Given time, weather, rotting, mildew and other things can completely ruin your wooden deck. But that is not to say there is nothing you can do about it, which is why we have deck sealers, also called deck stains. Because of these great deck maintenance products, your deck can maintain its great appearance for years without suffering much deterioration.

Unfortunately, not every deck sealer can be entrusted to keep your deck properly protected, which is why it is important to ensure that you get a good sealer the first time round. And so, here are some of the best deck sealers in the market today.

Best Deck Sealer & Best Deck Stain

10Bond Distributing Ltd Natural Wood Stain/Sealer

If DIY projects are your thing, then you have a lot to like about this particular wood sealer. The product can deliver professional results, and its usage procedure is very easy. In any case, when you use this sealer on your deck, you can expect the wood will have an enhanced color and its surface rejuvenated.

From there, you can look forward to a long period of protection that does not come with issues like cracking, flaking, or chipping. Because the formula used to make this product is non-drip, no overlapping will be experienced during its application.

9Thompsons Waterseal – Transparent Stain

Buyers will get both a sealer and a stainer by purchasing this product. With its transparent color, it should work well with many types of wooden surfaces. Its abilities include the capacity to create a waterproof surface on wood in addition to helping prevent mildew damage and other types of problems unprotected wooden surfaces typically experience.

Applying this sealer is also very easy, and the surfaces it is applied on can be touched two hours after application.

8Thompsons Aerosol Water Seal Multi-Surface Waterproofer

Wood is just one in a list of surfaces that this product can provide a seal of protection. Other surfaces include brick, stone, and concrete just to name a few. This product is able to offer protection from the weather, with a particular emphasis on preventing water damage.

It will also provide protection against dust. Which means your deck will last a lot longer if you use this sealer to protect its surface as opposed to most other deck sealers.

7CabotStain Australian Timber Oil Penetrating Oil

It does not matter if your deck is made of teak, mahogany, or even other high-quality wood; this product has what it takes to protect it from all manner of damages.

The sealer can penetrate deep into the wood, even the really dense kinds. And because among its components are complex iron oxide pigments, it can even protect the deck from the damage usually caused by UV rays.

6Semco Teak Sealer – Waterproofing Wood Sealant

You can expect your deck to have all sorts of protection when you decide to use this wood sealer. This product is able to protect your wooden deck from UV light, moisture, water and other things. And even as it provides remarkable waterproofing, it will not leave your deck slippery.

Otherwise, once you use this product, you can relax knowing that your teak deck will go for quite a while before it requires any additional maintenance work. The teak sealer can handle weather and discoloration for a period of up to one year. Finally, this sealer is safe and environmentally friendly.

5Rust-Oleum Coppercoat Wood Preservative

Few deck sealers will do as good a job of protecting your deck as this particular sealer does. To begin with, this product is registered by the EPA, and in addition to fulfilling the basic deck sealer requirements of keeping the wood safe from mildew, rot, and fungus, it will also keep away termites, which have been known to wreak havoc to decks, even after they have been protected using deck sealers.

This sealer does not change the color of the deck. Instead, it creates a transparent green layer that will slowly go away with time.

4Defy Extreme Wood Stain

Because this wood sealer/stainer features zinc nano-particle technology, it protects the deck from premature decay that comes with exposure to UV rays. The reason is because these particles disperse the light particles and prevent premature graying or loss of color. The product will also offer protection to your deck for a very long time as it is made using high quality resins that resist fading and darkening.

In fact, for this reason, this product is able to extend the quality of your wooden deck a little more than most other sealers. This wood sealer is also water-based and semi-transparent. Other than that, you should feel safe in the knowledge that this sealer is also environmentally-friendly and safe to use without the need for extreme caution.

Finally, the wood stain comes in different color shades. They include light walnut, redwood, light walnut, cedar tone, driftwood gray, butternut, and natural pine.

3ECO-SAFE Wood Treatment – Stain and Preservative by Tall Earth

When using this product, your deck will not need any special prepping before application. It will, however, get a great silver or brown aged finish. But this will depend on the wood type. This deck sealer will work both indoors and outdoors.

But the greatest highlight with regard to its use is that it needs only to be used once; and from there, it will penetrate the wood for good so that no further applications will be required down the road as is typically the case with some deck sealers.

2Ready Seal Natural Cedar Exterior Wood Stain and Sealer

You won’t need a primer in order to use this sealer, it works perfectly with your wooden deck as it is. For even greater convenience, you can apply it using a sprayer, a roller, or even a brush.

And while some deck sealers tend to be annoyingly sensitive to temperature during application, you will face no such issues when using this stain and sealer. After application, the sealer provides protection to your wooden deck against UV blocking, mildew, and water. The sealer is oil-based and semi-transparent.

1Thompsons WaterSeal Advanced Natural Wood Protector

With a coat of this sealer on your deck, you won’t have to worry about mildew, water damage, UV damage or coloration for a long time. One of the greatest upsides to using this particular wood sealer is that it is very easy and convenient to use.

