Best deck sealer

jet · 07-23-2007, 08:05 AM

I just finished a 14'X41' cedar deck with a hot tub im the middle of it and want to seal it in a few weeks once the wood dries out. I have been hearing noting but bad about Thompsons and Olympic, they are just not lasting and have limited UV protection.

What is the best out there that is easy to apply, I am not scarred with a reapplication every few years, I just want it to look great with the constant water exposure.

Thanks all for opinions

Scott

Swamp Puppy · 07-23-2007, 08:14 AM

i used thompson's on my fence over a year ago...it still beads water like a champ and the wood looks new. the fence gets direct sun pretty much all day. i have nothing bad to say about it.

rip-lightnin · 07-23-2007, 08:21 AM

2 coats of CWF cedar tone, apply with a garden pump sprayer and back brush it in on the decking, on your rails and pickets, use a roller and back brush it in, 2coats. dont let it puddle. do not apply in direct sunlight , moderate temp overcast days are best, much better product than those mentioned above and you cant beat the finished look.

Best Fishes · 07-23-2007, 08:26 AM

I used the Behr from Home Depot last year and I am very impressed with the way it has held up.

Best Fishes

MossyOarReelCreek · 07-23-2007, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swamp Puppy

i used thompson's on my fence over a year ago...it still beads water like a champ and the wood looks new. the fence gets direct sun pretty much all day. i have nothing bad to say about it.

I used Thompson's too. Just put it on though. I will let you know next year

I heard good things about Cabot. Spendy though.

jet · 07-23-2007, 08:27 AM

Thanks guys, anyother opinions or professional advise?

Jet~~~

Ken Drifter · 07-23-2007, 08:51 AM

PENOFIN is a penetrating oil finish that protects wood better by taking the vital ingredients deep into the wood fibers. Most wood stain products on the market simply coat the surface, trapping moisture beneath the high-solid coating. PENOFIN is the ONLY low-solid, nonfilm-forming wood stain in the world!

They make it for just about any application. I have used it on my fence since day 1,
previous wooden decks, and an older wooden drift boat.

This is all I ever use. Expensive but will last and hold up well. Re apply about every 3-4 years instead of every other year.

Home Depot sells it. Theres alot of colors to choose from.
check em out on line.

Threemuch · 07-23-2007, 09:00 AM

Whatever you do, take good care of it. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. If you let your deck go, it is tough to get it back in shape. Clean (chemically, and/or low power pressure, NEVER high power pressure) and reapply every year for trasparent or natural finishes, every other for semi-transparent and semi opaque.

First you have to choose an opacity. More durable stains are generally more opaque. But with new wood, most folks want to see the grain.

Consumer reports did a nice write up on deck stains. Best longevity product available is Cabot Decking Stain 1480 per consumer reports, but it is opaque, and you probably won't want to put it on a new deck. Once my deck started to get a little ratty, this is the product I started using.

I did the reasearch, and I have used Thompsons and Behr in the past. Cabot is the best imho. It is also the most expensive, I think. But based upon the amount of $$ you put into the cedar and the labor you will put into maintaining a deck, the price of stain is a small concern. Most lumber shops and paint shops will tell you to use Cabot.

BTW, You can't compare fence stain to deck stain at all. Fences don't get walked on, and they don't ever see any direct sunlight (unless your fence isn't vertical.) Deck finish is about the most severe coating application there is. Sun, rain, moss, traffic.

I think my next deck will be TREX.

Rakkasan · 07-23-2007, 09:25 AM

Cabot's is spendy but you get what you pay for. You will want to presure wash it for the first two years and re apply a sealer. After that it should be every three years. I painted for about a year and that is what the standard was in the industry.

Dave

jet · 07-23-2007, 11:36 AM

I found a top list online but it was from 1996 and I am sure a lot has changed.

Thanks all, I have a place to start

Jewt~~~

Iwish · 07-23-2007, 12:16 PM

Not a professional opinion by any means but I have been VERY pleased with the performance of Superdeck products. The process they have may be a bit more involved but when you are done it is amazing! When you first start out you can just apply the stain but I chose to apply the cleaner and brightner and then the stain. Absolutely gorgeous! I have some photos I would post but they all look good when you first stain them. What is impressive is what they look like when you clean, brighten and restain them. Just as good as the first day. Must check it out.

If you have any older wood around your home it would be worth trying the process to see what kind of a result you get. Let me know if you have any questions. I'd be happy to help out if I can.

Wreckless · 07-23-2007, 02:15 PM

Another vote for Super Deck. Great stuff, just DON'T do 2 coats, 1 is all ya need.

Waterfish · 07-24-2007, 07:12 AM

Rhinoguard is the very best. They are a small company that do not sell through middle men. Do a Google search and check out their web site. Read the "Buyer Beware" section which busts many of the myths and false claims of other products. Look at the comparison tests, and the ASTM ratings. With 3 coats of Rhinoguard, you may not need to recoat for up to 7 years.

yuccaflats · 07-24-2007, 07:15 AM

I use a product called "Sikkens", many options and colors and has awesome protection.

samiam · 11-01-2009, 12:20 PM

It has been a couple years since this thread saw daylight. What's everyone thinking lately? i just moved into a house with a 1.5 year old cedar deck and i don't think it's been sealed at all. just put some deck cleaner on it and it is shaping up.

Old Coot · 11-01-2009, 01:23 PM

Here in the valley I think that recurrent mold and mildew in the wood is just a fact of life, considering our 9-month wet season. I have taken to periodically treating my deck with a strong bleach solution to kill the mold and spores, followed with Superdeck Cedar. Nice end result.

sschwab · 11-01-2009, 03:13 PM

Sun Frog is Super Deck on steroids for Northwest Decks. I know the competition well, as I used to sell the stuff. Sun Frog is made locally for our type of weather.

Like all deck coatings, plan on every other year, with a good cleaning with soapy water and a very small amount of bleach mixed in. You also have to work it a little with a brush to do the job right.

Clean with Sun Frog cleaner before resealing. And make sure you only seal dry, cured wood. The oils need to penetrate a little for max protection.

You'll love the look.

Bob57 · 11-01-2009, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sschwab

Sun Frog is Super Deck on steroids for Northwest Decks. I know the competition well, as I used to sell the stuff. Sun Frog is made locally for our type of weather.

Like all deck coatings, plan on every other year, with a good cleaning with soapy water and a very small amount of bleach mixed in. You also have to work it a little with a brush to do the job right.

Clean with Sun Frog cleaner before resealing. And make sure you only seal dry, cured wood. The oils need to penetrate a little for max protection.

You'll love the look.

Queeg · 11-02-2009, 11:11 AM

Sun Frog

alanmikkelsen · 11-03-2009, 12:49 PM

I've tried Super Deck, then Penofin, then Cabot and none have held up even close to a product called InWood. I buy it in 5 gallon cans (gallons are available) from United Coatings in Spokane. Much better results than the other three products.

crabslinger · 11-04-2009, 12:49 PM

Sun Frog

Bait Bucket · 11-04-2009, 04:37 PM

Half boiled linseed oil (yes that's the name on the can) and half gum turpentine. Both available at most Big Box stores.

Captain 40 · 11-04-2009, 05:08 PM

Asphalt emulsion