This post was updated on May 1, 2024
Best Behr Deck Stains in 2025: Reviewed by an Expert
We would love to hear from you if you have used the Behr Deck Stain on your wood or deck. Please post a rating in the Consumer Star Ratings below. Behr Deck Stain Stains consumer reviews below have shown issues with the application, drying unevenly, and peeling. We encourage you to read all the comment reviews below.
If you have any pictures of your experience with Behr Deck Stain, you can add them in the comment area with a detailed description.
Note: See here if you need to remove the Behr Premium Semi-Transparent Wood Stain.
Behr Stain Opacity Issues Recently: Behr essentially lies about the opacity of its stains. Their “semi-transparent” colors do not show wood grain properly and look more like semi-solid or even fully opaque colors. This makes the wood look more like solid paint and makes removing of the stain, when it peels, extremely difficult.
See the pics below that show these opacity issues.
BEHR’s Premium semi-transparent wood stain offers a 100% acrylic formula that penetrates into the wood to deliver complete protection from the elements on decks, fences, and siding. The silicone-fortified formula protects from the sun’s harmful UV rays. Behr’s Premium Semi-Transparent Wood Stain is available in 83 custom colors allowing the natural wood grain to show through.
Behr Wood Deck Stain Rating (1-10)
Appearance After Initial Stain Application: 2
– Behr’s Premium Deck Stain is a 100% acrylic stain which means it is a water-based product. We found that the stain does not penetrate into the wood as promised in its description. The product had the look of a semi-solid stain, not a semi-transparent stain. 80-90% of the wood grain was masked by the heavy pigment. A good way to describe the finished appearance is to compare Behr Deck Stain to a watered-down paint. The Cedar color we choose was much darker/redder than other brands.
Preventing UV Graying at 2 Year Mark: 7
– Behr Deck Stain performed well in the areas where the stain was still on the surface of the deck after the 2 years of testing.
Wear/Tear and Peeling: 3
– One of the worst stains that we have ever tested! The Behr Deck Stain had peeled on 80% of the decking surface. This stain seemed to offer little to no protection on the flooring after the 2 years. The railings did hold up much better.
Cost Per Square Foot: 5
– Behr Premium Deck Stain costs $39 per gallon. The manufacturer stated 250-350 square feet per gallon when actual coverage was less than 150 feet per gallon. We used 20 gallons for the 1200 square foot deck translating to a per square foot price of $.67 per foot.
Preventing Mold/Mildew/Algae: 8
– As expected with a water-based stain, Behr had no mold or mildew on top or growing in the stain. Small amounts of algae were present along the perimeter of the home.
Ease of Application: 1
– Nothing positive to say here. We tried applying for manufacturer directions with horrible results. Behr suggests applying with a pump sprayer and back brushing with a pad applicator. The problem is the stain does not apply evenly or at all with a sprayer. We switched to a pad applicator but still had horrendous results with ease of application. It was next to impossible to achieve an even finished appearance with the Behr Stain.
Color Shifting (darkening) after 2 Years: 7
– Behr Deck Stain retained close to 90% of its original color after 2 years. No noticeable darkening and the railings looked like they had not changed at all in appearance.
Difficulty of Reapplication: 4
– The Behr Deck Stain would be difficult to fix. Since the stain failed so badly we would suggest a professional cleaning with a stain stripper and possibly sanding of the entire surface.
Overall Score Behr Premium Wood Stain at 2 Year Period: 4.625
– Behr Premium Deck Stain gets our lowest score to date of all deck stains tested. The initial appearance, application, and peeling making Behr Decking Stain a poor choice for any exterior wood restoration project.
Buyer Beware!
Product Information:
Behr Deck Stain Home Depot
Where To Buy: Home Depot
Cost: $42.99 per Gallon, $214.99 per 5 Gallon Pail
Stain Type: Premium Semi-Transparent – Water Based
Available Colors: 83 mixed colors
Application Temperature: 40-90 F
Coats Required: 2 Coats
Coverage Per Gallon: 125-150 sq. ft in field tests
Application Tools: Sprayer, Pad, Brush, Roller
Dry Time: 24-48 Hours
Cleanup: Soap and Water
VOC Compliant: 250 Compliant in all States
More Info: Product Data
Manufacturer: Behr
Test Deck Stats:
Deck Wood Type: Pressure Treated Pine
Deck Square Footage: 1200 Square Feet
UV Exposure: Partial Sun
How Many Years Tested: 2 Years
Stain Color Used: Cedar
BEHR Semi-Transparent Deck Stain Photos
*All products tested and results are from our hands-on experience. We offer no guarantee of similar results. Take into consideration that results may differ widely due to different wood types, exposure to UV radiation, and natural weathering.
BEHR Semi-Transparent Deck Stain
Did my deck in May with Behr stain and waterproof looked good and the rain came after weeks of drying deck and so much rain has taken stain off looks bare in spots is this normal after this work to have to do another coat spent 600.00 already not happy client of this product
It’s a very poor product. Read the review and comments below.
