Heard a neighbor say his deck lasted 15 years with no sealant

I was watering my tomatoes last weekend and overheard Dave from three houses down bragging about his untreated cedar deck that's been fine since 2009. No sealant, no stain, just let it gray out naturally. My own deck is only 3 years old and I've already spent $200 on sealers and stains trying to keep it looking new. Makes me wonder if I'm wasting money and effort. Has anyone else just let their deck go natural and been happy with it?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_laura4h ago

Oh man, I totally get where you're coming from! I went through the same thing with my own deck a few years back. I was spending so much money on sealers and stains trying to keep it looking brand new, and then my neighbor's old untreated deck just sat there looking fine for over a decade. It really makes you question if all that effort is worth it. Honestly, I finally just let mine go natural last summer, and I wish I had done it sooner. The gray patina is actually pretty nice and I don't have to stress about reapplying anything. You're not wasting your money, but you might be happier just letting it weather.

abbyhall1h ago

Stop worrying about rot and start worrying about BUGS. Dave might have a gray deck that's structurally fine, but I've pulled apart untreated boards in my area that were completely hollowed out by carpenter ants on the inside. You can't see that damage until someone steps through a plank. I treat mine every 2 years just to keep the bugs from moving in, even if the rain doesn't bother it.