What is best coating for decking?

  • BEST OVERALL: Seal-Once Marine Premium Wood Sealer.
  • BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Rust-Oleum Varathane Ultimate Spar Urethane Oil Based.
  • PRESSURE-TREATED WOOD PICK: Thompson's WaterSeal Transparent Wood Sealer.
  • BEST FOR WATERPROOFING: Thompson's WaterSeal Clear Wood Sealer.
  • BEST WITH UV PROTECTION: Defy Composite Deck Sealer.
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What is a good deck coating?

The best overall deck paint is Behr Premium Advanced Deckover (view at Home Depot). It makes your wood splinter proof, is easy to clean, and comes in 50 colors. If you prefer a budget-friendly option, KILZ Interior/Exterior Patio Latex Floor Paint (view at Amazon) is long-lasting, mildew-resistant, and user friendly.
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What deck paint lasts the longest?

The general rule is to buy the highest quality paint available, because it will last longer and protect the wood more efficiently. Look for these qualities: 100 percent acrylic: Top-of-the-line water-based deck paints often contain all-acrylic binders, making them slightly flexible and less likely to peel.
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Is it better to stain or seal a deck?

Deck sealing will protect the wood from splitting, cracking, moisture, mildew, and rot while maintaining the color and grain of the wood. A stain will protect the wood and provides a more uniform tint or color to the wood to complement surrounding structures.
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Should I put clear coat on my deck?

Applying a clear sealer over a deck stain is never a good idea. It really won't help the deck stain or give any added protection more than the deck stain already is. Clear sealers have no pigment and therefore provide zero UV protection.
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Deck Paint vs Stain: What’s Best for Wooden Decks?



What is the best way to protect a wood deck?

The best preventative measure you can take to protect your wooden deck is to use wood sealant. Clear wood sealants are a great way to maintain the natural beauty and wood grain while still preventing damage from rot, mold, and other weathering.
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Do you polyurethane a deck?

Do not apply polyurethane to a deck or it may jeopardize the deck's beauty and longevity. The outdoor elements are too harsh for polyurethane making it a bad choice for exterior deck use. Keep your deck maintained with the proper choice of deck stain and it will be there for you to enjoy for many years ahead.
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Which is better oil based or water based deck sealer?

Water-based stains require a little more time and effort than oils, but it pays off with significantly greater durability. Oil based stains are easy to apply and take less effort, but they will not last nearly as long as a water based stain.
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Is Thompson's water seal better than stain?

The advantage of this, they say, is the sealer provides additional protection against water and weather damage, while the stain helps reduce fading from UV rays. Sealers should last at least a year, with some lasting up to three years.
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What happens if you don't seal your deck?

It is highly unlikely that the deck will rot, splinter or decay if you choose not to have it finished and you can always choose to stain and protect the deck at a later date. If you choose to revitalize the natural color of the wood, we recommend our two-step maintenance clean.
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Why is my deck paint peeling?

One of the reasons your deck paint keeps peeling is poor preparation –either the wood deck wasn't properly cleaned and sanded, or the paint was applied before the wood dried completely. Another possible reason is low paint quality used or paints applied too thickly without enough drying time between each coat.
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What can I cover my old deck with?

If you want to completely cover your old deck, composite decking is a good option. Composite decking is made of a mix of wood and plastic, so it is very weather-resistant. It also doesn't require any staining or sealing, which makes it low-maintenance.
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How often should I repaint my deck?

On average, decks should be refinished every 2-3 years.
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How do I make my old deck look new?

  1. SCRAPE OFF LOOSE FINISH. Remove loose paint or opaque deck stain with a paint scraper. ...
  2. SCRUB THE SURFACE. Use a stiff bristle brush to remove flaking stain or dirt. ...
  3. APPLY CLEANER. Apply a deck brightener/refinisher product to wood surfaces. ...
  4. POWER WASH DECK. ...
  5. APPLY FINISH. ...
  6. USE A BRUSH.
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Is there a deck stain that fills in cracks?

BEHR PREMIUM ADVANCED DECKOVER Coating resurfaces existing wooden decks by filling-in cracks and taming splinters, extending the life of your deck and living space so you can enjoy the outdoors.
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What is the best colour to paint decking?

Plan On Painting Your Deck? The 5 Best Deck Colors
  1. Slate Grey. If you are after a contemporary feel for your new deck area, then slate grey is one of the best deck paint colors to use. ...
  2. Black. If you wish to go even bolder than slate grey, black is another attractive option to consider. ...
  3. Dark Blue. ...
  4. Chocolate Brown. ...
  5. Greige.
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What is better than Thompsons water seal?

According to them, these are the nine most effective wood sealers:
  • Thompson's Water Seal. ...
  • Rainguard Premium Wood Sealer. ...
  • DEFY Crystal Clear Sealer. ...
  • Anchorseal 2. ...
  • Roxil Wood Protection Cream. ...
  • Eco-Advance Exterior Wood Waterproofer. ...
  • Ready Seal Stain and Sealer for Wood. ...
  • Pure Tung Oil Natural Wood Sealer.
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Does Thompson Water Seal really work?

Thompson's WaterSeal Waterproofer Plus Clear Wood Protector is intended to protect wood, as the name would indicate, but our testing produced dismal results. It does a very poor job of preventing black mold and UV graying, two things that are very harmful to the wood.
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How long does Thompson's water seal last?

Water Seal can only be used on bare and uncoated brick, stone or concrete. How long will Water Seal last? If applied correctly, Water Seal will last up to 4 years. This is dependent on conditions such as orientation of the wall and local climate.
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What lasts longer decking stain or oil?

Decking oil vs. stain. Whether you should oil or stain will come down to what you want from your deck. A stain will improve the appearance of the deck, but oil will better help preserve its condition.
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Is there a deck stain that doesn't peel?

A: Many experts agree that the best finish for pressure-treated wood is a semi-transparent stain. This stain penetrates the wood and won't peel, unlike some solid-colour stains, which sit on the surface like paint and can peel and flake under some conditions.
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Is timber oil better than stain?

Both oils and stains have their own distinct advantages. Essentially, what differentiates oils from stains is that a stain will improve the appearance of the deck by changing the timber colour; while an oil will enhance the current colour if you are wanting to leave your wood as is.
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Is spar urethane good for decks?

As a rule, anyone who insists on using varnish outdoors should pick spar varnish or marine varnish. These varnishes normally contain special resins to make them resistant to moisture, and some have chemical additives that serve as ultraviolet absorbers to filter out damaging rays from the sun.
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What is the difference between spar urethane and polyurethane?

What is the Difference Between Spar urethane and Polyurethane. The difference between polyurethane and spar urethane is that Spar urethane is a more water-resistant finish. It can easily be applied in high humidity conditions, where polyurethane might fail if not given time to cure before the humidity rises.
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Should I varnish decking?

While we are not keen on varnishing decking, this is an appropriate treatment for some furniture and exterior woods. Varnish will protect the wood, but it will create a glossy and more dangerously, a very slippery surface. Clearly this is not what you want on your decking.
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