I wish I checked your site 2 days ago. I used the transparent version of this with the colour “cedar naturaltone”. My cedar deck is 1 year old and was unfinished. Same as reviewed here. It looks kinda blotchy, the colour is very orange. It doesn’t seem to sink into the wood. It’s almost like a thin latex paint. I’m hopeful over time the colour will fade or I will get used to it, or the furniture will cover it up but right now…regret.
Sept. 21, 2022:
😫I had my deck prepped and stained by professionals using Behr Semi-transparent Premium Stain and in August, 2021. By the Spring of 2022, it was peeling in all areas: high traffic and no traffic. I purchased it at Home Depot and took the receipts and photos back to the store. I was told that I had to contact The Behr Customer Service which is only open until 1:00 p.m. MST for any chat or live chat assistance. I was totally unable to use my deck this year. Every time that I swept it, there were more areas peeling off. I have sent my receipts and complaints to the Behr email customer service.
We just applied the Behr semi transparent stain on a new cedar deck and it is horrible looking as described. It went on unevenly, is blotchy and dried so fast that brush marks couldn’t be removed after just a minute or two. We waited months for our deck to be ready for staining. Their recommended cleaner was crap too, Home Depot is blaming the weather (21c). It is sticky and they assure us it will go away but I don’t believe anything they say. After spending a fortune to a contractor to build our pride and joy, we are ashamed for anyone to see it. So wish we had read your reviews beforehand.
Sorry to hear. Not only is it a poor product overall, it is also extremely hard to remove as it goes on like a solid stain or paint.
We stupidly trusted the 10 year guarantee for the Behr Premium Deck Stain and were severely disappointed!! We painted a stairway and ramp for a customer in June of last year and when we went back to customer in April of this year 90% of the stain was completely gone!! We prepared the wood well before and were very careful to give a good coverage. The area actually looked worse then before we’d even started. It was heartbreaking because we’d put so much work into the project just to have a disappointed customer. She admitted it was not our application but a terrible product…still now we need to find a way to rectify it for her. Very upsetting.
This “semi-transparent stain” is not stain. It is thick paint. It does not penetrate and so dries on top instead of penetrating the cracks and pores in the wood. The following year, much of it will have peeled off. DO NOT BUY. Look for other actual stains!
We agree, It is junk and they lie about the transparency. See here for proper deck stains: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/the-5-best-deck-stain-reviews-and-ratings/
We used the semi-transparent stain early last summer on our deck. It went on like paint. The deck looked real nice until the muddy paw prints from our two dogs and muddy footprints would NOT come off. The deck is bare in places, it is peeling all over, and I do not recommend this product to anyone!
Worst product I ever used was Behr product on my deck It came with. 10 year warranty and didn’t last a year peeled and flaked Just finished sanding the whole deck again and not sure what to use for our harsh Canadian winters but nothing from Behr that’s for sure
Lets put it this way (BEHR)ly worth it. After two years of battling with their conflict resolution department. Can you imagine you have such a crappy product you need a conflict resolution department. And a very rude conflict resolution department at that. Why not just make a reputable product. First offer after stripping entire deck and restaining and then having same problem with peeling was a $400.00 offer. I spent 120 hours of intense labor so that comes to $3.33/hour. Thanks alot for standing by your crappy product.Well I wrote to Behr president directly and low and behold they sent an adjuster to look at problem like I asked them to do 3 years ago. So they finally sent me a check for $3500.00 if I hold them harmless along with Home Depot. Yes your harmless but your product still sucks. I have two choices now being replace all the decking boards or paint it which is not why I used stain in the first place. So my review is a minus 20. Can’t see how you rate a 2.2 out of 5 or even anything over a 0.0. If I could go lower than minus 20 like minus 100 I would. If you read this review I suggest you use some other product. Anything has to be better than this product and their customer service or should I say disservice. Run, Flee and get as far away from BEHRly worth it as you can. 😩😬
Behr Premiun Stain, these photos were taken 6 months after the stain was applied. Notice from the photos, the tremendous amount of mold. In the 25 years, I have owned my house, I have have never seen anything this bad. Behr claims that their stain is “mildew resistant”. This statement isn’t even close to being true!
Try a deck cleaner and a light pressure washing. That should remove most. Much of that is dirt, not all mildew.
It looks like who ever did the work is the problem. I use behr all the time and never had a problem
The applicator is not at fault for mildew that happens after the stain is applied. It is the stain and/or a product of the environment.
Is there any updated information on how to remove Behr acrylic stain? Contractors seem to be using HD-80 with pressure washing, but even with that they indicate it takes many attempts. It seems that acrylic may require a different set of chemicals.
Northeaster, HD80, repeat, and sanded as needed. Nothing else is better.
I have to agree with everybody's comments about the Behr stain. It is HORRIBLE!! My fence didn't last through the first 6 months before it was peeling off everywhere. The fence looked like it had been stained 5 years ago, and it had only been 6 months. I will never use this product again. Home Depot should feel ashamed of themselves for selling such a worthless product.
