Treating my Cedar Deck

Cedar wood decks are very rare and expensive these days and they're getting more expensive. You should not need to sand your deck, ever. Just sweep it off as best you can and apply a sealer. I would not paint or stain cedar. You paid dearly for the cedar, why cover it up? You can apply the sealer with a brush, roller or spray. Just remember it will kill any plant it gets on if you spray. Consumer Reports (which I trust) rates sealers and they rate Home Depot's Behr deck fence and siding sealer as best by far. Sears, McClosky and Thompson's were rated 2, 3 and 4. It needs to be reapplied every other year if you use Behr. The others are every year. If you miss a few years, you can use a pressure washer to blast off the grayed wood, let it dry for a few days and reapply the sealer. Good as new! BTW: I do not work for HD!

Ryan, I have been cleaning and sealing decks professionally for almost 15 years, and I teach a course on cleaning and sealing that is endorsed by Power Washers of North America. I also own a cedar deck that was built in 1974.

First of all, cedar is dry when it is installed, which means that you can seal it immediately - without cleaning in most cases. Since your deck has been exposed to nature for several months, I recommend a light cleaning to kill any mold spores on the wood. Use a gentle percarbonate cleaner (which won't affect the natural color of the wood). Follow that with a mild brightener (which should sit on the wood for about 20 minutes and then be rinsed off with your garden hose).This sets the proper pH for the sealer to bond to the wood.

Sanding is probably unneccessary, unless you are opposed to washing the wood. If you do decide to sand, use #80 grit paper or coarser. Finer grit will produce finer particles, which plug up the pores of the wood.

After cleaning and brightening, let the wood dry for a few days. If it rains during that time, you have to extend the drying time.

Seal using a semi-transparent paraffinic oil product. Brush apply. Do not over-apply any product. Two very light coats are better than one medium coat. Never a heavy application. The manufacturer will give you the directions on the product.

It is extremely important to seal the ends of your cedar boards. The first signs of rot on cedar wood is on the ends of the boards.

If you have any questions, please call my company. We can provide any products not available locally. 770-277-9924

Avoid any product with linseed oil, alkyd, latex, or acrylic. They are all coatings and some of them are extremely difficult to remove a few years down the road when it is time to re-do your deck. Avoid the 25-year silicone products, too. Face the reality that a deck sealer may last for years but only looks good for about two years. It is smarter to use a two-year/four-year product that is cheap and easy to remove or may not even need to be removed. Your wood will always look good.