New deck. Seal or not seal?

[basscatP3]

Need some advice on sealing the deck. I have new marine plywood installed already. Ive gotten alot of advice from socalled local "experts". Some say seal it and some say dont worry about it! For my own peace of mind i think i will seal it. What should i use? Latex primer,oil based primer,epoxy primer?

Thanks, Vic

[slingshot]

If you used "marine plywood" you don't seal it in that its pressure treated and should last a very long time. I don't know what you should do if you used regular plywood. Maybe if that guy who built that wooden pontoon chimes in he'll give you some good advise.

[lakerunner]

I used to think sealing would be the way to go but found out on a pontoon you don't. Sealing can actually hold moisture in and cause premature rotting. Now this is using marine grade plywood. If you used anything else I couldn't say.

[timmac]

I used to think sealing would be the way to go but found out on a pontoon you don't. Sealing can actually hold moisture in and cause premature rotting. Now this is using marine grade plywood. If you used anything else I couldn't say.

How does adding a sealer keep moisture in when the sealer is supposed to keep it out, I added a water base sealer to the under side of my new boat to help with blocking more moisture.

Next project is skinning the bottom..

[dockholiday]

I used to think sealing would be the way to go but found out on a pontoon you don't. Sealing can actually hold moisture in and cause premature rotting. Now this is using marine grade plywood. If you used anything else I couldn't say.

How does adding a sealer keep moisture in when the sealer is supposed to keep it out, I added a water base sealer to the under side of my new boat to help with blocking more moisture.

Next project is skinning the bottom..

Just about all wood has moisture in it, especially the treated wood. Note when building with treated I always try to purchase the wood a couple of weeks prior to building, for drying time. I had a couple of chairs on my screen porch I wanted to take to the lake, but wanted to paint before taking them. They had dust etc so I cut the hose on them and painted the next day. After a few days the latex paint had several bubbles develop. I am about 90 percent sure this was due to the water I had put on it an the sun was trying to draw the water out. Okay one more example an I will quit. Had 3 6x6 put under the screen porch (pressure treated) an after a few days more of drying I noticed some splits develop. It crossed my mind to put some wood glue or some filler in but talked to several guys who deal with wood an they said just leave it as is. Funny now the cracks just come an go with the weather an amount of moisture in the air. Looked the other day after a rain an could not see any cracks or tell where they had been. Well that's about it. Wood needs a certain amount of moisture or it becomes brittle
doc

[timmac]

So have I done a bad thing by spraying a water base sealer under my pontoon, or will it be OK, I will assure you it was very dry before application due to the fact that I live in Vegas where its hot and dryer than a pop corn fart..