My deck has about 70% Behr Premium transparent on it and 30% exposed weathered wood (2 years after applying the stain). I don't have time to strip it this year. Can I recoat with the same stuff to protect the exposed wood?
Norhteaster, I would not re-coat it with Behr as it will just make it harder to fix later on. bBst to strip it off and start over with a better stain. All of the stains are better than Behr.
Yeah, had a feeling you would say that. Well, now I need a new stain. The only one carried by stores in my area is Cabot. Apparently they have a new oil based formula that meets our state's VOC regulations (said regulations being the reason Behr switched to water soluble acrylic). I can't find a review of Cabot's deckstain on this site. Have any of them been tested?
The Consumer Reports high rating that got me to buy Behr was the #1 rating for Behr Solid Color Deck, Fence & Siding Wood Stain, the "standard" product that sells for $28 a gallon. The same article in CU awarded a #6 rating to the Behr Premium Solid Color Deck, Fence & Siding Weatherproofing Wood Stain, the more expensive product ($36 a gallon) the salesmen all pointed me to when I said I was shopping for deck stain. (They're all aware of the Consumer Reports article on their Behr products). Neither of these exact titles were on cans in my Home Depot August 1 2013. The $28 a gallon product is now called Behr Solid Color Waterproofing Wood Stain. It has a list of written REQUIREMENTS for success printed on the label, such as using Behr's stripper and after that Behr's cleaner which add up to more than the cost of the stain. The Behr website directions are also crystal clear about what someone using Behr stain needs to do to succeed: i.e. they show someone completely removing the previous finish down to bare wood then cleaning that bare wood with Behr cleaner and only then coating with their stain. I was tired when I was in the store and when I read the requirements I just threw all the jugs of stripper and cleaner into the cart along with the stain and only when I got home did I think to look up on the 'net to see what the experience of others actually was.
I mean, I don't mind the expense if the product actually stood up well for 6 years as recorded in the Consumer Reports article, but if, after all this the finish would end up looking worse after a year than if I did nothing now….
I haven't put it on yet, and after reading all these negative comments I'm thinking of throwing my two gallons away. Home Depot will refund on the stripper and cleaner but I had them mix a specific color which the label states makes the stain itself non-returnable.
I just sprayed half my deck with this stuff (solid stain)……Colorado 7000 feet and very dry. If it fails I will use a 4000 psi pressure washer to remove. Pretty sure that will do it short order, since if you put it close enough it will remove the wood also. But the other half will get something different as long as I can match the color…..any recommendations?
I followed the high recommendations in Consumer Report magazine three years ago and applied the premium Behr solid deck stain to my redwood deck and redwood wood fence in Salt Lake City, Utah (5000 feet elevation – strong sun and dry summers, lots of snow in the winters). It flaked off before spring on the deck and on some of the horizontal surfaces on the fence. I scraped and brushed the stain off by hand using a scraper and wire brush, then, like an idiot, applied the stain again, assuming I had done something wrong. Had the same result the next year – heavy flaking of 40% of the deck. At Behr's recommendation I applied their stain remover which I found completely ineffective. I finally sanded off as much of the rest as I could using a belt sander. It took many hours for two men working hard. I then applied Sherwin Williams deck stain and covered the deck with a plastic cover through the winter. The deck didn't flake this year, but frankly solid stains are essentially just paint, and aren't that attractive. I am facing a similar problem with the Behr stain I applied on my deck at a cabin at 8200 feet elevation now here. I will not buy Behr deck stain again, but am not sure I can get all the old Behr solid stain off the cabin deck, esp. in the cracks between the boards, so I am facing a difficult choice. I guess I'll go with another solid stain, but doubt it can be applied in places where the old water-based stain still adheres. I am more than a little upset with Behr and Home Depot, and I agree that Consumer Report needs to rethink with their testing methods, although I doubt they are being paid off by Behr. I welcome any suggestions on what to do with a 28-year old deck in bad shape at this point, notably, what to apply on it after I sand and scrape it. Thanks.
How about putting varnish or linseed oil over it?
Lorrie, very bad idea. It will make it worse.
Is there any point putting something like a Thompson water seal if you've already made the mistake of using behr?
No point.
thompsons is just as worse…the most you will get out of a company reimbursement is the cost of the product if they find a fault of the product, more than likely if you can get a rep to visit…. no cover on damage or labor…
Any advice on how to ensure Behr will reimburse for damages (damaged wood in particular)? Time lapse photos to point of failure? Simple product receipt?
What am I to do? I have a huge deck with massive stairways with board walks and many railings and spindles. I have used this junk twice two years apart, the last time it only lasted 5-6 months My deck takes 10 gals of stain to finish. there is no ways I can strip this deck. I'm spiting nails right now!!!!!!!!! My wife works for a lawyer, maybe a law suit is in order?
what if I keep putting oil base over it? would if eventually rid itself? I am also a contractor, and glad I didn't use it on a customers deck. law suit guaranteed !!!!
