Hi, I am Scott Paul, a leading exterior restoration contractor and business owner with over 30 years of experience in exterior wood decking. My Behr Deckover review is based on my history as a wood restoration contractor and actual hands-on testing, all designed to present you with the top deck stain choices. See here for more info about me.
- Behr Advanced DeckOver peeled heavily after just one Winter, even when prepped according to Behr manufacturer directions, making durability a serious concern.
- Coverage is poor at real-world use, requiring 8 gallons for a 400-square-foot deck, making the cost per square foot one of the worst ratings in the review.
- Application is difficult, requiring multiple backbrushing passes and causing drips between deck boards, earning ease of application a low score of 2 out of 10.
- Reapplication is a major hassle since Behr Advanced DeckOver will not strip with a conventional deck stripper, requiring full sanding to switch products.
Behr Advanced DeckOver in 2026: Reviewed by an Expert
Since the article was first published initially, we have had many comments from consumers who have used the Deckover and have had a terrible experience with peeling and failure. If you have used the Behr Deckover, please upload and post pictures of your exterior wood or deck with the Deckover on it. A brief description of your experience would be helpful as well. This can be done in our comment area below. Feel free to submit a Star Rating on the Behr Deckover coating.
Important Note: Behr Deckover is now called Behr Advanced DeckOver. It comes in a smooth or textured finish.
Behr Advanced Deckover Review
Bring new life to old wood and concrete surfaces with BEHR ADVANCED DECKOVER. This 100% acrylic formula conceals cracks and splinters up to 1/4″, creating a smooth, slip-resistant finish that resists cracking and peeling. It’s available in 54 solid custom colors and is also great for decks, railings, patios, composite decks, pool decks, and walkways.
Recommended for properly prepared exterior weathered or cracked horizontal and vertical wood and composite surfaces such as Decks, Railings, Porches, and Boat Docks. It is also great for concrete surfaces such as Pool Decks, Patios, and Sidewalks. Do not use it on drivable surfaces such as garage floors and driveways.
How I Rated BEHR ADVANCED DECKOVER
My BEHR ADVANCED DECKOVER review contains an 8-step process and the final average score. Each step is on a scale of 1-10.
- The appearance of BEHR ADVANCED DECKOVER after Application
- Preventing UV Graying
- Peeling or Wearing
- Cost Per Square Foot
- Preventing Mold and Mildew
- How Easy was the Application
- Color Shifting
- Ease of Reapplication
- BEHR ADVANCED DECKOVER Final Score
8-Step Review of Behr Deckover Wood Stain
1. Appearance After Initial Stain Application: 4
Behr Deckover applies like thick paint and helps to fill cracks and conceal splinters. It looks like paint, not like a deck stain. Our customer complained about dirty footprints always showing up on the deck, so we had to scrub to remove them.
2. Preventing UV Graying at 2 Year Mark: 10
Excellent UV protection from graying in the areas that were not peeling.
3. Wear/Tear and Peeling: 4
After one Winter the Deckover was peeling heavily. We prepped according to manufacturer directions, knowing that was not the problem. In general, we have found that all Behr stains tend to peel, especially after a Winter in a cold-weather state.
4. Cost Per Square Foot: 1
It’s not good. Behr says 75 sq. per gallon, and that is very generous. We used 8 gallons for the 400-square-foot deck. The first coat was applied at about 50 sq. feet, and the second coat was applied at 75 sq. feet per gallon.
5. Preventing Mold/Mildew/Algae: 10
No Mold or Algae were on the deck stain after 2+ years.
6. Ease of Application: 2
It is very difficult to apply. We applied it with a brush and roller. We needed to backbrush numerous times to get the stain to fill the cracks. We had many drips between the deck boards showing.
7. Color Shifting (darkening) after 2 Years: 10
It did not darken or attract dirt.
8. The Difficulty of Reapplication: 1
This would be tough to fix and may not be worth recoating with the same product. You would have to scrape and sand all loose stain before reapplication. If you wanted to change brands, you would need to sand the entire deck to remove as the Behr Deckover will not strip off with a conventional deck stripper remover.
Overall Score Behr Deckover at 2 Year Period: 5.5
If you took away the UV protection of being a solid stain product, this product’s ratings would be much less. There are many complaints on the internet about the Behr Deckover. Use at your own risk, as there is a good chance it will peel and create an enormous mess for you to fix.
Behr DeckOver Surface Consumer Photos
Product Information:
Behr Advanced DeckOver Home Depot
Where To Buy: Home Depot
Cost: $45 per Gallon
Stain Type: Acrylic Solid Stain – Water Based
Available Colors: 54 Custom colors
Application Temperature: 45-95 F
Coats Required: 2 Coats.
Coverage Per Gallon: 75 sq. ft per gallon. You need 2 coats for the best performance.
Application Tools: Brush, Roller
Dry Time: 8-24 Hours
Cleanup: Water
VOC Compliant: 250 Compliant in all States
Manufacturer: Behr
Test Deck Stats:
Deck Wood Type: Untreated Pressure Treated Pine Dock
Deck Square Footage: 400 Square feet
UV Exposure: Full sun
How Many Years Tested: 1 Year. Peeled after the first Winter.
Looking For a Better Deck Resurface Coating?
Please read our article on Gulf Synthetics Deck Revive Review We believe this product has actual value if looking for these product types that actually work.
*All products tested and results are from our experience. We offer no guarantee of similar results. Take into consideration that results may differ due to different wood types, exposure to UV radiation, and natural weathering.
