Defy Hardwood Stain Review for 2024  4.2/5 (6)

This post was updated on March 21, 2024

2024 Defy Hardwood Stain Review

Welcome to Deckstainhelp.com, your number one source for deck staining tips and the latest industry news on the internet. This year in 2024 those who use Defy Hardwood wood stain continued to be satisfied with the quality and longevity of their deck stain projects. We encourage discussion on our site, so feel free to leave a comment below.

Important Note: The Defy Extreme Hardwood is now labeled under the Defy Extreme Wood Stain. Same exact formula and colors.


Defy Hardwood Stain Reviews

Defy Hardwood Stain Reviews

Defy Hardwood Stain RatingsImportant Note: This is our 2nd Review of Defy Deck Stain for Hardwoods.  See Here for First Review: Defy Hardwood Stain Review

DEFY Deck Stain for Hardwoods is formulated with smaller resins that penetrate hardwoods, or oily softwoods better. If you’re looking for the best stain for cedar decks in a water-based product, then look no further. DEFY Deck Stain for Hardwoods is a synthetic, semi-transparent deck sealer specifically formulated for use on Teak, IPE, Mahogany, Tigerwood, and other exotic hardwoods.

Defy Hardwood Stain should also be considered for oil-rich woods such as Cedar and Redwood, offering better penetration for these wood types.

Important Note: Testing for Exotic Hardwood Deck Stains

Exotic hardwoods such as IPE are extremely dense and difficult to penetrate. These wood types, when stained will always fade faster than other woods such as Cedar, Redwood, and Pine. Testing will be changed to 1 year instead of 2 years for exotic hardwoods.

Defy Stain for Hardwood Scores (1-10)

Appearance After Initial Stain Application: 8

For the IPE wood, the customer wanted a reddish-brown color to enhance the grain. The best color for this is the Light Walnut. The Defy Hardwood did an excellent job of enhancing the grain. It did not film or “cover” the wood grain showing 100% of the natural color tones.

Preventing UV Graying at 1 Year Mark: 7

For Exotic wood stains, we only test for 1 year. The Defy Hardwood Stain retained about 70% of the original color after the full year. It had faded but no graying of the IPE was visible.

Wear/Tear and Peeling: 7.5

The Defy Hardwood does a very good job of penetrating exotic woods. No filming was noticed when completed and the wearing was acceptable after the year. There was some visible wearing on the steps.

Make sure that if you use the Defy Hardwood on IPE you apply only one coat. Too much stain and it will not absorb leading to an increased chance of wear/tear. We learned this from past experience when treating exotic hardwoods.

Cost Per Square Foot: 7

Defy Stain costs about $53 per gallon. We used a little over 2 gallons of the light walnut color on our 400 square feet of IPE. Coverage for the Defy Hardwood is less than other exotic wood stains.

Preventing Mold/Mildew/Algae: 9

No mold or mildew on the flooring surface or decking railings. A small amount was visible on the stairs.

Ease of Application: 8

Defy Hardwood penetrates IPE extremely well without any filming on the surface of the wood. Coverage per square foot is less than an oil-based stain but similar to other water-based wood stains.  We followed the manufacturer’s advice and used a truck brush for application. It was a little messy but it did apply evenly to the surface. One coat to the floors took less than 30 minutes.

Color Shifting (darkening) after 2 Years: 10

Defy Hardwood Stain did not darken in color.

The Difficulty of Reapplication: 8

The procedure for reapplication consisted of a light cleaning with their Defy Wood Cleaner. Once dried after a few days, we reapplied one coat. We did not have any issues with the maintenance coat adhering to the first coat.

Since the Defy Hardwood Stain had faded evenly without any peeling or darkening, it would be easy to apply a wood cleaner to prep the wood. Re-coating should not be an issue since the stain had penetrated into the wood.

Overall Score Defy Hardwood Stain at 2 Year Period: 8.06

This is the second time we have tested the Defy Stain for Hardwoods and the results were similar to the first. It fades lightly through the year and can be reapplied without sanding or chemical stripping. For IPE wood this is essential for annual maintenance.