James, you cannot put any other stain brand on the Behr. The only way to remove is by heavy stripping or sanding.
Out of ignorance, what would happen if you put a oil based stain (clear) over top of it?
It will make it worse if you apply an oil on top of the behr.
I'm having the same problems with all Outside Behr products (stain and stain remover). 10 year warrenty? Ya, right… it doesn't even last 10 monthes. This stuff is worthless and now I don't have enough money to fix the mess Behr products have caused.
Hello, I am a contractor that used this crap for a year before realizing it is totally worthless. Now my reputation is on the line and am doing a ton of re-do's. Any suggestions on what to do for areas that are peeling? The vertical surfaces are holding up, but the horizontal areas are not.
John, not much you can do beside strip it all off and start over. It is a horrible product to work with as a contractor. I feel your pain!
Worst product we ever used, did not even stay on 6 months. Our deck looks like its 20 years old, and this is the 3rd summer
I had used Behr transparent stain in the past and the only problem was the fading. So,, decided to try the more expensive 6 -8 year semi solid stain so I wouldn't have to redo the deck as often. Stripped the deck, used the deck brightener, even hand sanded the entire deck to expose the new wood before applying the stain. took 2 weeks just to prep the deck. Made sure the wood was thoroughly dry and weather good before applying. Within 6 months the deck was peeling. I've used their interior paint with good results. Never again buying Behr Deck stain. Costs too much and doesn't last.. Had to replace boards because the stain didn't protect.
Thanks for all of your input and comments. You saved me some real problems and disappointments. Way to many negative comments, and only a small percentage of people will comment on a bad product. I was ready to buy Deckover but wanted to do a search for reviews. I have a ten year old deck in South Carolina in direct sun. It should have been restained three years ago and it looks a little rough. Sounds like I should be looking for a good solid oil base stain. I am 70 and doing my own work and don't want to have all the problems all of you noted.
SEEING THE AD FOR BEHR DECKOVER IN SOUTHERN LIVING I WAS SURE IT HAD TO BE THE ANSWER AND HAD PLANNED TO BUY IT…. THANKFULLY I READ THE REVIEWS JUST IN TIME. I, WILL NEVER PURCHASE IT !!!!! WHAT A SHAM.
Sue, it may be an ok product but it just cam out and Behr\’s track record is not that great as you can see from user\’s experiences.
I applied this stain every year for 4 years…it comes up every time. Unreal. Behr and Home Depot lost me for life.
I wish I would have known about this website last summer, when I was staining my 1 year old "mega deck" that I built around our above ground pool. We were starting to experience flaking of the stain in small areas where chair legs would "stick" and then rip the stain off when the chairs were lifted. Now, about 8 months later and after 1 single Michigan winter, the entire surface is flaking and missing probably 30-40% of the stain. Verticals seem ok.
I tried the Behr stripper, but it didn't work very well at all even after sitting for 45 minutes and scrubbing with a wire brush. Does the Restore-A-Deck product work any faster/easier? I am thinking about renting a "vibrating plate" sander and sanding the entire surface off (on the horizontal boards) as it seems this would be easier and faster. The Behr stripper didn't even remove all of the stain, so I would need to reapply it or sand it again anyway. This is a VERY large deck, so the time for stripping is a big concern of mine.
Brad P, Behr stain is difficult to remove not matter the stripper. The RAD Stripper is very powerful but may still have some difficulty with the Behr. I would strip as much as possible then sand if needed the rest.
Thanks a ton for the reply! I'm afraid that's very bad news for me as I have about 1000 sq ft of deck to fix now with the horrendous behr stain on it. What's your thought on skipping the chemical stripper all together and going straight to some sort power sander? My friend told me about some sort of walk behind "random orbital" sander that was recommended to him by his paint rep (my friend is a professional painter by trade).
Brad P, you could sand but you will need to sue a deck cleaner and wood brightener after the sanding to help open the wood grain for the stain.
Thanks very much for the recommendation. I actually have a bunch of bottles of deck cleaner/brightener from Behr still left over from when they gave me a credit to buy all new materials last summer when the stain first started to flake off. Hopefully the Behr deck cleaner is a good enough product.
These reviews are eye opening but we are wondering if the product "DeckOver" by Behr is just as bad. It is 100% acrylic, applied with a roller, appears to be more like paint. If this is as bad as their stain appears to be, is there some other product that would do the same thing this product touts it can do.
Donna, if it films like a paint on top of the wood and is made by Behr then it will probably fail badly. Just an opinion though as we have yet to see this product on decks or test it. BTW, nothing lasts longer then 2-3 years on a horizontal surface and these are the high end ones.
I agree with the Behr comments. I too followed the Consumer reports recommendation. It's peeling off all over the place in less than 2 years on all horizontal surfaces. Behr offered to reimburse me for new stain, stripper, and cleaner if I submit the receipts. But that's an awful lot of work to do and then get the same results. Plus I am not able to do the work so I need to hire someone again.
What is the best course of action? Strip, dry, sand/scrape, brighten, dry, stain with another product?
