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Question: Hi Mark, I have had
some deck work done to our camp in Maine recently and have a question about
whether or not it is necessary to seal a pressure treated deck. The deck
contractor who did the work says you don’t need to put a sealer on a pressure
treated deck. I’ve always been under the opinion that after the deck has had
some time to dry out that I need to apply a deck sealer. I am interested on your
thoughts on whether or not it is wise to seal a pressure treated deck.
Answer: O.V. To answer your question succinctly I am of the same opinion
as you, and so are the treated lumber manufacturers.
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I think your deck contractor either
does not know what he is talking about, or more likely he doesn’t want to be
bothered in coming back to your deck project to seal it. If the pressure treated
deck is left unsealed inevitably, like any other type of wooden deck, Mother
Nature will have its way with it. The wood will begin to check and split and
water will slowly begin to work its way into it and begin the decaying process.
In addition, mold and mildew growth will begin to occur as the moisture soaks
into the cracks.
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If you plan on applying a clear deck
sealer to a pressure treated deck it is best to wait at least a couple of months
to allow the pressure treated lumber to dry out. You can test to see if the deck
is ready for a sealer by spilling a little water on it. If the water runs off of
it or beads up then it is not yet ready to seal. If the water absorbs into it
then it is ready for a sealer. A roller and brush work great for applying a
clear deck sealer. Just make sure to not apply too much and that the weather
forecast is dry for 24 to 48 hours.
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Otherwise you’ll end up with a sticky
deck that takes many months to fully dry out. In addition, the deck may begin to
peel if you apply too much deck sealer.
I personally like using a semi-transparent stain on my pressure treated decks.
This way you add a little color to the wood while still allowing the texture and
beauty of the wood to shine through. In addition, there is no peeling to worry
about. Years ago I use to apply clear water sealers to my decks and inevitably
they would peel. To remove the old sealer I had no choice but to sand down the
entire deck. |
Suffice it to say you don’t want to
end up having to sand a deck. It’s a lot of hard, noisy work. Since using a
semi-transparent stain I’ve never had to sand a deck again prior to applying a
fresh coat of stain.
Typically I apply only one coat of
sealer or semi-transparent stain to the deck every year or two to keep the deck
looking good and to provide the best protection to the deck.
Make sure before applying a deck sealer or stain to clean the deck thoroughly. A
pressure washer works great for cleaning a deck, but be careful to not damage
the wood in the process. Pressure washers can damage the wood grain and leave
permanent scars in the wood.
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