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Stain or seal pressure treated deck

CAMSDADDY

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In May I finished a deck that the previous homeowner had started the previous summer. I think it has dried out enough to treat. I am going to clean it in the next week or so and apply something. Do I want to stain or seal? I like the color but have read that the sealer doesnt provide UV protection and will require to be sealed every year. I am under the understanding that stain will hold up a little longer.
 
I always use Clear Thompson water sealer mixed with boiled linseed oil on the outdoor furniture I make. Do it yearly in the spring for the first 2 years and every other year after that. I have never added a paint thinner to my mixture.


So, Is Thompson’s Water Seal Any Good On Outdoor Wood?​

Yes, although you will want to get the right water seal product for the job.

There are a lot of different water seal products available. And most of them are too viscous and thick to properly soak into wood pores.

Now, in the past, the way around this issue would be to thin out Water Seal. You’d do this with a home-brewed blend of 3 parts Linseed Oil, 2 parts Thompson’s Water Seal and 1 part Paint Thinner.

By mixing these 3 ingredients, you can thin out Water Seal enough for it to sink into timber.

But, nowadays, you can simply use Thompson’s teak oil. This product is otherwise known as ‘Thompson’s Waterseal Penetrating Oil’.

When you apply this premium oil blend it penetrates wood grain like any other natural oil finish.

That way, it can protect wood both inside and out. And thanks to its natural color, (and minimal streaking), it still lets wood grain show through and glow.


You can check out the latest prices for Thompson’s Waterseal Penetrating Oil over at Amazon.com

How Often Should You Apply Thompson’s Water Seal?​

No matter what Water Seal product you opt for, Thompson’s recommends that you reapply its sealer once every 1 to 3 years. The exact timing will depend on various factors such as humidity, local weather, how many coats you used initially, etc.

And when it comes to boiled linseed oil, if you want that wood to look great all year round, then you are going to need to redo that finishing coat annually. Either way, you’ll know a surface needs resealing when it starts to absorb water again.

When Should I Reapply? (Quick & Easy Test)​

  1. Fill a small spray bottle with water.
  2. Select 3 or 4 different sections of the wood surface to test out.
  3. Spray a sprinkle of water onto the first test section.
  4. Watch the color of the wood. If it darkens within 3-5 seconds, then it may need to be resealed.
  5. Repeat the test on the other sections of the wood. If all the sections darken within 3-5 seconds, then it’s high time to reapply.
Can You Use Thompson’s Water Seal On Pressure Treated Wood? Yes, you can use Thompson’s Water Seal products on pressure treated wood.

Final Thoughts​

So, there you have it, Thompson’s Water Seal is a better choice for exterior wood.

Sure, boiled linseed oil finish is no waterproofing slouch, but it misses the mark when it comes to offering complete outdoor wood protection.

A coat of Thompson’s Water Seal won’t come at the expense of the rich appearance of grain. And it requires less long-term up keep too.

And, lest we forget, outdoor wood is going to be spending a lot of time under harsh sun rays. Which makes Thompson’s Water Seal’s UV protection, (of which boiled linseed oil has none), all the more important.
 
So the new Thompsons penetrating water seal will not require to mix anything and I just clean apply and reapply every year or so? I will only need two gallons if I am figuring correctly at 440 sq ft.
I can definitely live with that.
 
Have any of these been used without stain? Both products listed seem to have oil based sealers. Just trying to figure out how to get the most natural looking finish in a treated pine deck.
 
I used this stuff after I rebuilt my deck this year. Definitely recommend it sir. "All weather protection"
 

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Personally I don't like either. I power wash my deck every few years and after I get done it looks like new again. That's on pressure treated wood
 
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