Behr DeckOver Video Review
Behr DeckOver Consumer Rating Results
A year after applying this product I found it was not only peeling off, but where I peeled it away the wood was wet – so it was sealing water in instead of repelling it. It was a disaster. Forget the waste of $ I paid for it, what I really hate is the time I spent prepping the surface (washing with a special cleaner, filling and sanding), and scraping it off most recently. After 10 hours of scraping at least enough of it has been removed so I think it will not cause more damage to the deck, even while it still looks terrible!
i am furious how fast this “deck Paint” peeled off over just one winter. One of the porches we put it on we never even use and it still peel off as much as our heavily used porch. I want my money back!
Yes, all Behr deck stain products are poor. They just do not seem to care.
Same as the old Deckover. Behr just added word advance and took off 7yrs of the original 8yr warranty.
On any day I would have sweared on Behr Paint but that Advanced DeckOver is the worst thing they ever made. It paints on lumpy, the color is dull after it drys. Please don’t waste your money. And yes I prepared it just as they said. It is horrible. And I brought 3 gallons of this trash for 42.98 ea.gal. Glad I didn’t put on my deck if this what it looks like on concrete.
The old Deckover had a class action lawsuit against and Behr loss who know how many millions
I started to spray my deck to get all dirt and debris that had accumulated during winter. I applied Deckover just 2 years ago with a product that has a 15 year warranty and as you can see, it came right up and off. I did EVERYTHING perfect according to directions. Unfortunately, I thought I saved the receipt, however cannot find it. PLEASE DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY!!!! I am sick that I have to do this whole thing over and I am no spring chicken!!
We have applied the product at least 3 times with 2 coats each time. Same results even after a so called deckover expert applied it. Peeling off in sheets! We are going to have replace the wood to get rid of this stuff. Wished we had never tried it. We have it on 3 decks and a gazebo.
I read the reviews prior to purchasing and thought, “Surely these people applied the product incorrectly. I’ll just follow the instructions and it’ll be fine.” WROOOONG!! This stuff started peeling about 6 months after application. The underside of the deck looks great, but any area touched by the sun shows extreme degradation. In addition, water got trapped in the wood and I have planks rotting all over the place. Looks like this will be a full deck rebuild. The attached photos are from 6 months ago. It looks much worse now.
Behr was sued over this product a few years back. Wish I could have gotten in on it.
This stuff ruined my deck, and with lumber prices through the roof right now can’t afford to replace it. Yeah their claims to sounded good but are BS. Wish I could have gotten in on the lawsuit also.
We got in on it but couldn’t find the original container at the time. We found it later. Amazingly I guess we couldn’t verify we used it but had the ruined deck and we were contacted about the suit so someone knew we purchased it. At the end of the day, we got nothing.
I contacted Behr directly as I wasn’t aware of the lawsuit at the time. They refunded me for the product and sent me 3 gallons of stain, and some deck cleaner. By then the deck was basically ruined, so the stain is still siting in the garage till I can afford a new deck.
Had a receipt, container, and photos. Bear said I filed outside of the submission dead line by one month. Informed me after the strung me along for over a year and lawsuit settled. Will never use a Behr product again.
I’m definitely with you on that. NEVER again. They sent us replacement stain and after scraping that crap off my deck it looks awful and the wood has rotted in a number of places. Sadly we put this product on a new deck and now need to replace it. I tell everyone I know about how poorly we were treated and they can simply look at our deck.
I bought our house with a 6 year old deck protected with DeckOver. We have to remove the deck due to extreme rot. The pictures of pealing paint looks just like my deck!!
My other house had a 20 year old deck protected with Thompson’s Water Seal. No rot!
can solid colors be tinted to match siding better. can not find one of your colors that look good with siding color
Solid color deck stains for teh most part can be custom tinted.
What do you think about applying mad dog deck fix over deckover? The deckover was applied by the homeowner about 6 years ago. Was peeling in about 25 percent of surface area. I power sanded it yesterday. Thx
You cannot apply any coating over the deckover. It will continue to peel and it will create more issues. Remove it fully:
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/how-to-remove-rust-oleum-deck-restore/
Thanks for your response.
what concrete deck
paints are best? DeckOver is buffling.
You cannot use a concrete paint on a wood deck. You need to remove the failing Behr Deckover or replace the wood.
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/will-deck-stain-peel/
Bought the deck over texture and had it in the garage one gallon and when I opened it 6 months later it was completely hard. Took it back and was told no refund cause it sat too long. It was brand new.
This crap ruined our deck. We’re in the process of trying to remove it. Been a month of scraping and sanding. Never buy Behr products!
This product is pure crap. Seems after one year started peeling and retaining moisture. Looks like replacement is the only option. This should be taken off the market.
Have you ever heard of anybody successfully thinning deck over. I have had a problem with it setting up if it wasn’t used within the first several months of purchase. Instead of throwing the whole five gallon bucket away as a total loss has anybody ever tried to mix it with other deck paint to give it a little more grit and to use up at least a portion of that wasted 5 gallon of deck over
We highly doubt that will work.
I put Deckover on in June 2018 a month later heard of lawsuit. Home Depot was still selling it. By December 2018 started peeling in sheets. I filed a claim in May 2019. Pictures and receipts. Kept calling nothing. I tried on the website said it’s closed. In May 2022 tired of waiting for my check. I called several of the lawyers involved only one called me back. I had to call Northern District court of Illinois. I finally got my check.$259.00 8 gals I bought. I need to replace wood which it rotted. No cost of sq ft they were supposed to pay. $4 per SQ foot I have approx 500 SQ ft deck. This new Advance Deckover seems like same formula reduced to a 1yr warranty. From reviews and photos and another 2002 lawsuit of $160 million. There exterior products are garbage,
Yes, they are poor.
