I have a 4 year old pole building and some of the exposed 2x6's at the bottom of the building are showing signs of discoloration, etc. I am looking for something I can put on this wood to protect it from rot and things like carpenter ants, etc. What stuff do you guys use that works well? The wood it treated but I am not impressed with how it looks after just 4 years. Thanks

Don't know what state you are in but I live in Michigan a own a log house. I order all my wood protection materials from Schroeder Log Home Supply in Grand Rapids, MN. There products are the best I found. www.loghelp.com 1-800-359-6614. They ship anywhere. For my decks I just use Thompson Wood Protector, but I power wash it every year and apply a new coat of sealer after.

One of the first questions to answer is, "How long do you want the coating to last?"

The reason this question matters is that most of the clear coatings will only last 1 to 3 or maybe 4 years. (The length of time will vary depending on sun exposure, the climate in your area, etc.) In my area, 2 years is a typical limit. If you do not mind re-applying the coatings frequently, then a clear coating will work.

If you want the coating to last longer, then a quality paint is the answer. Paint will last MUCH longer than the clear coatings. You can select a color that is close to the current color of the wood if desired.

Thanks for the input guys. I don't care what it looks like as it is only 3" at the bottom of the building. And of course I want it to last as long as possible.

Are the 2x6s in contact with the ground?

No. They are about 3" above the ground.

Sounds like you need to put sealer on it just like a deck. The only exposed wood on my pole barn on the outside is mainly the doors and roof trim which is painted. On the inside the wood is unfinished and aged. Only some poles at the ground are starting to rot and need to be repaired but the rest is out of the weather.

i found out a couple of months ago, the "treated" lumber today is not as good as the stuff you could get even 5-10yrs ago.
if a guy needs ground contact [or even close to it] lumber, i don't know what kind of coating you would use these days.
sorry for the hijack.