After a month in the sun, wind, and rain, we scrubbed the board with a brush and all-purpose cleaner, let it dry, and retested it for water resistance. The water beaded up once again. The unsealed section of the board had weathered some, but the part sealed with Varathane’s spar sealer was still bright and new looking. Oils often come in natural colours or clear, and enhance the natural appearance of your wood,' explains Jimmy Englezos, senior product manager at Sherwin-Williams. Finally, we left the board outdoors for a month of harsh sun rays, wind, rain, and even freezing nighttime temps. After which, we scrubbed the board clean with a nylon-bristle brush and an all-purpose household cleaner and let it dry. We then tested once more for water resistance, and the water again beaded up on the sealed section of the board. While we don’t know how this sealer would survive a harsh winter or a couple of summers, it held up well in our 1-month testing window.

Bob Vila has been America’s Handyman since 1979. As the host of beloved and groundbreaking TV series including “This Old House” and “Bob Vila’s Home Again,” he popularized and became synonymous with “do-it-yourself” home improvement. Cost: Oil-based sealers are usually less expensive than water-based products, which can cost twice as much per gallon. Although a water based product, brushes must be washed with white spirit due to the high content of hydrophobic oils and wax. Washing with water is not suitable. If wax builds up on the brush mid-application, wash with white spirit before continuing to will improve the ease of application. After a month outdoors, the section treated with SmartGuard still repelled water, and while we could not see any surface film whatsoever, we did notice that the wood on the treated section still looked newer than the untreated section. This sealer protects without leaving a visible trace.

Decking Oils

It’s designed to penetrate deep into the wood to replace the natural oils lost over time through weathering, and to offer deep-seated protection against splitting and drying, while the tinted oil brings out the colour in greyed wood for a fresh look. We will be happy to organise an exchange for the correct goods at no extra charge to yourself, please get in touch to organise this. Faulty Items Shake / mix well before use and frequently during application (thorough mixing is needed to ensure a consistent colour throughout the treatment). When completely dry, we tested for water resistance by spraying the board with a hose. On the untreated section of the board, the water soaked in. On the section treated with Seal-Once, the water beaded up and ran off. P271 Use only outdoors or in a well-ventilated area.P273 Avoid release to the environment.P243 Take precautionary measures against static discharge.P280 Wear protective gloves/protective clothing/eye protection/face protection.P301 + P310 IF SWALLOWED: Immediately call a POISON CENTRE/doctor/…

The sealer went on without any noticeable odor, and we applied two thin coats, the second 2 hours after the first. Then, we set the board aside for 24 hours to completely cure. The Olympic Stain + Sealant combo left a thin film on the board’s surface that imparted a slightly wet look even when dry. It repelled water, and while it suffered a few scratches from sand, they were minimal. After a month in the elements and cleaning with a brush and all-purpose cleaner, water still beaded up and ran off the treated section, and the wood beneath the sealer still looked new.We tested Thompson’s WaterSeal Transparent Wood Sealer in maple brown, and it imparted a hint of color—not enough to change the look of the wood grain but just enough to enhance it. (Since we tested this product, Thompson’s has updated the look of the bottle and the name of the product and stain, though the formula is the same. It’s now known as Thompson’s WaterSeal Transparent Wood Sealer in Desert Tan.) The sealer is thin and watery, so it’s kind of messy to apply with a brush. It would probably be more suitable for an airless spray rig, but we didn’t have one available. This product had some fumes, but we found it tolerable. No, even a light stain, when applied to a dark base, will deposit more colour and give a darker finish. Doesn’t offer much protection from scratches; may not be ideal for those with pets or frequent parties We positioned each test board outdoors to receive UV rays in a spot where it would be subject to the elements for a month. The temperature dipped below freezing at least 11 nights during the test phase. At the end of the month, we inspected each board for any signs of peeling and we tested again for water resistance.

After allowing the sealer to cure for 24 hours, we put it to the test. Water beaded up and ran right off, but the sealant offered hardly any protection from sand scratches. We considered the ability to dry rapidly as an asset if time is a factor. Within 1 hour of applying the second coat, the board was bone dry, and the sealer left no visible film on the surface. We brushed on a light coat of this spar urethane, and it went on smoothly and uniformly. It has strong fumes, so we opened a window and turned on a fan while working with the product. This sealer takes slightly longer to dry than some of the others we tested, and the manufacturer suggests a minimum of three coats, so we applied the subsequent coats 4 hours apart. We then waited a recommended 3 days after the final application before starting our tests. Brush: Start in the furthest corner and using a good quality brush, apply along the length of the board in the direction of the grain. This clear Thompson’s WaterSeal repelled water as well as the transparent product, and it seemed to withstand scratches even better. We couldn’t find any scratches on the sealed section of this test board, so we set it out to weather the elements for a month. Once the month was up and the board was scrubbed and dried, the clear sealer repelled water just as well as before, and the wood beneath the sealed section still looked fresh and new while the untreated area had weathered some.We recommend using the clear version, as it delivers a beautifully natural finish. The same can't quite be said about the teak colour, as it's a little orange. Environmental concerns: Water-based sealers emit fewer toxic fumes, making them less irritating to the eyes and lungs during application and better for the environment overall.

Thompson’s WaterSeal Clear Wood Sealer’s penetrating protection will provide a robust defense against the elements without changing the wood’s natural color or adding a sheen. This makes it well suited to exterior woods with desirable coloring such as cedar and redwood. H226 - Flammable liquid and vapourH304 May be fatal if swallowed and enters airways.H336 May cause drowsiness or dizziness.H319 Causes serious eye irritation.H340 May cause genetic defects.H350 May cause cancer.H411 Toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects.Oil is also really durable and is easy to maintain – you just need to keep it clean and touch it up every now and then. It’s very resistant to dirt and water so doesn’t require much upkeep at all.' Water-based sealers: A coat of water-based sealer typically dries to the touch within 1 to 3 hours as long as the temperature is between 60 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit and the humidity is 50 percent or lower. Users can apply a second coat a few hours after the sealer is dry to the touch. Cure time (when the sealer has dried sufficiently for placing heavy furniture or walking) can be up to 24 hours. After sprinkling on the sand and walking on it, we did notice scratches on the sealed section, but the scratches did not reveal fresh (unstained) wood beneath. This suggested to us that the sealer had penetrated deeper than just the surface of the wood. Thompson’s WaterSeal Clear Wood Sealer is one of the best options on this list for superior protection against water damage. Why Trust Bob Vila Wood preservatives are generally available in both water-based and solvent-based formulas. They are also produced in a variety of both clear and colour variations.