Semi-transparent is easier upkeep: just need to wash it down and re-apply stain every couple of years. But, in my opinion, the best thing to do with a cedar deck is nothing: just let it age to a graceful grey. :)

Oceanna, we have a garden house (mini cottage) that was made of rough hewn wood and we wanted the graining to show but to protect it. We used a stain from Lowe's that has color in it. I used the Cape Cod Gray (or blue), cannot remember which. It was 13 years ago and then we redid it this past year because we were repainting the exterior of our house, not because it needed it, and used a more charcoal stain from Lowe's. It has worked wonderfully for our garden house. Our temperatures can get as low as 0 in the winter, followed by a warm up to 70 the following few days and lots of rain (normally) which we have not had in the past 2 years, but always high humidity and heat in summer. It has stood the test of time. Neighbor used a dark mossy green on hers. That is also a very pretty color so I am just saying you can get color with transparency that looks fantastic and lasts very well. In fact, neighbor has never redone hers. It is about 14 years and looks great and she's pretty persnickety about how things work and moreover how they look.

Organic and Patricia, thanks for your answers. It sounds like you've both either discovered wonderful stuff, or just got lucky or something. I can't even get a semi-transparent stain to stay on my deck for even six months. I just re-did the deck in about August, and the stain is already about 50% gone -- not evenly but in patchy splotches. When I was hosing it yesterday stain was peeling off like shedding skin. What am I doing wrong?

Use a good wood cleaner to clean the deck first. Let it dry thoroughly. We've then used Cabot's stains and have had good luck with them lasting for some time.

Oceanna, I don't know but my son who uses stain has to do his once per year and our friend who told me about the colored stain does his about every 10 years.

oceanna--I would guess that the dog pee is at fault. I'm not a dog owner, but isn't it very acidic? I would guess that you wouldn't want a solid coating that would be apt to peel. Something that is semi-transparant and you probably will have to re-stain frequently.

But this is just a guess on my part--good luck with it

Sounds like your deck is sealed so the stain doesn't penetrate. For stain to peel it's either the wrong application or it isn't going into the wood.

I've used this product with great success and I really believe it's good stuff. It's not a coating -- it goes into the wood and cures and it can be touched up. It has a strong odor at first but that completely goes away.

I'd look at their Original Marine Finish for exterior applications. I'd read about that then call/email them and have a consult about what to best do before using their product and in view of the dogs. I'll bet they've been through all that before.

Here is a link that might be useful: Waterlox

Do a search on the deck forum for a product that is heavily promoted and loved for cleaning and neutralizing the wood preparing it for the stain or paint or whatever you chose. The product is Restore-A-Deck or RAD. We followed the advice and used it and loved the product. A good prep is the key.

What rococogurl said. It sounds like something was initially used that sealed the wood and thus stain can't soak in.

You could try powerwashing it but one has to be careful with cedar since too much pressure from the water can remove wood and expose grain.
You may have to sand it to get to raw wood, but I'd be tempted to get all the peeling stuff off and test an area with a semi-transparent stain (stick with the color that is on the deck now). If it soaks in then you're in luck........if it sits on top of the wood then the wood is sealed.

I don't think the oil base is the cause of the algae. If your deck doesn't receive any sunlight and is constantly damp, then algae will grow. As mentioned earlier, the dogs are probably part of the cause.

I get mold spots from sprinkler overspray on my composite deck and I solve the problem by spraying a solution of bleach/water every spring. I also have to do the same for my concrete sidewalk. It may also work for you..............

Have it pressure washed by a reputable company so they don't destroy the wood - up to 2500 PSI NO MORE. Do that yearly, don't stain, don't seal. Each year the silvery color will get washed away and return on it's own. The coloration is an oxidation process that is part of what protects cedar naturally from rot.

I would powerwash and do a little light sanding first then seal it. I would use something like Cabots clear solution next. I would leave it natural with a traslucent wood sealer. This way you don't have to worry if the stain on one part of deck has changed colors.

Namabafo ~ dog pee can be either acidic or alkaline. Its pH is 6.0-8.0 and below 7.0 is acid and above is alkaline. The pH of it doesn't burn grass, btw. It's the nitrogen in it that does that. Also, they tend to pee in just one area and that's partially covered. The covered area does the best. The blotches are all over the deck and in areas where the dogs don't potty. I'm already using a semi-transparant stain. I suspect it's the dog's toenails more than anything, and the constant rain. I had this same problem in the last house, although paint lasted longer than stain.

Rococogurl ~ you could be onto something. I don't know what the PO put on the deck. Thanks for the link. Did you use the Marine finish over bare wood, or over a colored stain? It's my understanding that tung oil is a thinned down varnish? I can try to email them.

