You already spent a whole lot of money putting in that nice looking deck off the back of your home and you want to be sure that it lasts longer than just a couple of years. This may be easier than you might think and it does not have to cost you a lot of money either. The one downside to a real wood deck is that they are susceptible to the damage caused by exposure to the extreme elements of cold climates.

In order to prevent this damage, you should always seal your deck with a high-quality stain. This will help to prevent the moisture from penetrating the surface and causing it to rot. The stain will also help to prevent the damage that is caused by the sun and wind that will dry out the wood. Another positive thing about staining is that you can buy stains these days in a wide variety of colors and coverage that can be used to enhance the look of your deck.

The stains that are currently on the market are extremely effective when it comes to preventing the elements from damaging the wood of your deck. Along with protection, they also offer the added benefit of enhancing the appearance of your deck. You can decide if you want to be able to see the fine grain of the wood or have covered with a unique color that matches better with the exterior of your home.

Choosing the right stain for your deck

It is very important that you buy the right type and color of stain to create the appearance that you are ultimately looking for. There are several factors involved in making the decision on what is the best stain to use. The first thing you need to decide is to do you all of the wood grain to show or do want some of it or none of it at all? The following will explain four different types of stains that you can buy and the typical results you can expect.

Type of Stains Available

Wood tone/Clear Stains – these clear or nearly-clear stains are designed to let most or all of the nice wood grain show through, while still protecting the wood beneath it from the natural elements.

Semi-transparent Stains – these partially opaque stains give a slight amount of color to your wooden deck and still allow most of the wood grain to shine through. These stains offer extra protection from the elements and help prolong the life of your deck.

Semi-solid Stains – these stains retain a slight amount of transparency that allows just enough of the wood grain to show through while giving you the ability to decide what color you want it to be.

Solid Stains – these stains are designed to completely cover the wood’s natural grain, but still allow the wood texture to be felt through it. You have a wide range of colors depending on the manufacturer.