This post was updated on April 4, 2025
Deck Resurface Coatings: Behr Deckover, Olympic Rescue-It, Rust-Oleum Deck Restore – Do They Work?
Hi, I’m Scott Paul. With over 30 years of experience as a leading exterior restoration contractor and business owner, I specialize in exterior wood restoration. My Deck Resurface Coatings reviews and helpful tips are grounded in decades of hands-on testing and professional expertise.
Everything I share is designed to help you find the top product choices for your deck projects, ensuring long-lasting protection and a stunning finish. Let my experience guide you toward the best solutions for your wood restoration needs. See here for more info about me.
2026 Deck Resurface Coatings and Tips
Share Your Experience with Deck Resurface Coatings
Have you used products like Behr Deckover, Rust-Oleum Rock Solid (formerly Deck Revive), Olympic Rescue-It, Cabot Deck Correct, or any other Deck Resurface Stains? I’d love to hear about your experience! Feel free to share pictures of your project in the comments along with a detailed description of the product brand and your results.
A Word of Caution
If you’re considering a Deck Resurface Stain, keep in mind that many users report poor experiences with resurface coatings purchased from big-box stores like Home Depot and Lowe’s. These coatings often fall short on durability and performance.
Notable Recommendation
While user feedback for most deck resurface coatings has been overwhelmingly negative, one exception has been Gulf Synthetics Deck Revive, which has received favorable reviews for its performance and reliability.
Your insights and photos can help others make informed decisions about which deck resurface coating to choose—or avoid. Let us know how these products worked for you!
Deck Resurface Coatings – Do They Work?
Homeowners are always looking for an alternative to deck replacement. When wood is neglected, it can be expensive to have it restored or replaced. Companies like Behr, Rust-Oleum, and Olympic are selling deck resurface products. They claim they are the smart alternative to deck replacement. They can be applied to wood surfaces such as decks, stairs, docks, composite decking, etc. So, is it a good alternative or just a waste of time and money?
Deck Resurface products are similar to an extremely thick paint. They are designed to mask the wood and fill large cracks or voids. Deck resurfacer coatings will not show any wood grain. Please note that this product is far beyond conventional wood restoration.
Why use Deck Resurface Products?
The one plus reported by deck restoration professionals is that these products have little sign of UV fading. This, however, is typical for most solid paint or opaque stains because of the high volume of pigment.
Another benefit of using a deck resurface product is the wide range of colors. Because these products are more like solid, thick paint, companies can offer consumers unlimited custom color choices.
My Pro Tip: Avoid very dark colors as they can become hot to the touch when in full sun.
My 4 Reasons to Avoid Deck Resurface Products
- Deck Resurface coatings peel
- Difficult to remove when they fail
- Cause rotting
- Deck Resurface coatings are costly
1. Deck Resurface Coatings Peel
My tests and seeing these coatings in the real world show that despite what the manufacturers claim, these products are prone to peeling. Peeling is always an issue with any film-forming product. It still seems to stand true that anything subjected to the elements will not hold up for more than a couple of years.
Olympic Deck Rescue-It Peeling Photos
2. Deck Resurface Coatings are Impossible to Remove
Another issue with deck resurfacing products is that they create many maintenance and removal issues. With conventional wood restoration, the ease of maintenance using a wood stain helps the deck look so good for many years. With deck resurfacing, maintenance is a chore. Good luck trying to remove such a thick, heavy product. Once the product is on the deck, you may be stuck with it or need to replace the wood. Conventional deck stripper will not remove Deck Resurface Coatings, leaving your options to remove with heavy sanding or scraping.
My Pro Tips: See this article on How to Remove a Deck Resurface Coating.
3. Deck Resurface Coatings Cause Rotting of Wood
The third issue is that most deck resurface coatings do not allow the wood to breathe. They coat the surface 100%, leading to dry rot and, eventually, deck replacement. When the coating cannot breathe, the rotting starts from the bottom up and traps moisture.
We suggest reading the comments below for consumers who have seen firsthand how their decking rots away, causing the need for a full replacement of the wood flooring.
My Pro Tips: Gulf Synthetics Deck Revive is breathable and has had no complaints of rotting.
Rust-Oleum Rock Solid (Deck Restore) Peeling Photos
4. Deck Resurface Coatings are Costly
The cost per square foot for a deck resurface product is extremely high. This is mostly due to the poor coverage rate of these product(s). The average cost is around $1-2 per foot, which is astronomical compared to conventional wood restoration stains.
So, despite the manufacturers’ claims that the product lasts many years, I see firsthand that these products fail and peel within two years. They are expensive to apply, have a horrible coverage rate, create rotting wood, and are hot to the touch in direct sunlight.
My Pro Tip: A class Action Lawsuit has been filed against Rust-Oleum Deck Restore 10x: See Here
Still Looking for a Deck Resurface Coating?
