New deck and railings, should I paint, stain, or just seal? Help!





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Maybe use a Yatch Varnish, or leave as is to weather to a light grey.
If it's treated wood, wait 6 months to a year before sealing.
Don't use paint it peels and makes the deck look horrible. Stain it but If your deck was made with new, smooth wood, you’ll need to wait at least three months before staining your deck.
Rough-sawn wood can be stained right away, as long as it is clean and the wood is dry. If you are unsure if you have rough-sawn wood, post a picture in the comment area with some basic info about your project and we’ll help you figure it out.
Kiln-dried wood and KDAT wood will need one to two months before you can stain it.
Try a light stain this year! If you don't like it do a darker one next time and so on until you are happy with the end effect.
Hi Ana, you will want to let it weather for a season before staining or sealing it. Transparent sealer leaves the natural wood look Like, eg. Thompson's water seal, Varathane or polyurethane . You can also use a transparent or semi transparent stain which will leave the grain visible. I would not paint it though.