Best Wood Sealer For Outdoors

Wood has always been one of the most widely used materials worldwide. In fact, thanks to its versatility, durability, affordability, accessibility, and style it can be used to make almost anything. 

This has led to many of us owning various outdoor wooden structures. This includes gates, fences, sheds, summer houses, decking, and a wide range of outdoor furniture. While all these structures are sturdy and beautiful, the one downside of wood is its vulnerability to the elements. 

Wood is an organic material that will rot and fade when exposed to the weather. There is a solution though and today we want to show it to you.

Wood sealer can be used to protect and enhance your wooden structures, keeping them safe from the elements and prolonging their lives in the process.

Today, we are going to show you five of the best wood sealers on the market so that you can guarantee the integrity of your outdoor structures for many years to come.

If you’re on the lookout for the best wood sealer for outdoors, be sure to stick around and check out our list!

Seal-Once Marine Premium Wood Sealer

This list starts with a reliable choice that will easily protect your wooden structures from water and moisture. 

A type of water-based wood sealer, Seal-Once specializes in creating one-coat treatments that not only work fast but are also super easy to apply. If you’re looking for a hassle-free application, this is a great choice. 

Brushing the sealer or rolling it is easily done, but to save even more time, you can also spray the sealer using a spray gun. Seal-Once has made the sealer light enough to work with most HVLP and garden sprayers, making it one of the simplest sealers to use.

In terms of coverage, buckets of marine premium wood sealer come in 1-gallon and 5-gallons. This is great as it allows you to save more money on bigger projects and limit your waste on smaller projects. Not requiring any mixing, each gallon you use should cover approximately 300 sq feet. 

Drying clear after 48 hours, this sealer is available in 11 different color options, none of which will affect the wood’s natural beauty.

When we used the sealer, we found it soaked deep into the wood and resisted mold growth well.

Pros

• Easy to use – This wood sealer can be applied by brush, roller, or spray gun.
• Reliable – Your wood will be protected from mold, moisture, and expansion.
• Great coverage – 1 gallon of marine wood sealer covers 300 sq feet of wood.

Cons

• Contains VOCs – This sealer does contain some VOCs which are unsafe to inhale.

Also available at: Seal-once.com

Roxil Wood Protection Cream

If it’s the ultimate protection you’re looking for, Roxil’s wood protection cream could be perfect. Offering incredibly high protection levels, you can expect just one coating of Roxil wood protection cream to keep your wooden structure weatherproof for 10 years or more. 

To make things better, you only need a roller or brush to apply it. When we reviewed this wood sealer, we found it super easy to apply. It gave our wood instantaneous waterproofing. 

Available in 1-liter tubs, this breathable formula is perfect for a wide range of woods whether they be soft or hardwood. Better still, the white formula dries clear. This lets you protect your wooden structures but still maintain their natural beauty and color.

In regards to what else this sealer offers protection against, once applied and fully cured, your wood will be resistant to moisture, mold, warping, cracking, and more. This makes the protection cream perfect for use on outdoor wooden furniture, decking, sheds, and fences. 

Overall, if you’re looking for a straightforward, no-nonsense wood sealer that offers solid performance and high levels of protection, look no further than Roxil’s wood protection cream.

Pros

• Versatile – You can use Roxil’s sealer on a wide range of wooden structures.
• High-performing – Your wooden surfaces will be very well protected.
• 10+ years of waterproof protection – Surfaces will remain waterproof for at least 10 years.

Cons

• Expensive – This wood sealer is quite expensive for just 1-gallon.

Thompson’s WaterSeal TH.A2171-16 Advanced Natural Wood Protector

When it comes to wood sealers that offer reliability, high quality, and high performance, Thompsons is up there with the very best manufacturers. With vast experience in the industry, with their WaterSeal advanced natural wood protector, they have provided us with a high-quality product at a fraction of the price. 

A brilliant budget-friendly choice, this sealer is water-based and incredibly easy to apply. In fact, with a spray gun, the wood sealer can be applied in a matter of minutes. If you don’t have an HVLP or garden spray, simply use a roller or brush instead.

