We put a 20x24 deck on the house about a month ago and it's coming up on time to stain/tone it.

I've pretty much arrived at the brand/color that I'm going to go with but, I was going to ask you guys if there was anything special that I could do to make it go further -- by that, how can I really achieve a high level of protection and maximum beauty for th long haul (ie: I don't want to do this annually).

Fortunately, the deck only gets about 3 hours of direct sun during the day. I have decided that we'll likely utilize a 'toner' for this go round but, I had done some reading where some thought that it was more beneficial to utilize a 'clear coat' type of product (clear protectant) *BEFORE* applying the toner. To me, it seems like it'd be the other way around but, I thought I'd ask you guys what you thought...

Any insight, thoughts?

 

Personally - I would seal it with a clear. Use a product like Behr which has a 5 yr guarantee which means in 3 yr's you can restain it with any color you want. If you go with a color day 1 - you can only go darker over time.. But you will always have to use a color. We've just stained ours the first time with a color last year - after ten years of sealer as it did need something at that point.... Just use a good product.... ie Behr, Cabot etc.

BTW - stay away from Thompson Water Seal as it contains Parifin which will soak into the wood faster and thus loose it's sealing properties... so I've been told.

 

I dont know about using the clear before applying the stain. Seems to me that the product would not be able to bond to the wood and would just sit on top of the clear?

Would recommend Behr, Ive done two decks for friends and after 2 and 4 years both still look good, one is built around a hot tub. I used some leftover on my atv ramps and with the kind of use they get it has held up very well.

 

Pressure treated I presume? If so make sure all the green is out of the lumber. If it's not, no matter what stain you use it wont last. It took mine about 2-3 months in full sun 6 hrs/daily to be really dry. This will allow the stain to soak in nicely which will yield the longest protection. Additionally, I pressure washed mine and allowed it to dry for 2 days prior to the initial staining.

I built my deck about 5 years ago. Since then I've re stained it once and it still looks new ( it probably could of used a re stain this year but...). I've used the Behr clear with tint both times and have been very pleased with the results. IMO, 2-3 years between staining is the longest you can go if you want to keep the lumbers integrity and the deck looking new.

Of course there's always that one board that has to be difficult and twist and/or split on ya' but hey, whatcha' gonna' do.

Good Luck

 

Sikkens SDR it is pricey but I feel well worth it.I just stained my deck at our cabin in northern Mi.I put on almost 20 gallons of the stuff on a deck that is about 10 years old. Turned out beautiful!

 

Thanks, guys. I was either going to go with the Behr or the Olympic...

The lumber is pressure treated (couldn't justify going with the composite due to the price -- yeah, it's nice but, they definitely think a LOT of it too). The more that I've read about allowing the lumber to 'dry out' (i.e.: loose the green), the less I think it's an absolute necessity. While it is traditional wisdom, several sites that I've read note that much of the break down and such can begin early in the deck's life.

Obviously, now that the deck has been down for about a month (plus), I'm noting that boards are shrinking and posts are splitting a bit more but, still nothing is awful. In my mind, if I go ahead and seal/treat, maybe it'll minimize that effect? (this is the wisdom that some folks on some sites (and some brand name sites) are noting).

To begin, I'll probably go with a toner -- i.e.: sealer with a touch of color to it that will still allow the grain of the wood to really come through. I have no interest in going with a full stain.... not yet at least.

Any thoughts on the Olympic brand?

 

Go with Behr. Good stuff. I use the tinted stuff about once every 2 or 3 years.

 

A number of years ago, I read a Consumer Report on outdoor stains. It rated any of the "transparent" or "Semi-transparent" ones inferior to "opaque" stains. Like everyone else here, it doesn't make sense to me to apply a clear coat first - I'd do it last too.

I DO like Behr paint, but haven't had any experience with Olympic recently. Olympic stain held up well on a home I had in San Antonio way back int the 70's.

I've been using Glidden Evermore for exterior work here in Tucson, and I like it. It's available at Home Depot, just like Behr. But, I don't know if they have a "deck coating" version.

- Jack

 

Is this your way of telling us you are defending your title at the All-Valley Tournament? Plan on fighting Johnny Lawrence in the finals again?

Third round "stain-the-deck" knockout..

 

Put him in a body bag........


Over the next 12-15yrs, keep track of what you're spending on repairing, staining, & sealing this deck plus your time or however much you pay someone to do it and see how highly you'd think of the composite.


The checking (splitting), shrinking and warping is the effect of the wood drying out, you may be able to minimize it by staining/sealing but it won't stop it. Unless you paid/picked out a higher grade of pressure treated lumber, it's most likey SYP (southern yellow pine) and the bottom of the barrel. SYP has a mind of it's own and will do whatever it wants in terms of checking, warping, shrinking, etc.. You are fortunate that it won't see too much direct sunlight.

Make sure the fasteners that were used are compatible as the new pressure treated processes (most likely ACQ as opposed to the old CCA) will corrode some fasteners.

Post some before & after pics.

 

For one, I doubt I'm here for 15 years but, if I am, I'd be surprised if we top the $9,000 difference in price. I guess I could've opened a Paypal account so that you guys could've footed the difference in price... I couldn't justify it.

Yeah. It's high-grade pressure treated; not 'bottom of the barrel'. I understand the drawbacks here. Less than usual direct sunlight was one of the reasons that I opted to go this route.

Yep... ACQ. Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA) isn't very easy to find any more since arsenic is kind of an ugly chemical... so is chrome... sure, it works great but, chrome copper and arsenic on my deck where my 2-year old may play on occasion isn't really the best choice, in my opinion.

The fasteners (all screwed) are hot dipped galvanized.

 

They quit making CCA lumber some 5-6 yrs ago, IIRC, although they kept selling their inventories untill they ran out. Idiots would burn the scraps creating toxic fumes/ashes and others would use it to make picnic table tops where, more times than people would care to admit, their food would come in contact with the wood.

 

I think they still make it but, it's only available for very specific applications. The 'average public' can't get their paws on it... kind of like asbestos; it's still out there but, it's SUPER regulated.

All the 'good stuff' is being taken away from us... Mind you, I work in the environmental business (primarily working for industry and keeping folks in compliance with EPA-based 'stuff')...

Like I said though... I would've loved to have gone full Trex (or similar) on the deck but, my wallet screamed loud enough just for the lumber for my 20x24... 20' pressure-treated boards are PAINFUL... I'd have to sell a kidney (and maybe one of the family jewels) to get 20' trex boards. LOL!

 

Make sure the wood is good and dry before you stain it. The first coat will also longer and look better. It won't bead up on you. Use the Behr from Home Depot. My wife and I recently finished a multi level, 14x34 covered deck and used 3 gallons to cover it (Behr No. 502 Redwood). Use a sponge or a brush, but NOT a roller. Sand off any markings. Good Luck!

 

If you were closer to Michigan I could have probably worked something out for you on Trex but I think someone would have questioned why I had a delivery scheduled to Kentucky. I would go with any of the big three names in stain and you should be fine Behr, Cabot, or Olympic and stay as far away from Thompsons as you can get. You can stain your new treated right away as long as you wash the mill glaze off of it with the correct product and let it dry out about 4 to 5 days of nice hot sunny weather on it would be enought to do it.