recommendations for pressure treated deck sealer please

[newbury]

Tried a search couldn't find threads in the last year.
Got a fair sized pool deck, about 40x40 that I need to reseal. Put Olympic water seal on it several (3?) years ago. Need to do it again, I've seen several new (to me) products on the market and am looking to the TBN brain trust for recent experience with the new stuff.
Behr (HD) has a solid deck sealer they claim will last 10 years and 5 gallons will cover 1,000 sq ft first coat, 2,000 sq ft 2nd.

So what are the TBN'ers using ?
Wife says I can't use a mix of diesel and used motor oil, like I did on my trailer.

 

[big bubba]

are you wanting a clear sealer? what about a solid or semi transparent stain w/more uv & weather protection? been using Olympic stains for decades, though Lowes no longer carries (here in AR)

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

I tried that Behr solid deck sealer on my back covered deck, railing, and large step platforms. Anywhere it is exposed to the sun, it has peeled and disintegrated. In the shaded areas, it held up well. I definitely won't use it again!

On a new deck, we used Behr 'Fast-dry' semi transparent "oil based wood finish" last September. It has held up well for almost a year. They recommend coating every 2-3 years. With our intense sun out here, I'll probably do every 2 years.

I have found that the 'solid' stains don't hold up at all. Go with transparent or semi transparent. I do like the Behr products a lot.

We did a cedar picket fence with Thompson's water seal.....didn't hold up for even one season....real junk..

 

[EddieWalker]

I'm kind of a snob when it comes to paint brands, which also applies to stains and sealers. Olympic is at the bottom end of the scale. Behr used to be a really good brand, but when all the paint companies had to change how they made paint under the last administration, they haven't really figured it out yet. Sherwin Williams is easily the best of the best out there in all of their products. They also cost a bit more, but if you do this for a living, you pay for the best products to have the happiest clients. Lowes is selling Cabot again and I've had decent results with it years ago when everything was changing, but I haven't used it since then because I only trust Sherwin Williams.

 

[dalola]

I tried Ready Seal for the first time ever this spring on a deck. Always used Flood products prior. So far, very happy with it. Goes on easy, no worries to keep a wet edge. Also oil based. Time will tell how it lasts, but so far so good.

Wood Stain & Sealer | Desk Stain & Sealer | Ready Seal

 

[HillStreet]

I use Sherwin Williams exclusively for inside, outside and decks. For your deck, prep it with a stripper/rejuvenator and brightened. Prep is key for bringing back to like new. Following that, I would strongly recommend an oil based penetrating stain in semi-transparent. I do mine every three years. Nobody will guarantee anything more than a few years anyway.

 

[newbury]

I tried that Behr solid deck sealer on my back covered deck, railing, and large step platforms. Anywhere it is exposed to the sun, it has peeled and disintegrated. In the shaded areas, it held up well. I definitely won't use it again!

On a new deck, we used Behr 'Fast-dry' semi transparent "oil based wood finish" last September. It has held up well for almost a year. They recommend coating every 2-3 years. With our intense sun out here, I'll probably do every 2 years.

I have found that the 'solid' stains don't hold up at all. Go with transparent or semi transparent. I do like the Behr products a lot.

We did a cedar picket fence with Thompson's water seal.....didn't hold up for even one season....real junk..

Thanks for the thumb down on Behr solid.

I'm kind of a snob when it comes to paint brands, which also applies to stains and sealers. Olympic is at the bottom end of the scale. Behr used to be a really good brand, but when all the paint companies had to change how they made paint under the last administration, they haven't really figured it out yet. Sherwin Williams is easily the best of the best out there in all of their products. They also cost a bit more, but if you do this for a living, you pay for the best products to have the happiest clients. Lowes is selling Cabot again and I've had decent results with it years ago when everything was changing, but I haven't used it since then because I only trust Sherwin Williams.

Thanks Eddie, I'll look into SW.

I tried Ready Seal for the first time ever this spring on a deck. Always used Flood products prior. So far, very happy with it. Goes on easy, no worries to keep a wet edge. Also oil based. Time will tell how it lasts, but so far so good.

Wood Stain & Sealer | Desk Stain & Sealer | Ready Seal

Thanks

 

[art]

Just put a new deck up three years ago and it finally got a coat of Thompson's water seal this year. The deck is around our pool and the old deck which lasted 25 years and actually had more life but our pool had to be replaced and they didn't build the same size pool so we went bigger. Our old deck we had sealed with a semi transparent first but we went to dark and you had to hurry to get in the pool if barefoot do to the heat! We waited and hoped we could lighten it and we tried going lighter but it still retained heat. Then we moved up to paint and lighter colors which helped. The Thompson's was a bargain of price and it sealed it well so far but we are looking at giving the flat surfaces another coat this fall or in the spring. It is not to hot to walk on and the color is awesome in natural with two years of fade! It was 15.99 for a 1.2 gallon can and we put nearly five gallons on with 4" hot dog rollers for the spindles and bigger rollers for the decking. The larger areas we sprayed and rolled and in less that four hours with three working it is done and all cleaned up!