SamD, strip what you can. Sand the rest, then brighten. Look for a deep penetrating oil based stain like Armstrong Clark.
Well, the good thing about this product is that you strip it with a damp cloth. Bad thing is that lasted less than one year and the deck posts the garbage actually adherred to. It is like my deck got a bad sunburn and is peeling everywhere. Waste of time and money don't buy! Am going to try the TWP 1501 Cedartone after I strip everything but I agree with everything in this review.
I used Behr for years and have not had problems. However, last Summer I used Behr on my decks and my Son's deck at his home. I am very dissatisfied. Bare spots in many spots. I took picture of my deck and the 5 gallon can of Behr paint. I called Home Depot and they gave me the Behr reps email. They called me back and said they want to help. I have been unable to call them back due to work. They said they want to help me. I will update everyone and see what that means.
I've got a lot of work to do. Strip all of the decks. Sand much of the decks. I probably should use brightener. And then re stain. This is going to be a lot of work. I wonder if they had bad production last year?
How is it possible that I didn't think to check things out further?? I too am a Consumer Reports believer, well maybe the new word is WAS. I applied Behr semi-transparent stain, cedar color,, as directed. One of the decks was very large, and new cedar wood. It was sanded and cleaned and rinsed and rinsed. Allowed to dry, this was done in July/August and completed in mid September, No rain here in California during this time. I haven't even put a chair on the deck yet, as I'm still working on the railing. Looked good, not great, and was difficult to get the coats on and harder to get the finish even. Ok, so rain came, and it beaded up pretty well. Had a rain that froze on the deck, which means on the finish, Right! When the water evaporated, uh, so did the finish! It didn't peel, pill, crack … IT IS JUST GONE!!! I have nothing but bear wood in places. (Pun not intended)
Carole, sorry to hear about this but it does not surprise us. There are 13 reviews from homeowners on the Consumers Report website. 12 of the 13 reviews gave it a 1 star!
I forgot t mention that I also have mold/mildew spots on the deck. It appears to be in or under the finish. It doesn't come up easily with scrubbie or sand paper. I used both to try and determine just where the black is located. Will this come up with the stripper and/or sanding? It's in freckles, larger spots and in larger fields all over the 22'x48' deck. I'm sincerely sick in thinking about how to get the stuff off my decks! I just saw an add on the TV last night; How are they allowed to keep advertizing this stuff??
Carole, when you strip the stain it will remove the mold as well.
[…] See Here for 2010: Behr Deck Stain Review […]
i use it and i dont like it. i will never use it again
Agree that Consumer Reports blew it big time on this one. Unless of course someone got a little extra cash in their pocket to skew the results of their own tests; or even just lie about them.
Not even 8 months beyond application and the deck looks like a 5 year old deck that had no maintenance on it throughout that entire time.
Yes, I do know how to stain a deck and have done it many times before and have not had this result with anything else.
As for letting the wood cure for a year?! I live in Seattle. One month of dry weather is the best it gets and that was the dry condition it was under before application. But again, NO OTHER PRODUCTS I HAVE USED HAVE PEELED AND DULLED LIKE THIS ONE, ESPECIALLY THIS FAST. That answer is pure cop-out. If that's the condition required to use this stain then they don't know what the market is that needs the stain in the first place.
This is crap that really needs to be removed from the market. It is way too much money for the quality and a total waste of time.
I you don't let your pressure treated wood cure for 1 year, it will peel, most paints will peel.
We used it on raw sanded pine, great! no problems.
I applied Behr transparant Weather proofing wood finish (502) to my deck in Portland OR 6 weeks ago. We just had our first rain event (about 12 hours of heavy rain). I was shocked to see that rather than repelling the water the stain is peeling up all over the deck (I can easily scrape it off with my thumbnail even where it is not peeling). I am devastated, 3 days of work which included using Behr stripper twice followed by their cleaner. Now I will have to leave it like this for the next 6 months while the deck rots away.. We are thinking of selling the house in which case this will be a major problem. Purchased from Home Depot.
Count me as another user who bought this junk based on Consumer Reports rating. My experience is EXACTLY what this site reports. I recently stripped off what was left after two years (not much) with Jomax stripper, sanded the deck, and stainded with Cabot oil based stain. So far I am very happy with the new stain. DO NOT BUY THIS BEHR CRAP!
HELP!!! I too, based on Consumer Reports, use Behr Soild Stain and shortly thereafter experienced extreme peeling. The stuff tracks in on shoes, dog's feet, EVERYTHING!!! It has been a lttle more than a year now and most of the peeling has stopped. I have bare patches and some areas where it adhered and is just about impossible to get off. What should I do to remedy this problem. One site told me to sand and scrape, vacuum the bits, wash with a good cleaner, let dry then apply an Armstrong Clark stain. Will I be safe in doing this since the Behr, even though a lot of it has since peeled, is acrylic and the Armstrong Clark is an oil? Right about now I'm hating Behr!!!
