Deck treatments.(Home & Yard: More Value for Less)(Buyers guide)

Deck treatments that look good longest are the ones that are most like paint. Clear finishes don't provide long-term protection.

Unprotected lumber doesn't fare well. Rain and sun crack and split wood by swelling and drying it, while moisture promotes mold and mildew. Even redwood, cedar, and pressure-treated wood can benefit from a protective coat. Our tests show that clear deck treatments usually don't offer more than a year of protection before their appearance has visibly degraded.

WHAT'S AVAILABLE

Major brands include Ace, Behr, Benjamin Moore, Cabot, Flood, Glidden, Olympic, Sherwin-Williams, Sikkens, Thompson's, and Wolman. You'll also find many smaller, specialized brands.

Opaque: These finishes hide the wood grain like a coat of paint and last longest. They're best for the typical deck made of pressure-treated pine, where grain isn't important. Usually solid-color stains, they hold up for at least three years.

On the downside, some decks look better with their wood grain exposed. Opaque finishes can also build up a film, especially after several coats, which can peel, chip, and crack like a paint film. What's more, refinishing with opaque is generally more extensive and lengthy than with semitransparent and clear treatments.

Semitransparent: These finishes usually contain a small amount of pigment but let the wood grain show. They're best for cedar, redwood, or other expensive woods you want ...