Best Stain/Sealant for Pine Deck

9 years ago

I have a one-year old deck that the contractor put Olympic Honeygold
Stain/Sealant (which says 4 year protection) on what I think is pine.
All of the finish they put on the deck (which was beautiful when it was
applied) is just about gone. My husband and I want to know what we can
apply that will look nice and last more than one year. Do any of the
stains and sealants last more than a few years?

Featured Answer

User

9 years ago

Tough one to advise without seeing the deck. You said pine, it that pressure treated wood or untreated before the finish was applied? If the wood is treated, was it wet when the finish was applied? Was the finish applied when the weather was too cold/hot/humid?

What condition is the wood in now? Weathered(changing color to gray)? Any splitting deck boards? Any warped deck boards?

Olympic is a good company that makes good products. The problems start when the products are not applied correctly.

Read the info and questions here

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

PRO
Schafer Construction, Inc.
9 years ago
Reach out to your contractor and clarify exactly the type of wood and how you can maintain it. The questions by HandyMac are a great place to start. Take a photo of how the wood is weathering.
debt5317 thanked Schafer Construction, Inc.
Related Professionals
Fall River Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · West Plains Home Builders · Toms River Home Builders · Enid Home Builders · Danbury Home Builders · New London Home Builders · Nashua Home Builders · Brooklyn Home Builders · Oxnard Home Builders · Santa Barbara Home Builders · Gillette Home Builders · Valdosta Home Additions · Southaven Home Additions · Albany Home Additions · Green Bay Home Additions
debt5317
Original Author
9 years ago
Here are a few photos of how the deck looks now. The stain was applied in the hot, humid part of the summer. You can still some of the stain on the posts, but all the stain is gone from the deck floor. There seem to be no warped deck boards. There are a few that have splits in them. All the posts have splits in them. We were told that was what all pine posts did and to fill them with wood putty which has not worked well. The boards next to the brick still have some stain on them.
User
9 years ago
That looks like some variety of pressure treated wood. I'd bet it was not thoroughly dry when the finish was applied on the deck boards. The greenish coating on the framing is the reaction of the wood to the copper in the pressure treating formula(probably ACQ--Amine (or Ammonia) Copper-Quat). I've never seen pressure treated wood look like those posts/railings/etc. I wonder if the pressure treatment(if that is what causes that color) reacted with the chemicals in the wood and caused the finish to not adhere.

As far as the splitting of the posts, sadly that is true. Pine posts will split, especially new growth pine used in current pressure treating. Trying to use wood filler, as you have found, will not work.
debt5317 thanked User
debt5317
Original Author
9 years ago
I am sure the wood was not thoroughly dry, which I questioned when applying the stain. Their response was it would be fine, and it would protect the wood more. Should we just clean this deck and reapply the same stain, or should we go to a semi-solid stain or solid stain which may last longer now? We would really like to apply something that would last a few years at least. Is their any fix for the cracks in the posts?
User
9 years ago
The original product is fine and should provide the expected protection, now that the wood is dry.

I don't know of any product that can be used in the cracks that will last(the cracks will expand/contract with temps and humidity changes) that would look ok with the finish.

You might try cladding the posts(installing a thin-=1/4" thick---wood cover) with cedar(better weather resistance). That would have to be made by a person/shop with a bandsaw capable of a 6-8" resaw width. Applying the finish to both sides, edges, and the ends.
debt5317 thanked User