The problem with this stuff is that if moisture get past it (as in, nail/screw holes or cracks in the coating, it traps it there. It snowballs from there. More cracks/rotting lead to more and more deterioration. I had to replace about 25% of my deck boards after 5 years. Maybe if you re-coat it every year it will last. Idk
I am shocked to see there aren’t any comments about how hot it gets. We can not walk on the deck barefoot (the dogs are miserable too) without it blistering our feet. It’s not summer yet, either. We chose ‘sable’ because it was a lighter color. When contacting Behr, their solution was to send us two gallons of a lighter color. It took five to paint our deck.
Yeah. It is SUPER HOT. Cannot walk barefoot on it at all and my dog used to enjoy lying in the sun on the deck until I painted it with this. 🙁
I pressure washed and sanded all the stuff that could peel off. After sanding can apply a different stain or does it all have to come off and be bare wood? Can you stain over the deckover stuff that is not peeling?
You have to remove all of the Deckover first.
Even if I’m using the same deckover stuff?
You could probably use that over your old Deckover but you will be prone to peeling again.
I used behr deckover 2 yrs ago can I apply a new coat
You should be able to after prepping correctly.
I used deckover on my shaded patio and followed instructions carefully. After 2 years it’s been peeling. Can I patch the peeling areas or do I have to clean off the entire patio and start over? I used the Behr deckover and primer.
You cannot spot fix it. You would have to remove it fully to fix and this would require power sanding it all off.
We applied deck over last year and today I am walking on my deck and my foot falls through a board. This stuff rotted our deck! We applied this to a deck that was in good shape, we were just tired of using Thompson water seal every year. Wish I would have just used Thompson water seal.
I did the same after 2 mo shy of 2 years. My foot fell through a deck board to the ground. I can’t believe I put this crap on my beautiful deck! I started peeling back the top coating and all wood surfaces were damp and or wet! It’s so dangerous!
Every dirty paw print or foot print shows up on the deck and it doesn’t wash off. Always looks dirty. What can I do to correct this?
You cannot correct this. It is a product issue.
This is the worst product I have ever used. It disappointed me because it is Behr. It only lasted one year and only peeled and came off in the areas that got exposed to moisture and sun. (?!) I tried to take it off of the areas where it didn’t peel and it’s stuck like glue. I’ve tried pressure washing and sanding to no avail. Because I used this product, I am now going to have to REPLACE all the wood on my 40’ x 9’ porch. I only wish Behr would compensate me for this product and the work and expense it has caused me.
Deckover requires two coats. Can I apply one coat one weekend and the second coat the hext weekend?
Not sure as will not use it due to all the failures and are not up to speed on proper application.
I bought a 5 gal. bucket at the beginning of the pandemic. A year later decided it was safe to be around my mother and went to her home to paint her deck. The bucket had never been opened and it was a hugh mass of rubber. It was like putty. Had to go buy another 5 gal. Bucket. Ran out and had to go buy another gallon to finish. Stored the paint on a shelf in the utility room. This was in May of 2021. Went back in Sept. to finish up by painting some wood railing and the paint had turned to the same rubbery consistency. The top was hammered on the can tightly and it still turned to an unusable glob. Certainly does not last like the company claims it does.
Wish we had found this website before buying and using DeckOver.
By far the WORST!!! product I have every used.
We followed all of the instructions to the T. We sanded the deck, then cleaned it with the recommended product, filled the gaps that were more than 1/4″ with wood filler – we should have filled even the small ones. Even with dabbing the screw holes and small joins, DeckOver DID NOT fill them.
In addition, the viscosity (thickness of product) was extremely inconsistent between pails. Thick as mud in one, runny in another. One pail would cover a large amount of space and then the next didn’t even do a 1/4 of what the previous pail did.
Finished product looks HORRIBLE! Colour is not even, very patchy, and we made sure the deck was thoroughly coated and no patches showed threw.
WHAT A WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY!!!
I used Behr’s old formula Deckover with no problems. Last summer I repainted my stoops and stairs with the so called Advanced formula. I can echo every ones negative comments about this product. It didn’t stand up to one winter and there is no patching it. It’s almost as if there is a solvent in it preventing it from binding to the wood. I have been applying paint, stains, etc. for over 60 years, both professionally and for myself. I have never experienced a worse product.
We bought the deck over paint, followed directions to a tee and it has to be the worst product ever at an expensive cost. The attached picture is in its 2nd season after application. It began peeling/flaking in the 1st season. I would not recommend this product. My question is there a solvent to help get this off of my deck. This was extremely a lot of work to apply.
Only way to remove is to sand.
You have got to be kidding me. Both my husband and I are in our late 60s and this work is back breaking. Our deck is huge. We applied 15 gallon of deck over. We do not have the funds to hire it out and the deck was only a year old when we applied it. Very disappointing 😞
Yes, it is garbage and why they have a class-action lawsuit against them.
Can lumber with Deckover on them be burned?7
Sure.
All you can do to fix Deckover is tear off your deck. Tried 3 different times, 3 coats each time by seasoned contractors. You owe me 3 new decks and a gazebo Behr and Home Depot.
