Here is a picture from my backyard. There is a stand of three redwoods in the center background. They are in the front yard. There are six more on the right; three in the front yard, three in the back, but there are cedars on that side as well. They are all at least 20 years old. Sometimes I think I hear "Bwahahahaha"! These are views the other ways, presumably landscaped with oaks by mother nature and her crew of squirrels.

Forget you ever THOUGHT of Linseed oil!!! It's a very slow-drying oil, and doesn't do well outside for any length of time. I'd use it ONLY for low-priority items that can easily be moved inside often....small tables, carvings, etc. My Redwood deck is 12+ yrs.-old. * This is in Fargo, ND...where temps go from -35 to a couple of 95-100 deg. readings every year. * Humidity is all over the map too. * Physical orientation: West side, Zero shade, 6' off ground. Full sun from 11am. * I had first applied Penofin back in '96 when it was new. * Since about 2000, I've been using SIKKENS SRD Semi-transparent. It's all I've used since. NOTE: Redwood is soft, but VERY dimensionally stable outside. * You WILL have to sand horizontal surfaces every 3-4 years to keep that "new" look. * I've got lots of pics of my deck, if I can just find them on my computer! (You can maybe search on the 'Decks' forum too. I've posted some pics there too...) * I sanded all my spindles last summer, along with sanding between them where they attach to the 2x8 Redwood skirtboards. THAT was fun...but had to be done. * No matter HOW GOOD a stain is...it can't do everything. * Periodic sanding gives you NEW wood again, that will ABSORB & HOLD new stains evenly. * Sanding removes degraded/crumpled wood fibers, exposing more rigid/open structures. * Cleaning is important too...BUT...doesn't do ANYTHING to remove many old fibers. Sooooo...my deck stain of choice...Sikkens SRD. I LOVE the Redwood #089 color. If our store dropped Sikkens...people up here would HANG us!! (I went through almost THREE 5G pails when I did our fence last summer...@ $170 per 5-er. Gallons are ~ $35/gal.) On below link, check the "Application Guide" info. too. Faron Here is a link that might be useful: Sikkens website, SRD page.

You have a wonderful, huge deck in a beautiful backyard. You would need to do the benches as well as the railing and steps. If it were mine, I would clean it well then put on a protective coating. That alone will enhance the color and protect it from mildew and wear and tear. You have a lot of deck to cover and if you do a stain, it will NOT be permanent. It doesn't matter which type you purchase and use, it will need to be touched up and/or restained at least every few years and that is if it is applied perfectly. If you decide to deepen or change the color later, you can do it after you've sealed it. If you darken the color with stain and decide in a few years that you wish you hadn't, stripping it all off would be a nightmare and would damage your wood. A colorful unbrella for your table, plants in pots, and some decorative throw pillows would really finish it all off. We purchase our house with a dark stained deck on it and I HATE it. It is hot and the maintenance is a killer.

It depends on what you want. Solid color will cover up the wood like a paint does. Semi transparent will let the texture of the wood show through.