Best Coating for Wood Trailer Deck Reviews and Buyer’s Guide

Best Coating for Wood Trailer Deck Reviews and Buyer’s Guide

Getting a wood trailer deck can be a great investment, but it’s an investment that you want to protect. Over time wood wears out and breaks down and it’ll do it even faster if you don’t take the time to care for it.

One of the best things you can do to protect your trailer is to get a top-notch sealant to protect the wood. We understand, and it’s why we wanted to highlight the best coating for wood trailer decks for you.

Not only that, but we came up with a comprehensive buyer’s guide to walk you through everything you need to know and even answered some of the most frequently asked questions people have when they’re shopping for a coating for a wood trailer deck.

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5 Best Coating for Wood Trailer Deck List

We know you live a busy life, and it’s why we want to dive right into the best coating for wood trailer decks for you here. These are some of the best options out there, and we’re confident that the perfect sealant is right here.

Ready Seal Exterior Wood Stain and Sealer – Best Overall

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They have multiple stain color options out there, but this is simply a sealer that highlights the natural colors and grains in the wood.

You don’t have to use any sort of primer before applying this coating, allowing you to get it on the trailer and move on to the next job.

More importantly, you won’t have to worry about it wearing out any time soon, and it provides tons of protection for your trailer deck. It’s a UV blocker and waterproofer and it provides mildew resistance all wrapped up into one product.

It’s everything you could ask for in a sealer for your wood trailer deck, and it’s why it earns our nod as the best overall. It is a little more expensive than some other products, but not by much. For everything that it does well, it’s worth the little extra investment.

Brand: Ready Seal

Size: 1 gallon

Color: Clear

Coverage area: 125 square feet

If you’re looking for a trailer deck coating that’s easy to apply, provides tons of protection, and looks great, look no further than Ready Seal Exterior Wood Stain and Sealer. It’s everything you could want in a trailer deck sealer and then some!

Pros

• Easy to use and apply
• Long-lasting design
• Provides tons of protection
• Very versatile product

Cons

• Slightly more expensive

Seal It Green Xtreme – Most Environmentally Friendly

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It’s a plant-based formula that you can feel good about using, and it provides superior protection compared to traditional sealants.

In fact, it can seal your trailer deck for up to 15 years, and it provides tons of protection. It works on just about any type of wood, and a single gallon can cover 400 to 600 square feet.

However, while it’s easy to apply and there’s a lot to love with this trailer deck sealant, it is a lot more expensive than traditional options. In fact, it costs more than twice as much per gallon than most other options.

Still, it does everything you want, is good for the environment, and it looks great. If you can afford the higher upfront price tag, it’s an option you’ll want to consider.

Brand: Seal It Green

Size: 1 gallon

Color: Clear

Coverage area: 400 to 600 square feet

Staying green is a big deal to many people. If that sounds like you, then you’re not going to find a more environmentally friendly trailer deck sealant than Seal It Green Xtreme.

Pros

• Environmentally friendly
• Provides up to 15 years of protection
• It covers a large area (400 to 600 square feet per gallon)
• Easy to apply

Cons

• Much more expensive

Thompson’s WaterSeal – Best Budget Choice

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With Thompson’s WaterSeal you can get the job done without breaking the bank.

Not only is it a little more affordable than most other options, but it also comes in a 1.2-gallon container while other options only come in a 1-gallon container. That might not sound like much, but that’s 20 percent more product while you’re spending less!

It still does a great job protecting your wood trailer deck despite the lower cost, and it’s easy to apply. However, the main drawback of Thompson’s WaterSeal is the shorter lifespan. While other products can last five or more years, Thompson’s WaterSeal typically only lasts two to three years.

Brand: Thompsons

Size: 1.2 gallon

Color: 120 to 240 square feet

When you don’t want to spend as much but still need to seal your wood trailer deck, Thompsons WaterSeal has you covered. You get more product for less money, and it still delivers top-notch results.

Pros

• More affordably priced
• Larger container size
• Easy to apply
• Resists molding and UV damage

Cons

• Not as long-lasting as other options

#1 Deck Wood Deck Paint and Sealer – Best Paint Option

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There are six different color options for you to choose from, and they all completely hide the grain of the wood.

Not only does this completely transform the appearance of your wood trailer deck, but it also provides a ton of protection from UV rays, mildew, and more. It works on all types of wood surfaces, and it’s one of the easiest options to apply.

In fact, you can put it right on top of existing stains, saving you a ton of time. It is a little more expensive than clear coat options, but if you want the extra pop for the wood on your trailer deck, it’s really hard to top this choice.

Brand: SaverSystems

Size: 1 gallon

Color: Dark walnut, classic taupe, dark cocoa, gray, light walnut, or simply white

Coverage area: 100 – 150 square feet

If you’re looking to add some color to your wood deck and hide the wood grain, then #1 Deck Wood Deck Paint and Sealer is as good as it gets. There are six different color options for you to choose from allowing you to get exactly what you want for your wood trailer deck!

Pros

• Multiple color options to choose from
• Very easy to apply
• Provides tons of protection
• Water-based formula

Cons

• Slightly more expensive

Storm System Protector Stain & Sealer – Most Durable

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It can handle just about any weather conditions you throw at it, and it’ll last season after season.

It’s more affordably priced per gallon too, but it doesn’t go all that far. In fact, while other options can easily cover 200 square feet or more, sometimes all you get out of a gallon of Storm System Protector is about 100 square feet.

