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Time for some straight answers on wood care and wood care products. We are going to name names, identify strengths and weaknesses, and let you know what true wood care contractors (not product salesmen) are saying about the products on the market today. It is our goal that you will read this information and use it to make the best decision possible for you, your property, and your wood care needs.
Here is the condensed version: Scroll down or just click here for more details
- Anything that forms a film is destined to crack, peel, and fail. This includes paints, solid stains, acrylics (last a very long time), anything that advertises a "shiny" finish, and all latex based products. Once this happens, sanding, scraping, or chemical stripping is required to remove the failed areas before a new coat can be applied or the new coat will most assuredly fail prematurely. Further, because they form a film, most do not breathe and they can trap moisture in the wood.
- Certain oil based products are considered best because they tend to penetrate into the wood and allow it to breathe. These do not form a film and maintenance is typically very easy with the highest quality products. Ready Seal, for example only requires a light wash and a light recoating about every 2-3 years for maintenance. The long term cost effectiveness for this level of protection is unsurpassed in our opinion.
- Types of oil are important. Any vegetable based oil (Linseed, tung, etc) are considered mildew food. Even though they are oils, most are film formers. They are full of natural sugars and are a fantastic food source for mildew and mold. You do NOT want these types of products. You want products that are formulated from organic oils (crude oil). These do not have the natural sugars and do not naturally support mildew and mold. The addition of mildewcides to these types of products makes them highly effective in all climates (especially ours) at minimizing this effect even further. Also, products that are properly formulated such as Ready Seal and Wood Tux are fully VOC compliant for EPA standards.
- Wax based products (Thompson's) are not long lived. Like the wax job on your car they form a film. This wax wears off incredibly fast, generally in as little as 6 months. Stripping is required every time for re-newal.
- Clear sealers typically do not have any UV protection. This will allow your wood to be ravaged and turned grey by the sun virtually before your eyes. Always go for something with tint. Generally speaking the darker the better.
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Common terms, ingredients, and descriptions:
- Oil based stains:
- There are only a few types of oils commonly used in stains. They are linseed, tung, or parrafinnic. It is important when comparing products to know exactly which are in what. Definitions follow:
- Water (Latex) based stains:
- Generally inexpensive, readily available at ‘Marts’ and the super box home improvement centers like Lowe’s and Home Depot.
- More like a paint than anything else.
- Typically sold in solid or semi-transparent (also called semi-solid) shades.
- Easy soap and water clean up.
- Film former.
- Stripping is very difficult at best and in many cases not 100% possible. This makes maintenance problematic.
- Fails like paint (flakes, peels, etc) and needs to be continually maintained.
- Shows wear patterns in high traffic areas.
- Clear Finishes:
- Generally a bad choice unless the gray, weathered look is the desired effect
- Clear products generally have zero or very little UV protection.
- Clear products generally have a failure rate of 1 year or less in the Georgia climate.
- Acrylic Finishes:
- Very strong. Essentially encasing the wood in a thin layer of plastic.
- Very hard to remove if ever necessary.
- Maintenance, as with any film former, is continual and sometimes difficult.
- Good for extreme environments like boat docks, etc.
- Commonly used in two-tone deck job applications because of the super durability.
- Typically a very appealing finish with brilliant colors and a silky smooth texture.
- Generally labor intensive to apply correctly. Flood Spa & Deck, for example is a two step process with meticulous attention to detail required. Be prepared to pay extra for this. If the price seems cheap, beware and inexperienced contractor.
- Linseed or Tung oils:
- A natural vegetable based oil.
- Sometimes also called a ‘long oil alkyd’.
- Commonly used in the formulation of certain lesser expensive stains and sealers. Examples are Behr, Superdeck, and Thompson’s
- Full of natural sugars. In layman’s terms it is “Mildew food”.
- Depending on the product, failure rates tend to run at approximately 1 year or less.
- It is a film former and as such, needs to be stripped each time maintenance is required.
- Because stripping is required for proper maintenance, maintenance is more expensive.
- Great for indoor and fine furniture. Poor choice for outdoor living.
- Parrafinnic oils:
- Don’t confuse this with the word paraffin. This is not wax.
- Parrafinnic oils are derivatives of crude oil. As such, they do not contain the natural sugars such as linseed or tung and are not mildew food.
- Products containing this type of oil are generally considered at the top of the scale in quality.
- Not generally available in box stores or marts. These are specialty finishes.
- Maintenance is generally inexpensive as these type of products are not film formers.
- Because they are not film formers, they do not need to be stripped for maintenance.
