Which Wood Sealer Should You Use? Compare Our Products
Choosing the right wood sealer can make a big difference in how well your outdoor projects hold up over time. Some sealers are designed for general outdoor wood, while others are made for specific surfaces like fences, garden boxes, bamboo, or composite decking.
Seal-It Green offers specialized sealers for different outdoor surfaces. So, which wood sealer should you use? Let's compare our products and help you find the right one for your next project.
Which Wood Sealer Is Right for Your Project?
The best wood sealer depends on the material you're protecting and how you plan to use it. A wood fence has different needs than a raised garden bed, while natural wood requires a different approach than composite decking.
Compare Seal-It Green's wood and composite deck sealers to find the right product for your project.
Each product serves a different purpose. Here's a closer look at which projects each sealer is designed for.
Total Wood Armor: A Versatile Sealer for Outdoor Wood
If you need a wood sealer for outdoor projects, Total Wood Armor can help. It protects decks, siding, furniture, and other outdoor wood, making it a versatile seal for outdoor wood surfaces.
Unlike traditional sealers that create a hard coating over the surface, Total Wood Armor uses plant-based oils that penetrate the wood fibers. This approach helps protect the wood from within while maintaining its natural texture.
Total Wood Armor is available in multiple stain colors, making it both a wood stain and sealer. You can add color and protection without using separate staining and sealing products. It's also a practical option when you want to seal decking while adding color to your outdoor space.
Choose Total Wood Armor if you need:
- A versatile outdoor wood sealer for multiple projects.
- Protection for decks, siding, furniture, and other exterior wood.
- A penetrating formula that works with the wood rather than creating a thick surface coating.
- A stain and sealer combination available in different colors.
Fence Armor: Protection for Wood Fences
Wood fences face constant exposure to sunlight, rain, moisture, and changing temperatures. Over time, these conditions can cause untreated wood to weather, fade, and deteriorate.
Fence Armor is specifically designed to protect wood fencing from outdoor exposure while helping maintain its appearance.
Fence Armor also comes in different stain colors, allowing you to refresh the appearance of an existing fence while adding protection.
Choose Fence Armor if you need:
- A sealer specifically designed for wood fences.
- Protection against outdoor weather exposure.
- A stain and sealer combination.
- An easy way to refresh the appearance of an existing fence.
Garden Box Armor: A Sealer for Raised Garden Beds
Raised garden beds and wooden garden boxes need special consideration because they come into close contact with soil and may be used to grow fruits, vegetables, and herbs.
Garden Box Armor is designed specifically for wooden garden boxes and raised beds. It helps protect the wood from moisture and outdoor exposure while using food-contact-safe ingredients. This makes it a specialized food safe wood sealer for wood used around growing spaces.
Garden Box Armor comes in different colors. It helps protect your raised beds while allowing you to choose the look you want.
Choose Garden Box Armor if you need:
- A garden sealer for raised beds and wooden garden boxes.
- A formula made with food-contact-safe ingredients.
- Protection against moisture and outdoor conditions.
- A product designed for wood used around gardens.
Bamboo Armor: Specialized Protection for Bamboo
Bamboo has a unique structure, so outdoor bamboo projects benefit from a sealer formulated specifically for the material. Exposure to moisture, temperature changes, and insects can contribute to splitting, checking, cupping, and other damage.
Bamboo Armor is formulated for bamboo decks, fences, siding, furniture, and other exterior structures. Its penetrating formula works within the bamboo fibers to help protect against water and decay.
Available in clear and stain colors, Bamboo Armor can maintain bamboo's natural appearance or add color while protecting new and existing projects.
Choose Bamboo Armor if you need:
- A sealer specifically formulated for exterior bamboo.
- Protection for bamboo decks, fences, siding, and outdoor structures.
- Help protecting bamboo from moisture, insects, decay, splitting, and checking.
- A clear or colored finish for your bamboo project.
Marine Armor: Protection for Wood Near Water
Wood used around water faces more demanding conditions than typical outdoor projects. Docks, waterfront decks, lake houses, and beach homes often face constant moisture.
This exposure can contribute to mold, mildew, algae, insect damage, and UV-related deterioration.
Marine Armor is designed for high-moisture environments. Its penetrating formula helps protect wood from water and harsh weather while helping prevent rot, cracking, cupping, and other damage.
Choose Marine Armor if you need:
- A wood sealer designed for high-moisture environments.
- Protection for docks, waterfront decks, lake homes, and beach homes.
- Help protecting wood from water, mold, mildew, algae, insects, and UV exposure.
- A penetrating formula for wood used around or on the water.
- Long-term protection for wood exposed to demanding outdoor conditions.