 

[newbury]

Well I went with 5 gallons of SW semitransparent oil despite some bad reviews. I think a lot of people did not prep and treated it like it wasn't oil based. Works well so far. I'l probably pick up another 15 gallons before the 35% sale goes ends August 12th.

Not that SW has a 15% military/former military discount.

To qualify for the 15% off Military Discount, you must:

Be currently serving, be a reservist or have served in the military, including the US Army, US Navy, US Air Force, US Marine Corps, US Coast Guard, the National Guard, ROTC, Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army or Royal Canadian Air Force.

Be able to provide an ID at the time of purchase validating military service.

 

[EddieWalker]

I didn't read the reviews, but have heard clients complain about staining a new deck and how it didn't last, or it was really blotchy. When I asked how long they waited before staining, every single one of them said that they didn't wait, or they stained the following week. Modern day treated wood needs at least four months to dry out before staining or painting. Six months if it's going to be over winter. And that's here in Texas. I might wait a full year if I lived up North!!!

 

[big bubba]

the above is a good point. should be obvious to consumers when they 1st buy pressure treated lumber that it is usually water logged w/treatment. i usually wait at least 6 mo before painting/sealing/staining.

 

[gsganzer]

Folks around here use Ready Seal. I've used it myself and seems to be the best so far.

 

[BoFuller]

the above is a good point. should be obvious to consumers when they 1st buy pressure treated lumber that it is usually water logged w/treatment. i usually wait at least 6 mo before painting/sealing/staining.

One of my neighbors is a contractor and has built hundreds of decks. He told me that he gives all his PT lumber a coat of poly-urethane before he even begins construction. He says it’s the rapid drying out that makes the lumber want to twist. He claims that by giving it a coat before construction and then another coat after, the lumber dries out much more slowly and keeps it shape better. Less twisting and buckling.

 

[check]

One of my neighbors is a contractor and has built hundreds of decks. He told me that he gives all his PT lumber a coat of poly-urethane before he even begins construction. He says it’s the rapid drying out that makes the lumber want to twist. He claims that by giving it a coat before construction and then another coat after, the lumber dries out much more slowly and keeps it shape better. Less twisting and buckling.

Wow, that’s a surprise. I would expect the Urethane to just peel.

 

[newbury]

Well reviving this thread.
Based on Eddies advice I went with SW (SuperDeck Exterior Waterborne Semi-Solid Color Stain)
in 2019 on my Mississippi deck AND my Virginia deck. Now it's peeling and needs repainting in many spots.
Last fall my Virginia deck had only a couple of patches that had peeled, now lot's more are showing up. Time to "recover".
Due to time constraints I'm planning on trying to get by with a light sanding and repainting unless there is a LOT better product on the market now.
So -
Is there a better product? (putting on flame shield)

 

[lman]

This was recommended to me by a deck installer. It's not available in Indiana so we got it in Michigan. Holding up pretty good after 2 years.

https://www.menards.com/main/paint/exterior-paint-stain/exterior-wood-stains/semi-solid-stain/cabot-reg-semi-solid-deck-siding-stain-1-gal/140-0001416-007/p-4364363663390644.htm

 

[newbury]

Thanks

 

[civilian]

One thing I heard about staining decks if they are in direct sun light, not under a roof. After staining, rigup some type of tarp covering the deck from the sun light. Tarp can't touch deck to allow solvents to flash off, but tarp slow down time it takes to flash off. How to keep tarp off the deck is the tricky part.

On another similar subject. Had trouble painting a wall after wall paper was removed and the glue removed with proper cleaners. Painter told me to paint with Kilz, etc, but wait a full week to top coat. But I said "can says ok to top coat in 3 or 4 hours". (Been a while so number might be off) So I waited full week and repainted. Stayed on afterwards, not like first time that peeling/bubbles appeared the next day. The week time period allowed the solvents to flash off and the Kilz to cure. Same with decks and covering from sun?????? I have not tried the deck tarp yet. Jon

 

[JohnnyMX]

I've bought many things and none seem to work well in the long haul. I've heard a 50/50 mix of used oil and diesel works well. People say the wood won't even get wet as the water just beads off, assuming you are into that shade of stain. It seems like time with PT lumber is your best friend to allow whatever you use to soak in deep.

 

[check]

Just use pressure treated decking, and don’t put anything at all on it. The new stuff has a nice brown color to it, and will fade to gray after maybe three or four years. But it would never peel, and lasts forever and ever.