Woodrich TimberOil Brand Stain Review  4.4/5 (14)

This post was updated on February 27, 2024

TimberOil Brand Stain - For New Decks

Not to be confused with Cabot Australian Timber Oil

Timber Oil Brand is a deep penetrating paraffin oil-based wood and deck stain. This stain dives deep into all exterior wood to condition the wood cells while preventing UV fading and water damage.

TimberOil Brand is strongly suggested by the manufacturer for all new wood. Many wood and deck stains have difficulty with penetrating new exterior wood such as cedar, redwood, and especially pressure-treated pine. Timber Oil Brand promises ease of application and proper penetration into new decking.

Note: We tested the TimberOil Brand on a new cedar deck three weeks after installation. Only prepping was a light cleaning to remove the dirt.

TimberOil Brand Stain Rating (1-10)

Appearance After Initial Stain Application: 8

– The Timber Oil Brand looked even on our new cedar test deck. No overlapping or issues were apparent. The Honey Gold color was a rich “wet look”. The railings did not have any drips or runs. Penetration into the wood was 100% with no surface film or oily residue.

Preventing UV Graying at 2 Year Mark: 5

– About 50% of the original color was left after 2 years. Wood looked more “natural”.

Wear/Tear and Peeling: 8

– Timber Oil Brand had a slight amount of wearing on the railings otherwise, there were no issues.

New Cedar Deck Sealed with TimberOil

Cost Per Square Foot: 7

– We used 6 gallons of the Timber Oil Brand for our cedar deck. The cost was decent per gallon but square footage was a little on the low side. Not bad but average. About $.31 a foot.

Preventing Mold/Mildew/Algae: 8

– Paraffin oils do not “feed” mold or mildew growth like other oil-based stains that contain linseed oil. Little to no mold was noticeable on the cedar. A small amount of algae around the railings.

Ease of Application: 10

– Very very nice to apply! We were surprised at the ease of application on the new cedar. We applied the Timber Oil Brand with a garden sprayer then back wiped the excess with a pad applicator. At the time of application, there was puddling under the railings from overspray but this went away once dried.

Color Shifting (darkening) after 2 Years: 9

– No darkening for the Timber Oil Brand. Fades lightly while looking more natural.

Difficulty of Reapplication: 8

– Light cleaning to remove dirt and grime. No need to strip or sand.

Overall Score TimberOil Brand Stain at 2 Year Period: 7.875

– If you have a new deck then Timber Oil Brand would be our top choice. Fades faster than some of the top stains but still lasts the normal benchmark of two years. The ease of application is a plus.

Product Information:

Where To Buy: Click to Find on Google
Cost: $59 per Gallon, $259 per 5 Gallon Pail
Stain Type: Semi-Transparent Paraffin Oil Based
Available Colors: Warm Honey Gold, Western Cedar, Brown Sugar, Amaretto
Application Temperature: 45-95 F
Coats Required: 1-2 Coats
Coverage Per Gallon: 150 sq. ft per gallon as tested
Application Tools: Sprayer, Pad, Brush, Roller
Dry Time: 2-24 Hours
Cleanup: Mineral Spirits
VOC Compliant: 250 Compliant in All 50 States
More Info: Product Data
Manufacturer: Extreme Solutions

Test Deck Stats:

Deck Wood Type: 1-month-old Western Red Cedar Deck
Deck Square Footage: 800
UV Exposure: Full Sun
How Many Years Tested: 2 Years
Stain Color Used: 
Warm Honey Gold

*All products tested and results are from our experience. We offer no guarantee of similar results. Take in 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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Vincent
Vincent
1 year ago

Are all these companies that you review owned by the same corporation?

I noticed on the restore a deck site they link to …and sell…several of the other products you recommend!

What gives? And are the reviews here on your site completely independent?

Thanks!

Teresa
Teresa
2 years ago

I accidentally bought and painted half my deck with the stain for hardwood- and I have treated pine. Do I need to buy another 5 gal for softwood and start over?

Mary Jane Swafford
Mary Jane Swafford
2 years ago

can it be used on wooden fences

Kim Kelsey
Kim Kelsey
3 years ago

Is there a difference between the Cabot and Woodrich brands of timber oil? I have cedar deck that has not been previously sealed or stained.

