Need advice on sealing our deck

[kmurphy 14]

We just moved to a new house. It is 2 years old and has a deck that looks like it was made from treated lumber but never stained and sealed. We received several estimates, most in the same range, except for one which was double the price. They claimed that their product would seal the deck and it would last for the life of the deck. It is from Sealwize and the product is Zerovoc. I have looked for reviews on this product, for I fear it is too good to be true, but haven't found any. Anyone know anything about this product or could anyone make any recommenations?

[Mountain View 14]

I've never heard of it. Anything that claims to last for the life of the deck would raise serious alarm bells with me.

Edit: I just read the web site. Wouldn't touch the stuff myself.

[PressurePros 249]

Yes, too good to be true. Search this forum or the web for products like SealMaxx.

[Neil_Asheville 114]

Ask your high bid for local customer references and where in your area can you see his lifetime product. Trust your 'fear'.

[Adrian 155]

IMO, no product will last the lifetime of a deck.

If most of your estimates are in the same range then start comparing the credentials and visuals of those firms. The highest bid can hit the bricks. He may do good work, but the product he is applying is what is in question.

Ohio experiences all 4 seasons. There is simply no product that good for all 4 season for life. Unless of course it is sealed in kryptonite.

There are contractors on this forum that are in your area and are very reputable and professional. They will not zoom you into a bogus product, and will do quality work. Do a members search and get another opinion. Sounds like another usual project for most of us.

[Scott Paul 164]

They claimed that their product would seal the deck and it would last for the life of the deck. It is from Sealwize and the product is Zerovoc. quote]

Their product will probably petrify the wood from rot and decay but it will still need to be stained/sealed with a tinted product every 2 years on average if you want the deck to look good. In other words, if it does not have a tint it will not absorb UV rays which is the main reason people treat their exterior wood. The tint acts like sunglasses for your wood, filtering the UV rays and prolonging the graying.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Overall, as a deck owner you should be looking at maintaining it just a much as you would any other investment. Your instincts are spot on.

Your deck is a part of the appraised value of the home and depreciates with neglect or abuse, while on the other hand, diligent care helps to preserve the value and helps the wood to last longer.

Please forgive me if this is already something you are aware of but I feel it necessary to cover the salient points.

The information being given by responders are quite worthy of your consideration as they have all been putting out some very work.

Welcome to TGS and feel free to search our data base for all the information you need to help you make an informed decision. If you have any further questions, please post here and I am sure you will find plenty of courteous and helpful members here to provide some insightful answers.

Rod!~

[ACSTravis 14]

kmurphy,

I am in your area and would be happy to come up and give you an estimate. I would stay away from products claiming to last the life of your deck because they will not fulfill your expectations. We only use professional grade products like Ready Seal and Wood-Tux. Feel free to give me a call if you would like.

[MMI Enterprises 289]

To play devils advocate....

Wow hold on people!! Do you have a single shread of evidence that the silicate/densifier products will not do what they claim in way of protecting wood from all but the UV graying? The products are used all time on polished concrete and is rock solid...

With that said Caveat Emptor.. :)

[Scott Paul 164]

To play devils advocate....

Wow hold on people!! Do you have a single shread of evidence that the silicate/densifier products will not do what they claim in way of protecting wood from all but the UV graying? The products are used all time on polished concrete and is rock solid...

With that said Caveat Emptor.. :)

The problem is not in the products or the companies that make these silicon sealers. It is the restoration companies that market these products. They act as if this is the end all to your deck maintenance solution and it is far from it.

I carry a version of these products because in some instances it will have a purpose. By no means will I ever market it as the only thing you will need to do. If you want the wood to look good then you will need to do regular maintenance. Clean dirt and grime and apply a tinted stain/sealer to prevent graying.

[MMI Enterprises 289]

The problem is not in the products or the companies that make these silicon sealers. It is the restoration companies that market these products. They act as if this is the end all to your deck maintenance solution and it is far from it.

I carry a version of these products because in some instances it will have a purpose. By no means will I ever market it as the only thing you will need to do. If you want the wood to look good then you will need to do regular maintenance. Clean dirt and grime and apply a tinted stain/sealer to prevent graying.

