Put a new deck on late last year. Time to get some protection on the new wood and railing. I would like to get something easy to put on and last forever. I don't want lots of maintenance doing this every couple of years so I need some good material. Will Thompsons water seal work well or am I better off with a stain and sealer type product.

If you used wood and it is outside you better plan on maintenance every couple years. There is no miracle cure. What you are hoping for is like me asking you to give me a lure that would make every coyote step dead center on the pan at every set for life....

Whatever you do, don't use a solid stain. That's the one you have to scrape every couple years because it peals like paint. Use Cabbots semi-trans. Protects, comes in various colors and won't peal.

Thompson's is a clear sealer. No build up so won't peal but has short life span, two years if you're lucky.

Bob where you been hiding at?


Sherwin Williams got 40% off stain now. It'd prolly last longer than thompson waterseal. If you wanted easy and last forever trex boards would have been the ticket. Any stain or weather proofer will need to redo ever few years.

Oil or a shingle oil product. I would only apply an oil that penetrates and protects wood no paint or stains of any kind or mix. JM2¢

Going from rock to rock John trying to stay under the radar LOL. Lots going on this time of year with control work and formulation. Not much time for anything else. This domestic work is a pain in my day I can do without.

Baer stain about ever three years. Wife can do it.

Thompson's has paraffin wax in it. Makes the water bead up pretty but also prevents penetration into the wood. Around here we have a brand called CWF flood that soaks into the wood and lasts a long time. I'm sure there are other brands like it.

I use a lot of CWF by Flood and I love the look of it, especially the Cedar Tone. Doesn't peal and is only 85 bucks a 5 at Home Depot but only lasts two years on horizontal surfaces.

Just put the Thompson's in a spray jug and spray it on heavy every couple years. Fast and easy and you can't see worn spots or pealing like with stains.

We use a product called Sikkens on our cedar siding, and wrap around porch. It seems to hold up really well, have to redo it around every 4 to 5 years.

I use the Flood CWF on my camp every 3 years. It has yellow pine siding on the exterior, and this stuff goes on nicely. Walmart used to carry it, but I get it at Home Depot now. $19 and change per gallon.

I wouldn't use Trex decking like was previously mentioned. It is very flammable and slick as ice in the winter!

Will keep an eye on this thread. I have over 2,000 sq ft of deck that needs treated again. Used Thompson last time and it didn't hold up worth a crap. Less than a year in spots w direct sun.

My boss had told me to put CWF on a brand new deck without issue and without the wood being dry. It is a covered porch but does see sun and rain. I stained it with the cedar tone as soon as I was done back in 2003 and have not had to do it yet. It is holding up very well. Still nice color to it also.

What we used to do on our tong boat decks, was oil paint cut 50-50 with turpentine and use as a stain, some guys used thinned boiled linseed oil.

My decks at home need something after many years, I noticed all the deck treatment stuff was a water base product. I want an oil base to let it soak in. So..I'm going to resurrect the old boat deck treatment. Gallon of oil base paint cut with thinners, , soaks in, don't peel, and you can see the grain still, basically a semi transparent stain.

I was quite fond of the Restore product. I got it from Home Depot. Put it on correctly, and you’re done. It has Tecture also for non-slip.