deck sealer?

[BobT]

I'm looking for a good clear deck sealer. Any recommendation or experience you'd like to share?

Didn't want to hijack the stain thread so I started this one.

[BoxMN]

I'll reguritate a bit of what I did in the other post. On my stairs to the lake, new treated, that dried for over a year) I put on Thompsons - the oil stuff that I think costs about $15 or so a gallon. I just sprayed it on with Hudson sprayer, left it to dry, really easy application. It still looks new. I have resprayed it about every other year, for 5 years now.

On my folks deck, again treated, but put in in 1983(4?)... My Dad always pressure washed it, then applied Thompsons. I think he did it every year, or at least every other year. There is not one bad board in the the whole thing to this day. It doesn't look brand new anymore, but it looks pretty good. Boards darker of course. Dad is gone, but the deck is still there, awaiting it's annual Thomspons application from my nephew.

Like I mentioned, I used somethign else on recommendation of the builder, on my cedar deck. I kind of wish I would have went with Thompsons on mine, as the application is easier, even if you do have to do it every year. $15 per gallon versus $45 per gallon for stain, and you would never NEVER have to worry about pealing, etc.

Good luck. The stain/sealer debate will go on forever, I just wish I would have done different 5 years ago

[BobT]

I've thought about Thompson's but for some reason I have it in my head that it leaves a tacky feeling on the surface. Am I wrong about this?

I want to use a clear sealer because then I can treat heavy traffic areas more often without having to match colors.

[Eric Wettschreck]

I used Thompsons on my green treated mailbox post and fence rails. No tacky feeling at all.

[crothmeier]

Penofin makes a Marine sealer that is clear that is a highly rated product. We sell alot of it for use on decks.

[BobT]

Thanks for the suggestions.

[JeremyCampbell]

Thompson's is a house hold name.It's economical ,It would be a maintenance thing every so often but yeah if you want what most consumers use it would be Thompson's .By the way the reason it gets tacky like you say is because your pooling it too much which means you are puting too much on in certain areas.To prevent that ,we painters like to evenly apply it and when you put it on make sure there Arnt little pools of your product on the deck.

[BobT]

Thanks, Jeremy. Is it better to put it on using a roller, brush, or pad?

[JeremyCampbell]

Brushing it gives more penetration and really gets in there good.I usually apply it on three or four boards at a time with a half inch nap roller then back brush it evenly .After you do those first three you will find out if your loading the roller to much and if you need to put less sealer on or more.Every deck is different.Some need a little more than others.