Yea what he said :)

That's why I had said "from all but the UV graying?" in an aggreable fashion to the needing more. :)

But with that said, let's talk about this and consider a few things..

Scott, yer densifier/petrifier (btw, is silica-not silicon) got a pigment in it? Since the stuff is a penetratng product it should be able to simply carry them staight into wood same as RS products do and but encapsulate the pigment with no future evaporation of solvent or wear of resins that expose the pigment to further wear.

Difference with these products folks is that in densifying they form crystals that, in fact, can actually be polished about same as a crystal within the wood. Tint or dye underneith and you are indeed left with a permenant situation compared to top coating it with a stain.

I urge you to do research into the polished concrete field and get back to me.

Yes it is not same as concrete, yet it is in theory since water and swelling is prevented IF whole board was to be treated. (For benefit of the original poster,that is not case though of course in a restoration situation with parts of underneith decking being untreatable)

This process is untested yet but I would be willing to bet that if you soak a board in a concoction of silica and dye and then lap polish it all the way up to 3000-3500 grit that you will have a permenant situation probably better then trex or a topical film forming poly that can bond fail. It won't be as durable as concrete by nature of it being a mix of silica and wood fiber but hey it sure would look awesome to some (like plastic,,haha)and last dang good. Anything less then polished would allow more friction wear per sq. inch and is partly why the idea of it being permenant on wood is flawed. I mean afterall, permenant implies from about 15 to 30 year.

:)

Some further background of the silica's in the concrete field:

The process of polishing concrete usually requires substrate to be dense and hard so as to prevent microscopic pitting and flaking, etc. to acheive the high sheen. These products were designed originally just to make slabs harder and to control dust in warehouse situations but as of late is used extensively in all types of situations of concrete where a topical coating is not desired...even for concrete countertops. It does away with any need for sealer or coatings. Can be seen in use at IKEA, Home Depot, Chipotle, large grocery stores throughout the West, hospital,.... you name it.

Is way beyond standard decorative concrete methods that use topical acrylic sealers, epoxy, polyurethanes. Anyone interested in getting into deco crete should be checking it out as most else that involves smooth surface finishing will be obsolete soon enough in IMO. Exception is stamped/textured concrete where a gloss is desired. (can't effectively polish a texured surface impregnated with hardner)

Some links-- The product used here (liquihard) in the following system are a good solution: INDUROSHINE Polished Concrete Flooring System

,compared to Retroplate which requires undergoing their training: RETRO PLATE

[Scott Paul 164]

Yea what he said :)

Scott, yer densifier/petrifier got a pigment in it?

Clear. It's like applying water.

That's another thing. These companies charge $3-$6 per foot for a product that they can bought from me that costs about $.25 per foot and can be sprayed on with extreme ease.

[MMI Enterprises 289]

Scott...sorry was editing and added more info above..

Another issue with getting the pigments into wood compared to concrete is that in the concrete field the dyes carrier is acetone and/or lacquer thinner.

Check out Colormaker, Brickform, Diatech, etc. for these type. Acid staining can be used underneith as well.

So on wood we have a different situation of what will be the carrier. You don't want it to be an oil that takes up the pore space that the silica needs to go into. The DiaTech is waterbased I believe but will be quikly seen that they are geared towards bright colorful tones for concrete.

Need a water based parafinic acting stain or dye with no oils...haha

ps- my densifier runs $100 per fiver...and yers is?

[Tmrrptr 164]

Kevin, I think the molecular difference between wood and concrete is of such consequence that it is not a valid comparison.

But let me re-read your posts, and check your links first...

I just don't think Scotty is doing platinum replacement of cellulose structure in the transporter anymore.

But I could be wrong!

r

[Tmrrptr 164]

or could anyone make any recommenations?

Hello K,

Congratulations on your new home!

I once lived in Ohio, and can only recall it was very nice there.

Since you have an unknown situation with your deck, I would advise you engage one of the deck restoration fellows in your area with a good reputation and allow him to restore/refurbish your deck.

Once that being done, you may find it enjoyable to do some of the maintenance and upkeep on the deck, yourself!

