Best Outdoor Wood Sealers

Many homeowners build a wood fence, deck, or pergola to enhance their backyards. Fences add privacy, decks give you space to sit and relax, and pergolas add shade and create a beautiful focal point. Using wood for these structures turns a simple lawn into a backyard oasis.

However, you must maintain your wooden decks and other outdoor structures to make them last and keep them looking their best. Stains provide a beautiful finish, but finding the best wood sealer for outdoors protects the finished product from the elements and offers lasting beauty. Join us as we review the best outdoor wood sealers to keep your wood looking pristine year-round.

Types of Outdoor Wood Sealers

Outdoor wood needs protection against the elements. Wood sealers provide a coating that keeps water out, protecting the wood against rot and mildew. These sealers also block the sun’s UV rays, preventing wood from drying and cracking.

The right sealer depends on the type of wood, the amount of sun and rain exposure, and foot traffic. We categorize wood sealers by formula and transparency. They come in oil-based, water-based, solid or opaque, semitransparent, and clear types and in oil- or water-based formulas.

Oil-Based Wood Sealers

Wood doesn’t absorb oil-based sealers as efficiently as water-based varieties, but these sealers typically have better UV protection. Oil-based sealers work best with species such as cedar, pine, oak, and ash because these wood types have higher absorption rates.

Water-Based Wood Sealers

You’ll want a water-based sealer for wood with low absorption rates, such as birch, maple, and alder. These types of sealers dry much faster, which can lead to splotchy results.

Solid or Opaque Wood Sealers

Homeowners who want maximum UV protection for their outdoor wood should consider a solid or opaque sealer. These sealers have little transparency and cover the wood’s natural grain. Your deck or furniture will appear more uniform in your chosen color. The wood will last longer in the sun, but it will lose its natural beauty.

Semitransparent Wood Sealers

Semitransparent sealers protect wood well from rain, mildew, and rot. However, due to their light tint or color, these sealers only have mild UV protection. Since the colors fade faster than solid or opaque types, you’ll need to reapply a semitransparent sealer every couple of years to keep the wood protected and looking good.

Transparent Wood Sealers

Most outdoor wood sealers have a clear or transparent finish, making them ideal protectors against rain, mildew, and rot. While not as effective at UV protection as solid or opaque sealers, they let the wood’s natural beauty shine.

Importance of Using a Wood Sealer

A good wood sealer protects wood from the elements and abrasion, such as heavy foot traffic. Applying a wood sealer helps maintain the wood’s natural beauty and extend its life.

Water and Mildew Resistance

Homeowners from Los Angeles to San Clemente have one thing in common that affects their outdoor wood — ocean air. Over time, the salt in the air or water breaks down the lignin, a natural bonding agent that connects wood fibers. Rain, humidity, and moisture can lead to rot and mildew. Once established, mold and mildew pull moisture into the wood so they can grow and thrive. As they spread, they can hasten wood rot and cause permanent discoloration.

UV Protection

If your outdoor wood gets a lot of sunshine, you’ll want a sealer with excellent UV protection that extends the life of the wood by preventing those harmful UV rays from drying it out. If you’ve tried semitransparent sealers before and still experience cracking or splintering, we recommend you try a solid oil-based wood sealer.

Top 5 Outdoor Wood Sealers

We support DIYers who love the hands-on approach to wood sealing. You have hundreds of wood sealer options, many of which work exceptionally well when properly applied. Remember to consider the type of wood and what you want to protect it against before choosing a wood sealer.

To help you find the best exterior wood sealer, we asked our restoration experts to share their top five recommendations.

Seal Once Nano+Poly Penetrating Wood Sealer

This water-based, clear wood sealer provides exceptional protection. It resists water, mold, decay, UV rays, and abrasion. It provides excellent weather and UV protection, and its strong resistance to abrasion makes it ideal for high-traffic areas such as pool decks and patios.

Ready Seal Exterior Stain and Sealer

This oil-based semitransparent wood sealer doubles as a stain, enhancing the natural wood grain for a beautiful finish. It protects well against water, mold, decay, and UV rays and has various colors to suit your taste. Ready Seal Exterior Stain and Sealer takes 48-72 hours to cure. You’ll want to check the forecast for rain before applying.

Olympic Water Guard Clear Wood Sealer

We believe Olympic Water Guard Clear Wood Sealer is one of the best outdoor wood sealers. It comes in clear, transparent, and semitransparent types and protects against water, mold, rot, and UV rays. This sealer doesn’t cost a lot and works with a wide variety of wood types, though its watery consistency makes it tricky to apply. We recommend using a sprayer to ensure even coverage.

SaverSystems #1 Deck Advanced Solid Color Wood Stain

If you need the added protection of a solid sealer, SaverSystems #1 Deck Advanced Solid Color Wood Stain ranks as our top solid sealer. It provides excellent protection against fading, peeling, water, mold, decay, and UV rays.

SaverSystems #1 Deck Premium Semi-Transparent Stain

We picked the SaverSystems #1 Deck Premium Semi-Transparent Stain as our favorite semitransparent sealer type. This water-based sealant protects against water, mold, mildew, rot, fading, and UV rays while letting the natural wood grain show through.

Seal or Refinish Your Outdoor Wood With Teak Master

At Teak Master, we service the California coast from Los Angeles to Huntington Beach and beyond, helping homeowners reclaim the natural beauty from their outdoor wood. Caring for outdoor wood has been our passion for almost 30 years. If you’ve recently installed a new wooden fence, pergola, or deck or need to show your existing wood some love, we can help. Contact us for a consultation and let us turn your backyard into a beautiful oasis you’ll enjoy for years.

Joe Lillibridge is licensed with CC BY-SA 2.0