After much research, we built with Correctdeck CX . That is the relatively new mold resistant version. We live on the peninsula south of San Francisco, CA, about five miles from the ocean so we get lots of moisture, even in the summer. and it does freeze in the winter. We have oak and eucalyptus trees near the deck that shed leaves (the euc. stains) and get lots of bird droppings, raccoon tracks, etc. We also get two large labs who visit. After about eight months, the deck looks great. During the summer we got black spots in a large area but realized it was from the oak. They washed off with plain water, as does everything else. The dogÂs nails do not scratch. You definitely can scratch this material (itÂs harder than other composites though) but it takes an effort. So just put pads on the bottom of your metal chairs. Some worry about the shiny surface of CX. As the website tells you, that shine all but disappears in a few months. It has a sleight sheen, about the level of satin paint. For the railings, we used the correct deck posts, then their dimensional lumber for the rails, and aluminum powder coated balusters. Our aim was minimum intrusion on the view, and it worked. We love the deck. Yes, in direct sun it can get hot but since the color is gray, less so then the previous dark wood deck. It feels wonderful under your feet. Everyone remarks on how great it looks. If we were money-heavy, we would have gotten Ipe and had people in once a year to re-stain and treat it. As it is, weÂre quite happy with the result.

Hello my name is Michael Camaret and I own a company called American Painting And Deck Care. We have been serving the Merto Atlanta area since 1999. Our main premise is Deck Maintenance. I have alot of experiance with Wolman Extreme, enough to know that it is vertually impossible to strip. You have a few options. Put a solid color stain over what is there. Replace the floorboards(which at that point I would put Trex). Or I would try this first. Glidden makes a water based product that I use that has a sheen just like Wolmans. The product is Glidden Endurance or Glidden Woods Pride (same product different label) Semi-transparent deck stain. You will probably have to go a little darker in color and make sure you sand all the flaking areas very well,then spot brush those areas with the new stain,then spray 2 coats on the deck with the Glidden product. You will loose some of the transparance. But the deck will look brand new! If you or anyone else has any deck or painting related questions or need a free Estimate. Please call our office at 678-566-3305 and ask for Michael. Here is a link that might be useful: american painting and deck care's website

To get UV protection there has to be color in the finish. No clear or natural finish has Any UV protection use them and the project will go silver/gray. They get UV from micro ground metal particles . Sun Screen you put on your face has zinc oxide in it, the same as white paint , Same principle in outdoor finish. The metal gets into the wood , reflects the sun rays. It's just that simple. Just pick a color, put it on. I use TWP 100 series, the 116 has a nice Red/brown look. Put two coats on right away.

We use Diamond Vogel opaque deck stains with good results. Needs to be renewed about every4-5 years. As bad as that wood is, however, I would not expect too much. Were it my deck I would set all the nails, rent a floor sander and try to get down to good wood before staining. To answer your questions: 1. Can anyone tell what type of wood my decking is made of? Treated pine 3. Can I wood-fill smaller cracks and splits instead of replacing? No. Wood filler is not for unstable environments like a wood deck. 4. Do I need to prep my railing differently than other surfaces? Only the top of the rail should be weather-worn. Sand it down before staining. 5. If I replace some boards, any tips for trying to blend the old and new boards? Blending is not really possible. The new wood is full of treatment solution and will take stain differently than old wood. The usual recommendation is to let new wood sit for a minimum of six weeks before staining.