Deck sealer...use any successfully?

[curly]

Don't pressure wash. Use some form of deck wash and brush. Hose it down. I only use Olympic sealer from Lowes. The "clear" stuff is oil based and puts a nice finish on the wood.

Yeah, I don't ever pressure wash either. Just a good stain. When you have to sweep (or squeegie) the water off the boards you know the stuff is working. I haven't put anything on my porch yet (been 3 years since the house was built) but it's time. I'll probably try one of the premium brands from this thread.

 

[FrogLick]

Anyone use Sherwin Williams Deckscapes stains?

 

[Podunkadunk]

Pressure washing can ruin your boards if you have too much pressure. Also, don't waste your money buying "board cleaner" "deck wash". Just mix up a 50/50 solution of Clorox bleach and water, apply with a pump sprayer. Then, come back after an hour or so and rinse off. Allow to dry for a couple days, then apply your brand of stain.

Works good, last long time.

Podunk

 

[cisco]

Possibly a useful reply - Consumer Reports, June 2008, pages 40-41
No transparent sealer lasts long (remember the original Thompson's Water Seal - since reformulated into something useful), but some of the opaque ones now seem reasonably good at 9 years (Olympic Premium, Behr Plus 10). Note that there are MANY variations on stains within the same brand (esp. Thompson's, Olympic), and the Lowe's special for Labor Day, the so-called Maximum stain, was rated dead last (11th of 11 rated) by Consumer Reports. I'm facing a 400' walkway and dock to stain, and I've no desire to do such frequently - so, a little research ........
Course - in the larger view of things - there's 3 tropical storms currently in the Atlantic, and I'm on the SC coast, so maybe Mother Nature will alleviate me of the necessity of staining my dock - I may not have a dock in a week or 2.

 

[coachgrd]

Thanks to everyone for the help...gives me some ideas for next spring's treatment.

Gary

 

[ray66v]

Anyone use Sherwin Williams Deckscapes stains?

I use the Deckscapes products professionally.

The stripper, (as necessary), followed by the brightener, then the toner. the toner is a sealer, with some pigment, to give a stained effect in one step. Careful pressure washing is usually necessary when striping.

These products work very well. But, the proper maintenance of a deck is an annual thing.

I have been able to do some impressive work on some very ugly peeling decks with these products. The toner can eliminate the peeling issue.

The condition of the deck is main factor in how it looks when finished. If the wood is smooth, and the grain is tight, it will have a slight sheen, and will repel water very well. If the wood is weathered and the grain is open and cracked. no amount of sealer will produce the same sheen and water repelling effect is minimized.

Care should be used when applying any sealer as over application can lead to undesirable results. If any puddling is present, after 5 minutes, you should sop up the excess with a rag.

I personally cannot understand why most people would want a wood deck. Except in the case of a home that actually needs one, due to the lot it is built on, I would not have one. I prefer to build out of concrete, brick and stone.

 

[GeneD14]

If you do any research on log homes or homes that have wood siding the choice is most often Sikkens Cetol. It is extremely good quality. I used it on our deck about 10 years ago in harsh MI weather and a coat would last about 4 years. Our current home has log siding and we used it to seal the logs and the treated deck. It is great stuff!

 

[davitk]

Ask the professional's (builders and remodelers) around here and the brand that most comes up is Cabot's. I've been happy with Ace Hardware brands oil-based sealer, applied 2x/year

 

[Soundguy]

Are you only looking for a clear or invisible treatment.. or will you consider a stain or paint?

soundguy

Hi guys. I have a 9-year old pressure treated deck that I've spent countless hours pressure washing and sealing on a yearly basis. Invariably it looks pretty mediocre by the end of the summer. (By mediocre I mean doesn't appear to repel water, has a "worn" look to it, and just looks like a deck that doesn't get cared for.) I really love the look of a well maintained pressure treated deck as opposed to the composite look...I just can't find a product I'm happy with. Have any of you?

I've never wasted $$$ on Thompson products as I've heard from countless people that they are junk. I'm wondering if maybe I should just go that route as nothing seems to work anyhow!

As always, thank you!

 

[ToadHill]

Thompsons acording to my son in law who works for a hardware chain is wax based and will only last at best 1 year as it has no ability to penetrate the surface. He recommended I get a produce that can penetrate the surface. I just finished using a product called Flood's penetrant and sealer. It is supposed to last 2 to 4 years but at this point the jury is still out.