Best Deck Stain/Preservative?

I stained my new deck using Behr Cedartone two years ago. First it turned out a little darker than I wanted, and secondly it has not lasted. It has a dirty dingy appearance and has even flaked off in places. I had waited several months before staining too.

The wood is pressure treated and was purchased from the local Home Depot.

I am going to attempt to strip it all off using my 2500psi pressure washer. I then want to re-stain/preseve it but with something more durable, and lighter in color. What I mean by lighter in color is to sort of have that new wood look tone to it. Sort of between Cedartone & clear.

Any suggestions on brands, or color choices that will last?

 

The entire Behr product line and it's associated company is controlled by Home Depot and has been for some years.This control has resulted in an across the board lowering of quality to meet lower pricing points.

I have some familiarity with the Cabot line of products and believe them to be an excellent quality product line that will give you much better service.

Find a local independant Cabot dealer.They will be able to provide you with knowledgeable assitance and service to meet your specific needs.The Cabot line is extensive and does feature stains and preservatives.Custom tinting is available.

Another quality product line is Sikkens.This is a high quality product line featuring long life products.It is much more expensive than Cabot but offers top quality.

 

Cabot and Sikkens would be my choice as well. There are other good ones, but remember that cheap almost always applies to quality if it applies to the price.

 

Most coatings on unprotected decks won't last much over 3 yrs. Price is usually indictive of how long the coating will last. Thinner/transparent coatings won't last as long as the thicker/solid type films. SWP and B.Moore also have good deck stains.

Use care when pressure washing your deck. If you get overly agressive with the pressure you may wind up sanding the boards to get them in decent shape for stain.

 

Any thoughts on Olympus stains/protectants? I would really love to leave it natural color and protect ti form the rain/elements, but would settle for a very light brown or light Cedartone appearance. Behr's Cedartone turned out much darker than i wanted.

 

You will find better coatings at a real paint store - not a big box paint dept.

 

I live in MN and we have very harsh conditions for decks. I swear by ABR's X-100 Natural Seal. The natural seal, not the deck finish. I have had many customers love this product and no one has said anything bad, although it is not cheap. Sikken's SRD comes in second, but on various decks throughout the state, X-100 has out-performed the SRD. do not go to a box store and get a deck stain for $25 a five. it will MAYBE last a month.

 

Boater59,

Like marksr told you, get out of the big box stores and go to a real paint store. Cabots, Sikkens, SuperDeck, ... There are good ones out there, and you'll pay extra for them. But how often do you want to do this??

 

Thanks for the advice. I'm gonna start stripping the old finish tomorrow now that the storm has passed and it's warming up again.

BTW, what's the best way to apply the new finish? Pump sprayer, roller?

 

Only the real thin coatings will spray thru a pump up sprayer and they usually don't have a long life.

While spraying is often the easiest/quickest method of application, you still need to back brush or back roll the material to work it into all the cracks and crevices to get good protection and a lasting job.

 

for decks, I always recomend a brush or a pad. This will allow you work with the material better and allow more material to penitrate. The best way I hae found for th deck floor is a paint pad on a handle. Start with one board and apply the stain liberally along the entire length of the board with the pad. move on to the next board, repeat. After the third of fourth board check back on the first a look for puddles, if there are any brush them out along the board. You do not want puddles, these semi-trans stains do not dry to a film like paint and puddles will just collect dirt. never stop in the middle of a board, if the stain dries, you will get a lap line.

 

A semi has to penetrate. First it gummed up on the surface this means TOO MUCH APPLIED or nor pourosity for the stain to penetrate.

Dont knock a product when you failed to prep and apply properly.

 

Home Depot does not control the Behr line. A company called MASCO owns Behr. Home Depot does not make or have anything to do with the R and D of Behr, Glidden or any other liquids in the paint department.

If you apply a semi trans on a wood surface that has not been properly prepped the result will be over application and flim forming evertime. Dirt pick up comes first with that tacky feeling, then when it tries to fully cure and cannot it peals.

Olympic, Sikkens, Flood, TWP any stain will perform like this initially if the deck surface is not prepped right.

Lowes carries Cabots which is good too. The mom and pops carry the EXACT SAME formulation as the BIG BOXES. That dealer is feeding you garbage that would never exist in mass manufacturing at a paint or stain level.