Andy
Andy
3 years ago

I have a new redwood deck that I am planning on using Woodrich TimberOil to stain. Will this stain make the deck more slippery when wet than it would be otherwise? Thank you!

Carolyn Sniezek
Carolyn Sniezek
3 years ago

Are skid resistant additives appropriate for this type of wood finish on stairs; would you recommend their use?

Carolyn Sniezek
Carolyn Sniezek
3 years ago

Thank you.

Carolyn Sniezek
Carolyn Sniezek
3 years ago

Are Skid resistance additives Helpful to reduce slipping and falls; do you recommend this type of product ??

Gurbinder Pharbaha
Gurbinder Pharbaha
3 years ago

Hi,
I live in Melbourne, Australia,. We have a varied weather from very dry hot summer (46 Degree C to frosty and wet winter 2 Degree C. We have recently installed new merbau decking and my preference is to have oil based stain. Could you please suggest me the best quality oil based satin. Unless you suggest other than oil based.

Thank you in Advance

Keith
Keith
3 years ago

Just put down new pressure treated pine deck boards. Live in South Carolina with lots of heat and humidity. Deck also gets hours of direct sunlight in the afternoon. I am waiting until fall to stain when thing cool off about 4 to 7 months to stain. Stuck between TWP 100, Armstrong and Woodrich Timber Oil. Which one?

Also have post older posts and and facial boards that did not need replacing that I am gong to sand and stain. Same deck board stain ok? or a different brand for those? Thanks.

kinsey k
kinsey k
2 years ago

I’m in similar situation as Keith except I’m in NC. In the next couple weeks, I’m having new pressure treated pine floorboards and railings put in (but not posts and fascia). Unlike Keith, my deck doesn’t get much direct sun, though we do have heat and humidity.

By the time my deck weathers 2-3 months, it could get chilly here overnight. I had originally been thinking Armstrong Clark and taking my chances with temperature. In this Woodrich review, it sounds like I could get just as good results without the wait of AC and get deck stained before risk of low temps. Given Keith was asking about new wood too, I’m curious as to why you suggest AC/TWP rather than Woodrich.

Same or different recommendation for me?

Also, do Woodrich and AC require the same prep/prep time? If one would require less time/materials, it would be helpful to know. Since I’m planning to have the contractor do the staining, more time = more $.
Thx!

D hastings
D hastings
3 years ago

What are your thoughts on Defy brand for a dock?

Kevin Garant
Kevin Garant
3 years ago

Love the reviews but live in Canada. I was wondering if you are able to ship to us up here . Thanks Kevin

Terry
Terry
3 years ago

I live in Canada (Alberta) – long cold winters, nice summers. My deck faces west so I get hot intense sun afternoon till evening. I put on a grey stain from behr 2 years ago.. deck had seasoned for 2 years. This grey stain did not even last a winter and it was peeling by the following spring. I have now sanded all that peeling paint/stain off and I want to now go with the Timberoil stain – natural. Is that the best for my deck now…. I NEVER want to sand again! The wood on the stairs attached to the deck is treated wood about 8 years old. I’m only doing the deck and stairs…railings re not wood. thank you

Terry Humberstone
Terry Humberstone
3 years ago

used Thompsons Timber Oil on new pressure treated spruce decking last year. TTOil was so highly recommended. Applied it as directed and deck looked beautiful, was so proud. This spring deck was, in most places, as black as coal with mildew. I live in a relatively dry, very sandy soil area surrounded by agricultural fields. Not in a damp, swampy area at all, as mentioned, dry and well drained. Will have to pressure wash deck and restain but it will not be with TTOil. Very disappointed.

Julie Pardoski
Julie Pardoski
3 years ago

I have a very large redwood deck which was in need of some love. It had been 3 years since last refreshed. I previously used a product called Super Deck, was not impressed by the product. Through lots of research I decided to try Woodrich deep penetrating oil. I picked Brown Sugar and couldn’t be happier. The product is so easy to use, leaves no marks where you left off. Drys quickly and the results are stunning. Just ordered another 5 gallons for my new fence. Thank you Woodrich for such a wonderful product and excellent customer service. Happy Customer

07027609-BE05-47E0-AC58-C8915C85C988.jpeg
Tracy Stallings
Tracy Stallings
4 years ago

We have large deck, lots of sun, lots of rain and humidity down south, pressure treated pine, dried for one year. Now we are ready to apply a seal. I like the woodrich option because I can reapply with out sanding. wondering how well it can handle the rain?

