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Logs move, check and soak up more stain than any deck or fence, so a log home needs a finish built for it. The best log home stains are made to flex with the wood, protect against UV and water on big vertical walls, and be maintained with a simple refresh coat instead of stripping. Here's how the log home finishes we carry compare, using each manufacturer's own information. Log Home Stains Compared FinishTypeSystemLook Sikkens ProLuxe Cetol Log & SidingOil-alkyd, high solidsTwo coatsTransluc …

Sikkens, now sold as PPG ProLuxe, makes several Cetol finishes, and the names don't make it obvious which one you need. The short version: pick by surface. Decks get one product, log homes and siding get another, doors and windows get a third, and Maintenance is only for refreshing a finish you already have. Here's how the line fits together, based on PPG's product information. Which Sikkens Product for Which Job ProductUse it onCoats / systemLook Cetol SRD REDecks, siding, rails and fencesOne c …

TWP 100 Series and TWP 1500 Series are both oil-based penetrating wood preservatives from TWP, and they look and perform very much alike. The big difference is VOC content, which decides which one you're allowed to buy in your state. Here's how they compare, based on TWP's own product information. TWP 100 vs 1500 at a Glance TWP 100 SeriesTWP 1500 Series VOC550 g/L350 g/L VOC-regulated statesCan't be sold thereCompliant in all 50 states FormulaOriginal oil-based preservativeSame base formula, ad …

Penofin and Ready Seal are two of the most popular penetrating oil stains for decks and fences, and both are easy for a homeowner to apply. They work differently, though, and the right pick depends on your wood, your project and how you plan to put it on. Here's how they compare, using the manufacturers' application information. Penofin vs Ready Seal at a Glance Penofin Stain & SealerReady Seal TypePenetrating oil stain and sealerPenetrating oil stain and sealer CoatsTwo thin coats or one th …

Ipe, cumaru, tigerwood, mahogany and other tropical hardwoods are so dense that ordinary deck stains can't soak in. They sit on the surface, stay tacky and wear off. Hardwood decks need a finish made to penetrate dense wood. Here's how the main hardwood finishes we carry compare, starting with the question we get most: Ipe Oil or Ipe Oil Plus? Ipe Oil vs Ipe Oil Plus DeckWise Ipe OilDeckWise Ipe Oil Plus VOC250 g/L100 g/L Where it can be usedMost of the U.S.; not the SCAQMD counties of Southern …

The right brush makes a bigger difference with deck stain than most people expect. A good stain brush holds a lot of stain, pushes it into the wood grain and lets you back-brush out drips and puddles so the finish soaks in evenly. Here's how to pick one, based on the brushes we sell and use with the stains on our site. Quick Picks BrushBest forStain type Dynamic / Arroworthy Stain BrushDeck floors, fences and log walls; works on an extension poleOil-based (TWP, Sikkens and similar) Bestt Liebco …

Fences take a beating from sun and rain, but they're easier to protect than a deck: nobody walks on them, water runs off instead of sitting on top, and you're usually staining rough or weathered boards that soak up a penetrating oil well. The right fence stain is a penetrating, oil-based stain and sealer that soaks into the wood instead of forming a film on top, so it fades evenly over time instead of peeling. Below are the fence stains we sell, what each one does best, and how to pick between t …