Good question! There’s more than one right answer, and we’ll run through your options.
First, you should know that these recommendations are based on the most common deck materials, like pressure-treated pine. Decks made from cedar or exotic hardwoods have different requirements, and Zenith Painting would be happy to offer our expert knowledge to help you find the right stain and sealant for your unique deck. Just give us a call at 720-855-7019.
For everybody else, you can start thinking about the look you want with this quick guide from Zenith Painting on choosing deck stains and sealers.
Clear Sealers
This see-through seal will allow you to see all of the natural wood grain and color of your deck. It’s lovely to look at, but do be aware that while the deck will be protected against rot and moisture, the clear coating doesn’t protect against UV rays from the sun.
This exposure means your deck’s wood may eventually become faded and gray. However, there are treatments that will restore the original color.
Tinted Sealers and Semitransparent Stains
The UV protection offered by these stains means your deck will look better for longer without additional maintenance. The only downside is that the colored tint required to block sunlight will change the natural look of your wood.
Fortunately, that’s not much of a downside if your wood has already spent some time exposed to the elements and is beginning to turn gray. The right tinted sealer will restore some of that lost color.
Solid Stains
While other sealers and stains work by soaking into the wood, solid stains are more like a coat of paint designed for outdoor woodwork. Solid stains are opaque and will completely cover the natural grain of wood, but you can choose any color you like for this protective barrier and that color will remain strong and bright even after many seasons of exposure to the sun.
Solid stains do require a different kind of maintenance, though. Your wood will remain completely protected by the stain, but the stain itself is a completely separate layer and can crack or peel without occasional maintenance.
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