Deck finish?

[richhodg66]

The oldest boy and I have been replacing all the planks on the deck on the front of the house the past few days. It needed it, but it was enough trouble and expense that I sure don't want to be doing it again soon. We used treated 2x6" planks, and it looks good, just wondering what the best stuff to use on top of it to weather proof it is.

I know that Thompson's Water seal is good stuff, but it'll need to be painted too. Is paint Ok on top of that stuff and is it really necessary? Whatever I put on it, I want it to seal up and be durable.

Recommendations?

[dangitgriff]

I believe you have to allow some time for the pressure-treated wood to cure before you can put anything on it. I wouldn’t paint it, personally. The wood sealant might be your best bet. Several coats is best. Paint probably won’t adhere very well to water-sealed deck boards.
R/Griff

[richhodg66]

Some kind of stain, perhaps?

[Gtrubicon]

I have used oil base deck stain on brown tone pressure treated and it works well.

[DocSavage]

Doesn't Thompson make a stain/sealer?

[Mal Paso]

Thompson only lasts a couple years if that. We used to use Pentathin (sp) but it's off the market now.

[MUSTANG]

Deck stains look good for a couple of years - then need to be refinished, particularly if not covered by a porch. I rebuilt the back porch 3 years ago after an Ice Dam fell and broke the 50X14 deck down the length. I extended the roof to cover the entire deck, and then stained the new deck a Forest Green. After 3 years, needs a new deck stain job. The need for a new deck stain job would be less apparent had I used a more wood neutral tone or brown/reddish color. I did not use treated wood as the deck was totally covered now, but I like the green color so will continue to Re-Stain every 3 or so years if needed.

[jsizemore]

Painters that go behind me use Behr that they buy at Home Depot. If you wait to stain, then you have to clean the surface to apply. You have to reapply every couple years. Paint is slick when wet.

[richhodg66]

I have used oil base deck stain on brown tone pressure treated and it works well.

Do you have a brand name and place that sells it?

[bakerjw]

There is a product called Behr Deck-Over. The wood needs to be dry and seasoned for it to adhere well.
I actually used it on the fiberglass deck of my boat. I was impressed.

[richhodg66]

There is a product called Behr Deck-Over. The wood needs to be dry and seasoned for it to adhere well.
I actually used it on the fiberglass deck of my boat. I was impressed.

Thanks. How long are we talking for treated lumber to cure? It's right in direct sun for half the day, starting to cool down, but Kansas still has some brutal hot days left I'm sure.

[MUSTANG]

Treated lumber often drips water for several weeks to months after one picks it up from the Big Box Lumber stores. If you can feel the end and it seems wet - to is. After 3-6 weeks installed it should have assumed ambient % humidity.

[Gtrubicon]

The company that makes what I use is called Sikkens, Cabot is also a good choice. Go to a contractor paint supply store. They will have a better product than your local home improvement store.

[Wayne Smith]

Typically wait six months for fresh pressure treated wood to dry before you cover. It doesn't have to be completely dried through but the surface needs to be very dry and the inner drying pressure low enough that it doesn't lift the surface finish. Thompson's Water Seal is basically a wax coat that will wear off. Use a deck stain.

[Chad5005]

sherwin williams deck paint and sealer,rot and mold resistant,many colors to choose from

[gpidaho]

Rich: I built and finished a lot of decks in my years as a carpenter and I hope to steer you away from Thompson's Water Seal. I've never seen it protect much (Just my opinion of course) If you can find it in your area there's a product called Sun Frog that is excellent and can be had in clear, cedar or redwood oil base stain. It will last years. Gp

[jonp]

We've used Flood CWF UV on the deck at camp for 20yrs and started using it on the log sided camp itself. Wears great and the deck is still good after 3ft of snow in the winter. We do the deck every couple of years but the siding lasts 5 or more. Comes clear, cedar and redwood I think

[trails4u]

We've used Flood CWF UV on the deck at camp for 20yrs and started using it on the log sided camp itself. Wears great and the deck is still good after 3ft of snow in the winter. We do the deck every couple of years but the siding lasts 5 or more. Comes clear, cedar and redwood I think

I'll second Flood. It's on my pine-sided house, two porches and one deck. I spray it and back-brush it, one coat, and would agree with JonP. Every couple years for exposed deck. Every 5-6 for the house.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

If you like blackish-grey for a color, here is what I do, and it's so easy.

