Patio Care started in 1985. The idea of sealing my deck came to me in 1981 when my mother, Irene, almost slipped on my deck. That week I began researching deck care.

To my disappointment, any education on how to clean and seal wood was nowhere to be found. Basically, only manufacturers selling sealers were available. They all say, “Use me. I’m the best.” Seven hundred decks and fifty products later, I was still in search of the perfect sealer.

Frustrated, I sought out the National Forestry Service. Under the Freedom of Information Act, the service provided me with its research. In nature, wood rots in just a few years. Now, take that same wood, mill the wood into 2 x 6 deck boards, and construct a deck eliminating moisture traps. Architectural Digest gives wood products an 8-14 year lifespan. Research shows that you can increase the life of your deck by 30-50 years if you apply an oil-based penetrating sealer every 12-18 months that follows the dry cell structure line. When you factor it in, the cost of building a new deck doubles every eight years. Sealing a deck correctly just makes good sense.