Please read my article on Gulf Synthetics Deck Revive Review. If you’re looking for products that work, this product has real value.
Disgruntled Rust-Oleum Rock Solid (formerly Deck Restore) Customer on YouTube
Deck Resurface Product Reviews
Gulf Synthetics Deck Revive Review
Rust-Oleum Rock Solid/Deck Restore Review
If you have any questions or experience with these deck stain products, please post below
We have an 1,100 sq. ft. deck that is 20 yrs. old. We have been fairly conscientious about treating it with everything from Thompson's Water Seal (crap) to a pigmented oil-based stain every 3-4 years, but it is south-facing and gets sun all day long and, in addition to fairly brutal winters here, all of the weather comes in SW to NE. The decking had gotten pretty bad, so naturally we were stoked to learn of these restorative products. Our original idea was to simply flip the 5/4 decking, offset the new screws so as to not sink them into already split substructure and then cover with Olympic Restore-It. Upon flipping the boards, however, it was apparent that ten board ends were in pretty bad shape and that this was not so good an idea. So, we contracted with a company that had already done extensive remodeling work inside our home. They're good and we trust them, and were more than pleased with their work. We decided to just go ahead and replace all the 5/4 decking boards. However, meanwhile, we went ahead and bought 30 gal. of the Olympic Restore-It product, thinking it would be even better on new lumber, not having taken the time to research these products (my mistake).
We have an 1,100 sq. ft. deck that is 20 yrs. old. We have been fairly conscientious about treating it with everything from Thompson's Water Seal (crap) to a pigmented oil-based stain every 3-4 years, but it is south-facing and gets sun all day long and, in addition to fairly brutal winters here, all of the weather comes in SW to NE. The decking had gotten pretty bad, so naturally we were stoked to learn of these restorative products. Our original idea was to simply flip the 5/4 decking, offset the new screws so as to not sink them into already split substructure and then cover with Olympic Restore-It. Upon flipping the boards, however, it was apparent that ten board ends were in pretty bad shape and that this was not so good an idea. So, we contracted with a company that had already done extensive remodeling work inside our home. They're good and we trust them, and were more than pleased with their work. We decided to just go ahead and replace all the 5/4 decking boards. However, meanwhile, we went ahead and bought 30 gal. of the Olympic Restore-It product, thinking it would be even better on new lumber, not having taken the time to research these products (my mistake).
THEN, after dropping $954.00 on the Restore-It, I began to read the reviews. OMG!!! Even though Lowe's had told us that after it was mixed, there could be no refund, I had already been so scared of using it from reading the reviews that I'd decided that even if I had to eat the cost, I was NOT going to put this stuff on 1,100 sq. ft. of new decking. Credit to Lowe's, they did in fact refund all my money, and did so without any grief. So, happy ending, I guess. The reviews were not just dubious – they were awful (simply read these). Thanks to all of you for helping us to avoid making a BIG mistake.
Obviously, these products were released before adequate testing and research was done. Again, thanks………..
Thanks for all the feedback on these products. I was about to buy the Restore product and get after it. Now I am not sure what to do. It sounds like these products have adhesive problem. Also, most of you are from the north are the ones having the problems. Here in the south we do not have the brutal winters that you have so I am wondering if location is also a factor. For all of you doing the scrapping, … to get rid of what was put down consider taking screws out or nails flipping the boards 180 degrees and putting the screws back in. No need to replace boards simply give new side the stainr you want it to have.
Happy I researched both products before using it.! I'm not buying either of theses products… I'll stick with the regular deck stain that last 5-10 years!!
I'd like to know what stain you use that lasts 5 to 10 years. I haven't found one that lasts longer than a year. In fact, the first stain I put on lasted 3 months before it started peeling off. I used Rustoleum Deck Restore this summer and hope I have better than the success stories posted above.
No stain lasts 5-10 years on a horizontal deck. It is impossible and a marketing gimmick by certain manufacturers if they make such a bogus claim. 2-3 years is the max you will get and that is why you want a product that is easy to redo in the future.
I painted my deck with Olympic "Rescue It" in the fall of 2013, here it is summer of 2014 and it is peeling badly. We had almost all new wood, which we washed down with deck cleaner before painting. I'm very disappointed with this over priced mess. I'm going back to Lowe's to make a complaint.
Has anyone used the pittsburg paint deck revitalizer, seems to be a thinner product leaving some wood grain showing and not all textured. I like the ease of application too. I
I applied Pittsburgh Deck Revitalizer following directions exactly in Sept 2013 and after the snow melted 30% had peeled off.
Thanks for the warning .l was about to purchase this product save me time money and a headache
My wife and I was looking in to this product ,and i'm glad I research it before purchasing this product all of you save me time money and a biggg headache.
Wanted very badly to believe that the RESTORE product was the answer to our constant deck maintenance routine here in New Hampshire. Decided to just do the steps to see if it would hold up over the winter. What a mess in the spring. It had pealed off in big pieces and was probably 50% gone by the time the snow melted. What a waste of money and time. Returned to Lowe's who said that they were having a lot of returns and complaints about this product. At least they refunded what I hadn't used, which was most of it.
