Which kind of deck treatment?

[crispin.proctor]

Hi Folks,

As summer is approaching (Hopefully it will fall over a weekend this year) it is time to treat my deck.

We have just moved into the house (November) and the deck was a mess. Black slimy mold covered it all. After much cleaning with deck cleaner and a pressure washer, it is now clean. However, the wood is now raw. It's not damaged, just very dry and bland looking.

I am in a quandary as which product to use. No one can seem to give me a definitive answer in the pros and cons of each. There are three on the shelves: Deck Treatment, Deck Stain and Deck Oil.

I am not interested in the stain. (I see it as only colouring. Am I wrong?)

My first reaction is to use oil. No real reason though. Is this a wise choice? Only drawback I can see is the cost and the drying time. 1-2 days.

How about the "Treatment" What is it and why is it better / worse. It dries in 1-2 hours.

Any advice would be welcome....

TIA. Regards, Crispin

[The Medway Handyman]

I think it offers some UV protection, but I'm not sure.

I've always used & reccommended oil because it soaks into the wood & helps to stop splitting. Its also easy to re coat.

No idea on that either.

There is a bloke on this group - possibly called Chris - who seems to know lots about this sort of thing. Maybe he will be along soon.

[crispin.proctor]

Thanks Dave.