- In the event one wanted to change to a different product altogether, these types of oil stains are strippable with ease.
- VOC content is important. Quality products like Ready Seal and Wood Tux are VOC compliant.
- Parrafin:
- While we are on the subject, parrafin is indeed wax.
- Putting a wax job on the car is a fine and grand thing to do. Putting it on your deck is a waste of money and time.
- Although not so much anymore, it used to be widely popular as a water proofer.
- Thompson’s is the most common name associated with parrafin products.
- Very fast failure rate. Generally within 6 months.
- Solid Content:
- The amount of solids versus oils or other ingredients is commonly called solid content.
- The higher the number, the more solids and less fillers (generally solvents) are in the product.
- Lower filler content is generally good as it reduces the VOC content and makes the product EPA compliant and environmentally friendlier.
- Quality products will have very high numbers, such as the 87% solid content in Ready Seal.
- Silicone or silicone ‘enhancement’
- Recently there has been a surge towards silicone enhanced products. Some companies are making incredible claims of up to 25 years protection with just one application. Here are some things you need to know about silicone.
- Some silicone products and the installation of them could easily be described as a wood petrification process more than a protection process.
- Silicone products are film formers. They need to be stripped for proper maintenance when they fail.
- Silicone is permanent. Once it enters the wood, it cannot be stripped.
- Because it cannot be stripped, once you install a silicone product, you are stuck with that product forever.
- Because it cannot be stripped, maintenance is at best, problematic. You will be forced to apply a new coating on top of an old failed one, thus setting the stage for faster failure rates and poor looking results.
- Oil based stains that wash up with water:
- This is a great one by Behr products.
- Water clean up is a clear indicator that a product is water (latex) based. If it is oil based, but water based, how can it be either? Give up? Us too. It is neither and quite frankly we don’t quite know what to make of it. We can’t call them liars, but we can sure be skeptical of the game.
- The best answer that we can use is that it is a marketing strategy aimed at luring the consumer in with fast clean up, low price, and an easy finish. We are not likely to agree with much of that except the low price.
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Other things about deck care products you should know.
Bleach-
Used improperly, bleach can and will ruin your wood. Too much bleach will cause chemical burns on the wood that cannot be removed without extensive procedures. (This handrail is just a portion of the damage that was caused on this homeowner’s deck by an inexperienced contractor who offered a cheap price. We were called to fix the damage) Too much bleach will also cause the breakdown of lignin. Lignin is the substance that holds the wood fibers together. We have been properly trained and have the experience to use bleach when necessary.... yes, sometimes it is the best tool for the job, but be cautious of contractors who rely on bleach as the primary tool.
Sodium Percarbonate-
These cleaners are safe for wood, plants, pets, and people. It is what we use and is the industry standard for professional wood care experts.
Linseed or Tung oil- Is loosely referred inside the profession as “mildew food”. It is fine for indoor furnishings, but in our opinion is not useful at all for exterior environments. We suggest staying as far away from any product that is based on linseed or tung as you can get.
Parrafin- (wax)
Based products are generally weak. They make water bead up in spectacular fashion when new, but just like a wax job on the car, it fades. ....Fast....
Latex- (water based)
Products are considered generally weaker than oil or acrylic products. Latex products generally require more maintenance, more often than the other two choices.
Acrylic-
Based products are typically very tough. Nearly impervious to the outside world, they offer good protection in a film forming finish. Removal or maintenance is equally tough. This stuff really hangs on, so be sure you are thrilled with the product and the color if you choose to use it. It will be there for many years to come.
Mildewcides- (also called fungicides or algaecides) Are good. Look for products that are loaded to the gills with them. Run, don’t walk, from products that do not contain them.
UV Blockers-
Are crucial to the life of your deck. Remember, the darker the color, the better the UV protection (generally speaking) Some clear stains have very little UV protection, most have none at all. Make sure the product you choose clearly indicates that it has UV protection built in.
Film Forming Finish-
Most like a paint. Protects from the outside by covering up the wood. Most have to be stripped off for maintenance.
Penetrating Finish-
Most desirable because it protects from the inside out.
- Oil based (as opposed to water based) is preferred. They last longer, look better, and are easier to maintain. Of these, the best (such as Ready Seal) do not require stripping for maintenance.
- Water based penetrating stains can be very good, and we have a line of them available. The one we use is safe to use around water (docks, boat houses, etc.) and also allows “one day deck” jobs to be performed, while providing a very good finish. The down side is that they are not as durable as oil based penetrating stains and require maintenance at a minimum of every year
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Sometimes we use other types of finishes or are asked about other products besides those you see highlighted in our product page.
