We recommend sealing or staining your deck to preserve it and extend its life.

Sealers and stains protect the wood from the sun's UV rays and from moisture. Unprotected wood will turn gray and will eventually severely crack.

As a general rule of thumb, a deck should be resealed or restained every 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 years. You can test by pouring a glass of water on the wood. If the water beads up, it means the sealer or stain is still working. If the water soaks into the wood, it's time to reseal or restain.

If the deck wood remains gray or dark, you can usually brighten it by pressure washing after applying a brightener. However, pressure washing usually results in roughness and (possibly) splintering.

Allow the deck to dry for a day or two before applying a stain or sealer.

Semi-Transparent Stains:
   Also called "semi-solid", these stains impart  a color to the wood but allow the natural woodgrain to be seen.

Solid Stains:
 Solid stains are like paint. They are a solid color  and completely cover the wood--the woodgrain does not show through the finish.

We recommend either a clear sealer or a semi-transparent stain. Solid stains are more susceptible to cracking and peeling.

Oil Or Latex:
Deck stains are available in "latex" (Acrylic) or "oil" (Alkyd). Latex dries quickly and cleanup is easy (soap and water). But because it dries quickly, you must work quickly and try to avoid overlapping a dry area with wet stain. Oil-based stains penetrate better and they're more forgiving to work with. But cleanup requires paint thinner. (Personal preference: oil-based, because of the better penetration.) Oil-based products are being outlawed in some states.

Stains we use:
Sherwin Williams "DeckScapes"
Cabot clear sealer
Sikkens deck stains
Benjamin Moore deck stains