Terrible product. So much peeling…the more we pressure washed, the more it came up. Our deck is a mess
This product is horrible. Did our deck and our gazebo. Floors rotted in the gazebo and now the deck railing. Did everything as directed. This was all new wood. Had to sand the decking and treat with another product due to this one peeling up like everyone else’s.
I have had the deckover on my deck for over 17 years without any issues or problems. In the 17 years I have had to recoat twice or once about every 5 years. Holds up well and I have had no issues with any peeling. Product is not the easiest to apply but that is understandable given its consistency. The product filled the cracks nicely and I have had no problems with any trapped moisture. I powerwashed the deck and waited 5 days to make sure there was no moisture trapped in the wood.
Behr DeckOver has only been around for 8 years or so. It came out in 2013.
Is there any kind of sealer or clear coat I could apply over the Advanced deck over product?
No, never top coat over a deck stain or coating. It will peel.
I was wondering the same thing too, and was really hoping there was a sealer I could apply before all my inevitable peeling starts. I was already 3 gallons in before finding these reviews, so was already too late. I feel like I’m standing as the target on the firing line over here. This sucks
Not possible to top coat and would only make the peeling worse.
I have a client who needs a product like deck over. All I see here are horror stories. Is there a product that actually works?
Yes, the Gulf synthetics works great with none of the issues: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/gulf-synthetics-deck-revive-review-2015/
J’ai fait un commentaire destructeur pour l’avoir appliqué sur mon bois. J’avais remis mon bois à neuf après l’avoir totalement sablé. Cela n’a pas plus tenu, déjà après le premier hiver, j’ai vu des manques.
Par contre sur mes tuiles de ciment, c’est tout le contraire. Les tuiles ont été lavées à pression et j’ai appliqué au rouleau très facilement, le but n’était pas de boucher les cracks, mais simplement d’en appliquer un couche uniforme. Il est posé depuis l’été 2015 et je le nettoie avec mon appareil à pression et il tient toujours.
Je l’ai appliqué sur les tuiles de mes 3 patios.
Sorry, english only.
It would have been easier to spread maple syrup in Vermont in January. The consistency is like mud. Getting a smooth finish is impossible. Followed the directions step-by-step. Totally regret using this and now I am stuck.
We used behr premium deck over in the russet color and it ruined our deck! Not only did it fade to a pink color in a few years (we have full southern exposure), but it traps moisture and rots the wood after a few short years! The stuff just peeled off in sheets and the boards were wet underneath even though it hadn’t rained for days. Plus the stuff gets so hot in the sun that your feet burn right through your shoes. We are in the process of cleaning, scraping, sanding and puttying this mess now. We will prime it with Rustoleum clear deck primer, then paint with Kilz porch, floor and deck paint (sad it only comes in 1 color, gray). Do you think this will work over the crappy Behr premium deckover?
I’d give this product a ZERO rating. It looked nice when we first put it on, but what a disaster now!!! See the photos below.
I agree. This product sucks. Same problems
Peeling fucking disaster what a highly expensive crap product. I am so pissed, Behr you have ruined my deck!!!!!
I put this on my deck last August 2020 and was so thick I needed a lot. It took me a considerable amount of time and money to apply with a roller as well as hand brush. It is May 2021 and snow is melted and my deck looks like a disaster – peeling all over and just horrible. They advised me to rent out a sander/grinder from HomeDepot (more money and time) to do it again. Why would I want to, especially after reading all of these comments as it is clearly an issue with the product!
I used Behr Deckover 5 years ago on our back deck. It appeared to work out ok. However I used it Again 2 summers ago with their “ New and Advanced “formula and I was stunned to find it was rotting the good pressure treated wood underneath! Like the other reviews I read it was coming off in big damp sheets holding the moisture. Instead of protecting the deck it was ruining the wood. I bought an unopened gallon and am returning it to research a different product. Buyer Beware!!
I expected WAY BETTER from BEHR Deck Restore paint. This is THE WORST deck paint I have ever used. It peeled up within months after application on new wood as well as pre-washed decking. Absolutely horrible!!! Do NOT buy this paint! You will be sorry and have wasted HOURS of your time.
Terrible product, peeling and lifting after a year. 2nd time it has not met expectations. First time we requested warranty – restrained after refinishing and using Behr cleaning products as recommended (again!) – same results! Will NOT use this product again.
Is there an active lawsuit against this product? Its the worst product I’ve ever used. Absolute money pit. Will ruin your deck.
I’ve had Behr Deck Over on for about five years. Did a light touch up after two. Had an eight inch patch peel on railing. Deck portion had no problems. I just cleaned it with detergent and a brush today and only discovered two dime sized chips.
HI I getting ready to pressure wash and sand my deck. its about 500 SQ FT. My thought was to use Behr Deckover but after reading all these reviews I’m a bit afraid to use it. ANy other suggestions? Some spots are cracked pretty good so I thought Deckover would be the solution. Any help or suggestions???
The Behr Deckover is horrible. If you want that type of coating, then try the Gulf Synthetics: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/gulf-synthetics-deck-revive-review-2015/
Do not use it . Do not use it. Do not use it. All of the reviews are true.
I used this product and it sucks. After 1 year it chipped and peeled… followed all directions to prep deck and apply product.. Now I have to strip all the product off and apply new stain. I would never refer this product to anyone who has a wood deck.