This could be due to client preference (To a certain degree, we’ll use anything that the client wants, unless it is clearly detrimental to the property), specific job requirements, or a specific look that is desired.
Some of common ones include Behr products, Sherwin Williams products, and Thompson’s products. Here is some helpful information that we have found to be true in our experience. While some of these statements may contradict certain advertizing claims or literature provided by the product manufacturer, we intend no harm of foul to these companies. This is merely a rendition of what we have learned or experienced in our day to day work in the field of wood care and restoration and is our personal opinion.
- SuperDeck
A film forming finish that is linseed oil based. It requires stripping for proper maintenance. Not on our list of favorites due to the fact that it is a film former and built on mildew food.
- Sherwin Williams DeckScapes
Typically used in semitransparent or solid color film forming applications. In our mind, it is a better choice than some of the Behr products simply due to the fact that some can be removed much easier and maintenance is somewhat less intensive. Still, because it is most commonly used in a film forming finish format, we relegate it to a position behind Ready Seal or other penetrating stains.
- Sherwin Williams Super Paint
Exterior Acrylic Latex
We like this for Two Tone decks. It offers a premium finish, an attractive look, and when prepped properly (We do 1 primer coat and 2 finish coats. Most take the short way around and just paint over whatever is there with one coat) will provide fine durability. Absolutely not suggested for flooring, but makes for a dramatic effect on verticals when combined with a Ready Seal stained floor.
- Behr
This product is common in solid color applications. It is inexpensive and widely available from most box stores like Home Depot and is geared towards the homeowner market. Complete removal during color changes or during stripping procedures can be very difficult. Very aggressive chemical strippers are required and additional sanding to remove residue is usually necessary, especially on vertical surfaces. Durability is good, especially in the acrylic, but it still is a film forming finish and will wear off in high traffic areas. We suggest this product as a last step measure if you are just trying to save the deck for another year before ripping it down and rebuilding it.
- Thompson’s Water Seal
An amazing advertizing campaign has brought this homeowner oriented product to incredible popularity. They have even found a way to market the grayness of UV damage in a positive light by telling consumers that the product allows wood to retain a ‘natural’ look.
We only suggest this product as a bare minimum level of protection. In our opinion, the price is not substantially lesser than that of a top shelf product to warrant its use.
Durability is virtually nil and UV protection is not a component of several of the products available. Maintenance or recoating is required at least on an annual basis and more often in high traffic areas. Must be stripped for recoating or maintenance.
- Seal-Max, Super Seal, Etc.
Advertizing that makes this stuff sound as possibly the best thing since a pocket on a shirt, this product is gaining a bit of interest. The process seems to go under some different names depending on the region, and is heard quite a bit on talk radio. Total information is a bit hard to get, unless one is a prospective franchisee or client, so our information is somewhat limited. Here is what we can say about what we have learned.
The process involves stripping the existing finish and applying a silicone based product. On top of this is placed the tinted top coat. The base layer , being silicone based can NEVER, EVER, NEVER be removed.. You have to like it, because once it’s there..it’s there for good. No other product can ever be applied over it with success and it can never be removed. Sounds good right?? Here’s the problem.. The UV protection and the color are applied over the top of this. If it fails, you MUST get the original application company to come and do repair or maintenance. We have also heard claims of 4” penetration into the wood by some clients who have heard a bit of the sales process. We find this a bit hard to swallow. If you can soak a log in a lake for a month and barely get this kind of penetration, how can a sprayed on product get this in just a few minutes?
Further, we have never seen any product that will last through 3 or more years in the hot Georgia sun without maintenance, let alone a product that says it will last for 25 years. Paint on a car won’t last that long.. I have my doubts about a wood care product that claims this.. Pricing, from what we have heard, is about 4 to 8 times the going rate for typical stripping and staining projects.
- Austrailian Timber Oil by Cabot’s
An attractive finish, but linseed based. Hand rubbing is typically the order of the day for application. Maintenance required at least every year and more typically every six months, especially on woods like Ipe. Nothing about this product is even remotely inexpensive.
- Olympic Maximum Stain
Another linseed product that needs to be stripped for maintenance. They claim up to 7 years, but figure on doing this every year or perhaps two at the most.
- Flood CWF-UV
Very inexpensive, definite film former, attractive shiny appearance, and like the others should be stripped for maintenance.
- TWP
A ‘long oil alkyd’ film former. Looks ok but again, needs to be stripped for maintenance and generally lasts no more than 18 months at best.
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Pam’s Pressure & Clean