How disapointing.
My deck was painted, I power washed, sanded, and applied the Olympic deck cleaner. What the heck do I do next? I prefer to not strip the paint. Of course is that's what's needed, I'll need someone to recommend a paint stripper.
Paint stripper will not remove the paint. Either sand it all off or use another solid color stain/paint over top. If you go with another solid, it will peel again in a year or two repeating the same process.
Thanks to everyone for all the comments, I will take the advise of just restaining every two years. The resurfacing products are not what they appear to be. Saving myself the pain and disappointment of using them.
I'm going to restore my poor, old wooden deck again that has minimal splintering, but inconsistent gaps in the boards. I need to know which sealant would be the best to use in the hot Texas sun. Behr Deckover or Rustoleum Deck Restore.
We would not use either.
Last June, when I made the mistake of using Rescue-It on my deck (which had been extremely neglected for 10 yrs. prior to my purchasing house), I used CABOT AUSTRALIAN TIMEBER OIL on the adjoining porch and stairs. The Rescue-It continues to peel off (I'll have to replace all deck boards, Rescue-It being my last ditch effort to avoid/postpone that) — But – the CABOT AUSTRAILIAN TIMBER OIL looks just as good now as when it was applied! It contains TUNG OIL and linseed oil and seems to have penetrated the wood Very well – in a couple places where carpenter bees have drilled under the railings, the little piles of sawdust are of a darker color than the previous pressure-treated lumber-colored sawdust, which indicates to me that the Timber Oil penetrated surprisingly deeply into the wood. I rubbed it on lightly w/ lambs wool applicator pads. Research using a brush for larger areas? Be sure to wipe overlaps or drips. Of course, my Lowes no longer carries this product, but after I get decking replaced, and after it has cured (or whatever) I will definitely track down a place to buy CABOT AUSTRALIAN TIMBER OIL!!! The Mahogany Flame that I use was slightly more red than I would have liked, but it sure is holding up well. Granted, it's only been a year, but check it out! I can't speak to Texas sun, but while my porch is covered the stairs I used it on are in constant sun for at least 8 – 10 hrs./day. Good luck!
I like many of you purchased Restore product to preserve the wood on both my deck and front porch. I was very careful to follow the instructions and spoke to the Home Depot team about the application and how the results of those who have used this product before.
My deck is 14' x 44' and my porch is 12' x 20', due to the mass of prep work, making sure the wood was clean of soap, paint and other surface finishes, I thought we had done an excellent job, spent two separate weeks completing both projects.
I felt this product was expensive but if it worked I was money ahead and it would last for years. Was I wrong!! It lasted until winter was over and the peeling begin in strips fashion.
To say the was upset is an understatement, the money spent and my wife and my labor to prep and apply the product was intense wanting to have the deck and porch look nice.
I am going to contact the Behr company and see what can be done. I won't be using Restore again. I have 2 pales left, I can't give it away.
Take it from a professional contractor…stay away from any of these deck restore products. They are short term fixes for very long term problematic issues and not anywhere near the worth of what it costs you to apply this garbage. Stick to good ole fashion oil based sealers (maybe a few water) along with some routine maintenance every few years and your deck will look beautiful for its entire lifetime. There are no quick fix gimmicks so please stay away from these and trust what the professionals tell you. In as little as 2 years you will be begging someone to help you restore it again but unfortunately your pocket book may not be big enough to have it done.
is there a particular stain/sealer you wold recommend for the Dallas, Texas area? I have a pool deck and a wrap around porch that it only partially covered. Professional suggestions appreciated!
Try the Armstrong Clark stain for this.
I have a deck that was previously stained with a latex/acrylic stain. It has been peeling badly so i power washed as much of that off as i could without hurting the wood too badly. There are still some traces of acrylic stain here and there so i am thinking an oil based stain would not work well. I am guessing i will need to stick to some latex solid color product. What should i use since these deck restore products are garbage?
Try Flood SWF for this.
DON'T confuse the different produces – RESTORE was the ORIGINAL and the BEST! I used 2 in a side by side comparison…
I have two decks. One I used RESTORE (before it was bought out by Rustoleum) and the second I used OLYMPIC RESCUE IT. The RESTORE deck has held up BEAUTIFULLY and I could not be more pleased. I put it on a deck in Northern Michigan where it endured a brutal, brutal winter (an Arctic vortex they called it). We used a snowblower, shoveled the snow off it – it looks as good as new. I could not give a higher recommendation to RESTORE. Now, bear in mind that the deck I used it on was in such bad shape that it was a last ditch effort instead of replacing the wood (we bought a foreclosed cottage that had been severely neglected).