Composite Deck Armor: Protection for Composite Decking
Not every deck is made from natural wood. Composite decking uses a combination of materials and requires a different approach to protection.
Composite Deck Armor specifically targets composite deck surfaces. It provides surface stain protection with a water-based, zero-VOC formula.
If you need a composite deck sealer, pick one made for composite materials rather than a traditional wood decking sealant.
Choose Composite Deck Armor if you need:
- A sealer designed specifically for composite decking.
- Protection for composite deck surfaces.
- A water-based formula.
- Zero VOCs.
Wood Sealer vs. Composite Deck Sealer: What's the Difference?
One of the most important things to consider before buying a deck sealer is the material of your deck.
Natural wood is porous and can absorb moisture through its fibers. A penetrating wood sealer soaks into the material to help protect it from within. Composite decking is manufactured differently and requires a product formulated specifically for composite surfaces.
Before choosing a product, identify what your deck is made of. For natural wood, look for a compatible penetrating wood sealer or wood decking sealant. For composite decking, choose a dedicated composite deck sealer.
Why Choose a Penetrating Wood Sealer?
Not all wood sealers protect surfaces in the same way. Some create a film or hard coating on top of the wood, while penetrating sealers soak into the fibers.
Traditional polyurethane coatings form a protective layer over the surface. While this can act as a barrier, the layer may crack or peel over time as wood expands and contracts with changing weather. When this happens, polyurethane typically requires sanding the affected area before reapplying the finish.
Penetrating wood sealers work differently. They soak into the wood fibers instead of forming a thick surface coating.
Seal-It Green uses plant-based oils in products like Total Wood Armor to help protect wood while maintaining its natural appearance. For homeowners looking for a green wood sealer, consider both the ingredients and how the product protects the material.
How to Choose the Right Outdoor Wood Sealer
Still unsure which product you need? Start by identifying the surface you're planning to protect.
Here's a quick breakdown:
- Decks, siding, outdoor furniture, and general wood projects: Total Wood Armor.
- Wood fences: Fence Armor.
- Raised garden beds and garden boxes: Garden Box Armor.
- Exterior bamboo: Bamboo Armor.
- Docks, waterfront decks, and wood exposed to high moisture: Marine Armor.
- Composite decking: Composite Deck Armor.
Once you've identified the right product, consider the finish you want. If you're working with natural wood, you may prefer a clear finish that keeps its current look or a colored stain to update the appearance of your wood.
You should also check the product's coverage and application steps. Confirm it works with your wood or decking material before you start, especially when selecting a wood deck sealant for an existing deck.
Choosing the right product from the beginning can make maintaining your outdoor spaces much easier.
Find the Right Sealer for Your Next Project
Protecting outdoor surfaces doesn't have to be complicated. Whether you are maintaining a wood deck, refreshing an old fence, or building a raised garden bed, choosing a product designed for your project can make maintenance easier.
Seal-It Green offers specialized sealers for a variety of outdoor surfaces. Compare our products, explore available sizes and colors, and find the protection that fits your project.
For more information about Seal It Green products, be sure to check out our Blogs!
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. Which wood sealer should I use for my project?
Start with what you're sealing. Decks, siding, and outdoor furniture? Total Wood Armor. Wood fence? Fence Armor. Raised garden bed? Garden Box Armor. Bamboo? Bamboo Armor. A dock or anything else that's wet a lot of the time? That's what Marine Armor is for. And if you've got a composite deck, Composite Deck Armor is the one to grab.
2. What's the difference between a wood sealer and a composite deck sealer?
It comes down to what your deck is made of. Natural wood is porous, so a penetrating wood sealer can soak in and protect it from the inside. Composite decking is built differently, so it needs a sealer made just for composite. Take a minute to check your deck material before you buy.
3. Is there a food safe wood sealer for my vegetable garden?
There is. Garden Box Armor is made for wooden garden boxes and raised beds, and it's formulated with food-contact-safe ingredients. It protects the wood from moisture and the weather, and you can choose from a few colors to match your garden.
4. Why use a penetrating wood sealer instead of polyurethane?
Polyurethane sits on top of the wood like a coat of armor. The trouble is that wood expands and contracts with the weather, so that layer can crack or peel. When it does, you usually have to sand the spot before you can reapply. A penetrating sealer soaks into the fibers instead, so there's no thick layer to peel. Total Wood Armor uses plant-based oils to do this and keeps the wood's natural look and feel.
5. Can I stain and seal my wood at the same time?
Yes. Total Wood Armor, Fence Armor, and Garden Box Armor all come in different colors, so one product covers both jobs. Bamboo Armor comes in clear and stain colors, so you can keep bamboo looking natural or give it some color. No need to buy separate stain and sealer.