Is there a product to strip the deck over. We have to do ours and one we are elderly, it’s costly and the time we have vested. I’m so disappointed 😞
No, you have to power sand to remove.
why footprints???????????????? terrible with all behr deck paints help
Adding to the negative reviews of Behr Deck Over. I purchased this product a few years ago. I was convinced by the sales person that it would be good to use on older decks (ours was 15+ years old at the time). Looked pretty decent at first, but took less than a season for it to start peeling, even in low traffic areas. Re-applying does not help. At first I thought I had done something wrong when applying this product but sounds like this peeling is a pretty common problem. Wish I had seen these reviews before spending all that money on this inferior product.
Would expect some refund.
We had a professional apply Deck Over so it was done well per instructions. Although it looked great the next spring it came up in sheets. I was blowing it off to put down a rug and it just came off. We spent a lot of money on this because it was Behr and we only use Behr products. We are so very disappointed!!! Really should give a refund. It also molded on an area.
Two years ago, we replaced worn slats in our 15 year old, 115’ wood stockade fence.
We then painted the fence, front and back with Deckover. The fence still looks great!
Fences will always wear much better than a deck. Cannot compare the two.
Purchased 3 gallons in April but didn’t get around to painting until October. All 3 gallons hardened and were unusable. They should yell you to use immediately. Terrible waste of money.
This stuff is garbage..did it perfect to the instructions. It lasted not even two years and looks horrible. Most has peeled off. Never use this product.
Behr advanced deck over is the WORST paint I have ever used. It’s the consistency of concrete, it has sand in it, it’s flat and dull and the color shipped was not the color of the online swab. It was terrible to use, like trying to roll putty on a roller. It has bad reviews as well.
This stuff is horrible! I wish I read these reviews before using. It is extremely difficult to use. The product does not stick to the roller forcing you to kind of scoop it, then it is very difficult to spread the paint on the deck. We followed all directions to a T and 2 weeks in it is already peeling and there are a lot of scuff marks. Furthermore, it did not provide great coverage.
Dear DeckOver victims……I am one as well. Recently purchased our home which has 3 lovely decks which the previous owners painted with DeckOver. I must have 2000 square feet of deck to fix as it is now peeling up in sheets!! This products SUCKS!!!! We all know that or we wouldn’t be here. But that’s not the point of my post. I’m posting to tell you how I am removing it and hope it helps others.
Purchase a product called “Diamabrush”. There are great videos on YouTube of people using it. It fits onto an angle grinder and LITERALLY eats through the Deckover without hurting the wood. I am not being paid to say this. I spent 8 hours sanding one portion of my deck with a deck sander I rented and got nowhere. 10 minutes with the diamabrush and I cleared probably 30 square feet with no residual product left over. Pros: fast…..thorough…..won’t chop into wood like a sander does….gets the Deckover OFF!! Cons: a little dusty but you can attach it to a shop vac…..angle grinder gets a little hot so I had to take breaks to let it cool.
Really guys this method might be the saving grace when it comes to getting this horrible product off and I felt like I had to reach out and let other folks know about it. Oh also, I am not a deck pro or anything. I am a Nurse Anesthesiologist. Good luck and sorry you all are going through this.
Heidi, Thanks for the tip I’m going to give this method a try before just replacing all the boards.
Less than 3 years old.
Wood completely rotted under the DeckOver. foot went through my front porch steps (see the blue tape one. Sad thing, was it still looked good, just structurally it was destroyed underneath. Like lipstick on a pig.
The work that was done on this house’s decking was done by professionals, the wood was cleaned, dried (replaced if necessary) and the DeckOver produce was properly applied and allowed to dry. The nails and screws are all under a solid layer of DeckOver. There are areas of my front steps that looked completely solid, however the wood under it was completely rotted.
Behr has graciously offered to supply me with more DeckOver – warrantied for a whole year. I am currently tearing out my steps and replacing them with composite.
Really, their solution was to offer you more crappy product so you rot more boards???? What a joke, who in their right mind would use this stuff again??????
OK, let’s look at this realistically. If the product was applied to a deck that was beyond repair…or in need of great repair, no product will effectively replace the need for wood repair. If the deck has been managed adequately and is aging, in need of a cover then this product fairs well. Like all paint/stain jobs, ease of application and time involved depends on the brushes used and the experience of the painter. Just having finished a deck, the product covered as indicated for the first coating. I painted lattice and a full deck with one can. I am going to apply a second coat which will require another can to finish the job. My inexperience with the product made it difficult to predict coverage so I went in ‘trying’ it out. The coverage was also good for the wood condition on my deck. I wanted something that will last for awhile and having used other stains on decks, I suspect this will be fine for up to five years. If not replacing the deck is most likely the next step for this deck anyway. It is a 25 year old covered deck with little wear, no barbecuing, etc. so it has held up well for the age. I don’t think this product is a cure all for an uncovered deck. Covered, uncovered big consideration!
It is garbage, no other way to describe it when it fails on more than 1/2 the decks out there. It should not be sold.
I’m like everyone else on this post, this product is crap!!! Peels and then let’s wood mold and mildew! Very time consuming to prep for and very expensive too! What a waste!
My deck is rotting it holds moisture so now my deck is rotten I would not Recommend anyone to put this on their deck they should have to fix our decks
This has got to be the worst product EVER. I’ve had such amazing luck with Behr indoor paints that I won’t use anything else–I’ve been a Behr loyalist for years–until now. I spent days and days stripping down my deck and prepping it. I stripped it with a chemical stripper, and then sanded it down till it was smooth as a baby’s butt (80 grit smooth, anyways). Cleaned it and then let it dry out for days. I know I’m not a professional, but I really don’t think and then painted on a gorgeous overcast day in the mid-70s. No rain for days. It looked amazing immediately afterwards.