Anna ~ I tried to borrow my son's pressure washer but he wouldn't loan it to me. He said he ruined his own deck with it by etching away the softer parts, leaving the grain standing up, and made it look old. I just stained the deck back in about August and I can't honestly tell you if it soaked in or stood on top. It looked great, and it dried. Oil base definitely enhances algae -- the algae eats the oil as a food source. Oil invites algae. I don't remember what was in the algacide I used, but there may have been bleach in there. Bleach definitely kills that stuff, but it's also very hard on the wood.

Dlm2000 ~ I really hate that grey color and it wouldn't go with my cream colored house... but I suppose I could get used to it if that's my only rational choice. Don't we protect the wood to keep it from rotting? If we don't protect it doesn't that mean the deck will need replacing sooner?

Paddy ~ I think powerwashing lightly and then sanding probably is the best prep we can do. I did put Cabot's clear on it about a year ago in desperation because it was showing splotches then too. I asked at the hardware store if I could put the seim-transparent over that and they said yes. But maybe that wasn't true. Still, I had the same problem with my old deck (also cedar) in this weather and with dogs, and I'd used several different products on that too. I'm at my wits end with this. I will do the huge prep work if it's going to help, but I sure don't want to have to do that every year.

I prepped and stained this deck six months ago!!

Overall shot
{{!gwi}}

In this shot you can see the algae growing where the stain is gone
{{!gwi}}

The little dogs potty to the left, where the finish looks better. You can see the gate and the traffic path, and the part that looks worse is out in the constant weather (rain). The part on the left is under the eaves.
{{!gwi}}

Oceanna, we had a big problem getting our deck to stain and stay. We pressure washed, then scrubbed with deck cleaner, then let it dry (did it in August) for 2 days, then applied a semi-transparent water based sealer. The mess we ended up with first time was that the sealer was gummy, never dried all the way, and left a HUGE mess. We found out that the manufacturer had a bad batch.

So we repeated the washing/scrubbing/drying, bought a different brand of sealer, and got exactly what you got...peeling, splotchy areas. In the open areas it's worse, and to top it off, it's slippery as heck!!

We really need to redo the deck, but it's over 700 SF and that gets spendy. I'm hoping to talk DH into replacing a few boards every month or so with some of that composite, no maintenance decking. That way we can spread the cost out over a year or so. But so far, no go.

When you do get it figured out, can you let me know? I'd sure like to see our deck looking nice again.

Pesky, I knew I had to not be the only one. It's my understanding that most folks redo it once a year, which is a lot of work and expense. I'll be happy to share when/if I find what works, and I hope you will too.

If anyone has used something that's held up well to tons of rain and dogs, I'd sure like to hear what it is.

Now I am wondering if it is the chemical used in pressurizing the wood that has caused this and these awful splotches occur where the "pressurization" has worn. This is very bizarre, but my son has the same problem.

Is that the reason decks are falling out of favor and patios and screen porches are returning.

Restore-A-Deck- I have absolutely no connection to this product or company, other than a very satisfied customer. Our 20 + year old deck actually had sapplings growing - algae - and moss - after wasting money with a "Pro" to powerwash and apply a BEHR product that was later found to promote the growth of algae - HD paid for the remover - we had to pay for the labor -
Turning to the porches and decks forum here, and following all the advice of the individuals there - guys in the business- we used the Restore-A-Deck on 2 levels of decks, including the undersides & the concrete. We will be ordering more this spring to do the stairs leading to the dock & the pier. This is an environmentally safe product to use around plants, and will not harm our precious Bay.
IF you search the old threads in the Porches & decks, you will see failed decks like yours and their restorations. You will also get great opinions on what to use on the deck after you get it prepped.
I cannot tell you how much I learned on that forum - Use the term RAD to do the search. It is actually a very entertaining group over there!
Check out Restore-A-Deck's website.
I promise I won't mention them again on this thread! :)

Patricia,

This is cedar. It's not pressure treated I don't think. Yes I'm sure this is the reason decks are falling out of favor, if they are. They're an immense amount of un-fun work.

Magothyrivergirl,

RAD is the answer I got on the decking forum too. I love Behr paint on the interior but I've never heard a thing about it for decks. I'm glad HD at least paid for the RAD for you.

What are you going to use for stain?

oceanna: Is there any reason why the dogs are peeing on the deck??? If you continue to allow this, any finish you put on the deck will be ruined.

no, I made a mistake. Cedar would not be pressure-treated. That's a shame that it looks like that, so much invested to get what you want. Argh. That is painful.