Product Information:

Help or Questions? Google Search Defy Hardwood Stain
Cost: $52.99 per Gallon, $259.99 per 5 Gallon Pail
Stain Type: Semi-Transparent – Water Based
Available Colors: Cedar Tone, Natural Pine, Light Walnut
Application Temperature: 45-95 F
Coats Required: 2 Coats. “Wet on Wet” for Cedar, 1-2 coats for Exotic Hardwoods
Coverage Per Gallon: 100-150 sq. ft Cedar, 200-300 for Exotic Hardwoods
Application Tools: Sprayer, Pad, Brush, Roller
Dry Time: 2-4 Hours
Cleanup: Water
VOC Compliant: 250 Compliant in all States
Manufacturer: Saver Systems

Test Deck Stats:

Deck Wood Type: IPE decking
Deck Square Footage: 400 Square feet
UV Exposure: Full Sun, South East Exposure.
How Many Years Tested: 1 Year
Stain Color Used: 
Light Walnut

*All products tested and results are from our experience as wood restoration contractors. We offer no guarantee of similar results. Take into consideration that results may differ due to different wood types, exposure to UV radiation, and natural weathering.

Defy Wood Stain Photos

The Best IPE Hardwood Deck Stain Video – DeckStainHelp.com


Please Rate This. You may also post comments or ask questions below.

author avatar
Scott Paul ~ Restoring Wood & Decks Since 1993
#As an article and comment contributor to the site, Scott has been around the pressure washing industry since attending college. In 1993 he started his first company called Oakland Pressure Wash specializing in exterior pressure washing and deck staining. That company evolved into OPW L.L.C. shortly thereafter concentrating more on exterior wood and deck restoration. Scott and his Deck Cleaning Michigan company have restored over 10,000 decks in the Metro Detroit area since the early years. He has become an authority in the deck restoration industry and has contributed to numerous wood restoration forums and informative sites. All the products he suggests through this site are sold through online sites and in retail stores, allowing the consumer to choose their own means of purchase. Scott’s eCommerce sites do sell many top brands he endorses and if you appreciate any of the help he has offered then feel free to purchase from one of them.

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Greg
Greg
2 years ago

I’ve had an Ipe deck for about 12 years (actually Red Belau, but appears to be very similar). After many years of using oil (all the top brands) I’ve slowly watched our once beautiful deck get darker and darker, to the point of almost being black. Also, living in the wet, mild climate of Western Washington meant that, despite my efforts, it was was growing green slime quicker every year.

This year, after scouring this site and others, I decided to try something new, and I’m SO GLAD I did. Here was my regimen, which I’ll be using forever going forward:

  1. Pressure washed: Got off all the dirt, grime and green slime, like I normally do.
  2. Defy Stain Stripper: This was new for me and a critical step. Over the years, I’ve never used a stain that created a coating so I didn’t think a Stain Stripper was necessary. But after reading this site, I realized that the penetrating oil I’d been using over the years had created a sort of coating of its own that needed to be removed. The stripper pulled years of built up oil out from the wood and you could see the dark red and brown being washed away. (I scrubbed it with a push broom before hosing it off, just to loosen up more stuff.)
  3. Defy Wood Brightener: This is something I’ve done before and did it again this year. Lightens the wood up another shade but, more importantly, it resets the PH balance of the wood to its natural state so it accepts the stain better.
  4. Defy Extreme Stain for Hardwoods: This product was also new to me this year, and again, critical to the success of my project. I bought 3 gallons each of both the Cedar and Light Walnut colors. I tested them on an inconspicuous board and honestly, I could barely tell the difference between them. Maybe due to the age of my deck, I dunno, but since they were essentially identical and both beautiful, I mixed the colors together in a 5-gallon bucket and went for it.

The results? Amazing. I never thought I’d get my deck back to anything close to its original state, but this stain (and general approach) did the trick beyond my wildest dreams. Hopefully it holds up well over the winter. Next year I’ll just clean, brighten, apply more stain (without pressure washing or stripping).

The photos show my progress about halfway through, so you can see the difference.
And lastly, a huge thank you to whoever created and maintains this site!!!