Problems started pretty fast. First, the deck got very “dirty” very fast. We have kids and dogs, nothing abnormal. Mind you, we used a reddish brown color–its not really light so it shouldn’t look like I need to wash it 1-2 weeks later, and it didn’t wash off with rain or sweeping. It’s like the dirt was attracted to the paint. Am I being picky? Maybe, but it was noticeable.
And then another couple of weeks later the problems really started in. Less than a month after I applied the product and the crap is bubbling up all over the deck. Relatively new boards in perfect condition, old boards, there’s no difference–it’s bubbling everywhere. After it rains, the boards on the underside is SOAKED. My deck is raised ~5 ft so it’s not like it’s trapping in moisture from being too close to the ground. There is no beading on the surface of the paint at all, you can almost watch the water soaking in.
I called Behr’s helpline and and they walked me through their list of questions to see what I screwed up in my prep. Maybe I applied it too thin or too thick. Their suggestion was to to sand down the spots and reapply–they seemed nice enough and wanted to send me some more paint and cleaner. OK, whatever! Forget that noise! I can’t believe I didn’t find these reviews until after I did all that work!
So, my question now is… what to do? My current plan is to strip the porch down AGAIN (this time I’ll be renting a drum sander) and then use the DeckRevive products. But… what about the railings/spindles? Those were SUCH a pain in the butt to do and I don’t think I could possibly get a sander in between them. The DeckOver appears to be well adhered to those (for now)… would I be able to prep and just repaint with the DeckRevive? Or will that be OK and do I just leave it?
I’d really appreciate some feedback.
Thanks!
You will need to sand to remove it. You cannot apply the Deck Revive over the Behr. If it is not peeling then just leave it.
One of the worst deck products on the market. Avoid at all costs. It took days to remove pealing paint.
What happened?? I followed the directions to a tee.. put the first coat on with the recommended brush. Second with the recommended roller.. done after following prep directions.. footprints l
eave a mark.. my dog laid down and his nails left marks.. his nails are trimmed regularly.. when it dried, it looked like flat paint.. blah.. I’m disappointed.. can’t believe I paid so much money and put so much effort into this project..so disappointed.. wish I would have read the reviews first..
We loved how it filled cracks and no more splinters BUT it peeled off within the year. We did everything manufacturers told us to do and did it a second time. It peeled off again. Wish I could find something that would work.
It’s horrible! Now what? I did what it said in applying. It’s peeling. Bubbling. It’s a mess. Is there a guarantee? Money back?
You will have to sand it all off to fix it or replace the wood.
Worst product ever – I agree
Ruined my deck and now cost to restore is astronomical
Looks like our deck.
Worst product ever. All 4 of our decks are rotting and need replaced. Your talking $60,000 worth of decks that we’ve always maintained. There was a lawsuit that we found out about after it was over. DO NOT USE THIS PRODUCT!!!
So far good results here in Rhode Island/New England. Caveat is prepare the heck out of your deck or porch. Power wash the deck clean, clean, clean but be careful not to rip apart the wood fibers with too much power. If need be use some elbow grease and bristle brush. Let the deck dry, this make take a few days. Sand down any rough or splintered areas after the deck has dried and blow off all debris, dust, small wood pieces, dirt that may have settled after the cleaning. Once this is done you will need to apply an Alkyd Oil based primer and really work the primer into all cracks and crevices. Don’t be cheap with the primer. Let the primer adhere to the deck for 2-3 days. Lastly, apply the Deck Over and don’t be cheap and apply at least 2 coats and in some areas 3 coats.
My deck previously had many small and somewhat large cracks and I had never stained or painted it before. It sat for about 8 years and was completely weathered before I tried the above. It is all about cleaning and preparing the deck, applying a good oil based primer and then painting. Don’t be cheap on the primer and paint and let it dry thoroughly before adding coats, which you should do.
My deck looks terrible. I will have to have someone come to completely sand the deck and go back to stain. Shows footprints and hard to get marks removed. Bubbles terrible. Should refund money to customers. Shouldn’t Be on the market.
Terrible product peeling traps moisture ruined my wood deck shouldn’t be on market the damage it’s done replacing rotted wood now
I am very disappointed with Deck over. I followed all the directions when applying it. If you don’t fill every deck screw hole or fill even the smallest imperfection in the wood, the Deck over will bubble up. It looks terrible. I have scraped those portions of my deck that are bubbling or wrinkling 3 times now, and the problem keeps returning. Next spring, I will sand it all off and use stain. Don’t use it.
Comment. Deck over isn’t Good in high humidity on wood decks. If there is a crack in the paint it holds moisture. Rots the wood. It’s like paper in a water balloon with heat. Don’t use in high humid areas on wood
My deck over doesn’t flake away like most I used a think base roll. Now the deck is bloated and rotting.
And now I had the deck for 13 years and it’s trashed with the deck over. Leave it dry and untreated is better
2 years or so deck over. Thanks
I want. Damn new top on my deck. And not a deck over. Wood or carb . 18ft x32 foot deck. Pay up
Fix it
Behr deckover lasted a year before it started peeling off. I seen there was a class action investigation and settlement against Behr and Home Depot and the consumers won. So, how is it that they can continue to sell this defective product?