Organic,

Yes there is reason. The two that have been going on the deck are little... short. It rains here 9 months of the year and we don't mow in the winter so the grass gets long and very wet. I didn't want the two little ones coming in soaking wet and cold several times a day, so a Shih Tzu breeder friend of mine suggested I just never teach them to use the stairs. That's what she does. The poo is much easier to scoop off the deck too, and the area is easier to sanitize. They also stay cleaner this way and so do my floors.

My bigger (knee high) dog goes down the stairs to use the yard, and this also gives her a way to get away from the young ones (she's old). I was going to teach my new puppy (same breed as the old one) to use the stairs, but right now I'm having low back/hip/leg problems and I can barely make it down and up the stairs just for when I have to -- I can't do it several times a day with a puppy. I'm hoping that's temporary. I'm in physical therapy and I need to make an appointment for an MRI, and also with a Vascular place about a circulation problem that was detected by a doppler test I recently got.

Anyway, the pee/poo isn't the problem, as I showed above. The area they pee most is under the eaves and it stays the nicest, as you can see in the photo above. The area that takes the most beating is 1) out in the weather and 2) getting lots of doggy traffic.

If/when I get to feeling better I can teach them all to go down the stairs to the yard if I choose. I sometimes think I'd like to because I'd love to be able to use my deck again. I liked sitting out there. But that won't solve the deck maintenance problem. I had the same problem with my deck in the last house and none of my dogs pottied on the deck.

Patricia,

Yes it is painful. It's a lot of hard work and to have it start looking bad about three months after I do it is just unforgivable. There just has to be a better way! When the warmer weather comes I'll try the RAD (means I have to scrub down every inch of it again, including the stairs), and try another product and cross my fingers.

I'm wondering -- should I give up and put some kind of rubber matting all over it instead?

Just to clarify - HD paid for a Behr product to remove the Behr stain - a very toxic - caustic chemical that did a huge amount of damage. No way did they pay for the RAD - they were less than concerned or helpful, and therefore lost I will ever purchase another Behr product. I know you as well as others like Behr.

I like their interior paints, but I've never used any other of their products. I'm sorry things worked out so badly for you.

Oceanna, (((HUGS))) I have no suggestions but I feel so sorry that you and others have to deal with such a mess of a deck. I hope the RAD is the perfect solution for you.

Sky

Thanks, Sky. Me too! A guy on the decking forum wants me to use oil based. I had switched to water based because algae LOVES oil; it eats it. I can't deal with it being slippery in the winter, as I had two bad falls on it last winter. This winter at least it hasn't been slippery, but that's about all I can say for it.

I'm really tempted to paint just the surface and the stair treads and leave the rest of the deck in stain, as it's still looking okay. I know paint can build up and chip, crack and peel though. *sigh*

Oceana - there is an algae eater that is supposedly environmentally friendly made by Bayer. I bought a cheaper version - same active ingredient - at a garden center. I'll try to find the name of the product if you want. Our stairs were such a problem and would get so nasty green. This product fits on a hose end and you spray / soak the area & leave it. The algae disappeared and has not returned - I did it last year. I then used the RAD (months later). You don't have to scrub hard with the RAD. A wide push broom works. Ask your son to borrow the pressure washer - promise to keep it at a low PSI and wide tip and keep it off the deck boards. You really need to rinse the RAD very, very well & a pressure washer is the key - simply for the amount of water it pushes out. We really felt this was a miracle cleaner! The owner of the company takes phone calls personally to answer questions! He also has a line of sealers / stains, etc. I have no experience with them. Our decks are old Pressure treated lumber - not available anymore - and they now look great. I am not experienced with Cedar, so cannot make a recommendation for the stain/sealer. A 4 year old deck should look like almost new - even with puppy pee&poop!
I just read your thread on the decks forum. Personally, I'd do exactly what John Hyatt said. I view him as the resident "PRO" - tells it like it is - and helps alot of people for months & months from building decks to solving problems. He is a riot to read! You didn't get other feedback over there because you got the best answer from the one who knows all about decks & lumber.

Mago, thanks so much for this answer! I do appreciate very much hearing from someone who has used the RAD about how it was for you, rather than just "do this." What kind of stain did you use? The one that John recommends?

Yes *please* give me the info about the algae eater. I did use an algae product on the deck but it wasn't as good as what you're describing. Is it safe to use around pets? Of course I would rinse well.

I think I'm going to have to lie to my son about what I want the pressure washer for, and hose off my walks and driveway while I'm at it - lol.

I agree -- a four year old deck should look great. Sign me up for that!