Non-Toxic Wood Sealers and Repellents

We are planning to seal our wood deck this spring and I’d like to use a green product. As an added issue, the existing wood is pressure treated and I am worried about the arsenic in that. What do you recommend?

Good choice, going green for sealing your deck! Don’t look back! And yes, you need to choose a product that is not only green but able to seal in the toxic arsenic in the pressure treated wood. You are in luck, there are now a number of green products on the market, many made of soy. They will succeed in these tasks, thanks to the perseverance and progressive thinking of a number of manufacturers.

Soy oil has become one replacement for petroleum oil, so longer-lasting oil-based repellents and sealants can still be used, but without the toxic petroleum oils used in the past.

Here are some “green” water repellents and sealants for exterior wood:

SoySeal Wood Sealer and Waterproofer
• Manufactured by Natural Soy Products, LLC.

• A natural soy-based 24-month sealer for all wood, decks and docks.

• Contains no V.O.C.\’s, is non-toxic, non-flammable.
• Contains a small amount of a mildewcide to prevent mold from feeding on the soy oil.

SoyGuard Wood Sealer and Water Repellent
• Manufactured by BioPreserve.
• A natural soy-based 24-month sealer for all wood, including pressure treated, decks and docks.
• Contains very low level of V.O.C.’s, non-flammable, low odor.
• Contains a patented mildewcide; claims “no toxic biocides.”
• Does not damage ozone.

Rainforest Sealer
• Low VOC, 100 percent natural, non-toxic.
• Water repelling, insect, algae, mildew, wood decay fungi deterrents based on elements and minerals. (Uses zinc borate as a mildew and fungus deterrent, which has been found to be nontoxic, instead of chemical biocides.)
• Use for timber, siding, decks, floors.

Safecoat DynoSeal
• Low odor, all-weather, waterproof, vapor proof coating and sealer that gives off no offensive chemical fumes.
• Adheres well to concrete, block, metal, wood and hot mop asphalt.
• Safecoat® products eliminate unregulated toxic ingredients such as solvents, heavy metals, chemical residuals, formaldehyde and other harmful preservatives and are as safe and not toxic as possible.
• Products are structured with a unique molecular formulation designed to seal surfaces thus reducing offgassing into your environment.
• Does not use any mildewcides or fungicides.

Safecoat WaterShield
• Controlled penetration water repelling sealer which provides an invisible barrier against water and resists oils, grease and similar liquids.
• Non-toxic, non-flammable, lead free, formaldehyde free, and does not contain surface contaminating silicones.
• Does not use any mildewcides or fungicides.
• Safecoat® products eliminate unregulated toxic ingredients such as solvents, heavy metals, chemical residuals, formaldehyde and other harmful preservatives and are as safe and not toxic as possible.

Some of the hazardous ingredients traditional exterior water repellents and sealers may contain include:

Formaldehyde: Health effects include eye, nose, and throat irritation; wheezing and coughing; fatigue; skin rash; severe allergic reactions. May cause cancer.

Petroleum distillates: Can contain long-term toxins and known cancer causing agents, produce local skin irritation, and add to smog and water pollution due to improper disposal or during manufacture and use.

Volatile Organic Compounds: Health effects include eye, nose, and throat irritation; headaches, loss of coordination, nausea; damage to liver, kidney, and central nervous system. Some organics can cause cancer in animals; some are suspected or known to cause cancer in humans.