Product looked great the first year in MN, but started pealing horribly after that. I’m going to need to scrape it all off, sand everything down, then reapply a different Behr stain/sealer. This product had very high reviews, which is why I chose it. Terrible decision. Very odd since Behr has such high quality products.
Wish we never used this product. Pure crap. Peeling faster than I can pull off. Someone should sue this company It ruined our deck
I followed the instructions for surface preparation and application. After 2 years the pInt started peeling, bubbling and lifting. I am in the process of having to redo the entire 2 level deck.
Very disappointed.
I used your deck over product on my deck. I purchased the produce at Home depot. At the time of purchase you were offering a rebate as part of your promotion. I should have know when I never received my rebate , after all the documentation was returned to you. I had to redo several areas on the boards because of the product started peeling after one year of the original application. This spring entire sections had peeled away. I hired a contractor to help repair the damage. He tired your product to strip the paint off which did not help the problem. It only made it worst. My deck is 18×24 and I now have to replace several boards because of the damage done by deck over. After several days of scraping and sanding the deck looks terrible. I truly was excited when I first use your product, but what a disappointment.
My husband and are retired and it is hard to keep paying for the repairs being done year after year.
worststuffever
Extremely disappointed. Did not last a year. Prepped and primed as recommended. Less than a year later, I get a call that it’s peeling. I thought it was just going to be a touch up, I ended up stripping 400 sqft of deck. hours power washing. I’m 700 cad out of pocket just to fix the issue, and I can even file a complaint through homedepot. Behr makes it extremely difficult to contact them directly. I’ve had better service with WISH, when it came to faulty products. I thought products produced in North America would be better. I was so wrong.
It may work well for covered porches, but so does latex paint. Stay away from this product.
Completely agree – I’m in the process of stripping a huge deck. I regret buying this product – pure garbage and hard to remove. Rots the wood faster than the elements.
This is the absolute worst product I have ever used. This crap is hyped to make old decks look good again by filling cracks and bad places in boards. Hell it might work if it would stay on the deck boards. A gnat can fart and this crap blows off in big sheets down to the wood it is hyped to protect. The deck was prepped utilizing all the fancy expensive prep cleaners for wood that the expert behind the paint counter and the label on the paint cans stated and it made it all of 3 months before the gnat darts blew it off in sheets. Do not waste your hard earned money or time with this garbage!
You are correct it’s a horrible product. It started peeling after a year. We installed it just like instructions stated.i tried numerous times to get refund. But they always said I didn’t send in receipt but sent copy in.
I would not recommend this to anyone. My neighbor use it too & it peeled off too.
As a general contractor, I’ve used the DeckOver Textured product many times, and am very happy with it. The peeling problems so many report is almost always due to ill-prepared surfaces or application at the wrong temperature. I’ve painted my own large front wrap-around porch, as well as the back stairs, both about 8 years ago. The paint has not cracked, peeled or faded. I primed all bare wood with a quality oil-base exterior primer. It’s a little tricky applying the DeckOver, but I’m very happy with the results. The only issue I had was when a step dried out, shrank and split. I cleaned out the split, painted the crack with Varathane Wood Hardener, filled the crack, primed and then painted the step. You’d never know the step cracked at all.
Joel, I’m thinking of using this, which is a huge risk given all the negative feedback. Could you offer more details about the prepping and application that got you the success? Thanks.
Frank,all I did was in my last post. I really think the trick is in the prep. I’ve seen the prep work many DIY’rs, as well as many contractors, and it doesn’t leave a properly prepared surface for most any type of finish. Then they wonder why it’s not lasting. The substrate must be solid, clean, free of all loose, peeling or flaking finish. All cracks need to be filled with a high-quality exterior filler. On areas of questionable bonding capability, I like to paint the area first with the wood hardener I mentioned. It not only hardens the wood, locking down loose fibers, but also acts as a great primer. Then the high-quality exterior primer, then usually a minimum of 2 coats, sometime 3, of the final finish. I never apply the primer of finish in direct sunlight. It dries the solvents in the oil primer too quickly, preventing a good bond, and it evaporates the moisture out of the water-based finish too quickly, causing it to shrink and delaminate. With exterior paint, I’ve found that a nice, slow drying process can actually increase the bond. It really is all common sense. The wood must be sound, clean, and, very important for the oil primer, it must be dry. Although it is possible some of the negative replies were due to a bad product batch, no matter the final choice of finish, the results are all in the prep work. Regardless of your choice of finish, good luck.I might add that I live in the SF Bay Area, where the weather is milder than many areas, so my results may be vastly different than someone living in an area of 4 true seasons.
One last thing – if power washing, turn the pressure down!! Too many people use high pressure and end up shredding the surface and leaving a multitude of damaged wood fibers.
One thing I should have mentioned: all my experience with this product is on covered porches and or exterior steps that are weather protected on the underside. If your steps are open to weather, rain, extreme humidity, freeze/thaw cycles, etc., then my remarks may not be accurate for your conditions. If this is the case, and it were me, I would clean & prime/seal the underside also. If the top is sealed, but the underside is open to adsorb moisture, then that moisture is trapped and may start causing de-lamination of the finish.
Not meant for most climates.
Very helpful, Joel! While I still don’t think I’ll risk this product, as I’m in the midwest, your suggestions about prepping make a lot of sense.
