Deck Stain/Sealer??

[Michael Drew]

I just finished rebuilding my deck after 24 years of use. I used the treated "sun wood" from the box stores. Used #10X2.5" coated deck screws this time, verse nails originally.

Figured I might as well treat the deck boards while they are still new and not cracked, but in the past, I haven't found a product that holds up that well to the amount of rain and snow that I get.

I'm hoping this community might have more experience with these products than I and have some recommendations?

Thanks in advance for the help!

[Maurice Mcmurry]

A tough question with not many good answers. I am fond of semi transparent oil. The product most of my clients request is solid color acrylic. I put on a lot of Sherwin Willams Deckscapes and Behr Waterproofing deck stain. Then I put it on again... and again...

https://www.sherwin-williams.com/hom.../deck-products

https://www.behr.com/consumer/produc...ain-and-sealer

[Warren Lake]

time someone asks Elon and his crew of minds to make us an advanced product that can keep things looking as they did after we coated them.

Carpenter here had to do a deck for a lady in IPE and coated in seven coats of Marine Spar Varnish. He told her it was going to need maintenance every some odd number of years.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Diogenes had better luck with his lamp than had he looked for long-lasting deck sealant

Save your time and money. I agree on semi-transparent stain but that’s not a direct solution

The screws (if you prefilled) will handle most of the splitting problem. Beyond that see you in another 24 years

[Brian Runau]

Recently used this on an outdoor table. I believe it says 7 years before re-coat. Brian

https://onetimewood.com/

[Lee Schierer]

If the "Sun Wood" is a treated lumber product, you will not have much success coating it with anything until it dries out. The wood needs to dry for several weeks to a month or more depending upon how much it rains before it can successfully be finished with anything.

[Edward Weber]

If the "Sun Wood" is a treated lumber product, you will not have much success coating it with anything until it dries out. The wood needs to dry for several weeks to a month or more depending upon how much it rains before it can successfully be finished with anything.

This is what I was thinking as well.
Wood that is sold as treated, is usually incapable of absorbing any additional product you may want to apply.
https://www.stainer-sunwood.com/en/faq/

I use TWP products on raw wood.

[Michael Drew]

How depressing,......

What about this stuff? https://defywoodstain.com/products/d...ent-wood-stain

[Kent A Bathurst]

Composites

[Michael Drew]

Composites

They require tighter joist spacing. I seriousely considered going that direction, but this project was already more than I wanted to take on, with all the other summer projects on my plate. Adding the demo of the joists, and reinstalling them on 12" centers was simply too much.

[John Lifer]

Composites

You priced any lately? 2x to 5x what treated wood is. I'd love it, but with a 10x60ft deck, it's really expensive.

But for the initial question, I just did my daughter's small deck with a couple of gallons of the Behr I found on closeout. Paid $6 a gallon. Got enough to recoat 2x. Deck was a year and a half old. Sucked it right up.

[Kent A Bathurst]

They require tighter joist spacing. I seriousely considered going that direction, but this project was already more than I wanted to take on, with all the other summer projects on my plate. Adding the demo of the joists, and reinstalling them on 12" centers was simply too much.

You're exactly right. One solution to the problem. There are always tradeoffs - pick your poison.

[Kent A Bathurst]

You priced any lately? 2x to 5x what treated wood is. I'd love it, but with a 10x60ft deck, it's really expensive.

But for the initial question, I just did my daughter's small deck with a couple of gallons of the Behr I found on closeout. Paid $6 a gallon. Got enough to recoat 2x. Deck was a year and a half old. Sucked it right up.

Yes. Yes it is. You get what you pay for, but sometimes its just not possible.

The Behr stuff that got sucked right up into the 18 months old dried out fiber - what's your prognosis for coming years?

[Pat Germain]

Many years ago Consumer Reports did a lot of testing on deck treatments. The consensus was clear deck "sealers" were almost useless. This reflected my experience after I had used Thomson's Water Seal on my deck in Virginia. It pretty much did nothing.

The only deck treatments that actually provided any protection contained pigment. The more pigment the better. So, if you apply a very dark deck stain/treatment, it will help to preserve the wood. If you don't want your deck to be a dark color, just leave it be. Anything else is an exercise in futility.

The same situation played out for my redwood deck here in Colorado. My neighbor treated his deck with a clear sealer. I did nothing. Twenty years later, our decks looked exactly the same. After 23 years, I had to have it completely rebuilt to sell the house. Yeah, I should have treated with a very dark stain/sealer/treatment/whatever.

[Earl McLain]

I replaced a 30 year old deck & porch last year. Old one was never sealed and probably should have been redone 4 years or so sooner. If the new one lasts 20 years with no treatment--i'll be 87 and not likely to care.
Built a small deck off the bedroom 8 or so years ago--used Ipe. That one is probably good for another 35-40 years with no treatment. Only reason to treat that wood is to keep if from graying.

@Michael Drew--since it's been 24 years since you had a new deck, when winter comes don't worry about the loud pops and bangs the first time the temps drop below 0 f. We had 35 f slush followed by an overnight drop to about -10 f, the noise was incredible, and it sounded like none of the boards would still be attached. Survived quite nicely!!