Deck Sealing & Waterproofing Green Oaks, IL

Deck sealing for Green Oaks homes

Most of our deck sealing calls in Green Oaks come from homes with wooded lots along Route 176 with larger homes. We see a lot of heavily shaded decks that hold mildew, and the work is planned around it.

In central Lake County, where Green Oaks sits, the variable is shade. Sunny decks gray and dry out; shaded ones stay green. We treat each side of the same deck accordingly.

Ask a Lake County homeowner when their deck was last sealed and the honest answer is usually never. Water gets into the end grain at the board ends, the screw holes and the ledger board against the house, and that is where rot starts. A sealer is cheap insurance. It is also the one step people think they can skip on a hardwood deck, when hardwood is exactly what a UV-blocking penetrating oil is made for.

How the job goes in Green Oaks

1. Moisture checkThe deck must read under about 15% on a moisture meter. Sealing wet wood traps the water in and the sealer will not bond.
2. Clean and brightenEven a deck that looks clean has surface oxidation. A percarbonate wash and brightener open the grain so the sealer penetrates.
3. Mask and protectSiding, doors, planters and the patio below are covered. Sealers are thin and travel.
4. Apply thin, even coatsPad or sprayer with a back-brush. The wood takes what it can absorb and the rest is wiped off so it does not leave a sticky film.

Other work we do in Green Oaks

Homeowners here also ask us about Deck staining in Green Oaks, Fence staining in Green Oaks and Dock & pier staining in Green Oaks. See everything on the Green Oaks service area page, or read the full deck sealing guide. We also cover nearby Libertyville, Lake Forest and North Chicago.