deck finish

[henryc108]

would like impunt on presure treated deck stain in wooded aera

[QueryMan]

I agree with House Mouse, but only IF you are willing to be as diligent as him about cleaning and re-treating each year. I used Thompsons for years while in an older home, and it just doesn't last more than a year (at best, no matter what the can says), at least not someplace that has significant rainfall.

If you aren't ready to clean and re-treat each year, I think your best longevity comes from the opaque or semi-opaque stains. Consumer reports has done a lot of researching stains, so take a look at their stuff before deciding. I used a Behr Plus 10 stain that has done very well, but even that requires touch-ups each year (I think more because of poor surface prep than because of the stain itself, though).

[House Mouse]

None. No stain just a light coat of Thompsons clear wood protector but only after the deck has been standing for a year. Never seal or stain a PT wood deck until it has had a year to dry out.

Get your self a good garden sprayer, you know one of the pump types with the hose and the wand. They work very well for applying the Thompsons. You will want to spray a coat on about once every year.

Allow the wood to age naturally. Thompsons will pop the grain up nice. After a few years you will have a dark wood highly grained deck.

The Thompsons will also increase the life of the wood. It is basically a mix of turpentine and bees wax. The oils in each of these will keep the wood " young "

My deck is in an area that is extremely damp as a result a fine green fungus tends to grow. Each year I spray the deck down with a 50/50 mix of bleach and water. Let this sit for about 15 minutes then use a water hose to rinse the bleach off. That kills the green fungus like gang busters. I allow the deck to dry for a day then I give it a coat of Thompsons.

After 35 years in the damp, the wood of the deck is as sound as the day I built it.

HM