Should we seal our deck now or next year?
We have just built a large cedar deck on the back of our house. I have received conflicting advice on whether or not to stain or protect the cedar wood or leave it natural. Also some sources recommend waiting for a year while other sources say you can stain it right away. The deck has been built approximately one month ago. My question is whether it is advisable to apply a product to the deck, what product would you recommend and when should it be applied. I should mention that our house is cedar with some brick work on the front of the house.
We would be inclined to use a sealer as opposed to a stain. While we do not recommend specific products, there are many brand name sealers on the market, specifically designed for wood. It should provide ultraviolet light protection, as well as protection from the growth of moss, mold etc. As you will see the attached links, we recommend that they be reapplied annually. We see no benefit waiting. We would seal it as soon as possible.