There are areas of protection that every homeowner should address when it comes to their wood deck. The most commonly known area is water damage. When it comes to protecting your deck, water is the #1 culprit that will damage your investment. Get a sealant.
I have been using Penofin on my Ipe deck for about 15 years and it is still looking brand new...I attribute most of this to the nature of Ipe. Penofin makes a product designed for pressure treated wood as well as a whole line of materials for redwood cedar etc.
Treatment will depend of the wood type and whether or not it have been treated yet. Penofin can not be applied on top of preexisting surface finishes...it can be applied over other penetrating
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oil finishes.
If you have an old surface finish it will need to be removed first...and they have a product for that too.
The choice is yours, preference, reviews, whatever, but make sure the deck is dry before you apply the sealer. Depending on the weather, and how green (wet) the wood is, the deck will need to sit and dry for a while before sealing. Usually about a month....
Thanks for all your suggestions. We don't move in for another couple of weeks and are currently in an unusual monsoon season in Virginia! Will let everything dry thoroughly before treating.
Treatment will depend of the wood type and whether or not it have been treated yet. Penofin can not be applied on top of preexisting surface finishes...it can be applied over other penetrating ...»
If you have an old surface finish it will need to be removed first...and they have a product for that too.
http://www.penofin.com/