Messmers UV Plus Wood Stain Review  4/5 (41)

This post was updated on March 2, 2024

Messmers UV Plus Wood Stain Review 2024

Messmers UV Plus Wood Deck StainMessmers UV Plus Wood Stain has been manufactured for over 20 years in the Salt Lake City, Utah area. Using a combination of natural oils (linseed) and synthetic oils, Messmers will protect exterior wood with 8 different transparent and semi-transparent colors. The trans-oxides will absorb the UV while preventing oxidation/graying.

Update: Messmers UV Plus Wood Stain

We would love to hear from you if you have used Messmers UV Plus Wood Stain on your wood or deck. Please post a rating in the Consumer Star Ratings below.

If you have any pictures of your experience with Messmers UV Plus Wood Stains, you can add them in the comment area with a detailed description.

Messmers UV Plus Wood Stain Rating (1-10)

Appearance After Initial Stain Application: 8

– We choose the Natural color as the manufacturer said it was the most popular. It enhanced the wood grain “naturally” without adding to much pigment or “orange” tones to our redwood decking. The knots of the redwood did dry a little lighter in color compared to the rich tones of the grain.

Preventing UV Graying at 2 Year Mark: 7

– Messmers scored lowest in preventing UV graying. About 60% of the original color was left after the 2 plus years. The decking surface was just starting to turn gray. Being that the Natural color we used was light in tint, we would assume that a darker color/tint would achieve better results for UV protection.

Wear/Tear and Peeling: 9

– The UV Plus did excellent for wear/tear. This finished absorbed deeply into the wood grain. A small number of worn areas were noticeable around the perimeter of the home from water dripping along the roof edge.

Cost Per Square Foot: 7.5

– For the 500 square foot redwood deck, we used one 5 gallon pail of Messmer’s stain. We applied two coats to the floor surface and one coat to the railings. Cost per square foot to apply was $.36 a square foot.

Preventing Mold/Mildew/Algae: 8

– Messmers did well for mold resistance on our test deck. As we mentioned before, there was a line near the perimeter of the home where rain dripping from the roof had washed away the stain. In this area, mold and green algae had begun to grow.

Ease of Application: 8.5

– Application for the Messmers UV Plus was a breeze. The stain was rolled on and back brushed with a pad for the flooring. The stain penetrated into the wood without any issues. For the railings, a plastic pump sprayer was used to apply the Messmers. The stain did not have any issues with clogging or funneling through the sprayer. We did back wipe some drips that formed on the rails and posts.

Color Shifting (darkening) after 2 Years: 7

– We expected that the Messmers would darken in color due to the high elevation of the deck. Past tests with similar brands have proven that high elevations can darken the stain after 2 years. Messmers performed better here than other brands. Any darkening was minimal.

Difficulty of Reapplication: 8

– With a light fading and deep penetration of the stain, the Messmers UV plus should be an easy maintenance stain. A wood cleaner and a wood brightener will prep the wood for another coat.

Overall Score Messmers UV Puls at 2 Year Period: 7.88

– Overall we were happy with the Messmers UV Plus wood stain. The natural color of the stain did a beautiful job with our initial appearance of the redwood decking. We would have hoped that the Messmers would have scored better with UV protection. Most likely you would need to reapply every 18 months or so as the Messmers had difficulty achieving UV protection for the two years tested.

If you want a beautiful-looking stain that is easy to apply then Messmers would be a great choice.

Product Information:

Where To Buy: Messmers UV Plus
Cost: $47.99 per Gallon, $239.99 per 5 Gallon Pail
Stain Type: Semi-Transparent – Linseed Oil-Based
Available Colors: Natural, Pine/Fir, Cedar, Redwood, Oak Brown, Oxford Brown, Sequoia, Dark Walnut,
Application Temperature: 45-90 F
Coats Required: 1-2 Coats
Coverage Per Gallon: 150-250 sq. ft
Application Tools: Sprayer, Pad, Brush, Roller
Dry Time: 4-24 Hours
Cleanup: Mineral Spirits
VOC Compliant: 250 Compliant in All 50 States

Test Deck Stats:

Deck Wood Type: Redwood
Deck Square Footage: 500
UV Exposure: Full Sun, High Elevation
How Many Years Tested: 2 Years
Stain Color Used: 
Natural

*All products tested and results are from our experience. 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.


