What is the best product for sealing a deck?

Best Deck Sealers
  • Thompsons Waterseal Advanced Natural Wood Protector.
  • ECO-SAFE Wood Treatment – Stain & Preservation by Tall Earth.
  • Rust-Oleum Coppercoat Wood Preservative.
  • CabotStain Australian Timber Oil Penetrating Oil.
  • Thompsons Waterseal – Transparent Stain.
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What is the best thing to seal a deck with?

  • 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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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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What is the best way to seal a pressure treated deck?

For pressure treated decks, we recommend Spa N Deck from Flood or Wood RX. The 100% acrylic finish formula can be applied in just one day, and the end result enhances the wood's natural beauty while providing extra durability.
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What's better than Thompson's 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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How To Protect Your Deck | Never Sand Again!



Is Thompsons Water Seal any good?

Is Thompson's WaterSeal Any Good? Our experience with Thompson's WaterSeal Waterproofer Plus Clear Wood Protector was disappointing overall, and we would not recommend this product. Its inability to prevent UV graying is too harmful to your deck's wood.
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Is Thompson water seal better than Olympic Waterguard?

Thompson WaterSeal clear coat received a score of 12 out of 100 in Consumer Report's test of 28 clear decking finishes. Olympic Waterguard scored a 5 out of 100. You can expect WaterSeal to perform slightly better than Olympic Waterguard, so it is appropriate to say that WaterSeal is the superior product.
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How long after power washing can you seal a deck?

Sand Your Deck Before Sealing

After you've pressure washed your deck, you'll need to wait for it to completely dry. Sometimes, this can take as long as 48-hours. Once it's dry, you'll want to sand your deck lightly. This is necessary to remove any splinters or fuzzy patches that pressure washing can cause.
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Is Thompson water seal good for pressure treated wood?

Some, like Thompson's® WaterSeal® Waterproofing Wood Protector, recommend waiting 30 days before application on new pressure treated lumber. Other products, like Thompson's® WaterSeal® Waterproofing Stain, can be applied immediately to new pressure treated lumber.
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Do I need to sand deck before sealing?

Once dry, these wood fibers can remain raised and may cause splinters. For this reason, light but thoroughly sanding your wood deck is a necessary step before staining or sealing. This crucial step will ensure that your refinishing job gives great results.
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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 it too late to seal my deck?

DO wait 30 days before sealing a new deck. If you've just built a new deck, you're probably itching to finish the job by sealing it. But preservatives in the wood often require about 30 days' dwell time before the deck can soak up the sealant.
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Should you pressure wash your deck before staining?

There is a common misconception that just pressure washing a deck prior to staining is all you need to do in order to prep your deck for stain. Pressure washing can help, but if you want your stain to last, using a good deck cleaner and brightener on the deck prior to pressure washing will provide you the best result.
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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 is the best way to protect a wooden 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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Should I seal my pressure treated deck?

Although treated wood is protected against decay and termite attack, the application of a water-repellent sealer to all exposed wood surfaces is recommended upon completion of construction. This sealer will help control surface checking (splitting or cracking) and provide an attractive appearance.
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How often does Thompson's water seal need to be applied?

Thompson's WaterSeal includes a complete line of deck sealers and stains for protecting deck wood from moisture and sunlight. Applying a sealer and/or stain typically is recommended every one to three years, depending on the finishing product, deck use, weather conditions, and sun exposure.
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Does Thompsons water seal penetrate?

Thompson's® WaterSeal® Penetrating Timber Oil is an oil-based product that provides protection by penetrating into wood pores and sealing out water infiltration.
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Is Thompson's water seal oil-based or water based?

Thompson's WaterSeal Clear Wood Sealer Clear Oil-Based Wood Sealant 1.2 gal - Ace Hardware.
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What if it rains after sealing deck?

If it rains within 48 hours of applying a treatment, the water will soak into the wood, and try and displace the stain. This can cause a blotchy, flaky look, rather than a smooth, even, coat. If it rains immediately after you've stained the wood, the stain will peel and flake off.
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Does power washing damage a deck?

If you have timber deck boards, a power washer's pressure may cause splintering and damage to the timber fibers. If the timber surface already has some splintering, pressure washing will only exacerbate the issue.
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How long should a deck dry before sealing?

Allow the deck to dry for at least two days before applying a sealer.
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What is the best sealer for pressure treated wood?

Best Sealant for Pressure-treated Wood
  • Ready Seal 515 5-Gallon – (Best waterproofing for pressure-treated wood)
  • #1 Deck Premium Semi-Transparent – (Best water sealer for decks)
  • Minwax 630510444 – (Best clear deck sealer for pressure treated wood)
  • Cabot 140.0017437.007 – (Best oil sealer for treated wood deck)
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What is the difference between water sealer and Waterproofer?

While concrete sealers and waterproofers perform similar functions, they do so in different ways. A concrete sealer forms protective layers over concrete surfaces while concrete waterproofers fill concrete gaps as a method of protection.
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Which deck stain lasts the longest?

In general, an oil-based deck stain will last the longest, but it also depends on the type of wood, the weather conditions, and how long the deck has gone unprotected before staining.
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