Now that Spring has arrived, homeowners are beginning to spruce up the outside of their homes, including maintenance to their decks and fences. A question that wood restoration companies get asked all the time – “What stain should we use on our deck?” With so many color choices and brands available, it can be overwhelming.
Because wood decks and fences are costly investments, it is important to protect and maintain them with a quality sealer – one that is both eye appealing to the homeowner as well as effective in preventing mold and mildew from forming and causing the wood to rot from the inside out. Deck cleaning professionals choose to use primarily oil-based, semi-transparent stains which penetrate deep into the wood to protect it from checking, splitting, warping, and graying. Most water based products do not get into the wood’s grain because they form a film on its surface, which is then subject to peeling from the natural dry/wet cycles of the wood.
After your deck is thoroughly cleaned and brightened, make sure that you apply a quality sealer such as Ready Seal or Wood Tux Wet. Both of these sealers get deep down into the wood and contain heavy fungicides and pigmentation, which will prevent mildew growth and the wood from graying due to UV exposure. These stains will last for 2-3 years and will only need to be lightly cleaned by a power washing company, with the re-application of the same product, versus a full restoration of the surface which includes stripping the existing stain followed by a large amount of sanding.
Deck cleaning and sealing can be a large investment. However, if you do not properly protect your wood surfaces with a quality sealer, you will quickly realize that replacing warped, cracked, or rotted wood will be even more expensive.