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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Nancy Reed
Nancy Reed
6 months ago

Hi. We live at elevation in Colorado and the painters we used to stain our decks this summer suggested we try Messmers. Unfortunately, the decks remain sticky weeks after the application. Do you have any suggestions to help with this? We are hoping that they will be less tacky in the spring after our long, cold winter. Thanks.
Nancy Reed
Frisco CO

Nancy H.
Nancy H.
10 months ago

The builder used this product on a light colored oak railing in September. It is May 1st of the following year, and the railing is gray. I’m not sure what color was applied – natural or some other. The railing was covered with snow for days at a time over the winter, but it is only two inches wide and there is no UV exposure in winter at this latitude. We are looking into another product that will hopefully retain color for longer than 7 months. At least the railing is not curling like it was with the last product.

Robert Kay
Robert Kay
1 year ago

My experience with Messmers UV Plus on ipe is that it turns the wood black with UV exposure whereas untreated ipe will turn grey. Not my favorite product. A neighbor used Penofin on his fence and it is still looking good after 2 years with reapplication at 6 months, no cleaning.

Charles Towner
Charles Towner
1 year ago

I am very disappointed in your stain ! I would never use it again …..

kerry smith
kerry smith
2 years ago

Love Messmer’s u.v. stain for decks! Yes it has darkened the wood, but it looks even better every time we stain the porches and deck.

Alex
Alex
2 years ago

I’ve been using Messmers for 20 years on my mahogany deck.

I re apply every 2-3 years.

My deck looks like it’s 5 years old not 20.

A good scrub with some cleaner of choice then after a couple of days of dry weather and I use a lambs wool pad to apply.

Super easy. I would not use anything else.

Truly beautiful

Eva Tubbs
Eva Tubbs
3 years ago

How do I remove messers timber flex from my hair

DeAnn Dunlavy
DeAnn Dunlavy
3 years ago

Here are the photos to go with my cabin stain questions

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DeAnn Dunlavy
DeAnn Dunlavy
3 years ago

I have learned so much in the last two weeks reading on this website, and now need input about the best course of action on my widowed mom’s 50+ year old pine TG cabin (south facing, at 8300 ft elev)in Utah that has been treated for the last 20 years with Messmers UV Plus ( it was originally finished and maintained with Marine varnish, but that was messy to reapply . (see attached pics)
We used Natural a couple of times, which started going dark, and then switched to Pine color , hoping to “brighten” the color the last time, but it only became darker. It was not cleaned and brightened any of the times before staining (which after reading here is probably part of the darkening problem). We stain only when the old stain has degraded, so it has always absorbed well (maybe pulling in surface dirt?)
It also seems to have a thin “crystallized” stain film all over it. (maybe from over-applying?)

Three courses of action I can see listed below, based on info from this site:
1. which of those listed below is better given these circumstances, and is there a better fourth option?,
2. do I have the steps correct in each?
3. is there anything else I need to know?

UV protection seems to be the biggest criteria.
The water-based stains have a higher UV rating for preventing graying…
Does that also mean that they resist degradation longer, i.e., would need to be re-stained less often?
What are the relative re-application periods for each of these 5 products?

A. Continue using Messmers, and probably remaining as dark as it currently is
1. Clean and brighten- is there a reason to use Messmers AB vs Restore-A-Deck, which has better reviews?
2. Wait 3 days to dry, then roll on ONE coat of Messmers UVPlus.