Let the wood weather/age for a year.
Then coat it with boiled linseed oil and mineral spirits (50-50) on a hot day.
Repeat once a year.
It's easy to apply, like brushing on water.
No need to clean the wood, leave all that good blackish grey patina alone, just coat with the thinned linseed oil.

In 1994, I built a small deck and steps from rough cut Oak for the Minnesota house I still live in. That lasted until 2019, the top boards were still good, but the foundation, which was sitting on dirt, rotted out. So, in 2019, I rebuilt it, reusing the top boards, because they were still in excellent condition, but I changed the design, so it's more like long, wide steps, instead of a small Deck.

The image is from 2019, right after I completed the rebuild and coated the underside with the tinned linseed oil, but hadn't coated the top side yet, so you can see the aged look...and a several areas the thinned linseed oil flowed to the top.

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[CastingFool]

Solid stain will last much longer than the transparent stain.

[Handloader109]

Wait 6 months. (roughly) Do NOT use Thompson's. I used some on a covered deck of a porch and the section coated FOREVER creaked and moaned while the portion that was plain bare treated never made a noise and held up the same. Do NOT use any of the new Rustoleum deck coatings or similar junk. (lawsuit over these) Use a stain, that you WILL reapply in 2 to 4 years depending on the climate you live in.

[country gent]

If you decide to paint it consider adding some sand or other grit to the paint other wise paint will be slippery when wet. My deck was built in 84 and left to cure the summer in the fall on a dry day I gave it a heavy coat of thompsens water seal and every 2 years after. I use a 1 1/2 gal garden sprayer to apply. My deck boards are 2 x 6 treated. Its slowly acquired the weathered / rustic look.

When I laid the deck boards down I watched the end grains when in a u I flipped them so a inverted u was showing. I was told by a contractor that this help water to run off and not be held by the grain.

Now the deck sees me 180 lbs in my trac chair 380 lbs with no signs of flex or bowing under the load. Its holding up very well

[Wayne Smith]

If you like blackish-grey for a color, here is what I do, and it's so easy.

Let the wood weather/age for a year.
Then coat it with boiled linseed oil and mineral spirits (50-50) on a hot day.
Repeat once a year.
It's easy to apply, like brushing on water.
No need to clean the wood, leave all that good blackish grey patina alone, just coat with the thinned linseed oil.

In 1994, I built a small deck and steps from rough cut Oak for the Minnesota house I still live in. That lasted until 2019, the top boards were still good, but the foundation, which was sitting on dirt, rotted out. So, in 2019, I rebuilt it, reusing the top boards, because they were still in excellent condition, but I changed the design, so it's more like long, wide steps, instead of a small Deck.

The image is from 2019, right after I completed the rebuild and coated the underside with the tinned linseed oil, but hadn't coated the top side yet, so you can see the aged look...and a several areas the thinned linseed oil flowed to the top.

267395

Yes, BUT white oak is vastly different than the run of the mill pressure treated junk. Your white oak will last because it naturally has filled pores and the water can't get in. Agreed, BLO is as good as any finish and is the basis of most.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

My Linseed/MS treatment technique works with most all kinds of wood.

[country gent]

Another tip Ill five is once you coat it with a certain product, Stay with it for the live of the deck. IE if you choose thompsens then stay with it. Changing mid point may introduce chemicals that arnt compatible with each other.

[Idz]

We're going to try the Trex decking. At 7500 ft and clear air the UV ruins wood and paint in a couple of years. Some of the local municipal projects have used Trex and it seems to be holding up well.

[MUSTANG]

We're going to try the Trex decking. At 7500 ft and clear air the UV ruins wood and paint in a couple of years. Some of the local municipal projects have used Trex and it seems to be holding up well.

My observation is that Trex and other similar products do not do well if placed on 24" centers. In the heat it sags, and gives under weight. I would recommend that it only be placed on 16" centers.

