Yes...once the bark comes off, wood decks are pretty much a "Money-Pit"! >>> However...the various composites out there haven't exactly warmed my soul either...!! They have their own maintenance regimen... No matter HOW good the stain is, it does require maintenance; and, ideally...re-sanding the floor every 5-7 years. We've got Sikkens & Penofin at our store (our main lines anyway...). Two of the better ones, IMO. Still...all we can expect up here (Fargo, ND) is 2-3 years off. Treated lumber- Often prone to cracking as the treatment slowly releases. Doesn't absorb much stain either...usually! Faron

Cabot is made in Newburyport, MA or was. Realistic? It all comes down to expectations. Are you expecting it to look like the day you put it on, 4 years down the road? Never happen. Make sure you are using Semi-trans DECKING stain.

I cant belive you dug all that way back,,,2005 ??? Anyway,twp 116 requires cleaning and good weather for the overcoat, I have never had to strip a twp project of mine. I do have a past Wallet that put silkens over the twp I put on,,,now that project will require a lot of stripping. The thing with a project using pt for decking...... no I wont say that..hmmmmm not that either..... Preasure Treated yellow pine is pron to warping twisting shrinking splintering things like that when laying flat to the sun no matter how its fastened or what finish is placed on it. A person can use a bad finish and make matters worst like thompsons,silkins,cwf,aquatroll but really no finish is going to change the nature of yellow pine. J

Hi there. I pressure wash in the Southeast and I use Ready Seal stain. It's really really easy to work with because it doesn't require me to keep a "wet-edge" so I don't get lap marks. I've used a brush, a roller, a pump-up sprayer and/or flat pads to apply it. It's a penetrating stain so it's not like a paint...this sucks into the wood. I use it on my decks and I've been impressed with the longevity of the product. I have family in Wisconsin and we put it on a deck that is next to a 5th wheel travel trailer that is on some hunting land. This area gets a good bit of snow and certainly lots of frigid temps. It was done 3 years ago and is still holding up really well. Ready Seal has UV protection with the darker colors have more protection than the light colors. It's petroleum-based so it resists mold and mildew that you can get from other type of products that are made from something like linseed oil. Consider the long-term upkeep of any product. I have a lot of customers who choose something like an acrylic coating which is tough to remove. Tough to remove equals more money spent by the customer. And although I like to make more money, some of these products are just a bear to remove. My personal opinions....stay away from Behr, Cabot and Sikkens. Armstrong Clark is good. Their color palette is more orangey. Ready Seal has more browns, gold and reds. Color is always a personal opinion. And TEST PATCH TEST PATCH TEST PATCH!!! Nothing worse than going full speed ahead and realizing that you don't like the color! Good luck!