New Pressure Treated Deck - What to seal it with?

Scotty Dive · Sep 10, 2012

I have heard a couple folks recommend the Sikkens deck seal. this if for a new deck installed a few months ago. What do you guys suggest....want to use a translucent sealer....

s219 · Sep 10, 2012

Our builder is a big fan of Sikkens products. I have had good luck with Olympic myself. Just make sure the wood has really dried out. If it still puts out juices when you nail or screw into it, I'd wait a little longer. Some people say to wait a year before sealing pressure treated wood. An exception would be if it was kiln dried after treatment (KDAT).

Scotty Dive · Sep 10, 2012

Is there a way to tell if its kiln dried after treatment???

Bird · Sep 10, 2012

When I bought this place 6 years ago, there was an unopened can of Sikkens Cetol Dek in he garage. I used it and thought it was good. But when I ran out, I simply could not find anymore of it, and had dealers tell me Sikkens quit making "Dek". One dealer told me on the phone that he had it, but it turned out to be Sikkens SRD that he had. It was cheaper and I gave it a try. Now it may be good for raw, unfinished wood, but I was putting it over a prior finish. It looked the same, but took more than 3 days to dry. The dealer refunded my money.

And of course, both were oil based and required mineral spirits to clean up my brushes. Since then I've changed to Sherwin-Williams Deckscape. It's cheaper, so much easier to apply, easier to clean up with water, and lasts just as long as the Sikkens did. I've used the Deckscape on our deck by applying it with a roller, I've used it on the steps with a brush, and I've sprayed it on wooden fences with my one quart pneumatic paint gun.

I may find something better someday, but for now I'm sold on the Deckscape.

s219 · Sep 10, 2012

Scotty Dive said:
Is there a way to tell if its kiln dried after treatment???

There would probably a stamp on the wood. Also, it would cost a lot more and would have been a special order from a builder supply. Not something you can pick up at the local Home Depot / Lowes.

bucktaker · Sep 10, 2012

Bird

Home depot is now stocking Sikkens. I just finished restaining my deck with Sikkens again after 9 yrs not bad if you ask me. I used the Cetol SRD in Teak I applied one coat waited 24 hrs then applied a second coat. Yes it took a while to dry completly tack free but I lke the way it looks.

Bird · Sep 10, 2012

bucktaker said:
Bird

Home depot is now stocking Sikkens. I just finished restaining my deck with Sikkens again after 9 yrs not bad if you ask me. I used the Cetol SRD in Teak I applied one coat waited 24 hrs then applied a second coat. Yes it took a while to dry completly tack free but I lke the way it looks.

Yeah, the Sikkens does make one look good. I'll have to have a look at Home Depot; didn't know they had the Sikkens. I've got 2 Home Depots and 2 Lowe's within 10 miles, but when I wanted to buy Sikkens, the nearest places that had it were over 20 miles away.