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The Deck Sealer Test Results – Part 2 video reports that the pigmented Defy Extreme Cedar Tone sample kept its original appearance after roughly 5.5 months outdoors, while the clear Defy and Sherwin-Williams samples had turned gray. Carter said the clear samples still repelled water, so the test separated two outcomes that are often confused: color retention and water repellency.
Tim Carter began the dock test on April 30, 2010, presented the observations on October 12, and the video is dated October 18, 2010 on YouTube. It is a historical field observation of a few samples, not a current controlled comparison, product guarantee or universal ranking. The original report is available from Ask the Builder, with the video itself on YouTube.
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What was the Deck Sealer Test Results – Part 2 video?
The video is the second report on an outdoor deck-finish test conducted by Ask the Builder founder Tim Carter. Carter placed separately treated wood samples on a dock and left an untreated section alongside them as a control. He then inspected the samples after about five and a half months outside.
The schedule matters. The test started on April 30, 2010, and Carter described the results on October 12, 2010; YouTube lists the upload date as October 18, 2010. Those dates make the report a snapshot of one exposure period, at one location, on one set of samples. It does not establish how any finish will perform after several years, in another climate, on another wood species or under a different maintenance routine.
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The Ask the Builder deck-maintenance archive also characterizes the item as a 5.5-month result and notes that two clear products failed the color test. The archive is useful context, but the observations and judgments remain Carter’s report of this particular demonstration.
Which products and samples were compared?
Carter identified three treated samples and one untreated control. The documented products were Defy Extreme in Cedar Tone, Defy clear and Sherwin-Williams Deck Stain in clear. The comparison was visual and practical rather than a laboratory measurement.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware match| Sample | Finish type | Carter’s reported appearance after about 5.5 months | Reported water behavior |
|---|---|---|---|
| Defy Extreme Cedar Tone | Pigmented, cedar-colored finish | Looked as it did when applied; retained its color better than the clear samples | Continued to repel water |
| Defy clear | Clear finish | Had turned gray; its color was similar to the untreated section | Still repelled water |
| Sherwin-Williams Deck Stain, clear | Clear finish | Had turned gray; its color was similar to the untreated section | Still repelled water |
| Untreated section | No finish; control | Provided the reference for what the wood looked like without a finish | Not presented as a treated water-repellent sample |
The table should not be read as a modern specification sheet. The report does not provide coverage rates, preparation details, application temperatures, number of coats, wood species, moisture readings, film thickness, measured water-contact angles or laboratory color values. It records what Carter saw and stated in the video and accompanying page.
Which deck sealer held its color?
In Carter’s observation, Defy Extreme Cedar Tone held its appearance. He said the pigmented sample looked much as it had when applied and continued to repel water. The clear Defy and clear Sherwin-Williams samples had visibly grayed by the same inspection.
The important variable in Carter’s conclusion was pigment. A colored finish leaves visible pigment on or in the weathered surface, whereas a clear finish has no color reserve when the underlying wood changes appearance. That explanation describes the pattern in this demonstration; it is not proof that every pigmented product will outperform every clear product in every setting.
If a homeowner’s primary objective is keeping a deck looking close to its freshly finished color, this report points toward evaluating pigmented stains rather than selecting a clear sealer solely because it is transparent. A search for “pigmented deck stain” can identify current products to investigate, but each current label must be checked independently for its wood, preparation, recoat and exposure instructions.
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Did the clear sealers fail completely?
No. They failed the appearance test described by Carter, but he said both clear samples still repelled water. That distinction is the central lesson of Part 2: a finish can continue to provide water repellency while the wood looks gray.
“Failure” therefore depends on the outcome being measured. If the goal is a particular color or a freshly finished appearance, the clear samples performed poorly in this observation. If the goal is simply whether water was still repelled at the inspection date, Carter reported a positive result for both clear samples.
Water repellency and color retention should be recorded separately when comparing deck finishes. A visual change does not, by itself, show that all protective properties have disappeared; conversely, water beading does not show that the wood will retain its original color. The video gives a useful example of why those tests should not be collapsed into one pass-or-fail label.
Why was the untreated section important?
The untreated wood was the control: a reference for what the dock looked like with no finish applied. Carter explained its purpose in the video and report: This is the control to see what it would look like if you did nothing.
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That comparison helped him judge the clear samples. He said the clear-coated areas had turned gray and had coloring similar to the untreated section. Without an untreated reference beside the treated boards, it would have been harder to distinguish ordinary weathering from a change associated with the clear coatings.
A control does not remove every source of uncertainty. The treated and untreated pieces may still have differed in grain, exposure, previous condition or local wetting. The control simply establishes the baseline Carter chose for this demonstration; it is not a statistical control group large enough to support population-wide conclusions.
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What conclusion did Tim Carter draw?
Carter’s takeaway was that a finish containing color pigment was needed if the objective was to keep a deck looking good for at least a year or longer. That is his conclusion from the samples and the roughly 5.5-month observation period, not a guaranteed service life and not a statement that pigment alone determines durability.
The wording matters because the test had not yet documented a full year at the time of the report. Carter was expressing a practical expectation based on the early appearance of the pigmented sample and the graying of the clear samples. Readers should not convert that expectation into a promise that a particular stain will remain attractive for twelve months in every climate.