It's my thought, and experience, that you cannot fool Mother Nature.

There is really no substitute for the warm depth and subtle homey qualities

of a nice wooden deck attached to your home, where you can enjoy many hours with your family.

The price to be paid for this wonderful attribute is periodic maintenance.

If concrete, steel, or plastic were desired, well, they ARE available!

r

[MMI Enterprises 289]

Hi Rich, Ok check it out and make sure to check out the molecular happenings of the cretowood as described on Scotts site. The makers of the product describe the reactive situation of creating glasslike structures on and between the cells is about same as for concrete.The getting the dye/stain in there before or during is the key to pigment longevity. Next time I got some brown oiless (rare) I'll do a two step process where I first stain a test board and then harden the wood with thinned liquihard. Should be a good test.. right up there with mixing thompsons and boiled linseed..hehe. :)

[Scott Paul 164]

ps- my densifier runs $100 per fiver...and yers is?

Our Homeowner retail price is $189.99 delivered.

This formula is developed for wood only and should not be applied to concrete.

[Tmrrptr 164]

Wow!

This is like Rod Serling's Twi-light Zone...

As this thread popped up, I had a client ask me to

employ wood densifier to some dry-rotted framing members.

Apparently structural stuff supporting a door frame!

I've seen it applied before, many years ago when doing termite work.

Just can't believe someone would actually ask for it on a key structural component...

r

[MMI Enterprises 289]

Rich,

haha.. coincidence and irony is funny stuff.

You gonna mess with that dry rot? The stuff might increase compressive strength in either concrete or wood situation but what is known about it adding tensile strength to wood?.. Could snap in two just as easy without knowing if used on dry rot.

[jeffex11 121]

To the homeowner, Maintenance is the key as was previously noted. Even if a product could seal your deck from water damage for life you still will need a good maintenance company . They can wash away the outer gray UV damaged wood as well as the mold and mildew. Vinyl siding was supposed to be maintenance free too but we wash it all the time. Pick your maintenance company based on a value formula that includes refferences , photos of work , knowledge of wood care , dependability, as well as price. New start up companies are trying to carve into the market and can do a good job for a lower price , but will they still be arround when you need them again?

[rotech 14]

We just moved to a new house. It is 2 years old and has a deck that looks like it was made from treated lumber but never stained and sealed. We received several estimates, most in the same range, except for one which was double the price. They claimed that their product would seal the deck and it would last for the life of the deck. It is from Sealwize and the product is Zerovoc. I have looked for reviews on this product, for I fear it is too good to be true, but haven't found any. Anyone know anything about this product or could anyone make any recommenations?

I've read their site and for me the chemical sounds good. I like it more because it is eco friendly. If you want to read some reviews you can find some here. http://www.greenerbuilding.org/product_detail.php?cid=24&pid=40

Edited August 21, 2011 by rotech

[bigchaz 157]

Rotech, welcome to the forum, something to keep in mind when you reply to topics be sure to look at the date it was originally posted. While you may have a good idea for this Homeowner, they haven't been here for over 3 years (2007).

[Stepan 14]

I am the Southern California distributor and master installer for SealwiZe products. In response to your question regarding our sealer pls note the following...1. The ZR-44 wood sealer is guaranteed for up to 30 years. Not a lifetime. 2. This is an inorganic sealer and unlike organic sealers it does not break down over time. 3. We have been restoring wood decks with ZR-44 for years and have not had a single warranty claim. 4. The wide difference in price is not due to the cost of the sealer. It is due to the cost of labor to properly prepare a deck to receive the sealer. 5. It is important that the deck is thoroughly stripped with a 100% environmentally safe stripper, brightened and then neutralized to balance the PH value. It must then be thoroughly sanded and profiled so the pores are open and will absorb the sealer. 6. Finally the deck must have no more than 20% moisture content before the sealer can be applied. ZR-44 will seal a deck and seal it well provided the above steps are followed. 7. The only thing that is required is an occasional cleaning. 8. If you chose a colored version of Zr44sealer the color will need to be refreshed every 5-7 years. However the sealer itself will continue to work well beyond that.