B. Strip and use another oil-based stain -OR- water-based stain
1. Strip with Restore-a-deck plus both additives , then brighten.
2. Do I need to sand either before or after stripping – what are the benefits (its a huge, hard to reach area, so the benefits need to outweigh the difficulty)?
3. Wait 3 days to dry if using oil-based
4. Stain with one coat of rolled-on Oil-based
4a. AC (preferred, except all their UV protection colors are Cedar or darker
4b. TWP1500 in Honeytone

-OR-
5. Stain with one coat of rolled-on water-based stain
5a. Restore-A-Deck Stain
5b. Defy Extreme Stain

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer

DeAnn Dunlavy
DeAnn Dunlavy
3 years ago

Thanks so much for a quick reply and clarifications….follow up questions to help decide between water- and oil-based:

UV protection seems to be the biggest criteria.
In your reviews, The water-based stains have a higher UV rating for preventing graying (9 for Restore a deck vs 8 for TWP1500 vs 7 for Messmers)…
Does that also mean that they resist degradation longer, i.e., would need to be re-stained less often?
What are the relative need for re-application periods for these 3 products on the vertical cabin walls, which is primarily uv exposure?
Same question for the horizontal deck surfaces?, although I am aware that this will be harder to answer because of factors like pine needles and snow cover, etc.

DeAnn Dunlavy
DeAnn Dunlavy
3 years ago

For the pressure washer, is there a minimum or maximum pressure, and a recommended sprayer tip and distance?
Thanks so much for all your help!

Jack Lang
Jack Lang
3 years ago

,hi, I have a lengthy tale for you to analyze please.i have had non stop mould/mildew issues on my PT decks. Years ago i prepped it properly ,stained with Superdeck brand semi transparent and it turned as black as my driveway in 6 months approx. So, I totally stripped it, sanded it used brightener,etc, and tried Messners a darker brown shade of semi transparent stain. It seemed a lot better, but we didn’t like the colour so after 2 years, I stripped it again, cleaner, brightener,etc. I then last summer bought Armstrong Clark “natural” stain and had it shipped to me at a large cost to Canada because it was one of your highest rated stains. Applied that stain last August and in only ONE MONTH it was getting mould specs all over it ! I actually talked via phone to Mr. CLARK himself about the issue. I explained that I am in the farm country and 2 of my 4 decks are near a farm field, are beside a swimming pool, AND have a lot of pine tree’s within 30-40 feet of the decks. Apparently pine tree’s are very acidic. SO, this May, just past I used deck cleaner/brightener AGAIN and this time,only 1 year later, I tried Messmers stain again since I seemed to have the best luck with it the last time. I bought the transparent “natural” this time.. Now, exactly 3 months later it is going all dark again. I tried cleaning it with Oxyclean and it took half of the stain off so now I have a big mess again. I am sick and tired off this ridiculous Non stop ,never ending job. 4th time in approx 8 years. NOTE:- in every case I let the wood dry for 3 full days before staining it. So far, the only thing that has been surmised, is that it is an environmental issue. And maybe to support this is the fact that I have 2 wooden planters on the deck and where I moved the planters the deck stain is still clean, and all the rest of the deck is a problem. Doesn’t that make it sound like it is not a wood issue? I have always thought that I must gave mould IN the wood that keeps coming to the surface. Any thoughts on my serious problem. I am about to go crazy by now. And now I need to do something AGAIN with my messed up deck. My wife said to just strip it again next spring and then just leave it as is, natural. I send about $600. Last summer, and nothing $300. This summer and it still is not right!!!!!! Jack Lang, Ontario,Canada.

Jorunn Menghini
Jorunn Menghini
3 years ago

I have used this product several times and love the way it looks and performs. However this last time I have over applied and have sticky shiny spots. How do I correct this? Thanks for the help and advice.

Linda
Linda
3 years ago

Applied u.v. Plus natural on mahogany deck in high humidity. Still has a little oil residue on it. Humidity high again today. What do we do?

Paulette
Paulette
4 years ago

I removed old stain off pressure treated deck. But now is too cold to apply u v plus finish. Will the wood withstand the winter with no finish.