Soaking into wood rapidly, Thompson’s sealer provides durable waterproof protection, UV resistance, a reduction in mold growth, and resistance to cracking and splitting. It does all of this without altering the wood’s natural color. 

When it comes to fully curing, this wood sealer is easily one of the best on the market. Unlike other sealers, WaterSeal only takes 24 hours to fully cure. One small bottle of this wood sealer will cover up to 200 sq feet.

Pros

• Offers UV protection – This wood sealer provides UV protection.
• Works with moist wood – You can apply WaterSeal to moist wood.
• Solid protection – Your wood will be well protected.

Cons

• Mixing required – This wood sealer has to be mixed with water before use.

Ready Seal 112 Exterior Stain And Sealer

Next, we have another fantastic wood sealer, this time from Ready Seal. Ready Seal is known for producing a wide range of high-quality sealers for wooden projects. If you have a wood project that needs sealing, definitely take a look at this option.

Available in 10 different colors, Ready Seal’s exterior stain and sealer is oil-based. Unlike other wood sealers on our list, it will not only soak deep into the wood and offer protection, but it will also add color. This allows the user to enhance the overall appearance of their project as well as ensure its longevity.

In terms of the protection this breathable formula offers, we were pleased. It offers all the protection we would expect from a wood sealer. This includes UV protection, moisture protection, mildew resistance, and more resistance to cracking. 

Offering protection for approximately 2 years, each 1-gallon bucket of the sealer covers an area of 125 sq feet. As a result, it better suits medium-sized projects. 

Applying Ready Seal’s wood sealer is fairly easy, but it might be just too thick to use a sprayer. With one coat drying in 45 minutes, at least you can apply a second coat quickly though.

Pros

• Enhance color – There are 8 colors to choose from.
• Affordable – This wood sealer is well priced.
• Dries quickly – This Ready Seal wood sealer dries in just 45 minutes.

Cons

• Slow to fully cure – It takes 3 days for this wood sealer to fully cure.

Also available at: Paintsupply.com

RainGuard Water Sealers – Wood Sealer Concentrate

The final wood sealer on our list is one of the best options on the market for those who seek an eco-friendly sealer that doesn’t contain any chemicals or toxins. 

Working on a variety of different surfaces, not just wood, this is another water-based wood sealer that can be easily applied by brush, roller, or garden sprayer gun. You could even apply this fast-drying sealer with a sponge. 

One great advantage to the Rain Guard wood sealer is how easy it is to spot when another coat is needed. When it’s time to apply another coat of Rain Guard (after approximately 1 year), water will bead on the surface, giving you a visual cue.

Available in 32-ounce jugs, your wood sealer should cover up to 300 sq feet. If you plan on working on a larger project, you may need more than one jug.

When testing this wood sealer, we were pleasantly surprised with what is offered. Drying in just one hour, the sealer protects wood from rain, snow, mold, and moisture. The only downside we found is that it doesn’t offer protection against UV radiation. 

However, the fact the sealer is free of VOCs and is toxic-free more than makes up for that.

Pros

• Eco-friendly – Rain Guards wood sealer is non-toxic and free of VOCs.
• Dries quickly – This wood sealer dries in one hour.
• Offers good protection – This wood sealer protects wood from moisture, rain, snow, and mold.

Cons

• No UV protection – The wood sealer doesn’t offer protection against UV radiation.

Buyer’s Guide

Now you have five great options at your fingertips, it’s time to start thinking about which wood sealer you want to buy. Unfortunately, things aren’t quite as simple as picking the first wood sealer from the list and hoping for the best. 

Instead, you need to take a number of key factors into consideration to ensure the wood sealer you plan on purchasing offers you everything you need.

To help you make a better decision, we’ve put together a buyer’s guide. In this buyer’s guide, you’ll find the most important things to consider. By taking each point we make about each into consideration, you’ll be able to avoid any buyer’s regret.

The Type Of Wood Sealer

One of the most important things to think about is which type of wood sealer you need. There are three main types of wood sealer on the market, all of which offer something slightly different. Before making a decision, you should learn about what each one offers.

You’ll find information about each type below.

