Boat Dock Sealer
Boat Dock Sealer | This is one of the cedar panels of my boat dock after it was cleaned and sealed. WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW to see what sealer I used.
Boat Dock Sealer - Use a Penetrating One
I own a 40-foot-long boat dock that has solid cedar flooring panels. The dock is out in the punishing sun late spring, all summer, and early fall.
The dock was last sealed about five years ago and the dock company used a film-forming boat dock sealer.
Related Link:
How to Clean a Boat Dock or Wood Deck
A film-forming boat dock sealer is the worst because when it fails, and they all fail, it peels like paint. Look at how bad the sealer failed:
This is the cedar boat dock panel before cleaning.
How Do You Clean the Boat Dock?
I use certified organic Stain Solver oxygen bleach to clean my dock. The cleaner doesn't poison the lake as chlorine bleach would. Any cleaner that contains sodium hypochlorite is poisonous to a lake, stream, or any vegetation in your yard.
Stain Solver is MADE in the USA with USA ingredients that are food-grade quality. CLICK THE IMAGE to order some NOW.
CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE BIDS from local painters who will clean and seal your dock or deck.
Watch this video to see how to clean a horizontal deck surface or even a railing:
What Boat Dock Sealer Did You Choose?
I decided to try Cabot's Australian Timber Oil. I went with the color Mahogany Flame. It goes on a horrible milky orange-brown color, but dries a deep brown with a tinge of orange or red.
It appears to me, based on its consistency, that it's a penetrating sealer. There's no wording on the label that says it is, but there is an obscure reference to the word stain in the application portion of the instructions.
Here's the boat dock sealer I used:
CLICK the CAN to have this delivered to your home. This is the EXACT COLOR you see in the photo at the top of the page.
Hello Tim, The manufacturers website say that this product is penetrating. I have some exterior stairs with carriages (aka stringers) and posts that are made of treated wood. They are about 14 months old. They have never had any product applied to the wood. Would you recommend this Cabot product over the product in your 2013 Deck Stain Results test?
If indeed they're telling the TRUTH that it's not a film-former, then I'd go with the Cabot's. The winner of my Deck Stain test was a FILM FORMER!
My fence looks exactly like your dock. Deck stain was recommended by the paint store when I sought advice on what to use. I have a lot of fence. What do I do to remove the old stuff and what should I use for stain? Mine’s a similar color to the Cabot stain you used here.
Tim, for a deck attached to my house that gets NO sun, what paint would you suggest? It's 17 years old pressure treated wood and at first was stained. That didn't last so I've had porch paint on it ever since, but that peels within 1 year. I live in Rochester, NY so it sits with snow and rain on it and no sun. What would be best to use? Thank you!
Paint? Are you kidding me? I'd NEVER use paint on a horizontal outdoor WOOD surface. This is why it's peeling each year!
Follow the advice I give in the above column. Use the link and buy the Cabot product.
Hi Tim, We have a pressure treated pine deck at home and also two redwood decks at the cabin. All decks have a solid stain on them and as your dock appears in video, looks horrible and is peeling 2 years after application. I have stain solver to clean them, but my husband doesn't think we can use the Cabot product you suggested because ours have a solid stain on them so we would have to sand all the surfaces first to get rid of all the previous stain? Many thanks in advance for your advice. Betsy
Years ago I purchase your independent deck sealer report. I don't recall that the Cabot product was one of the high performers. I do recall that the Bhere stain from Home Depote rated very high. Wondered how you chose the Cabot product for this
Because I wanted a product that was NOT a film-former! The Behr product is a FILM FORMER!
This product just says oil benefits, yet it is water based. Never had good results with water based deck sealing products.
I'm not able to view the 8 responses left previously for some reason, so can't see if this has been questioned already.