Deck sealer...use any successfully?

[alchemysa]

I hate using anything thats oil based so we used this Cabots Aquadeck on our new deck and handrails about 8 months ago. I think it was about $50 a gallon and we've used about 2 gallons. Our deck was completely raw so the first coat soaked in pretty well and used up more sealer than the following coat. We applied 2 coats but it probably needs another couple. As for how good it is.. so far so good, but its only early days. The 'natural' colour has a slight yellow orange tint that looks quite nice. Its water based so its easy to apply with a pad type mop applicator.

I'm not sure how successful it would be if you tried to apply it to a deck thats already been oil sealed.

http://www.cabots.com.au/exterior/deck_deckingoil.asp

 

[Bird]

Bird, I looked into those products when I first built the deck it seems to me that one or the other (probably DEK) is for a new, previously uncoated deck. And, if remember correctly, there was a specific procedure you had to follow, like apply a second coat 6 months after the first.

Then again, my memory is less than reliable. I do remember thinking I could not afford the stuff though, like you said it is not cheap!

Almost all the can is covered with very fine print. You might be able to apply a gallon of so in less time than you could read all the instructions. Actually, the DEK says it's for a top coat and should be used after, or over, their Cetol Base. But the SRD says it's a "penetrating" product. As for a "specific procedure you had to follow" . . . well, a specific procedure they tell you to follow, but I guess I'd be a little surprised if anyone ever actually went to that much trouble.

At any rate, my deck had obviously been treated with Cetol in the past, so I only cleaned it with a broom and air-compressor and applied another coat of DEK 3 years ago. And I did about the same thing this time. And apparently the DEK is the preferred product to go on over previous treatments. Oh well; not the first time I just used what was available.

 

[Bird]

Yep, the young fellow who confidently assured me the SRD was a replacement for DEK talked like he knew what he was talking about, but he didn't. They're probably both good products, but for different applications. The areas on which I used DEK dried to a firm finish in 24 hours or less. But the areas on which I used SRD still feel slightly tacky after more than 36 hours. So the SRD is probably best if you're applying it to new wood, but the DEK is best if you're re-applying it to wood that's been treated already. And of course the SRD is much cheaper.

Of course the SRD might be OK for siding in either event because if you're not going to walk on it or put furniture and such on it, then you probably won't really care how long it takes for it to dry.

 

[davitk]

I picked up a gallon of Cabot's at the paint store yesterday to use on a railing, 26.00. They were not excited about promoting a clear finish as it aledgedly has no UV protection and it was their experience that treated lumber (southern yellow pine) suffers most of it's damage from exposure to UV.

 

[Soundguy]

He was only protecting his deck. Do you know how many carcinogens leak into ALL our water from blacktop highways? From highway water runoff/leaky vehicles. Jeesh, the amount coming from his deck doesn't even register in comparison to the amount of fuel that is dumped DAILY in aviation. I could go on, but won't. My soapbox just collapsed.

Just givin' you a hard time.

Spilled fuel does not = WASTE oil.

And do you know what the difference is in runnoff from oil droppings on a roadway, and runnoff from oil droppings on a deck? Intent... the oil on the roadway was inadvertantly deposited there... The oil on the deck was purposefully deposited there.

Intent means alot.. if not.. look at the charging difference in accidentally killing someone vs intentionally killing someone ( manslaughter / murder )

We can choose not to intentionally deposit oil into the environment in a case such as the wood deck treatment.. IE.. we have control over it. We have less control and choices ofer inadvertant drops of oil in other places... Whethere it constitutes a huge difference is not the issue.. it's the choice to do it that is the issue. If everyone takes the casual attitude that voluntary pollution is ok and everyone turns a blind eye... then the environment is going to get real funky in a generation or two... I personally like clean drinking water with no colorfull haze on it...

there's no moral excuse for willfull voluntary poloution.. that's all there is to it...

soundguy

 

[marimus]

Getting back on topic...

I have used Sikkens Cetol DEK, and its pretty good. My current favourite though is "Spa-n-Deck" 100% Acrylic Wood Finish Floodｮ Spa-N-Deckｮ 100% Acrylic Wood Finish

Its supposed to outlast oils by 3-5 times, 3 times on decks and 5 times on vertical surfaces I believe. Anyway, we did some fence with it, as well as some deck about 12 months back, and it still looks new so I'm happy so far.

I also fell for the Thompsons hype on my first deck, and I still didn't wake up when 1 year later I had to do it again

 

[coachgrd]

Hey marimus...in looking at the link you provided, it mentions the product is used with a Spa-n-deck Base Coat product. Did you use this as well? Was wondering if I would need to do that too. Next spring I'm planning on stripping the deck and starting from scratch.

Thanks,
Gary

 

[Bird]

I have used Sikkens Cetol DEK, and its pretty good. My current favourite though is "Spa-n-Deck" 100% Acrylic Wood Finish Floodｮ Spa-N-Deckｮ 100% Acrylic Wood Finish

Does it work well applied over DEK?

 

[curly]

Spilled fuel does not = WASTE oil.

And do you know what the difference is in runnoff from oil droppings on a roadway, and runnoff from oil droppings on a deck? Intent... the oil on the roadway was inadvertantly deposited there... The oil on the deck was purposefully deposited there.

Intent means alot.. if not.. look at the charging difference in accidentally killing someone vs intentionally killing someone ( manslaughter / murder )

We can choose not to intentionally deposit oil into the environment in a case such as the wood deck treatment.. IE.. we have control over it. We have less control and choices ofer inadvertant drops of oil in other places... Whethere it constitutes a huge difference is not the issue.. it's the choice to do it that is the issue. If everyone takes the casual attitude that voluntary pollution is ok and everyone turns a blind eye... then the environment is going to get real funky in a generation or two... I personally like clean drinking water with no colorfull haze on it...

there's no moral excuse for willfull voluntary poloution.. that's all there is to it...

soundguy

Try to relax

 

[marimus]

Hey marimus...in looking at the link you provided, it mentions the product is used with a Spa-n-deck Base Coat product. Did you use this as well? Was wondering if I would need to do that too. Next spring I'm planning on stripping the deck and starting from scratch.

Thanks,
Gary

No I didn't use the basecoat. Actually, when I did it, I don't think there was a basecoat product. I just purchased the finish coat, and it came with a sheet of instructions. Basically you had to wet down the timber with a bleach/water mix to kill any mould spores. Then you had to wet down the timber and apply the first coat, wait 2 hours and apply the next coat, upto 3 coats.

Reading the basecoat directions, it sounds similar to this, and the finish coat has the color. It might be that if you use a color and do 2-3 coats the finish is too dark, but when I used it i'm pretty sure the only colour was "natural" anyway.

After I finished the timber, the color gradually darkened over the next couple of weeks to a really nice finish, and as I said earlier it still looks new.