Semi-Transparent

This type of wood sealer isn’t completely clear. As a result, they slightly change the overall color of your project. However, this color change is very minimal and doesn’t make the wood look like it’s been painted. You’ll also still be able to see the wood grain.

Solid Or Opaque

A solid wood sealer acts similarly to paint. It creates a protective layer over the top of the wood. It is important to note that this type of wood sealer completely covers up the wood’s natural color and grain. This may seem strange, but the protection this type of sealer offers is hard to beat.

Clear Wood Sealers

Clear wood sealers leave little to no residue on the wood’s surface. As a result, they are completely transparent, leaving the wood’s natural color and grain on display. When applied, this type of wood sealer is white in color. It is only when they are dry that they become clear in color. 

Clear wood sealers still provide protection from UV radiation, mold, and water.

Quantity

When looking for the best wood sealer for your project, you need to have a good think about how much you need. Wood sealers vary massively in quantity. Some wood sealers only come in tubs of 1-gallon, whilst others come in buckets of 5 gallons.

If you only have a small project, it makes little sense to purchase 5 gallons. You won’t use that much to coat your wood so why waste the money.

On the other hand, if you have a much bigger project, you don’t want to spend money on a sealer that doesn’t complete the job. You’ll then find yourself spending more to try and complete the project.

With this in mind, think about the area you need to coat and check the product description to ensure the wood sealer offers enough coverage. 

The Number Of Coats Required

You will also want to take into consideration how many coats you need to apply in order for the wood sealer to work. Some sealers only require one coat. This is perfect as you can simply coat the wood and leave it. This saves plenty of time.

However, other wood sealers need up to three coats. For obvious reasons, these wood sealers will require more of your time and effort. You’ll also have to keep the wood undercover for longer.

Curing Time

Wood sealers all take different lengths of time to fully cure. If you want to get the job done quicker, you’ll have to find one that cures faster than others. To give you a good idea, most wood sealers fully cure after 48 hours. This means you can only expect your project to be complete after two days.

However, there are some wood sealers that only take 24 hours to fully cure. Sealers that fully cure in 24 hours help complete the project faster, so if speed is on your agenda, this type of wood sealer is something to look out for.

Toxic VS Non-Toxic

Generally speaking, wood sealers that contain toxins or VOCs aren’t dangerous to use. They will only ever contain a small number of toxic chemicals or VOCs. However, this still makes them unsafe to breathe in. 

Because of this, we strongly advise you to look for a wood sealer that contains very little to no toxic chemicals. This will simply ensure that your wood sealer is perfectly safe to be around. This is even more important if you have small pets that will spend time around the dried product.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Happens If I Don’t Use A Wood Sealer?

If you don’t use a wood sealer to protect your outdoor wooden structures, they will be vulnerable to the elements.

Over time and with exposure to water, snow, and heat, the wood will start to rot. This will massively reduce the lifespan of the wood making it unsafe to use. The wood will also look pretty horrendous. 

Can You Use Oil To Waterproof Wood?

Yes, you can absolutely use oil to waterproof wood. To do so, simply use a paintbrush to apply the oil to the wood. Once the oil has been applied, leave it overnight so that it can be absorbed into the wood. You might then want to apply another coat. 

It will probably take the oil two or three days to fully cure.

Can I Paint Sealed Wood?

Yes, you can paint sealed wood. However, you need to prepare it properly first. The best way to prepare your sealed wood for painting is to use an oil-based primer. You’ll find that this makes it much easier to apply the paint without any issues.

Final Thoughts

Using a wood sealer is a quick and easy way to provide your wooden outdoor structures with the protection they need to last longer. By applying a wood sealer, you can prevent the wood from rotting, fading, and cracking as a result of moisture, sunlight, and general wear and tear. 

While it can be quite tricky to find the best wood sealer on the market due to how many options are available, in this article, we have provided you with five of the best the market has to offer.

We’ve looked at what each wood sealer offers, what they prevent, and any pros and cons you should be aware of. 

We’ve then provided you with a helpful buyer’s guide to help you narrow down your options.

All you need to do now is take our list and buyer’s guide and start to identify the wood sealer that suits your needs and requirements best. By taking your time to do so, you should be able to make a solid final decision.