I have a 50' deck on the north side (back) of my house. Consequently it takes a pasting in the winter. It's biult from pressure treated lumber. We bought the house last fall, and I'm pretty sure the deck hasn't seen a drop of stain since it was built, probably 10 years ago.

I've power washed it, and got most of the dirt and crud off, but there is still some moss or lichen on quite a few boards which I can't remove - it appears to be embedded into the actual grain. The boards themselves are in good shape.

What stain would you recommend? I'm thinking something with an anti-fungal included would be best, if there is such a thing.

I used this on a car trailer, and it worked really well. Pressurized wood, ignored for years, left to the UV and weather. I'll use it again.

Last time I sprayed a deck I used Thompson’s and used a sprayer from Lowe’s...just a two gallon sprayer for about 20 bucks.....kept a rag to wipe it off the vinyl siding when I got overspray on it.

Stick with an oil based stain if you want it to last. I used Ready Seal on my rebuilt deck and it looks great.

Do either Ready Seal or Thompson's contain a mold or algae killer?

quote:

Originally posted by Pyker:
Do either Ready Seal or Thompson's contain a mold or algae killer?

Wash the deck with oxalic acid (Oxyclean powder works well also).....get it wet, spread it around, let it sit for 10 minutes, scrub against the grain.....with a broom, deck brush for a boat, or doodle bug.......Once the mold is gone, Thompsons will keep it from growing back.

quote:

Originally posted by Pyker:
Do either Ready Seal or Thompson's contain a mold or algae killer?

Ready Seal recommends mixing one part bleach and 3 parts water, brushing on your deck. After a few minutes rinse well. Let the deck completely dry a few days and then apply the Ready Seal.

I have a deck on the North side and this works well for me. No mold or mildew. Every time I need to reapply I do this, and the deck looks great.

https://www.readyseal.com/resources/faqs/

Preparation Process

Surface must be clean of mildew, dust, dirt, oil and grease.

Ready Seal recommends applying one part bleach and three parts water.

All previous stains and sealers must be completely removed.
Caustic strippers must be neutralized thoroughly.

Rinse thoroughly with water. Before staining, wood must dry completely for 48 hours or more depending on weather conditions.
Protect against overspray and cover all plants and vegetation with plastic drop cloth before applying Ready Seal.
Take special precautions when working around porous stone and concrete surfaces, Ready Seal is a penetrating stain, and will do so on any porous surface.