The test also does not compare every available deck finish. It compares the named samples in one dock installation. There is no evidence in the report for a comprehensive ranking of clear sealers, semi-transparent stains, solid-color stains or newer formulations released after 2010.
Is the Cedar Tone result a current endorsement of Defy?
No. The historical result should not be presented as Carter’s current recommendation. An October 2016 note on the Ask the Builder page states: I no longer would apply Defy deck sealer to any exterior wood that I own at my own home.
That later statement changes how the older footage should be read. The Cedar Tone sample looked best in the 2010 observation, but Carter subsequently said he would not use Defy on his own exterior wood. The two statements can both be reported accurately: one describes an earlier test observation, while the other records his later personal position.
Product formulas, labeling, ownership, application directions and available colors can change. Anyone considering a current product must read its present technical data and label rather than rely on a 2010 video or treat the old Cedar Tone appearance as a warranty.
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What does this test prove—and what does it not prove?
The evidence supports a narrow set of statements:
- After about 5.5 months outdoors, Carter reported that the pigmented Cedar Tone sample retained its appearance better than the two clear samples.
- He reported that both clear samples had grayed.
- He also reported that the clear samples continued to repel water.
- The untreated section served as the visual control.
- His practical conclusion favored pigment when appearance for a year or longer was the goal.
The evidence does not support claims about a universal “best” deck sealer, exact product lifespan, resistance to foot traffic, mildew, cracking, peeling or ultraviolet exposure, or comparative cost. It does not report a statistically designed experiment, repeated boards, laboratory measurements or results from multiple climates. It also does not establish whether the same products would behave identically on a house deck, a shaded porch or a different species of wood.
Those limits are not flaws to hide; they define the proper use of the video. Treat it as a documented field example showing why pigment and water repellency should be evaluated independently, not as a substitute for current product documentation or a controlled, up-to-date comparison.
How should a homeowner use the result when choosing a finish?
Start by deciding which outcome matters most. If preserving a particular visible color is essential, include pigmented stains in the candidates you investigate. If preserving a natural, transparent look is more important, recognize that the video shows clear samples can gray even while still repelling water.
- Define the appearance target. Write down whether you want a visible cedar tone, a weathered gray look or minimal color change. The Part 2 result is most relevant when the target is a maintained, colored appearance.
- Separate appearance from moisture behavior. Do not use water beading as a proxy for color stability. Ask the manufacturer how it describes color retention, and treat any warranty language as specific to that product and its conditions.
- Check the current label. Confirm that the formulation is intended for your wood and exposure, and follow the current instructions for preparation, coats, drying and maintenance. The 2010 report does not supply those details.
- Record the product and date. Keep the container or technical sheet, note the color name and document when it was applied. This makes later maintenance decisions more reliable if the formula or label changes.
- Inspect two separate outcomes. During maintenance, look at the color and the way water behaves as different observations. A gray surface may still shed water, while a surface that no longer sheds water may need attention even if its color remains acceptable.
This process uses the video’s strongest practical lesson without overstating it. The report can inform what to look for, but it cannot replace the instructions and claims for a product available in 2026.
Why should the 5.5-month duration be treated cautiously?
Five and a half months is long enough for Carter to report a visible difference between the samples, but it is not a complete life-cycle study. Seasonal exposure, wetting and drying cycles, sunlight, traffic and maintenance beyond the observation period could change the relative appearance later.
The timing also explains why the video should not be used to promise “one-year protection.” Carter said pigment was needed if the goal was to keep a deck looking good for at least a year or longer; that is a forward-looking conclusion, not a measured twelve-month result. A reader who needs a one-year appearance guarantee must look for current, product-specific evidence rather than infer it from this video.
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What should a reader watch for in the original video?
Watch for the sequence in which Carter identifies the untreated control, compares the pigmented Cedar Tone board with the two clear boards and then discusses water repellency. The visual comparison is useful because the samples are adjacent, but the spoken explanation is equally important: the clear finishes are described as gray in appearance, not as completely unable to repel water.
Use the original YouTube video for the presentation and the Ask the Builder report for the written context and later Defy note. Together they preserve the date, the sample names and the qualification that this is a historical observation rather than a current product endorsement.
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For the specific 2010 dock test, the pigmented Defy Extreme Cedar Tone sample held its visible color better than the clear Defy and Sherwin-Williams samples. The clear samples grayed but still repelled water, so they did not fail every function that Carter observed. The fairest modern reading is to use the video as evidence that pigment can matter for appearance, while treating all current product choices, performance claims and maintenance intervals as questions that require current documentation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can this video predict how a stain will perform on my particular deck?
Not reliably. The report does not identify enough variables—such as your wood species, local exposure, preparation or maintenance—to transfer the result directly to another deck. Use it as a comparison principle, then follow the current product label for your conditions.
Why might a clear finish look gray while still repelling water?
The video records those two observations separately: visual color changed, while water was still repelled. That means appearance and moisture behavior can change at different rates, so neither one should be used as the sole indicator of the other.
What should I verify before buying a current pigmented deck stain?
Check the current label and technical sheet for approved surfaces, preparation, application conditions, drying and maintenance instructions. Also confirm the exact color name and any warranty terms; the 2010 test cannot verify present-day formulas or claims.
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Where can I find the original Part 2 footage and written report?
The footage is available on YouTube. The written account, product names and Carter’s later 2016 Defy caveat appear on the Ask the Builder page.
