Ignoramus26572 wrote in message ra.com...
In article , davefr wrote:
You don't want multiple coats on a deck. Thinner = better. The
process is to brush it on and the wood will absorb what it wants and
then you brush out the rest. Thick coats will just scratch, flake,
and peel and will look like hell in a few months.

No, no. This is oil sealant that does not polymerize like varnish. It
is basically oil with stain. So it is absorbed by the wood. I actually
tried putting a second coat yesterday, the piece of wood where I
applied it absorbed the extra oil and is looking deeper and I think
will last longer.

You also don't want to varnish a deck. Once the varnish fails you'll
have the "job from hell" trying to strip it.

Does exterior grade varnish also fail and peel?

The best looking decks have a thin coat of lightly tinted oil based
deck stain and this get's re-applied every 2-3 years. Prep is just a
good cleaning with a garden hose and deck cleaner. (no pressure
washers!!!)

This makes sense. But why would a second coat of such oil hurt???

It's simply because the first coat protects, so that the second coat
will never penetrate. It just sits on top like the water is supposed
to do. The only good that a second coat will do is make it slippery.