG question that I need answered ASAP as I am purchasing the rest of the materials on Friday. Can Restore 4x Deck Coat be applied over Oil Based Products? . I want to apply Clear Preserve first which is an oil based product. Will Restore 4x Deck Coat adhere or will it peel off? If it will peel off, what can I coat the deck with as a primer to avoid peeling. I want this to last many many years, 12 + as they say it will. Please advise. Thanks!
Kimber Otis-Kennedy
on Aug 20, 2014
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Kimber, I suggest you go to the Lowe's website and type in restore it video. It may answer your questions. If not, check with a person in that department and hopefully you.can get your questions answered.
Kathy Fleming
on Aug 21, 2014
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I will regret that I did this to the deck! Think long and hard before you do your deck!
Mikell Paulson
on Aug 23, 2014
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Power wash the deck first, you will be surprised how clean you can make it with some strong water. Then assess if you need to treat your deck and how.
Lee Cunningham Green
on Aug 25, 2014
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For cleaning the deck, before using the new deck refinisher, I suggest using a pressure washer. It will remove a lot more than a chemical purchased in a jug and less money too!
Ann Sargent-Henderson
on Jan 09, 2015
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This product didn't last 2 years. (Rustoleum 10x) I called the company, and they wanted my receipt to replace the product. I didn't want a replacement. The stuff peels off in pieces. You have to scrape the rest of it off. Read the fine print. It is toxic if you sand it off. I've found that regular paint/stain lasts much longer, and is MUCH cheaper.
Dal8338065
on Jul 27, 2016
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I see you live in the South as we do so no freezing cold storms to worry about...we have an enclosed back screen porch with a protected floor which has on a nice brown stain from Home Depot and it has lasted for years...but outside there is a small landing and steps going down to our yard, so that required a different approach...after not doing anything to the steps for several years they weathered very gray...this Spring, I went to Home Depot and got their Semi Transparent Deck Stain, comes in many many colors...just brushed it on directly to the weathered wood and it gave a great new look to the whole thing and it required no sanding or prep work at all...so I may have to paint it on again in a few years but this worked very well and was easy...I have read numerous negative reviews about this Restore product and I personally would never use it...
Jan Loehr
on Jul 27, 2016
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I used restore and was extremely happy with the results and how well it covered. It doesn't peel or chip. They have paint and matching stain. Used the paint on the deck and stain on railings. 4 years and still looks good.
Kathy
on Jul 28, 2016
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