Deck Sealing in Port Huron, MI

Clear and lightly-tinted sealing

Sealing is the right call for homeowners who want to keep the natural look of their wood rather than add solid color. A water-repellent sealer soaks into the wood instead of forming a film on top, so it doesn't peel the way solid stain can — it just wears down gradually and needs a fresh coat when water stops beading on the surface.

Common projects include sealing a new deck for the first time, resealing a deck that's a year or two old and starting to look dry or gray, and sealing cedar or pressure-treated lumber that the homeowner wants to keep looking natural rather than painted.

What homeowners may need

• First-time sealing on new lumber
• Resealing before wood grays or cracks
• Clear or lightly-tinted finish options
• Sealing after a power wash and sand
• Water-repellent treatment for high-traffic areas

Michigan sealing concerns

New pressure-treated lumber needs to dry out for a few weeks to a few months before it will accept sealer well — sealing it too soon traps moisture instead of keeping it out. Because Michigan gets real freeze-thaw cycles, water that gets into unsealed wood grain can expand and cause splitting over a winter, which is why an annual water-bead test (splash some water on the deck and see if it beads up or soaks in) is worth doing every spring rather than waiting until the wood visibly grays.