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Rich
Rich
5 years ago

After years of frustrating use of oil-based stains on my IPE deck, Defy Deck Stain for Hardwoods has proven to be dang close to a miracle. I have used Messmers, Australian Timber Oil, Penofin and several others. Despite rigorous prep, none of them lasted, all of them blackened and needed to be chemically stripped every two years. Mind you, I painted houses for several years so proper prep is a process well-known to me. None of the oil-based stains lasted. Defy is so user-friendly. I had chemically stripped the Messmers in July of last year. Defy was easy to apply and looked great. I scrubbed the deck with Oxyclean in October and put on another coat of Defy to get through the winter. It came through looking great. This past week, I scrubbed the deck again and touched up with Defy in heavy-traffic parts of the deck. It looks fantastic. No more chemical stripping, ever. Defy is water-based so it is very easy to apply and clean up. You do need to be careful with application as it will dry VERY quickly in direct sun/on a hot deck. All in all, I wish I had known about this product when the deck was built in 2006.

rich
rich
5 years ago

Have not had my first cup of coffee yet, otherwise would have taken more pictures, but here’s one…

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Dan
Dan
5 years ago
Reply to  rich

Rich, your deck looks great following your prep and staining with the Defy Hardwood stain. What color tone of the stain did you use? I am planning on installing a Cumaru deck next Spring (probably won’t prep and stain until the following Spring) and the Defy is very much in the running for what I will use for the project. Thanks for your post.

rich
rich
4 years ago
Reply to  Dan

Sorry for taking so long to respond. I used Defy Deck Stain for Hardwoods in Light Walnut color. The deck was resurfaced over this past weekend and bit more prep was needed including some sanding and pressure washing to remove loose stain and dark spots. No big deal and far easier than chemical stripping as in the past. After having to go through the nightmare of chemical stripping of oil-based finishes, I won’t use anything but Defy.

Greg
Greg
2 years ago
Reply to  Rich

This is exactly the experience I had. I’ll include photos in a separate post, but you summed up my experience precisely. I’ll never go back to oil based stains.

Jose
Jose
10 months ago

Hello I live in central TX and I have an IPE deck around a pool and a cedar fence. From an ease of application and reaplication perspective, should I go with DEFY or AC? I understand that for the deck I would probably have to reapply on a yearly basis, but would DEFY or AC last longer on the cedar fence? I have heard oil stains last 2-3 years and water based stains lasting a little 3-5. Does this apply for both DEFY and AC?

Miriam
Miriam
1 year ago

I have a small (12×14) cabin with Canadian cedar scurled siding. It’s been stained with Penofin for about 8 years and it turned blotchy after about 4. This is in western Washington with lots of trees around it. The sunniest side is faded and the more shaded sides are darker. What can I prep it with and what product to you recommend for getting rid of the blotchiness? The wood itself was so beautiful.

Bill
Bill
1 year ago

I was told once that staining during pollen season would allow the pollen to become impregnated into the wet stain and cause black spots or mold/mildew to form. Is that just a old wife’s tale or is there any merit to it?

Bill
Bill
1 year ago

Ok, pollen season is just starting I figured I’d ask.

Cicc
Cicc
2 years ago

First off – thanks so much for this site! Extremely helpful and informative. I bought a house with an old Cedar Playset, some areas more weathered than others (see example picture). Some sites I researched said the only prep required is to powerwash with soap. Is the RAD cleaner/stripper required? What stain and color would you recommend out of the TWP, RAD, Defy, etc? Any recommendations on a good exterior grade wood putty to fill carpenter bee holes?? THANKS!

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Lynn Keister
Lynn Keister
2 years ago

Looking for the best opaque stain for my deck. Suggestions please?

SHARON L JACOBS
SHARON L JACOBS
2 years ago

Can Restore-A-Deck Same Day Semi -transparent stain be used anytime after cleaning?

John Hubenschmidt
John Hubenschmidt
2 years ago

I have new Cedar wood. I used Defy wood cleaner and wood brightner. Each time i rinsed them off with Well water and let them dry . No problem they looked good I applied Defy Semi- Transparent Crystal Clear wood stain. 2 days later i squirted my deck with my garden Hose which is well water to clean it off. when it dried i have water stains EVERWHERE. And they wont come off. All that work for nothing. Whats going on?

John Hubenschmidt
John Hubenschmidt
2 years ago

I bought the wood and It sat Outside for about a month and covered it when it Rained before i starting Prepping it.

Nick Treseder
Nick Treseder
2 years ago

I bought a house in Chapel Hill, NC with a 14 year old IPE deck that has grayed and has checking. I am not looking to change the color looking to protect the IPE from weathering.