John
John
4 years ago

Did you mean to say at the end “Overall Score Penofin Ultra Premium at 2 Year Period: 7.88” or Messmers UV Plus? Just for clarification. Thanks for your reviews. They are very helpful.

rita hahn
rita hahn
4 years ago

how long after a rain can you apply Defy waterbased stain or Thompson’s water seal? Thank you. You are a great source of information. Fast,professional responses.

Torry
Torry
4 years ago

Just applied messmer’s a second time after 2 years on a cedar deck. Fraser Valley, BC, Canada so we get a lot of rain and where we are it is very windy in an agri area. I washed gently and used brightener after one season but was dissapointed with the results. We get a lot of dust. I left as it was for season 2 but could really notice the dulling due to the rain and dust. This season I used A/B with a good stiff bristle brush and I must say I was shocked at how much dirt came off. I was actually muddy in most areas. After a good rinse and then the brightener I brushed UV Plus again (natural) then wiped excess off each 20 minutes as I went. The results were as good as I had hoped. Deck looks wonderful. So for the $120 CDN every two seasons I consider that I decent investment. Yes it was a bit of work and prob spent about 6 hrs all together. I am very pleased. Avoid applying in the sun as it will get tacky quickly. First two photos were cleaning and deck wet, last was finished and excess wiped off

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Mike N
Mike N
4 years ago

Buyer Beware!!!
It was a huge mistake to use MESSMER stain. Terrible runs months after application….and the stain is still wet 6 mths later!!!(as pictured).

Of course their answer was the builder did everything wrong and didn’t follow application instructions…although he has built and stained over 30 cabins/houses and never had any issue with other products.

You’ve been warned..

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Jack Smallinski
Jack Smallinski
4 years ago
Reply to  Mike N

Looks like the product was over applied.

G. Buttuls. Kamloops BC
G. Buttuls. Kamloops BC
4 years ago

We reside in a semi-desert climate with temps to 38c in summer. This product has kept our 11 year old deck like new!! With this years application only being my 3rd in this time frame!!!!Worth every penny of cost!!!

Emily Brasher
Emily Brasher
5 years ago

Won’t dry in some areas, very sticky after 3 days. Tried wiping it with a cloth

lisa
lisa
5 years ago

i have a mahogany deck. should i buy the natural messmer stain or the mahogany tint. I am willing to stain the deck twie a year if it will keep the color from greying. not sure which product to purchase

lisa
lisa
5 years ago
Reply to  lisa

Which will keep the color longer

Phyllis McAllister
Phyllis McAllister
5 years ago

I have been using Messmer’s UV Plus for hardwoods on a mahogany porch for 10+ years. I recently had the porch enclosed. If I provide proper ventilation until it dries, can it now be used on an inside floor?

P d p
P d p
5 years ago

I applied messmers UV Plus in October…to brand mew mahogany deck. It came out with rich reddish color… was quite something. Now it is May and no color remains …only in one hidden corner. Is that all you get is a few months? Water still standing so protection is there but so disappointing that color tint gone in few montjs

Coloradorich
Coloradorich
5 years ago

This stain looked great for about 5-6 months and then quickly started oxidizing (greying). In just under a year it is in serious need for restaining. Thought it might last a little longer. No much protection.

Kim
Kim
6 years ago

I have just built a new cedar deck and have been researching stains for cedar decking. The place where I bought the decking recommends Messmers, as they sell it and told me they have had real success with it. I live in Canada, conditions in our region are fairly dry. The dealer said we could stain after 3-4 weeks, I am looking for a second opinion and advice on prep for a new cedar deck prior to staining.

Jim
Jim
6 years ago

I’ve used Messmers UV Plus on a Tigerwood Deck built 12 years ago, location NW Wisconsin. I gently pressure wash each Spring and re-coat … needed because of graying. This year I sanded the entire deck back to its rich mahagony color. Instead of brushing the Messmer’s on I used a synthetic wool applicator (a breeze) and then wiped the deck with a towel. It looks terrific and it is drying in a fraction of the time. I really do give Messmers a 5 Star rating.

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