Any wood left exposed to the weather will crack, warp, and bow, if it is not protected. I have seen pressure treated wood warp in the amount of time it took us to go eat lunch. Since the lumber used to build your deck or fence is pressure treated, it is 500 to 1,000 times more likely to warp because it is so saturated with chemicals when it is used. The two biggest elements that cause warping are sun and rain. Most warping occurs on fences from about May to September when the days are long and the sun is the hottest. Rain causes the wood to reabsorb water and then the sun causes it to dry out, leading to expanding and contracting of the wood. Once this happens, the wood is generally no longer good and has to be replaced.
Symptoms of exposure:
- Graying
- Warping, cracking, twisting, bowing, and splitting.
Most customers think that pressure-treated wood is protected from the elements, but this is not the case. Pressure-treated wood is generally immune to insects and rotting (for about 15 years) but are not impervious to the damaging effects of weather. Fences that are not protected can become horrible looking and cost an enormous amount of money to fix. Water sealing extends the life of a your fence by up to 15 years. It helps saves lumber, time, and money for you and your family in the years to come.
When should this work be done?
Homeowners get into a lot of trouble when they follow advice to "wait a few months or so for the wood to dry out" before sealing. An enormous amount of damage can occur even in the first few weeks and pretty much all of it is irreversible. The BEST water sealers on the market can be applied the SAME DAY that your fence was built.
Wood that is water sealed will last much longer and look better than wood not sealed. (Notice photos throughout website.)
Selecting a sealer.
OK. Your new fence is installed and ready to be sealed. What sealer do you select? How much should you spend for a quality product?
There's three main types of sealers available. They are oil-based, wax-based, and acrylic. Each one is very different.
Prices vary slightly, but the best advice: "You get what you pay for." If you select a product at the low end of the price range, you will spending much more in the long run when your fence has to be resealed after several years.
Wax-based sealers are commonly found online and some stores and are sometimes advertised on TV. They can afford to spend a lot advertising dollars convincing you because their products are so inexpensive to manufacture. Wax-based sealers have a very short life span, sometimes as little as a year. When they fail, they usually turn your deck or fence black. Wax-based sealers cost $10 - $15 dollars a gallon. These sealers are a complete waste of time and money.
Oil-based sealers are different than wax-based ones. Oil-based sealers come in two types - those made with vegetable oils and those made from crude oil. The sealers made from crude penetrate better and have a more natural appearance. Sealers made from vegetable oils are more likely to mold because they contain natural sugars and starches. These oil sealers can be difficult to remove, and often need to be stripped before re-sealing. Crude-based sealers do not need to be stripped before reapplying them. When properly cleaned, new sealer can be applied over the old one. Oil-based sealers are available from home improvement stores and generally last 1-5 years before renewing is needed. These products cost $15 - $30 dollars per gallon, depending on quality. While this is a good product, there is a better product.
We prefer to us Behr® brand solid color water sealers. They have a 15 year lifetime warranty and tint to over 110 solid colors. This is an acrylic latex based sealer. This the highest quality product that money can buy. A gallon costs about $20-$25.
- Q: I have heard that I should wait 60 days or more before staining. Is this true?
- A: No. While some products require wood to be exposed for months so that the wood is dry and open for optimum penetration, Olympic products can be applied immediately. In my experience after even a month of exposure, the wood has cracked, split, warped, and severe permanent damage has already occurred. Therefore, we recommend protecting your fence or deck as soon as possible. Thus preventing this damage from occurring and extending the life of your investment.