The second product OLYMPIC RESCUE IT was used on the deck at my primary residence. My husband thought it had less of a texture and would be a better fit. It has not held up AT ALL. Huge sheets of it have peeled off. What a nightmare. I spent all of my free time last week on my hands and knees, scraping, and repainting. So sorry I bought it.
I found this side-by-side comparison very enlightening.
You said you used RESTORE (who makes it and where do you buy it) or has it been bought by Rustoleum and not available now.
I used the Deck Restore(from Home Depot) product on an old wooden covered porch and love it. I used it in Sept 2012 before superstorm Sandy hit in Oct 2012. We were hit pretty hard at the jersey shore and the porch looked immaculate after the storm. There has been no sign of flaking or peeling. In fact, where I got small specks of it on the vinyl railing I cannot remove them.. I worked hard prepping the old wood down to the bare wood.
I am hoping it lasts for a long time. My only complaint is that it is a little rough on bare feet and was pricy. Luckily, it is not a big porch.
who makes Deck Restore
Rustoleum makes Deck Restore. They bought it from Synta.
Wow! sounds like everyone should stay from away Olympic huh? Lol. Well here's my 2 cents. My next door bud and i both bought Behr soild color for composite decks, i followed directions to the letter, he didn't, results.. a year later mine.. fantastic, his.. exactly as most on this site are saying.. peeling. moral.. do the extra prep work and stay away from Olympic.
I just used Behr Deckover on my farmers porch… hoping it holds up to the traffic of the kids and dogs. Plan on doing my back deck this weekend – only doing the flooring – not the railings. the product is very thick and takes time to apply… I will just be using the behr solid stain. Hope it last at least 3/4 years….
I used the olympic rescue it on both of my decks & concrete porch now I need to be recused!!! I have a mess 🙁 I wish I checked the reviews before I used it!!!! It says if you have your receipt you could get reimbursed but who keeps the receipt I was expecting it to be great!
I think the horrible reviews probably didn't appear until almost a year after people first got the "miracle" product Rescue It. It took about 6 months before mine started peeling off. Originally PPG offered to refund purchase price. I balked and they offered $200 for labor of scraping off. I still wasn't satisfied (showing how truly fed up I was, to be brave enough hold out) I was told to get 2 -3 estimated for $$ of scraping. I sent PPG 2 estimates and am waiting on check for product + $900 – after signing letter that I nor my heirs will not hold PPG liable, bla, bla. Doesn't cover my wasted time applying in June 2013, or having to live with the horrible-looking deck – waiting until fall to have all the deck boards (16×27') REPLACED! Meanwhile, huge flakes of Rescue-It blowing off onto mulch, flowers, etc. I hope others will be spared by these posts. If you still have time – do not accept Only reimbursement of purchase price.
I used it on my front concrete stoop ( about 25 square ft ) last fall. Two coats and it looks great now. May 2014. Also, I coated one board on my deck to see how it would stick. It is holding up quite well. Note this will NOT fill wide cracks in a deck. I live in N.E. Ohio
Has anyone tried Superdeck Deck & Dock elastomeric coating? Feedback?
Ugg…Just put my first coat of Olympic Rescue it down. Not sure if I should even put the second coat on. Glad I only did one deck!
I also used about 8 gallons of Olympic Rescue it last September. I live in the Chicago area and we had a Very rough winter. After all the snow melted I saw large areas of peeling. I would approximate 30-40% of what I put down has peeled off. Very disappointed. Prior to putting it down I pressure washed and used a deck cleaner. I put down two coats and followed the dry times. I had to put some new boards down last year and it is peeling off new as well as older boards.
Do Not Buy!
I live in a northwest suburb of Chicago. I already prepped our deck with sanding and Olympic deck cleaner and today I was prepared to start putting down Rescue It. After reading all the bad reviews, I think my husband and I are going to return the unopened containers to Lowes. Thanks for your input.
I just bought 6 gallons of Olympic rescue it and after reading these reviews , am tempted to take it back. Mary Ann , did Lowes refund your money.
Used Restore, for the first time in 2011 in a 1200 sqft. deck (as a last resort before replacing de wood), and just checked now 3 years later, it still looks great just needs to be washed and my client is very happy. I've done several other jobs with no complaints. Last summer I tried Bher Deckover and was told by Home Depot that you only have warranty if use the Deckover cleaner, it offers more coverage and it is thinner than Restore.
On all applications all decks were cleaned using chemicals, power washed waited at least 24 hours between coats, making sure the wood was dry and no chance of rain on the next couple days.
Preparation is the key.
Asheville.NC
They tell you NOT to power wash on the directions!!!!
I'm curious, you say that you use the deck restore in 2011. Do you know if it was made by Synta? Apparently the Synta product was very good but when will it was bought by Rustoleum it became the horrible things that were reading all about. Only wondering because I have two gallons of the Synta deck restore but don't want to use it if I'm going to end up the results that are being posted
Rustoleum Restore for decks DO NOT USE THIS I live in the Chicago area. I had a professional painter use this product on my deck. It started to flack of within one week. I called Rustoleum. They offered to replace and give me more product for free. NO THANKS. I am disabled, and would have to pay a painter again. I now have to pay someone to scrap this crap off my deck.