What sealer should I use in my deck?
TNX,
Nick Treseder

Nick Treseder
Nick Treseder
2 years ago

Sounds rather labor intensive. Would a UV sealer with a tint work to avoid cleaning the gray. If yes, suggestions. Also, gray cleaner suggestions.
Tnx,
Nick

Kiran
Kiran
3 years ago

I used IPE oil for the past three years on my IPE deck. I want to switch over to a water based stain like DEFY Deck Stain for Hardwoods. If I clean for prep, would I be able to apply Defy Deck stain for Hardwoods? Also what color would you suggest since the IPE Oil appeared to have some colorant. Thank you for the fantastic and helpful information on your website by the way!

Kiran
Kiran
3 years ago

Thanks so much for the quick reply. Is the RAD brightener the best as well?

Kiran
Kiran
3 years ago

Thanks so much. RAD looks like a great product line. I used TSP alternative and bleach on a smaller portion of the porch because of mildew. I am out of time because of the weather. I am wondering if I can just stick to this cleaning with tsp alternative and bleach for the winter. In the spring I would like to do the stripper and brightener as well as moving to the water based stain. Would that plan work or will the deck suffer from the tsp alternative and bleach cleaning without a stain? Thanks again for all the expertise.

Wendy
Wendy
3 years ago

Have a few year old cedar railing on large deck. Floor is vinyl. Last product used was a water-base Behr stain. We liked the look of it but it hasn’t stood up well. Some mildew issues and difficult application (maybe was too warm weather). We have removed the old stain with 30-second cleaner, a stripper, sanding and still not completely removed. Am interested to try Defy Extreme Stain or Defy Extreme Stain for Hardwoods. Do we still need more prep…even on the well cleaned pickets?

Chris
Chris
4 years ago

Does ipe need to be stained on all sides before installing?

Jonathan S Woodman
Jonathan S Woodman
4 years ago

A customer of mine has an outdoor shower on the shady side of his house that sees little if any sunlight. The enclosure and floor are untreated Ipe. There is a lot of green algae and some mildew. The floor gets very slippery. After washing with an algae and mildew cleaner I need treat the Ipe so that water sheets off so the structure dries and algae doesn’t grow. Would Defy Extreme be a good choice for this project, or is there something better? Thanks!

Jonathan
Jonathan
4 years ago

How about the shower enclosure?

Mandy ding
Mandy ding
5 years ago

Hello: great web site, very informative.
I am living in Canada. I am planning to install a ceder pergola. I wanted to stain the wood before the installation. I know the wood has been in the store over the winter. Can I prep and stain instead of stain after installation. If so, what brand would you suggest? Is defy extreme water base a first choice? Thanks

Dan
Dan
5 years ago

Your site is fantastic. Like so many others, I wished I would have found it sooner, although I have stumbled upon many of your basic teachings by years of mistakes as well as trial and error. I am planning on replacing my Cedar deck next Spring with Cumaru (probably won’t prep and stain until the following Spring to allow wood to season). I am in Michigan and although parts of my deck are exposed to direct sunlight at times during the day, much of the area is shaded by trees. The surrounding trees also drop a fair amount of organic matter on the deck throughout the year. Defy is very much in the running, but I am also considering Ipe oil, Mesmers, and Armstrong. I have a few questions.
1) Given the conditions I describe, which product do you think is best suited?
2) Of the Defy and Armstong, are there color shades more or less likely to show staining from surrounding trees?
3) For application and wear issues, which tops the list?

Dan
Dan
5 years ago

Thanks for the guidance. Much appreciated!

Steve
Steve
5 years ago

I have a new, clear cedar deck, and want to use a water-based stain. Would the Defy Hardwood or the Defy Extreme be more appropriate?

Julia
Julia
5 years ago

Would this be a good product for my new (in March) cedar fence in Seattle? West facing, full sun in summer. Lots of rain as well. I’m looking for semi-transparent, lower maintenance, cedar color (not orange). Thank you!

Julia
Julia
5 years ago

Thanks very much. Would the Defy Hardwood version definitely be better than Defy Extreme?

Tom
Tom
5 years ago

Does this require a wet on wet application, or is it a one coat application not requiring wet on wet.

Steve
Steve
5 years ago

Hi,
I’m planning to use Defy for Hardwoods on my mahogany deck. I sanded, cleaned and brightened it. Your review says to only use one coat on hardwoods, but the the product info says 1-2 coats on exotic hardwoods. What to you recommend for mahogany?
Thanks.

