Wood Care Basics

Surface Preperation

Restoration of wood involves either cleaning or stripping the surface. If the wood on your deck is uncoated, it needs to be cleaned thoroughly with a product specifically formulated to gently remove the aged top surface layer, which will rid the surface of its grayed appearance, ground-in dirt and stains from food splatters and fungus growth, including mildew, mold and algae. If your deck has been previously coated with a varnish or colored stain, stripping will be required.

Why Is It Necessary?

Restoration of uncoated wood requires cleaning, as uncoated wood on your deck that is weathered gray or covered with embedded dirt and fungus growth will prevent a coating from adhering or penetrating properly, which can lead to premature color fading, cracking and peeling, or reduced water repellency performance. Once cleaned, however, the wood surface on your deck will be restored to its natural, like-new appearance, and will be ready to accept a protective coating. Previously varnished or stained wood will not accept a different type (water-base over oil-base) or color of coating without risk of performance failure and color bleed-through, and therefore, should be stripped in order to be restored.

For New Wood: Prepare the Surface!

What Is Involved Exactly?

Just as in the restoration of old wood, it is necessary to prepare the surface of the new wood before coating. Preparing the surface involves cleaning the brand new, uncoated surface in order to remove invisible surface barriers, such as excess wax found on pressure-treated wood, or mill glaze, a burnished surface often present on new Cedar lumber.

Why Is It Necessary?

Brand new lumber that has been processed at a lumber mill (either pressure-treated or simply de-barked, planed and cut) will contain excess internal moisture and surface wax, or possibly a glazed surface that will prevent a coating from adhering or penetrating properly. By cleaning the surface, invisible barrier wax or mill glaze is removed, and wood pores are unclogged and opened, allowing trapped moisture to escape, which minimizes cracking and splitting before and after coating.

Protect and Beautify!

What Is Involved In Protection?

After cleaning, you should apply a clear or tinted water repellent sealer, pigmented stain, or a wood preservative coating, depending on the level of protection and the look you want to achieve.

Why Is It Necessary?

Without protection, wood that is exposed to outdoor weather will eventually warp, split, rot and decay from water absorption, and gray from UV exposure. To stop this degradation, apply a protective coating fortified with water repellency and UV resistance. Non-pressure-treated wood is also vulnerable to rot and decay from fungus and insect attack, but can be protected with a wood preservative. Once coated, your wood will better withstand the elements, look beautiful, and give you many seasons of outdoor living pleasure.

What Products Should I Consider?

Water Repellents

These coatings prevent water and moisture absorption, so that structural damage like cracking and warping are minimized. Some water repellents are also made to protect other porous surfaces, such as brick, concrete and masonry. Select one of the following, depending on the substrate to be waterproofed, and the desired look you want to achieve.

Stains

These coatings contain pigment to provide color and protection against UV damage. They come with varying degrees of transparency, which gives you a range of options for showing off the wood grain, or covering it completely.

Preservatives

These coatings are formulated to resist fungal attack on the wood surface, and should be used for the protection of any outdoor wood that is not pressure-treated. Some also offer an insecticide to protect wood in ground contact or water contact installations from termites and other wood-destroying insects.