Thanks for the reviews. I am getting older and working on projects to make them little to no maintenance. I have been trying to decide whether to use one of these products or to redo with composite decking. I went to Lowes and was told the Olympic Rescue-It and the Restore has had great reviews. I decided to do some research before purchasing. I am so glad I did. I almost fell into the hype since they had the $10 rebate. Thanks again!!
I bought 5 gallons of Olympic rescue-it now I need rescuing. 8 months peeling like crazy. Contacted PPG about problem and tech person wasn't any help. Says he has had a few complaints ha! He said he and others were barred from looking at these sites. Sent me letter to take to LOWES FOR 5 MORE FREE GALLONS. Once I sign the letter and receive the paint it states that Olympic and Lowes are no longer liable. Sounds kinda fishy. Why in the world would I want to put down 5 more gallons of this useless coating. Tried pressure washing the junk off but only gets part of it off. Wish I had read these reviews before buying. I highly recommend this product to NO ONE!!!
Don't use Deck Restore by Rustoleum! I used this product last summer to cover my very large deck. It looked great after its application however recently when we went out to clean and prep the deck for another summer of being outside it looked horrible. The stain is peeling everywhere and got worse with a simple spray of the garden hose. Can't imagine what would have happened if I fired up the power washer. Now I have to strip the entire surface and redo. Don't waste your money!
Well, here I go. After stripping, lightening, and retaining my redwood deck probably 8 times in the 20 years since buying the house new. I've tried everything from Olympic, to Duckback, to Sherwin-Williams, and some others before finally giving Behr a chance. After redoing my deck to their specs with all of their products and following up with their Premium Semi-Transparent Stain for Decks, that was supposed to last 5 years, lasted 2, if that. I documented every step of the way on my digital camera. After complaining to Home Depot, I was referred directly to Behr. I have got to say, they are one of the best, most people and customer oriented companies I've ever dealt with in my 67 years. They not only reimbursed me for all of their products I used, but paid me a stipend for my estimated labor, then paid for the new 2 step process Premium Deck Stain when it came out. Again, less than 2 years, shot. I called again and sent more documentation of the degradation. I asked them to send a technician or engineer to my house to see what the problem was and do it "correctly". They told me they didn't have anyone that could do that, but to get several estimates and they would pay a pro painter and furnish all the products at no cost to me. When the "Pro" was finished I was not very happy with the results (went to solid color stain) and that was about the time DeckOver came out. Again I called Behr with photos and expressed my displeasure with the appearance. They authorized me to purchase 2, 5 gallon pails of DeckOver along with 6 gallons of their cleaner (#64), and would reimburse me when I sent them the receipts. Great Company! Did I say that before? I am currently in the middle of preparing the deck for recoating with DeckOver, this is after I had to rebuild the 13 step staircase going down from the deck to the dog run/patio area. I used the DeckOver on the new steps and so far it is holding up very well and my Golden Retriever likes the added traction of the texture. I should have the decking completed within the next couple of weeks and I'll have to report back on my results. Anyway, I'm definately a believer in Behr products and their Company from now on. They really try to please.
Any update? We just spent over $500 last night on Behr Deckover (2 Five gal buckets) as well as their stripper and cleaner…. very nervous now…. It is, of course, tinted so NO RETURN as per label from Home Depot. We don't have time or money to spare so my stomach is just in knots…. :(_
Go ahead do it! It will last about three years. Our DeckRestore lasted three years beautifully then the deck boards started rotting at an alarming rate. We feel that the heavy sand content in the DeckRestore was holding water against the wood like a compress, preventing it from drying, and gradually rot set in.
Behr is a great company for helping with problems as Tajasdad wrote. (Rustoleum not so good). Document every step of the way, save cans and receipts, then contact Behr in three years if your deck rots or any other problems occur, they will make it right even to paying for a new deck, but for three years you will have a fantastic looking deck if it is applied properly.
I am in the same position as you what are you suppose to do I hope Home Depot will take I back after reading all of the complaint's
I did the exact same purchase.
After reading all these posts, I'm not going through with the application.
That is probably the happiest I will ever be.
Hopefully, I get my purchase refunded since the big box Paint associate was the one who said Behr was far better than Restore by Rust..
I used this product on another deck last summer and have yet to see how it fairs this spring…. I guess I was just a bit too gung-ho and didn't think I would have to read so many depressing results from other users. 🙁
THANK YOU, everyone, was about to make the investment and would have blew my top if I spent all that money and time on a product that did not live up to my expectations.