[Idz]

Trex specs say 16" centers and 12" cc if laid diagonally. Some fly-by-night contractors will do 24" but it has the problems you describe.

[winelover]

Been using CV Flood for many years. First used it on a cedar porch, in Michigan. When I had the house built it Arkansas, in 2012, the builder treated the cedar facade with some clear sealer by Olympic, IIRC. Didn't last two years before the cedar started graying. Hired a painting contractor and had him apply CV Flood. To this day, it still is looking good. Only had to touch up a few spots. Shooting bench has a treated lumber top. It is also treated with CV Flood. BTW, the deck and stairs of the house are PVC.................don't want/need any more maintenance in my retirement.

Winelover

[Static line]

Thompson's is terrible stuff. Many have used it around here and many have also complained about it. I use Behr from Home Depot, good stuff. Let wood season for quite awhile before applying any stain.

[Ozark mike]

This reminds me of what happened at the local lumber store the other day. Guy walks in while im waiting and asks the clerk for some thompson water seal and the clerk just sits there like he was asking for moon dust and tells him she had never heard of it and asks him to explain it. So he trys to tell her what it is finally i got flustered and told her its for sealing decks and anyone who works at a lumber store should know what it is. But i think the guy left empty handed.

[blackthorn]

Painting is second only to plumbing on my most hated things to do. If I need plumbing work I CALL THE GUY! On the other hand I have been known to pick up a paint brush or roller on occasion (rare). That said, my experience is that Behr paint has been the best I have tried, so I would likely use Behr products for any painting I might be forced to do.

[buckwheatpaul]

The oldest boy and I have been replacing all the planks on the deck on the front of the house the past few days. It needed it, but it was enough trouble and expense that I sure don't want to be doing it again soon. We used treated 2x6" planks, and it looks good, just wondering what the best stuff to use on top of it to weather proof it is.

I know that Thompson's Water seal is good stuff, but it'll need to be painted too. Is paint Ok on top of that stuff and is it really necessary? Whatever I put on it, I want it to seal up and be durable.

Recommendations?

If you paint or stain you need to test the wood for absorption. If water beads up you should not paint or stain. I just saw that info while researching that exact subject. If it absorbs water you can use a based stain or latex paint. I also saw on one site if you are going to point green treated wood you must use an oil based paint.....I would double check that one....good luck...

[ioon44]

There is a product called Behr Deck-Over. The wood needs to be dry and seasoned for it to adhere well.
I actually used it on the fiberglass deck of my boat. I was impressed.

I have been using Behr Deck-Over for over 5 years on my 25 year old deck, it stays good for several years on my badly weathered deck.

[richhodg66]

Well, looks like I need to wait several months for the planks to cure, that'll make it Winter time, so this may get delayed until late Spring.

Thanks for all the input, it has been quite informative. I had no idea about treated lumber needing to cure and several other things to consider mentioned here. I just don't want to have to redo this before I need to.

[one-eyed fat man]

There are thousand year old wood shingle roofs all over northern Europe. Swedish pine tar is the reason. It needs to be reapplied every few years but there is no scraping or sanding involved. Sometimes called "boat soup," it is the smell of a square-rigged ship. It is still used today on wooden boats, small and large, that sail for a living.

267509

One part pine tar (https://www.auson.se/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Genuine-Pine-Tar-850-ENG-20161108.pdf)
Two parts boiled linseed oil
Two parts turpentine (NOT MINERAL SPIRITS, the real stuff made from trees)
One part Japan drier (optional, but makes it set up quicker)

You need to put on on a good hot day, 80 F or better. Brush, roller, or some folks spray it on with a garden sprayer.

[bertanen]

I think instead of Thompson's Water seal, it would be better to apply https://sealwithease.com/what-is-used-for-sealing-leaks-around-windows-and-doors/ (https://sealwithease.com/what-is-used-for-sealing-leaks-around-windows-and-doors/). This is a product you can confidently coat with paint, as it's more for wood and plastic. I first seal all the cracks in the windows, and after the material has cured and I'm sure it's securely fixed in the wood or plastic, I cover everything with spray paint (just because it's so much faster and neater and the paint layer is much thinner, which looks nicer).

