Deck paint alternatives

[PrivatePilot]

Much of our backyard is covered in deck surrounding the pool. Right now it's 100% untreated and now quite weathered. I'd like to do something to put some sort of colour into the wood to make it look a little better, but I do NOT want to use paint or any of the stains that leave a film on the wood - with our weather here these sorts of paints/stains almost never last and in a year or three they end up looking like this.

So, it looks like what I need to use is a semitransparent stain - something that adds some colour and uniformity to things, but doesn't actually leave a film, instead just soaking into the wood. With no film, no peeling.

I'm wondering if anyone else has gone this route before and has any thoughts on the experience?

 

[woodyp]

A stain shouldn't peel. You could also seal the wood after staining. It's a never ending process every 2 to 3 years I think.

 

[PrivatePilot]

A stain shouldn't peel. You could also seal the wood after staining. It's a never ending process every 2 to 3 years I think.

Perhaps not in Texas, but in Canada.....it's almost a certainty that anything that leaves a film on a deck will not last more than a few years. The weather just plays havok with any solid type stain, hence why I'm going to go with a semi transparent that actually just stains the wood instead of a more solid stain that goes on more like paint than stain. Why they call semisolid and solid stains "stains" still when they are more like paint is beyond me, but it is what it is.

Here's some good examples of what ends up being commonplace up here for solid stained decks.

 

[mithesaint]

How big is your budget? Not sure if you have a Menards in Ontario or not, but they make a composite decking product that you simply place over your existing deck. It's thinner than regular decking, but cheaper too.

https://www.menards.com/main/p-1444448140199.htm

I've never used it, but I saw it advertised, and thought I'd mention it.

 

[wjr75]

Use Rymar semi transparent stain. Great stuff.

 

[FloridaPoolGal]

When living in OH, our deck stain lasted the longest when we scrubbed the deck with oxygen bleach prior to applying stain. Oxygen bleach (powder with water) didn't hurt the grass or flowers or deck or us but removed any mold and mildew and dirt.