Was looking to refinish my deck at home.what is the best brand of deck finish to use?also stain or paint it?

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I have refinished two decks and a privacy fence in the last 4 years and have some suggestions for you. Before you do anything, go to your local home improvement mega-store and purchase "deck wash" and a garden sprayer. This product is really cool. It is a chlorine/bleach cleaner that when sprayed on an old gray deck or fence immediately brightens it up and restores the natural warm wood color. It almost seems magical but what it is actually doing is bleaching the mold and mildew that forms in the grain of the wood as it weathers outside. It is really beneficial to do this before refinishing your deck because it will make it look like a new deck rather than an old deck that was re-stained. If you decide to stain your deck, make sure you use a product that includes a wetherproofing sealant. "Behr" and "Olympic" are really good stains that come in a variety of colors and also contain a sealant. I would not recommend painting a deck that is exposed to the elements because the expansion and contraction of the wood in wet/cold/dry/hot conditions will always cause the paint to crack and chip. I hope my experience in this is helpful.