[reloader28]

The oldest boy and I have been replacing all the planks on the deck on the front of the house the past few days. It needed it, but it was enough trouble and expense that I sure don't want to be doing it again soon. We used treated 2x6" planks, and it looks good, just wondering what the best stuff to use on top of it to weather proof it is.

I know that Thompson's Water seal is good stuff, but it'll need to be painted too. Is paint Ok on top of that stuff and is it really necessary? Whatever I put on it, I want it to seal up and be durable.

Recommendations?

Nothing. The whole purpose of pressure treated lumber is that it is weather proof.
Thats not water dripping out like was mentioned. It is treat. We use a lot of pressure treated and never do anything to it.

[Handloader109]

Best is nothing. everything else must be reapplied every 1 to 3 years to look good.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

[country gent]

I seal my wood deck once a year in last summer early fall so its "fresh" for the winter months. I use thompsons water seal (usually takes 2 gallons) Its a 2 day process in that I coat so that I can leave a walk way into the house. I use a cheap pump up garden sprayer 1 1/2 gallon size and spray it down fairly heavy letting it soak in and hit the bare areas the next day. It soaks in fairly quick. My deck is going on 30 years old and still going. I also try to pick a cooler day so that it has the longest time to soak in before it cures.

I top used 2 X 6s for the decking pressure treated. If you decide to paint add sandblasting sand to the paint to give it texture and grip.

When I put the wheel chair ramp on drilling the lag screw holes showed sealant almost 3/8" deep or a little more. I also treated the underside of the boards before installing them on the frame work, since I knew it would not be able to be done again.

[Bmi48219]

Then coat it with boiled linseed oil and mineral spirits (50-50) on a hot day.
267395

BOILED LINSEED OIL is great stuff and an ingredient in most wood deck treatments and oil based varnishes. Look at the contents label of Thompson’s, it will contain a small % of Boiled Linseed Oil.
I repaired & refinished the 5 year old deck on the home we lived in for 14 years. The builder had coated it with solid color stain that was blistering and peeling. I Scraped & Sanded it down to bare wood. Two coats of Thompson’s Looked good but in the spring the rain wouldn’t bead up on wood.
I was in a hardware store that had 5 dented quart cans of boiled linseed oil marked down to $1 each. Took them all. Like JonB, I mixed with mineral spirits but used one quart oil to a gallon of spirits. Brush washed the deck and recoated every two years. You can add oil based wood stain to the mix for a stained look, just used UV rated stain. DON’T use raw or un-boiled linseed oil. It will remain sticky for a long time.

[Mal Paso]

BOILED LINSEED OIL is great stuff and an ingredient in most wood deck treatments and oil based varnishes. Look at the contents label of Thompson’s, it will contain a small % of Boiled Linseed Oil.
I repaired & refinished the 5 year old deck on the home we lived in for 14 years. The builder had coated it with solid color stain that was blistering and peeling. I Scraped & Sanded it down to bare wood. Two coats of Thompson’s Looked good but in the spring the rain wouldn’t bead up on wood.
I was in a hardware store that had 5 dented quart cans of boiled linseed oil marked down to $1 each. Took them all. Like JonB, I mixed with mineral spirits but used one quart oil to a gallon of spirits. Brush washed the deck and recoated every two years. You can add oil based wood stain to the mix for a stained look, just used UV rated stain. DON’T use raw or un-boiled linseed oil. It will remain sticky for a long time.

Just be careful with the rags. Linseed oil rags burned down a brand new house here and almost got the second. The caretaker, a friend, was taking the rags out of the second house when they burst into flames in his hands. Evaporation of linseed oil creates an exothermic reaction. Rags should be stored in airtight metal containers. Other than that, great stuff!

[wildwilly501]

Solid stain will last much longer than the transparent stain. A lot longer I've had wooden decks for over 35 years never was pleased with Thompson's Water seal .Don't let your boards dry out to where they start cracking before you stain.When I do repairs I usually only wait a week or so before I stain have had no problems

[BRobertson]

Cabot is the longest lasting From my experience. The solids or semi-solids.
My experience is in places in Alaska with annual rainfall of well over 100 inches per year!

Bob