I used Olympic Rescue It. After carefully following the cleaning instructions I put it on deck July 2013. Loved the look when finished. However this winter after the heavy snow began to melt I noticed the product began to peel away in big sheets. 90% has peeled away. My deck looks a mess. So much time and money spent trying to restore my deck since the previous owner had not done anything to it in the previous 5 years. Now I’m stuck trying to get money back and hoping to recoup some for the labor and pre-wash.
Horrible product. Do not buy. Warn your friends, too!
I was getting ready to order the Rust-Oleum "Restore" and was price checking on Amazon. That's when I read 17 reviews on the product and these were mostly negative. One store provided complete payment of the product and another store got Rust-Oleum involved and they refused to pay. Stated that the customer didn't apply it correctly without sending anyone out. It was put on a new deck and they followed the instructions to the letter.
New deck being the obvious "weakest link" in the prep system. New wood must be allowed to dry out ( off gas) minimum of one year or nothing will bond to it, much less these Restore type deck topcoatings.
I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW – OF THOSE WHO ARE COMPLAINING, HOW MANY COATS DID YOU APPLY?
So far, Deck Restore has been the best product I have found for my deck. 3 years and no issues. I finally have my MT summers back without staining the deck each year!
As far as these posts go.
The older version of Restore was excellent
It has now been bought out by Rustoleum
and the "new formula" sucks , (apparently).
Found the comments interesting that on T-111, the product still looks great but on the deck, it's peeling. I purchased 5 gallons of the Olympic Rescue-it from Lowes and put it on my deck in June 2013. We had a very rough winter here in northern Ohio and now it's coming off. Not in sheets as some have described but, none the less, peeling. I suspect it is from the deck boards flexing from foot traffic and the poor adhesion quality of the product. It seems like as the days go by I find more spots where the product has come off. Oh well… I wanted a bigger deck anyway… Anyone for a bon fire???
Been scraping Rescue-it for weeks now. Olympic replaced the cost that I had spent and suggested I clean with Olympic Stain and Paint Cleaner which I have. I am now in the process of scraping and scraping and scraping by hand. Already used a Belt Sander over and over. Olympic told Me not to use a Paint and Stain Stipper as advised by Lowe's because this stuff is near impossible to remove. They got that part right. After reading all these remarks I guess I'll be scraping again next Spring. Big disapointment. You would think You would get the right answers from Olympic. It seems They are refunding more than They are profiting. Looks like the advertising is all hog wash to Me. Others around Me have the same issue with Other paints also. So it's not just Rescue-it. Like the fact that I don't slip down on it in the Winter though. After repainting this time I will keep at least a half gallon on hand for touch up when it starts peeling in a few months. I can say that under My covered porch not exposed directly to the weather, it is perfect.
Iam here to join the crew! I did my deck Spring of 2013 with Deck Restore (Rustolium) I had the deck sanded and then put on professionally (2 coats). I was very happy with the end result. It lasted all Summer and Fall no problems. Winter came and now this spring 2014, its all peeling up in sheets! My deck looks like crap! Very pissed, went to home depot complained, they said the company is offering refunds for the product. I got in touch with the company, they sent me a form to fill out. I also had to send pics and my reciepts. I spent a total of over $400 and they refunded me $398. They didn't include the roller kit and cleaner I had to buy. They also didn't include the Restore Stain for the railings. In the process of looking for a good stain to use. Here is a tip to take off the Restore, go use one of those blowers for land scaping. If your deck is peeling, it will pick up and blow away most of it. My friend has a powerful one that you carry on your back like a back pack, most of it came up no problem. Keep far away from this crappy product!
I'm in the same boat. Did a huge deck around my pool in May 2013 and it is now peeling in large sheets. In process of acquiring my receipts from Lowes for full reimbursement from Olympic. Can never get the time & labor back. Very disappointed.
The worst product ever. We got our money back for the product(it was recalled) BUT labor to put down and now to take off I can't sell my house with deck looking like this. Pressure washing off and hand scraping. (900 sq. ft) what a pain in the a—. No help with labor from rustoleum. . Hate the company and will tell anyone I know of my experience and what the actual cost has been. Might feel different if they would help with labor. BUT not going to happen. Will not use any of their products on my new house.
thanks for all the feedback everyone, I live in Ontario Canada where we eperience some brutal winters and fantastic summers. My deck is large 32' by 16' which is partially covered with a roof structure so my wear and fading is not consistent. the only product I have ever used is benjemin moore clear translucent stain but unfortunatley here in canada we are unable to get the original product hence the last application did not stand up as long and has since started to peel. I think I will stay with the BM stain and ensure to complete good preparation and apply extra applications to the part of the deck that is exposed to the full sun all of the time. again thanks for all the great comments
Hi Lee,
as I have a cottage in eastern Ontario, same issue with a deck that was given a quick solid stain prior to my purchase. It looke great first year and now is peeling extensively. I was considering those deck over products but after reading above issues I will stay away. Did you use a BM oil based stain? I have considered just trying to sand/power wash any remaining dark green stain and leaving the wood to age naturally. It is half exposed and half covered under our roof overhang.