Still, it’s easy to apply, offers a ton of protection, and lasts a long time, and that’s what you really want when you’re putting in the work to seal your wood trailer deck.

Brand: Storm System

Size: 1 gallon

Color: Black walnut or hickory

Coverage area: 100 square feet

The last thing you want after putting in all the hard work of sealing your trailer deck is to watch it start to fall apart on you. Storm System Protector Stain & Sealer is the most durable option out there, giving you a little more peace of mind after you put in all that work.

Pros

• Very long-lasting
• Affordably priced
• Provides tons of protection
• Easy to apply

Cons

• It doesn’t cover a lot of area per gallon

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Buyer’s Guide

Now that you’ve gone through some of the reviews for the best coating for wood trailer decks, it’s time to figure out what all the hype is about. Whether you’re still debating whether sealing your wooden trailer is worth it, if you even have to, or how often you should do it, we’ll break it all down for you here.

Why You Should Seal Your Wood Trailer

There are tons of benefits to sealing your wood trailer. The main benefit has everything to do with longevity. When you’re trying to get the most out of your trailer, it all starts with protecting the most vulnerable part – the wood.

Wood is susceptible to rot, warping, mildew, UV damage, and so much more. And since wood trailers spend most of their time outside and in the elements, this damage can happen faster than you think.

Sealing your wood trailer gives the wood a bit more protection, and this added protection adds years to the life of your trailer.

In fact, some untreated woods will start to rot in as little as three years. Meanwhile, if you seal these woods with the right sealant and keep up with it, there’s no reason the wood can’t last 15 to 20 years.

That’s a huge difference, and it highlights why you need to take the time to seal your trailer every few seasons.

How Much Sealant Do You Need?

When you’re ordering sealant, you don’t want to spend more than you need and get too much, but you also don’t want to not spend enough and find that you need more sealant when you’re halfway through the job.

That’s why we highlighted the average coverage area for each sealant on our list. Keep in mind that the porosity of the wood will affect how much you’ll need too.

Finally, when you’re calculating how much sealant you need, always add ten percent. This helps ensure that you won’t run out when you need it, and it’s common knowledge that manufacturers often try to make their product sound a little more effective than it really is!

 

How Often Should You Seal Your Wood Trailer?

It really depends on the sealant you go with in the first place. Some sealants can provide protection for up to ten years, and others you need to reapply every year.

The easiest way to test whether the wood is still good to go is to put some water on it. If the sealant is still working properly the water will stay clean and bead up. If the sealant is starting to wear down it’ll smudge up and start to look dirty, or even worse, soak into the wood.

When in doubt go ahead and reseal the wood. It might be a little more work, but it’s going to greatly increase the lifespan of the wood so it’s something you want to err on the side of caution with.

Also, if you’re a little rough on your wood boards because of what you haul, you probably want to reseal every year. When different items gauge into the wood it works its way past the sealant, giving water an opening to seep in and cause some damage.

Do You Need To Seal Pressure-Treated Wood?

Yes! While pressure-treated wood is the go-to choice for wooden trailer decks, that doesn’t mean you can skip the sealing process.

Pressure-treated wood does stand up better to warping and rotting, but it still won’t last forever if you just leave it out in the elements. Sealing pressure-treated wood gives you two different layers of protection, and that’s how you can get decades out of the wood boards on your trailer.

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FAQ

When you’re looking for the best coating for wood trailer decks, it’s only natural to have a few questions. We understand, and it’s why we took the time to highlight and answer some of the most frequently asked questions for you here.

How do you water seal a trailer deck?

Once you get the right product, like any of the ones on our list, sealing a trailer deck for the first time isn’t all that hard. Clean off the wood, let it dry completely, then brush the sealant into place.

Ensure that you’re sealing both the top of the wood and the ends. If you fail to seal the ends, it often leads to splitting, which can completely ruin your boards despite all the hard work you’re putting into them.

Give it plenty of time to dry and ensure that rain isn’t in the near forecast if you’re completing the job outside. Ideally, you want everything to stay completely dry for a full day or two after applying the sealant.

How long does it take wood sealer to dry?

It depends on the exact sealer you use, but most wood sealants take anywhere from 8 to 24 hours. Some fast-acting sealers can be dry to the touch in as little as five minutes, but that’s usually not the case.

Keep in mind that this is for the wood sealer to become completely dry to the touch. Before you expose it rain or heavy loads we recommend waiting at least two to three days to let everything dry completely.

Can you stain after sealing?

No. You want to stain before sealing your deck. The whole point of sealing your deck is to keep anything from working its way in, and that applies to stain as well. If you want to stain your trailer deck and you already have a sealant on it, you’ll need to strip the sealant off, stain the deck, then apply new sealant.

How do you reseal a trailer deck?

If you need to reseal a trailer deck, the process is extremely similar to sealing it for the first time. The only difference is that you need to strip the old sealant off first. You can put the stripper into a pressure washer, or you can brush it onto the area and scrub the old sealant off.

From there just clean the surface, let it dry, then apply the new sealant!

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Conclusion

Now that you know a little more about the best coating for wood trailer decks, all that’s left is for you to purchase the sealant and get to work! Don’t put the job off because the longer you wait the more likely the wood on the trailer deck will start to break down, and that’s only going to cost you more money in the end.

So, get that sealant on order and get to work! Once you finish the job, you won’t have to worry about it for years to come.