Cheri
Cheri
5 years ago

We have a deck made of larch wood. The deck is 2 years old and the lumber yard applied a clear coat protective finish which didn’t last long. The wood has grayed and where the metal spindles connect into the wood it has turned blackish. What would be the best cleaner/restorer? What would be the best sealer to use? I would like to use a water based sealer. Would the Defy for Hardwoods be best? I like the review of the RAD Wood stain as it can be applied damp and would prefer to use that if it would work well on the larch. Thank you!

Cheri
Cheri
5 years ago

We have powder coated aluminum spindles on this deck. What stripper and brightener can be used without harming the finish on the spindles? Thank you.

Erik Rose
Erik Rose
6 years ago

Hi I’m looking for a stain to put on trailer deck- hardwood I think. Going to be pressure wash trailer so need to protect from bleach chemical and other chemicals. Also planning on going over with plywood for extra protection. Thoughts or suggestions? Thanks

merilee
merilee
8 years ago

great forum! i have old greyed out redwood decking(which i love) and brand new port orford cedar decking (very hard and looks like pine) in napa. i really want to stain them to look the same color. i like the review of the defy hardwood stain. how can i get the old decks and the new decks to look similar? they aren't right next to each other so it doesn't have to be a perfect match, but i do want them to look cohesive. sincerely, merilee

jose
jose
8 years ago

I'm having a new IPE deck been built next to a pool over a concrete subfloor with good drainage. Should I seal each board on all 4 sides before installation? Then after its installed should I use the brightener and seal the top again?

Dusty
Dusty
8 years ago

I applied Defy for Hardwoods last month. I used the cedar color which turns out to be actually ugly ORANGE on white cedar. It also is sticky in places. I suspect that the two solid weeks of rain beginning the day after application might be part of why.
My question: I want to recoat it in the spring with a different, darker color of Defy. Can I get by with prep that is only cleaning? Could I lightly sand the sticky spots if still sticky before recoating in the spring? I spent a lot of time stripping this deck and don't want to restrip next year if I can avoid it. Thanks

Frank
Frank
8 years ago

I stripped my deck with defy stripper and most of the stain came out but there are numerous spots especially around the knots in the wood. It was a lot of work. I used a powerwasher to get it off . What do I do now with all the spots which are now actually darker than the stain was.

Frank
Frank
8 years ago

Did not use the brightener yet because I didn't know if I would need to do the stripper again. Will the brightener help with the spots? Also, I am not sure how to blend in the stain to hide the spots? The spots are also much darker than the stain was – is that from the chemical reaction from the stripper?

Frank
Frank
8 years ago

Thank you . How do I post picture here.

richg
richg
4 years ago
Reply to  Frank

Some dark spots on IPE are so tough that no stripper or wood brightener will get rid of them and the only way to do so is with sanding….I use a palm sander with 60-grit aluminum oxide.

Jose
Jose
8 years ago

I have a Mahogany deck that was stained with a Cabot wood stain that did not perform well. I have stripped and neutralized and am ready to stain. Most recommendations for a hardwood stain on this site are split between Defy Hardwood and Armstrong. Are there conditions under which Defy or Armstrong would perform better that the other? My house is in SE Pennsylvania, is totally surrounded by woods (and therefore enjoys a damper atmosphere), and enjoys mostly sunny, but partly shade conditions. Would the damper atmosphere cause me to lean toward water-based Defy?

Jose
Jose
8 years ago

I had it done by a contractor who was recommended to me before I learned of this site. He power-washed it and applied the Cabot. The first time he did it, it looked OK for one year but the second time, it looked all mildewed and moldy within three months. I suspect he did not wait long enough after power washing before staining it. And I also suspect that he used plain water to power wash (with nothing to kill the mold and mildew). And finally, I think Cabot changed its formula. Now, I have used a stripper (and a fair amount of elbow grease) and a neutralizer and it now looks very good. My hope is that, going forward, I can use Defy Hardwood Stain and only need to neutralize and apply a maintenance level of stain on the horizontal boards annually, every two or three years for the vertical spindles. Is that a reasonable expectation?

glady
glady
8 years ago

According to the Defy website you just need to brighten.

"It may be beneficial to use DEFY Wood Brightener to clean and brighten the surface before the maintenance coat. "

I spoke with one of their customer services rep and he confirmed this. Is it possible that their brightener has some cleaning agents also.

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