Appreciation post: that random comment from a stranger on my porch saved me $80 on new deck sealant

I was about to buy the expensive polyurethane stuff from Lowe's but this guy walking his dog said he's used plain linseed oil on his deck for 15 years and it looks great, so I gave it a shot, has anyone else tried the cheap route for outdoor wood treatment?

3 comments

3 Comments

charles67821h ago

Hah, sounds like me buying the expensive sandwich at lunch then realizing I could've just made it at home for pennies. @mason_foster68 you're probably right about the moisture thing, guess I'll find out in six months when my deck turns into a slip n slide.

charles91915h ago

Wait, @charles678 you actually fell for that linseed oil thing too? I remember seeing that tip floating around and thinking it sounded too good to be true. Honestly, it's crazy how many people swear by it without mentioning the whole "your deck will turn into a weathered sponge" downside. I'm glad Mason brought that up cause I was literally about to try it on my own porch next weekend. Ngl, I trust someone who's already seen the aftermath over some random internet shortcut any day.

mason_foster6822h ago

Oh man, hold up there. I gotta gently push back on that linseed oil trick. I tried that myself a few years back on my back steps, and yeah it looked great for about six months. But then it went all dark and sticky, and it actually trapped moisture under it. My decking started to warp and split way faster than normal. In my experience, linseed oil works okay for a fence or something vertical, but for a flat deck that gets rained on, it can cause more problems than it solves. Your mileage may vary of course, but I'd say take that advice with a grain of salt if you're in a wet climate.