Deck Sealers For Wood
Before using any deck sealer to seal a deck, allow the wood to
dry for at least 24-48 hours before you seal it with any oil
based sealer. Once you believe the wood is dry, you should test
it with a moisture meter. Be sure to test the areas that do not
get much sun, such as close to the house. You are looking for
12% moisture or less. In a pinch, you can seal wood at 15%, but
you are really pushing the edge with that.
Take a little time to protect the yard plants and lawn around
the deck. Sun Brite Supply has lightweight inexpensive
paper-poly drop-cloths that will prevent sealer from landing on
vegetation. Sealer blocks the pores of vegetation, so the leaf
cannot breathe. Cover up and be safe. NOTE: Never use sheet
plastic over vegetation. On a sunny day, plants can fry within
minutes.
If there are any fuzzies on the wood, use a sanding sponge with
medium grit (or a brass wire brush, an Osborne brush, or a
de-felting pad) to go over the entire area. This step will help
assure professional looking results.
Remember that Ready Seal is made with inert oil that contains no
sugars or starches. We caution you to avoid any sealer that
contains linseed oil (even in small amounts, linseed oil
supports the growth of mildew with its natural sugars and
starches). We also caution you about using any sealer without
superior UV protection. That includes all clear sealers.
Generally speaking, darker sealant colors contain more UV
protection. Ready Seal contains some of the finest pigments
available today, combined with exclusive resins that help the
stain be absorbed completely into the wood very quickly. Ready
Seal is permeable, which means it allows the wood to breathe
naturally but will not allow moisture drops to enter the wood.
Using a good brush with white china bristles, apply the sealer
along the edge of the deck nearest the house. Cover about 12" to
18" out from the house, being very careful to feather the edges
so that you avoid a straight, visible line where the brushing
stops and the spraying will begin. Cutting-in the edge like this
allows you to begin spraying away from the house, minimizing
your clean-up at the end of the job. Many contractors spray the
entire deck, avoiding the extra labor needed for cutting-in by
using sheet plastic or a flexible painter's shield to protect
the house from spray.
A DECKSTER sprayer is the quickest method to apply Ready Seal
when used by a professional. On a windy day, the Hurricane Brush
will be the fastest way to apply Ready Seal without creating a
clean-up headache. Ready Seal can also be applied with a pump-up
sprayer, but that is more labor-intensive and a less-even
application than you get when using a DECKSTER. You may also use
a brush or roll it, but those methods are more labor-intensive
and usually don't get the sealer on to the sides of the boards
like the sprayer does.
Take time to protect any patio under the deck. Sealer that drips
onto concrete is extremely difficult to remove later on. If you
spray the sealer, also protect plants and house surfaces. If you
must clean up spilled sealer or overspray, use mineral spirits
or denatured alcohol. Mineral spirits is the best all-around
cleaner, while denatured alcohol works very well for cleaning it
off glass.
Two light coats (applied wet-on-wet) are much better than one
heavy one. Once the first coat of sealer has been on the wood
for at least 15 - 30 minutes, it will accept a moderate second
coat. Once the second coat of sealer has been on the wood for
about 20 minutes, the wood has absorbed all it will take. If
there are any wet or shiny spots visible, they can be wiped with
a clean rag or back-brushed with a flat stain pad to remove them.
Ready Seal is really goof-proof. That means that you won't get
lap marks or runs, and it means that rainy weather can't mess it
up. The sealed wood is ready to stand up to rain within about 15
minutes after applying Ready Seal. The deck is ready to use
immediately, while the sealer continues to dry beneath the
surface of the wood for about 2-3 weeks.
Expect the color of the newly-sealed wood to be somewhat darker
that the color sample indicated. The wood may also have a
slightly splotchy appearance. The color will lighten
considerably and even out over the next two weeks or so. The
color will continue to lighten gradually, depending on use and
exposure to sun. Typically, this process should be repeated
every two years or so to maintain optimal appearance and
protection.