I had solid stain on part of my deck. Solid stain will peal similar to paint. I used a stripper to remove it. Then sanded with a palm sander and 40 grit paper. Then 80 grit. Long process but finally got it off. When I started looking into a new stain I ran into same confusing problem. They say the best UV protection is solid stain. The Worst Is clear. I went with semi-transparent and found it to be the best compromise. Watch out for shaded areas if you are using oil based stains because they are organic and will mildew a little faster. I used an acrylic 3 years ago and need to resain the horizontal surfaces again this year. Deck wash replace a couple of warped boards a blend restain with large paint brush with broom type handle screwed in where handle was. My deck is 2 levels with 3 sets of steps 40ft X 62ft. Originally built with pool in middle, then rebuilt without pool, by me a Tool & Die Maker.
I think the 10 year rule with this product is that after it starts to peel after one heart it will take you an additional 9 to get the rest off. I can't believe what utter crap this stuff is.
Used Olympic Rescue It on a power-sanded deck surface. I also used it on my T-111 wood paneling around the deck despite the recommendation against using it on that surface (we only need another couple of years out of this deck and siding anyway…)
The irony? After 8 months and a harsh winter, the siding looks fine; but the coating on the decking has ALREADY peeled up on about 25% of the surface. Very poor adhesion. I strongly advise against using this overpriced gimmick.
Overpriced gimmick..pffft these guys should be jailed for selling such a crap product.
I had the exact same problem with Behr Deckover. I applied it July 2013 and it has peeled off all over. I am in the process of trying to take it off. I took pictures and the receipt back to Home Depot and they gave me all $600 back. I wish I could get my time back. Horrible product. DO NOT USE!!!
Sorry for your experience, Carrie! Isn't it a nightmare?? I'm in negotiations with Olympic for reimbursement for product & Labor, after Lowe's said I had to discuss problem w/ them. May I ask if Home Depot gave you more than just the cost of product? How are you trying to remove it?
Kathy, I am experiencing the EXACT same problem! Now I'm hand scraping the whole deck! What a pain! I was so pleased with the application last summer that I recommended to to my neighbours who are now experiencing the same problem! we followed the prep instructions to the letter! I will never have a deck again!
That has got to be the worst feeling of all.
Greatest free publicity, word of mouth.
Now, some are here reading and cringing and others are here feeling that dread awful feeling all over again 🙁
Thank You all for the feedback I'm saved because I chose to read just a little bit more than the instructions
I put down 5 gallons of Olympic Rescue it las tfall, this spring it is all peeling, have had the Olympic rep out to the house, they took pix, sent off paint chips. It also peeled off my concrete walks.
Olympic Rescue It – I used this product in June 2013 and by March 2014 it was peeling off in sheets which actually blow off into the yard like dead leaves!! Of course, not all of it is coming off that easily and I was advised by Olympic to use paint stripper, which I'm not inclined to do on a 430 sq. ft. deck surrounded by plants. Being fully aware of the crucial importance of prep, (the instructions advise against pressure washing) I used deck cleaner, an electric floor scrubber, and sanded lightly (rinsing off all sanding dust). What an unbelievable disappointment!! I had been so pleased after application thinking it was finally the solution to the previous homeowner's neglect. The only solution I see is to replace the deck boards! As mentioned above, once the product is applied you are stuck with it! – except where it's peeling off in sheets. DO NOT use Olympic Rescue It.
I have the same problem…so much work for nothing..just more work to remove it!
Thanks for the warning i will pass on this stuff
Had Olympic professionally installed last summer. This spring it is peeling extensively. Am trying to decide what next step should be. $1,200.00 wasted!
TERRIBLE,TERRIBLE PRODUCT !!
Huge waste of time and money. Applied this fall and this spring it started to lift off in sheets.
I have tried sanding and everything looks good to recover,but when I used a leaf blower to blow the paint chips and dust off, the paint started lifting in spots where I had just sanded.
Verry FRUSTRATING !!
Thanks for the information…we are going to stick with stain.
I used this product to paint my deck summer or 2013 and now spring of 2014 its peeling off . I'm very disappointed with this product . I also used it to paint my concrete patio . and its faded out . spent a lot of time prepping and cleaning before hand , put many hours in this,.for it to peel off so soon. I talked to others that theirs did the same thing. what a waste of time and money
I did the same thing, applied in 2013 and now it is peeling and deck looks worse than before. Very disappointed in Restore!
Exact same problem!!! We used this product fall 2013 and now spring of 2014 its peeled off. We are very disappointed as well. My husband spent a lot of time prepping and cleaning before hand and allowing several days for it dry before applying this. When he was done it looked great but now it looks awful and we have to paint it all over again.