OCMary
OCMary
4 years ago

“If you have a new deck then Timber Oil Brand would be our top choice.” Guess I get confused easily…is there that much difference between brand new and 1 year old? Many stain reviewers call up to one year new. Also, file under “picky picky” but think there’s a typo…do you mean withOUT the need for sanding? If you could expand on what a 1 year old deck needs compared to brand new that would be really helpful.

OCMary
OCMary
4 years ago

Thanks so much for this site. It has been the most helpful and unbiased. It’s so hard to find a site that’s not actually an infomercial for one particular btand.

Linda
Linda
3 years ago

I have a small year old deck made of pretreated pine. Which has never been sealed or painted. What should I use that would be better than Timber Oil? Looking for a Golden Honey with good UV protection and zero chance of peeling and black marks. Live in rainy Washington State. Thanks in advance for your help. Single mom, first time homeowner. Researched my brain is dead. Lol.

Pam
Pam
4 years ago

Would you consider this the best for pressure treated pine also?

Kevin
Kevin
4 years ago

Hi there! Thanks so much for this website, I have learned so much!! I wanted to ask your opinion on something, I changed out all my deck boards from april to August with pressure treated pine in new York state. It’s been 2 months since the last deck board was put down and I wanted to ask if you would recommend I stain this weekend or wait until the spring. Water still beads on the deck boards, so I suspect they are not done weathering yet. I’m worried that the harsh winter will damage my deck.

Thanks again!

Kevin
Kevin
4 years ago

Got it! Thanks for the fast reply!!

Kellie
Kellie
4 years ago

My husband built our small 14′ x 9′ deck three months ago, using kiln-dried Alaskan yellow cedar. I checked with the wood supplier, and they said we can stain it immediately since kiln dried. The deck is under a tree and in constant shade. We are planning to use a cleaner and brightener and then apply one coat of the TimberOil. Is this a good idea? Or should we wait until next Spring and use a different product?

Kellie
Kellie
4 years ago

Thanks so much for response! Would you recommend applying the TimberOil now, or waiting until Spring and using a different stain/brand?

Jason
Jason
4 years ago

I recently had a worn out PT deck resurfaced and re-railed using Selkirk KD cedar. It’s got SE exposure here in Minnesota, so lots of sun in summer and lots of snow in winter. I ordered the Timber Oil sample kit, but have not tried any yet. I’m contemplating between deciding on a Timber Oil stain and applying in a month or so, or waiting til late next spring/early summer (gotta let the snow melt), and going with something like TWP 100. Color preference is something dark golden, darker than honey but not all the way to brown. Would you recommend the former, to get something on before the onslaught of winter, or the latter, and wait to use a better product?

Lori
Lori
4 years ago

The boards on my deck are about eight years old. The semi stain that was used is almost all off now. I’ll be trying to remove the rest with the pressure washer and a remover. The wood has sort of grayed from age and being bare. Will this oil be suitable for it? If so, what shade should be used to get a brown tone?

Debbie
Debbie
4 years ago

I applied penofin oil to an IPE deck about a year ago and not happy with the results. I’ve heard good things about the Woodrich brand Timber Oil. What do I need to do to switch products on the ipe wood? Thanks!!!

Stephen Troutman
Stephen Troutman
4 years ago

The TimberOil (Woodsman) stain has been great on our ipe deck. The color has been long lasting, up to three years. The reapplication is relatively easy … does require wiping but it looks great

Mack Buckner
Mack Buckner
5 years ago

Is Austrarian Oil stain avalible in quart size ?

craig
craig
5 years ago

Does it come in a clear formula? My wife is allergic to the off-gassing of the red cedar in our sauna. Will this product seal the wood? If not, can you recommend something else?

Marcia
Marcia
5 years ago

I have used the Cabot Timber Oil semi transparent Natural. My question is the stairs did not stain well, how can I redo these ? or should I wait until next year and clean and then stain again. From what I read I only have to clean with no sanding and then stain with the same stain. I just stained yesterday, so I guess I am wondering what my options are without ruining it.

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