Jaf26, I like the idea of the other site. You should strip, sand the rest, brighten, and go with a deep penetrating oil based stain that is not prone to peeling like Armstrong Clark.
Dreadful, dreadful stuff. I have cancelled my subscription to Consumer Reports they have obviously been paid to promote this rubbish. NOW, how do I get what remains off?
help!
Chris
Chris, not easy to remove but I would try the Restore-A-Deck Stain Stripper. We have had pretty good results with this on removing Behr.
Built a brand new Redwood deck here in Castle Pines, CO. in June 2012. Used Behr premium transparent Redwood. Miserable to apply. Horrid finish. Absolutely wrecked the new deck. After 3 weeks the coating is still soft and is bubbling. DO NOT USE THIS PRODUCT!
My client is really upset. Now I have to strip it all. Deck, balusters, railings…everything.
Any recommendations? Wait till next year? (my client will presume I'm stalling) Hydroxide based stripper will irreversably blacken the wood won't it?
Noye, very hard to remove Behr and even more so when it is new. You will need to strip, sand some, then brighten to lighten the color of the wood.
This review is being kind if you ask me. Behh Premium is the worst product I have ever come across. My husband and I were concerned that we had misapplied it or didn't get the cleaner off completely after the stain was coming off within just a few months of application. Our deck looks awful. Thank goodness I thought to research it this time around or we may have bought more of the same brand!
I completely stripped my deck 2 years ago and applied Behr Premium cedar to the deck and surrounding fencing. So far tte fencing has held up, but the deck and rails began to peel only a year later. If there was a rating worse than terrible, this product would receive it. Not certain how exactly they can claim a warranty on it and how one collects on the warranty.
I completely stripped my deck and applied this product 1.5 years ago to my deck and surrounding fencing. The vertical surfaces are still holding up ok, but the deck floor began to peel after a year. Its a terrible product for deck floors. Will not use again.
Wish i would have read the reviews before purchasing and staining my deck with the Behr stain. I just stained my deck yesterday and already i agree with your reviews. The stain was supposed to be a transparent "chocolate" colour. There is nothing remotely transparent about this stain. It looks like watered down paint. After 2 coats (recommended) i cannot see any wood grain, only roller marks (which is how the salesman at Home Depot told me to apply the stain). And it feels like plastic. I don't doubt that it is going to peel by next summer. So my question is….how difficult will this stuff be to remove once it starts peeling? Should i use the Behr wood cleaner again?
Never fall for a sales pitch. "The only premium thing about this product is its price". How true !
Pat, Behr is very difficult to remove and sometimes impossible. The Behr Cleaner will not do anything. I would let it weather and the try to strip and sand it off next Spring.
8/6/2012 Just got off the phone with Behr technical support…concerning tackiness after 2 1/2 weeks, and peeling. I was told it should be applied on a day with 50 percent or less humidity and moderate temperature. I'm in Ohio…asked where in the US I could find a summer day that met those conditions. So, the upshot is this is my fault, tho they are refunding the cost. The cedar deck will have to be stripped which will be done professionally, and will never see Behr products again. Wish I had checked this website before rather than after I ran into a problem…woulda, shoulda, coulda
Your ratings exactly match my experience with Behr Premium, sad to say. My deck used to be my pride and joy, and now it's an embarassment. (Which is what brought me here, looking for a solution.) I had a professional painter recommend this stuff and it's been an extreme disappointment. Began to flake and fail after six months (granted they were winter months, but still…), and it just kept getting worse and worse, mainly in the exposed areas. I've tried using a belt sander trying to get down to bare wood, and gave up realizing that after tons of work it would never look right. So "Buyer Beware" is very appropriate in this case.
Hi, I wish I could see the dates on these comments. It is July 21, 2012 and I have experienced all kinds of problems with this stain also. I did a portion of my deck railing this past fall. This spring I couldn't believe how bad it looked. I brought the stuff back to Home Depot and contact Behr as they really want to help their customer. She was really pushing so I did that and sure enough – free stripper, free cleaner and replacement stain. Problem being I am a 60 year old woman with a bad back. It will probably take me the next 3 years to finish stripping. I was going to reapply, but after reading all these comments, I will now have to think about that. But that is okay, I have 3 years to work on it.
Judy, I would not put it back on. It will repeat the same problems.
Hi All,
Well I am at this site doing research to replace the BEHR that pooped on my deck. I too found it difficult to get even coverage. Its is now year 3 it is flaking and peeling and now I have the added pleasure of removing.I am considering
replacing a good amount of the rails etc because of the time to remove vs cost to replace BEHR offered to
let me buy a bunch of stripper ,cleaner and more stain submit bills and then they would reimburse me.No thanks my time is worth more than that. In fact this should be a factor in all our choices . Buy the stuff that will allow you to do easy up keep,not mold or fade.
