Deck Treatments With Pine Tar

Benefits of Pine Tar

• Pine tar provides two primary benefits as a wood treatment option, weatherproofing and improved surface grip. When applied to wooden surfaces, pine tar protects them against all manner of inclement weather, including rain, snow, heavy moisture, extreme cold and more. This practice began in Sweden with “Stockholm Tar” and spread throughout Finland and Russia. The stickiness of pine tar also provides increased grip on surfaces such as floors, when applied in a pure form, though most pine tar treatments dilute the material to decrease its adhesive qualities.

Maritime Uses

• The use of pine tar on decks began in the shipping industry, when Swedish shipbuilders coated all of the wooden surfaces with pine tar. Shipbuilders used pine tar to protect ships against rot from constant exposure to water and moisture and to strengthen the material against other adverse weather conditions like extreme heat and cold. The stickiness of pine tar also provided increased grip in the deck for deckhands. Wooden leisure boats rarely use pure pine tar because of its gummy texture, though diluted pine tar treatments exist for such use.

Home Use

• Pine tar treatments can protect numerous wooden surfaces around the home, including exterior walls, outdoor furniture and decks. You can use pine tar treatment on any wooden surface exposed to harsh weather. Due to their flat, protruding nature, decks in exposed areas can receive large amounts of sun, rainfall, snow, winds and extreme heat and cold. Deck treatments designed specifically for home uses exist, with a much more heavily diluted form of tar than that found on wooden ships. This dilution prevents your feet from sticking to your deck every time you walk on it.

Pine Tar Treatments

• Pine tar treatments for decks and other surfaces come in various forms. In the 21st century most are designed for use in specific applications. Commercial pine tar treatment manufacturers produce full lines of product, each for a different purpose, from outdoor furniture and home deck use to ship decks, exteriors and ropes. You can purchase these treatments at hardware stores or online. In his article on the history of pine tar in maritime applications, author Theodore P Kaye provides the following recipe for traditional pine tar treatment: one quart turpentine, one quart boiled linseed oil, half a pine of pine tar and half a pint of Japan dryer. Japan dryer accelerates the drying process of the treatment.