I also used Restore in the summer of 2013 in 2 different locations – south NJ and upstate NY. By spring 2014 both decks were peeling. The one in SJ is completely gone – came up with a broom when sweeping the leaves. The one in upstate NY actually held up better, but is still peeling in many locations. I am really upset about all the money and time spent and it didn't even last a year!
Thanks for the warning!!!!!! I was considering these types of products but was concerned about peeling.
I have a good size deck. Put Rustoleum Restore on 2/3rds of it last summer. Looked great. Then the weather changed. Moisture and cold caused some bubbling. Bubbles cracked and then the Restore started to peel in a few places. Now that winter is over, the restore has failed on 70% of the board that I put it on. "Fail" means that it has started peeling off easily (like kicking it with your shoe) and that is less than 9 months after application. Where it has not peeled, it looks great and seems to be wearing well. However, given the cost, spread rate, time investment, I will be removing this product and going with a stain. Shouldn't be a problem to remove since it has already come off in many places.
My Behr deckover started peeling up after one year even though I applied it correctly. Really wish I hadn't spent all the time and money on it.
B Sears, sorry to hear but it does not surprise us. Behr has yet to make a quality exterior decking stain of any sort.
I had a horrible experience with Restore. Very poor adhesion after thorough power washing. I've come to this website to search for a good stripper. All 600 sq ft must be removed. Beware Rust-Oleum Restore
It works great for me here in florida. I am going on two years and still looks like I just put it on. I pressure washed first.
Same here – horrible!
On the advice of the Home Depot people, we had Deck Restore applied to our 18 ft X 18 ft deck. We followed the instructions carefully. No where did it say to sand off ALL the old finish, which was an opaque stain.The first snow fall, it began to "bubble" then came off in huge sheets over the next few months of winter, after each snowfall. But not off the entire deck of course. Rust Oleum now says it is our fault for not sanding off the original stain. To get it off, we have scraped, used a deck cleaner and sanded but have not been able to remove except for the top surface.Again on the advice of Home Depot, my husband applied Behr Deck Over on top. It is not as thick as Deck Restore so you can clearly see all the places where the first stuff peeled off. Our deck looks absolutely horrible, I describe as a desert storm camo appearance with acne. We have been told by deck restores that it will not come off. Has anyone been able to remove this?
Probably will need to replace the boards. Sorry 🙁
An alternative is to pull up the decking, turn over the boards and re-attach.
I was able to power wash my deck after Restore crack, flaked and lifted. It all came off with the power washer. It's back to bare boards.
Great that is is off!
I had to rent a pressure washer @ nearly 3000 psi to get "most" of it off…still sanding individual spots. Will need to then re-send the entire deck just to put stain down.
I have a teen home she waters the deck about once and hour in the hot sun, gets soft, I come home and power wash….had 14 x 20 deck about 1/2 done in 4 evenings. Some boards had very good adhesion I sanded these, a smaller deck was used as a test, I did a few boards with the Behr Deck over looks fairly decent. Part of my deck is covered, removal on those boards is nearly impossible. Water is the best solvent for Restore…we are in WA state…
All of these restore products are garbage…take it from a professional contractor. Nothing works better than good ole fashioned oil to rejuvenate and restore your wood and keep it looking healthy for many years to come with regular maintenance and upkeep. There are no easy fixes out there so don't be fooled by this gimmick. Don't use paints or stains on your deck if you can avoid it. its not worth the anguish in the long run that may look pleasing for a year or two. TRUST ME!
when you say oil what do you mean? i have a deck that is covered all the time ,it mstarted looking old so i power washe dit back to original wwhat you suggest. it had thompsons weather proofing on it to start.
Oil is the base of the finish. Not water-based.
Thompsons is a terrible product. It is paraffin based product so you are only putting wax on your deck and will need to redo about every 3 months. An oil based product stain such as Cabot or Olympic is the way to go.
I don't know if their formulas have changed but I'm in the process of removing Cabot's oil based stain. Even with careful prep it started fading after 3 months here in western Oregon. I had much better luck with Penafin but, based on recommendations, I'm going to try TWP100 this time.
My back yard is all deck ( bought this house approx. a year ago.) some wood needs to be replaced. And many cracks. I"ve have read all the bad comments on products I looked into. Pressure wash but all paint didn't come off. Any suggestions ?????
Would sand blasting successfully remove DeckOver, etc.? Also, what "Old Fashioon Oil" do you consider best to use……linseed, etc.?
Thanks,
Jim Parker
It probably would remove it. Do not use straight linseed oil unless you want a moldy deck.
What kind of oil
What do you mean by "good ole fashioned oil"? You say "don't use paints or stains on your deck if you can avoid it", so what are you meaning by oil? Not an oil based stain? Would really look forward to your response. Thanks.
What kid of oil do I use??
Mike P: When you say nothing works better than oil, what type oil are you talking about?
What kind of oil?
The instructions state you are not to power-wash before using, but use their cleaning products.
Did you let the deck completely dry before applying product??
They tell you NOT to power wash it before.