That is because it will work on both damp and dry wood, and just a single coat of this sealer is needed to get the job done. Moreover, because this is a water-based sealer, it will be easy to clean up your deck after its application. All this should make it clear why it continues to get consistently high ratings from users.

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How to Clean and Seal Your Deck

If you’re reading this guide, then you are either thinking about buying a deck sealer or stain, have already bought one and need advice on applying it, or are thinking about buying one in the near future. Well, if you’ve already bought the sealer or stain, then I hope that you selected a quality one from our top ten list. Regardless of whether you did or not though, we’d like you to stick around while we talk about how these products should be properly used.

In this guide, we’re going over some of the best practices that should be followed when using either a deck sealer or a deck stain. The following tips will enable you to use your new sealer or stain with confidence and not have to worry about whether you’re doing it properly or not. With that being said, let’s get down to it and get this guide started already.

How to Prepare a Deck for Sealing or Staining

Gather Your Tools

Before you begin, you’ll want to make sure that you have all of your supplies gathered together. Below are some of the things you’ll need to perform this project:

  1. Deck Cleaner
  2. Stain and/or Sealer
  3. Broom
  4. Garden Hose
  5. Paint Brush
  6. Paint Roller
  7. Extension Handle
  8. Pressure Washer
  9. Pole Sander
  10. 80-Grit Sandpaper
  11. Putty Knife
  12. Clear Plastic
  13. Rubber Gloves
  14. Goggles
  15. Safety Mask

Check Your Deck

Before you begin sealing or staining your deck, you’ll want to give it a thorough inspection. If you’re going to seal your deck, then you are also going to want to test to see if it’s even necessary to seal it. Take a little bit of water and sprinkle it all over your deck.

If the water begins to form beads and isn’t absorbed into the wood of the deck, then it doesn’t need to be sealed. On the other hand, if the wood drinks it up, then you are going to want to seal or stain your deck.

  Clean Your Deck

Unless your deck is brand-spanking new, then you’re going to want to use a deck cleaner to prepare the surface of the wood before you seal it. A good deck cleaner will remove mildew, dirt, and algae that may exist on the wood. You can use a power washer to clean the deck, but make sure that you use a good fan tip to avoid damaging the wood as you clean it. Be sure to follow all of the safety precautions and instructions on your deck cleaner.

  Repair and Sand the Deck

The next thing that you’ll want to do is to repair any damage that your deck may have suffered. This includes driving nails back into the wood that may have popped up, repairing wood that may be damaged and replacing wood that may be rotten.

After you’ve ensured that the deck is in good physical condition, you can then sand the entire deck. Sand it by using a pole sander that’s been fitted with 80-grit sandpaper. Make sure that you sand  every part of the deck during this process.

Applying the Sealer or Stain

  Check the Weather

Now that we’ve prepared the surface of the deck, it’s time to get into actually applying a sealant or a stain to the deck. Before you begin, you’ll want to make sure that you have at least 2-days of dry weather to apply the product and let it cure. The ideal temperature for applying sealant or stain is approximately 51-degrees to 89-degrees Fahrenheit.

  Read Your Product’s Instructions

It’s vitally important that you read all of the instructions and warnings that come with your particular stain or sealant. Always follow the instructions supplied with the product you purchase, even if those instructions conflict with this guide.

  Clear Your Deck Off

Make sure that you remove everything off of the deck including any furniture that you may have sitting out there. Also be sure to give your deck a final sweep to ensure that you don’t have any loose debris or sawdust left over from when you repaired and/or sanded the deck. During this step, you’ll also want to make sure that the deck is completely dry.

  Cover Surrounding Shrubbery

To protect any foliage or shrubbery that may be around or under the deck, be sure to cover it thoroughly with plastic sheeting. After all, you want to stain your deck and not your yard.

  Stir Your Stain or Sealer

While you should prepare the stain or sealer according to your product’s instructions, most of the ones I’ve seen tell you that you should never shake your stain or sealant. Doing so can result in bubbles forming in it. Instead, you should stir the product until it’s well mixed.

  Apply Even Coats of Stain or Sealer

You should never apply more stain or sealer that can be smoothed out before it dries. This usually means covering a two board section with a thin coating of product using either a sprayer or a roller with an extension handle.

It’s always better to apply thin coats instead of trying to put down an extremely thick coat of product. If you have a friend who can assist you with this project, then ideally one of you could apply the product and another person can smooth it out to avoid puddles from forming. Continue doing this until the deck has been completed.

  Apply a Second Coat (Optional)

After the product has dried on the deck, you can apply a second coat if you so desire. Just make sure to apply even coats and to move at a steady speed as you did previously.

  Rinse & Remove the Plastic

Remember the plastic that was covering your shrubbery, now is the time to rinse it off with a hose and remove it.

  Allow the Deck to Fully Dry

Now all that you have to do is wait for your deck to dry. Once that’s done, you can then restore all of the deck furniture back to the deck and enjoy all of your hard work.