My partner and I used this on her deck two years ago. We were shocked that it had peeled off so much in that short amount of time. We get a lot of rain in the Pacific Northwest, so we put it on thick, after first cleaning and drying the deck and then letting the first coat dry thoroughly. In some areas we put on several coats to fill in uneven areas of the wood. We didn’t want to have to go through this kind of chore again for several years. All to no avail! Now we have to strip what remains of this mess and do it all over again. We’ll never buy anything from Behr again!
This review is bang on. This product peeled after one year of application, terrible product. Do not buy!
I'm in the process of redoing a behr stained deck now…it was peeling after just 6 months with no traffic (over the winter here in Michigan). Behr is paying for materials, but now that I have the deck stripped, I am questioning whether free stain is worth it if I am going to be dealing with peeling again in 6 months.
Jim, do not apply the Behr. It will just repeat the same peeling.
I used Consumer Products as my main guide in choosing my deck stain. My results were even worse because I chose Behr Opaque Deck Stain rather than the semi-transparent. It began peeling within the first year. It appears that I am now faced with the cost & effort of having my entire deck stripped & redone. I am just sick about it.
their semitrans stain peels within 2 years too. Then you have to strip it completely to redo it if you expect a uniform appearance
I am so glad I found this post before using the Behr Premium I bought this week. I tried it in a sample area and thought the cedar tone looked very chalky and somewhat opaque even though I bought semi-transparent. The color reminded me of buffalo chicken sauce, I couldn't imagine using it on my whole deck. I took the advice of DeckStainHelp.com tonight and bought Penofin's Blue Label. https://www.deckstainhelp.com/penofin-blue-label-w… am very impressed from what I read online about this product and it's history. I was so excited I came home and tried a large sample area. It went on very nicely and looks very rich. I hope it stands up as well as it does in the ratings on the above link. Tomorrow I will be returning $80 worth of Behr that I am so glad I didn't use, thank goodness the forecast called for rain two days ago. Thank You everyone that put your comments on here.
Robert E, you are welcome! “Buffalo Chicken Sauce” LOL! That sums it up pretty good.
The review is TOTALLY spot on. Trust me, do not use this stuff. I used it on my deck, after all the proper preparations, & it was peeling, practically gone after one winter. I stripped, cleaned, prepared & gave them a second chance with their "newly formulated" version of the Premium & got the same results. So have two of my friends that used the exact same product on their decks. One of them was even told by the Behr representitive that they knew their product was problematic…that's putting it nicely lol
Jen, thanks for the review. Really makes you wonder when Consumers gives this a #1 rating. I personally think they are compensated in some way.
Jen, what did you use to strip off the behr from your deck? I have tried the Behr brand stripper and also a stripper from Benjamin Moore and neither of them worked very well. I'm thinking that I may just have to sand the whole thing down.
I have a 400' fence and 1100 sf deck with this deck stain. Both are in bad shape and peeling after 2 years. I'm trying to figure out what to do. I'm in Alaska so none of the top rated stains ship here. The review is spot on.
Larry, I would strip it all off and start over. Not sure what you can get there but I would look for a penetrating oil based stain. I believe Penofin is available.
Behr is horrible and they know it. Within a couple of months my deck was peeling, 6 months later 50% of the horizontal surfaces were peeling. I called them to complain and they recommended stripping the entire deck and reapplying. They paid for the stripper and new stain so they must know the product stinks. Right now 80% of the deck is peeling and it's been 2 years since it was stained. I will be stripping it this fall and restraining with a better product. Unfortunately a few of the boards have warped so I need to fix them – and it was a brand new deck!
I've had the same problem. Just last spring I used Behr Deck Over and now it looks horrible with all the peeling. Because I didn't save my receipt or the can they can't do anything, but send more, which I certainly don't want any part. It's terrible stuff DON'T BUY IT! it's EXPENSIVE AND A WASTE OF MONEY!
In our area of North Carolina mountains Deck Over from Home Depot has pitiful results after winter snow and ice. Some of it turned into almost white dust after the last snow storm. Fortunately we only used it on the back deck stairs as a test area. It's peeling off so we won't be using it again. Very expensive product for poor results.
Hi MIke. Yup I had the same problem. The stain is peeling off everywhere and mine too was a new deck. Big rip off..
I agree with every one of your results. I am on of the unfortunate ones who used this so called stain. Watered down paint would have worked as well and cost a lot less. Home Depot is the big retailer for this stuff so I'm wondering how much they paid for the CR study.
Who knows. We think CR is biased.
Don't for one minute believe Consumer Reports. They may not run ads in their publication but something is off with their reviews. I looked at all sorts of reviews from them for the past 30 years and they are all wrong.
Amy, we agree with you.
Could not agree more. They just rated the new Ace brand paint Kensington Clark their top brand. I painted one room with it, it took 4 coats and off-gassed for almost a week. The Behr paint was a little better (fewer coats, less off-gassing) but still not a great value for the cost. I am experiencing this peeling issue with Behr stain that I applied last summer. I am pissed! It looks like crap. Consumer Reports aint what it used to be.
