Wood Deck Water Sealers/UV Protection

[blykins]

Guys, I'm getting ready to seal my deck....it's brand new, doesn't need cleaned.

Is there a certain water sealer/UV protector that works really well? I've heard bad things about Thompsons not lasting too long.

[4RE KLR]

Brent

Thompson does not last long is correct. If you read the label it tells you it only last ??? 6 months ?? in rough weather. There definition of rough weather is "outside"

Bear makes a pretty good quality sealer, you can also get it colored if needed.

Also if there is Kelly Moore Paint store near you, get theirs, it is very good.

Regardless of whose you choose it is an annual event at best.

[Got the Bug]

I've always used SuperDeck (I think it used to be called Ducks Back) and it seems to work pretty well. There aren't many clear sealers (like Thompsons) that will last much more than a year, you need something with a little tint.

I usually end up treating the decks on my house every two years.

[jams]

Had this very same question a year or 2 ago.

Here is a link to the post.
http://www.clubcobra.com/forums/show...ht=deck+sealer

I used Behr and am very happy with the results. Despite what is on the label(as mentioned already) it is an annual event.

Thompsons at least the old stuff---stinks maybe it has changed??

Next time I am putting in a patio or concrete!

[4pipes]

Cabot deck stain....clear winner in Consumer Reports. Lasted 3 seasons in Northern California weather.

[Scott S]

For a deck to last forever you need to replace all the wood every year with Oregon grown Douglas Fir.



Scott S

[Roscoe]

Cabots...I second it. Getting ready to do my new deck in a couple of weeks.

Roscoe

[bomelia]

Originally Posted by Scott S

For a deck to last forever you need to replace all the wood every year with Oregon grown Douglas Fir.

Is that a paid advert??

DONT use Thompsons! Is mainly wax or parafin. Dirt will get ground into it and look like crap in less then a year. What about plain old fashion linseed oil? I really wish I knew of a good product that was not parafin based.

Mike

[4RE KLR]

Scott,
Always thinking.. I like that. LOL

Mike,
Linseed oil is great stuff. Just be sure to dispose of the rags properly. They will self ignite after use in the sun. I have seen this with my own eyes.

Linseed oil is great stuff but you have to make sure the coverage is 100% We used it on a little wooden bridge over a gold fish pond and it lasted several years.

[bomelia]

Was what I thought. Self ignite? COOL! Seems like that IS the way to take care of them.

Mike

[4RE KLR]

Yes,
If you use a rag as the application method as opposed to spray application and put the rags in the sun on a hot dry day, they will catch themselves on fire.

Belive it or not.

[bomelia]

How come the deck does not catch on fire?


Mike

[Wes Tausend]

Originally Posted by bomelia

How come the deck does not catch on fire?


Mike

Mike,

I've heard that some decks not constructed with quality Oregon grown Douglas Fir do catch on fire.


...

[1ntCobra]

My deck boards are 100% recycled plastic milk jugs (no wood content at all). The deck is 4 years old and never requires sealing.

[Roscoe]

That's just too green for me......

The nicest thing about a tree is what you do with it after you cut it down.

Roscoe

[1ntCobra]

I don't cut my trees down intentionally. I just wait for them to come down in a storm, cut them up with my chain saw, split them and then burn them in the fire place in the winter.

What, do you make furniture out of your trees?

[trularin]

We use Thompsons.

It seems to work.

I like Cabots as well. Actually, I think the Cabots lasted longer.

[4RE KLR]

Mike

What causes self ignition or self combustion as some call it in the rags is when you use linseed oil on a rag and wad it up it gains heat within the rag while the linseed oil is still wet. It will reach unreal temperatures before the rag itself catches on fire.

I had a fire Marshall do this very test in the summer of 2001. I had a 5,400 square foot home get burned to the ground and they started asking me about self combustion. I was curious and as we talked he went out to one of the firetrucks and got a red mechanics type rag, poured linseed oil on it and threw it in the driveway. He then got a temperature gun (?) he pointed it at the rag and the temperature just kept getting higher and higher. After about a half hour or so it started smoking and then caught itself on fire.

The reason the decks do not catch fire is they have a chance to air out so the temperature does not continue to rise. have you ever noticed when you use paint thinner or even gasoline to wash your hands how your hands fell hot? Thst is the chemical reaction doing that.

Next time your at Home Depot get a can of it and read the back label.

[bomelia]

Originally Posted by Wes Tausend

Mike,

I've heard that some decks not constructed with quality Oregon grown Douglas Fir do catch on fire.


...

Yeah, so I have heard...most in the Sublimity OR area...

Mike

[Wes Tausend]

Originally Posted by 1ntCobra

My deck boards are 100% recycled plastic milk jugs (no wood content at all). The deck is 4 years old and never requires sealing.

I had a single-step landing that was constructed of plastic 1x6 inch boards. You could even see flecks of recycled plastic in the sawn core. Ick.

It worked fairly well for a number of years even holding its color which wasn't great. It was a strange light brown. The main flaw with it is that it was unbelievably slippery in the winter.

So I finally used part of it to create a rot-proof containing border for a landing made of driveway pavers. We painted it a more desirable dark brown to match trim. It looks very nice. The first really hot day, it expanded away from my nicely mortered solid bricks about 3/8 inch on each end. Arrghhh.

Should have known. While I used plastic cold lines, I did my hot supply plumbing with copper lines just because of the expansion characteristics of plastic.