Thompson’s WaterSeal – Back Deck

Thank you so much to Thompson’s WaterSeal for providing the stain for our deck!  The product was provided free of charge to me, but the reviews are solely my own.

Mark and I recently finished our new deck in the back yard and we are really enjoying this new living space that it has provided.  After all that hard work, we want to make sure to protect it.  Thompson’s WaterSeal to the rescue!

Thompson's WaterSeal  |  Sweet Tea & Saving GraceIt was so easy to apply.  The first thing we had to do was take all of the furniture off the deck and clean it.  Since it was new wood, we didn’t need to use any chemical wood cleaners, so we just swept it and used a little bit of scrubbing to get rid of a bit of dirt.

Here’s the deck before we stained it:

Thompson's WaterSeal  |  Sweet Tea & Saving Grace

Thompson's WaterSeal  |  Sweet Tea & Saving Grace

Thompson's WaterSeal  |  Sweet Tea & Saving GraceFor the color, we chose Acorn semi-transparent.  To apply the stain, we used a couple of deck painter pads.  You can find similar ones HERE.

Thompson's WaterSeal  |  Sweet Tea & Saving GraceWith both Mark & I working, the staining went really quickly on the floor of the deck.  And the stain dries in as little as two hours!

Here’s what it looked like after the stain was applied:

Thompson's WaterSeal  |  Sweet Tea & Saving GraceIt’s a good thing it dries quickly, too, because we’ve had quite a few pop-up thunderstorms.  The weather radar showed no rain the day we stained, but sure enough, a storm rolled in and tested our stain and seal.

Good news – it works:

Thompson's WaterSeal  |  Sweet Tea & Saving GraceThe water just beads right up!  Yay!

*Tip: We bought a commercial squeegee to sweep the water off the deck after a good storm so it doesn’t just sit and puddle.  No slips!

After the rain subsided and we squeegeed off the deck, it was time to paint the rails and put the furniture back in place.

The finished product?  Nothing short of beautiful!

Thompson's WaterSeal  |  Sweet Tea & Saving Grace

Thompson's WaterSeal  |  Sweet Tea & Saving Grace

Thompson's WaterSeal  |  Sweet Tea & Saving GraceWe opted to leave the balusters natural for now, and may go back and paint a clear sealant just for protection.  We love the two-tone look.

Thompson's WaterSeal  |  Sweet Tea & Saving GraceDaisy Mae was ecstatic…can’t you tell?

Thompson's WaterSeal  |  Sweet Tea & Saving GraceI am so ready for the weather to cool just a bit more so we can light a fire in that fire pit, maybe roast some s’mores, and relax.

Next deck project:  make cushions for our sectional!  Then I think we’ll be done.  For now.

Maybe.  *wink*

Visit Thompson’s WaterSeal online, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest for tons of inspiration!

*Post contains affiliate links.

18 Responses

  1. It turned out so pretty! I will be staining my floors sometime this week and am a little scared…hopefully they will turn out as well as your deck did. 🙂

  2. I got tired just READING this – it looks totally fantastic!! (But wow, what a big undertaking!) Our deck desperately needs to be re-done. I doubt it’s ever been re-painted since it was first installed.

  3. Hi! We are looking to use the exact same stain and color tomorrow. How is it holding up after two years? Thanks in advance and a quick reply (befor we run out and buy the stain) would be much appreciated!

  4. All stain fades and wears after two years, but it’s help up pretty well. We just did a quick re-coat a couple months ago. We have three dogs that run up and down the deck so their nails wear out certain spots. I honestly can’t complain – other than a quick re-coat, it hasn’t needed any maintenance!

    (Hope that was quick enough for you!) 🙂

  5. Thank you! Much appreciated! And quick enough? Are you kidding me?!!! Thank you!!! Quick follow up – fading is to be expected but did you see any peeling? We have an un-shaded sun facing deck and I was wondering… Also I am learning more than I can imagine on deck stains!! Thank you for writing about it – it encourages amateur DIY ers like me!

  6. Oh girl, I’m as amateur as the come. If I can stain a deck, anybody can! We have not seen any peeling at all, thankfully.

    I do highly recommend getting a dark stain, or even going for the heavier coverage stain instead of semi-transparent, since you’re sun-facing. Apply it slowly so it has time to soak in as you brush it on – take your time. And let it dry completely before touching it.

    The squeegee is great to have, too, for heavy rains, to keep the water from puddling on the boards. It’s not necessary but it does help.

    By the way, buy more applicator sponges than you think you’ll use. We wished we had a couple extra because they fall off when they get heavily soiled with stain. 🙂

MEET KIRSTEN

I'm Kirsten & I'm happy you're here! Sweet Tea & Saving Grace supports women seeking to find balance in the busy, deepen their faith, and instill joy and love in their homes, lives, and blogs by providing encouraging and inspiring content and valuable resources. My prayer is for you to leave here better than when you came. Be blessed!

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