I AGREE WITH YOU AMY……. MY DECK LOOKS LIKE HELL AND AFTER COMPLAINING TO BEHR THEY SENT ME FORMS TO GET ALL THE PRODUCTS TO STRIP AND CLEAN THE DECK AND THEY WILL REIMBURSE ME FOR THE PRODUCTS BUT, NOT THE CONTRACTORS FEE FOR ALL THE WORK. A HARD LESSON LEARNED AND NO MORE FAITH IN CONSUMER REPORTS!
I have used consumer reports rated products including paint and stain and found their ratings to be accurate.
I'm having a hard time reconciling your results with those of the leading consumer magazine which does not accept advertising and does rigorous documented real-world testing and found this to be the BEST stain tested.
Behr has many issues. Just do a search on the internet and you will find numerous people who have issues. Even consumers own user ratings give Behr 1 out of 5 stars. Their testing is not real world but accelerated testing on one board. I would read this article that better explains:
Consumer vs Our Deck Stain Ratings
OK, so I stained my deck with Behr semi-transparent weatherproofing stain yesterday and I'm reading all these terrible comments about Behr today (wish I had found this site earlier). What do I do at this point? Should I apply a 2nd coat? Should I strip the deck now or is it just as wellt to wait until the stuff starts peeling off and then address the issue?
Jackstain, leave it alone and address the issue next season.
I just used the premium semi-transparent behr stain about 2 weeks ago precisely because they guarantee it for 6 years on a deck surface.. I didn't believe it would last 6, but hoping for 4… now hearing that it may last until the snow melts 7 months from now is sooooo brutal.
Now i'm freaking out as i do not want to be doing this every year… i prepped it exactly as it stated on the can, and let it cure for about 7 days before we even walked on it… 0 rain for that whole time.
It looks absolutely amazing though.
How can they keep selling this stuff if it's been this terrible for this long??
My deck is small (12×20) so if it looks horrible next year, it's probably less work to unscrew the deck boards and replace them… sans stain.
I still have enough in the can for one more coat… i'll use that to touch it up till it's gone.. then strip and repeat if it fails like all the horror stories here (with a different stain).
*sadface*
Behr stain is garbage. I've been using it for 6 yrs on my 1300 sq ft wood deck. Every single year I have to re-stain it (I use the solid brown stain). The amount of peeling that occurs after each winter is ridiculous and unacceptable. I'm moving on to a new brand this year.
I have to disagree. I'm looking at my ruined deck trying to determine if I should just demo it and start with new wood or waste my time trying to strip the darn thing. What a rip-off. There should be consumer protection here.
My deck is only 8 years old and it look like its 30 years old. Its been stainef 3x with Behr stain. Behr reimbursed me twice. Close to 1000 sq. Ft of decking is cracked, dried out and ruined!!!!! You care to see the pictures? Im pissed! This product sucks ass!
Amen Jim. Ditto on Behr sucking ass. Hell, I didn't even get a year out of this crap. No use contacting Home Depot, have twice and get the "we'll look into this and get back to you, we value your business". This isn't my first run in with Behr, and/or Home Depot. But it will be my last. Lowe's is another mile down the road.
i AM LOOKING NOW TO FIND OUT HOW i WENT SO WRONG WITH Behr stain. Previously used interior Behr products were excellent. THis crap is the worst stain I've ever seen and my father was a painting contractor for 40 years and I worked with him for 20 years. Should have stayed with Olympic semi transparent oil based stain. This water based stuff was too thick to flow properly and didn't soak in at all but looked so sad it needed two coats to look half way decent. To my disgust it was peeling like crazy over 60 % of the flat surface of a a 3 section deck. 36 hrs in the tank for installation and who know how long to attempt stripping amnd recoating
Do your own test if you don't believe others. Buy $300 worth of lumber, like I did. Spend 30 hours building a nice trellis, and another 10 hours applying your beloved Behr stain. Then wait 6 months. All your hard work is wasted. Home Depot will return the $40 you spent on the fake stain, but your project is ruined. This Behr product is nothing more than clear acrylic with a little tint color added. It does not penetrate the wood, it stays on the surface. If you want real stain, then do a little more research and read the ingredients. You must have linseed or other oil based products that clean up with mineral spirits, not soap and water. But hey, you seem like the kind of person who listens to "The Man" and goes through life doing what the media says. I feel sorry for anyone that would listen to you and your suggestions.
We have used this Behr Stain for over 10 years. It peels and flakes off within a few months. I live in an area where there is not a lot of choices in stain for your decks. As far as I am concerned this stain is horrible. I just re-stained the deck again only a few weeks ago and it is already peeling off in some of the areas. As far as Consumer Reports rating, well they did not ask me, I'm an end user and this stuff stinks. Wish I could get something else but I don't have it available to me.
This stain is awful – can't stress it enough. Half my deck was older, power-washed cedar and half were new replaced cedar boards. NEITHER type of board held the stain. It peeled off in shreds and wore off in others. Horrible. Made my deck look 20 years old and like we never took care of it. Huge waste of time and money – Now bought a new super powered power washer just to get the remaining stain off and hope to start again with someone else's product.