My deck was new when I applied this stuff and I cleaned it and let it dry for 2 days. I am quite particular about how I do things. My deck peeled quite badly and I tried to rent a sander and it still has not come off. This stuff is just plain shit and terrible so I do not appreciate you saying that it is all wonderful when it is not. Are you paid by Behr to say this ? I wonder
wow…You were lucky. We have to replace our deck after using this horrible product.started peeling in 6mow. IT also held in moisture and rotted some boards. Most disappointing. Feel more should be done to help with redoing it.
Yep same thing happened to us and we have a huge 1,000 square foot deck that has to totally be replaced after 1year! 😡
Hi Joel, Thank you for all your detailed answers to all those who ask. I DO NOT have a wooden deck. I have a concrete dock. It’s in fairly good shape but not great. For me, is it to use The Behr Advanced Deck or go looking for some off brand? Once applied, I certainly do not want or have to repaint yearly. HomeDepot sells 2 types. Smooth or the Textured/Extra textured. Dont know which one to purchase? I read feedback as to just how thick all these products can be, Hence Im now leaning toward the Smooth finish instead.
As far as prep, today I used some pool chlorine 1 to 3 mix with water along with a bit of dishwashing liquid. Two or 3 day prior to painting I plan to do a light pressure wash as the dock is now fairly clean and this product should adhere well.
What do you think? Purchase the Smooth finish or the the Textured finish? or perhaps just plain steer clear and find a different brand as it sounds like you really know your stuff?
Renie, I hate to disappoint you, but I can’t make a recommendation for use on concrete on a dock. The underside of the concrete must be constantly barraged with the moisture near the water. This could lead to moisture absorption, which could lead to delamination of the paint product. What I have done in the past is to use a concrete stain, but I applied it while the freshly poured concrete was still ‘green’ That way it actually etches into the fresh surface and won’t come off. Just like using a cementitious dye in the raw material. I have also used what is basically a cyanoacrylate (super-glue) as a primer-bonder, then coat with a two-component epoxy paint, with a bit of silica sand mixed into it for a non-slip surface. This is obviously not a cheap endeavor. Sorry I can’t give you the go-ahead you’re hoping for. Good luck.
Thank you Joel for your very detailed reply. Sorry it’s taken so long to respond but we have been dealing down here with hurricane ETA and her aftermath.
This dock was built in 1978 and was professionally painted around 10 years ago. It held up fairly well for years. I repainted a couple of years ago but has not held up as well. I used the stuff sherwin Williams recommended but not happy with the results. Since the Behr product is thick, I was guessing it would hold up better. Also remember it’s really hot down here and trapped moisture has never seemed to be an issue. And yes, the procedure you have suggested sound very laborious and expensive.
I guess I’m back to square one. I think I have to do more homework.
Thank you my friend,
Renie
Yeah that board that dried out cracked and split was from the deck over product! My whole deck , brand new deck did the same thing with this product! My sister works for Behr so we did exactly what they said to do! This product is Crap!! There is No right or wrong way to apply it even if you do everything that they say you Will Not get the results that they say you will! Our deck is beyond repair now totally destroyed practically every board 😡
We used Deck Over 9 years ago and it lasted. We’ve had to replace about 30% of the deck boards so now we have raw wood and painted wood. There is some peeling but nothing like what the others reported. Do we need to prime the raw wood? We planned to do a good powerwashing and then paint once it dries. That’s it. We are just trying to extend the deck another 3-4 years.
Yes.
Thanks for the quick reply! So that’s yes to the question of whether we need to prime the raw wood? Should we use something like Kiltz or just more Deck over?
If using the Deckover, use the primer they suggest.
I painted my decks at my lake house two years ago with Deck Over. I followed the directions on the can before starting to paint. Last year the paint started peeling off. It was so bad that I could peel off very long strips at a time. I am still trying to get the paint off. I spent a lot of money and time working on my deck. I am very disappointed with the product and wished I had know about the poor quality of the paint before I purchased it from Home Depot. Now the task to remove the paint has started and getting the paint off has been a nightmare! Any suggestions on how to get it off? I will not even try Behr Stripper and would like other suggestions to remove the paint.
The only way to remove is to power sand.
HUGE job to fix. WE are just going to replace whole deck with trex. NO, We are not well off.
Finish my deck with deck over. Very expensive. Needs 2 coats. Fast forward one year sealer started to peel. Snow and rain made more peel. Surface becomes very hot in sun, blistered young grandsons feet. Many boards now replaced due to rot. Class action law suite 1 1/2 year ago still have heard nothing. Home Depot still sells this product. Negative Remarks have been removed from Home Depot web site. Our deck is 20 x 20. All material purchased at Home Depot. Lesson learned to late. Photos available on request.
I finished my deck summer of 18, NOw the peeling and wear are horrible. I have a large deck, with minimum usage, and the idea of having to scrape and redo is overwhelming. And I can not download photos.
Stay away from this product. It’s pure garbage. My experience with the textured application was it bubbled up and peeled off easily in certain sections. I stained the wood in my garage before it was installed. So my preparation process was above and beyond what would typically be done. I’m a week of my time and hundreds of dollars into trying to completely remove it and still have many hours of work left to get this junk off my deck. So if you are considering using this, save yourself a huge headache and don’t use it. Go to a store that only sells paint and get good advice from people who deal with professional painters daily. Behr preys on Do it yourselfer’s. Any professional painter I’ve talked too lately said they would never offer this junk to their customers. Plus it’s not cheap. I just bought 4 gallons of Benjamin Moore and it was the same price and behr…so, don’t think You’ll pay a premium for paint by going to a paint store.
A painter told me that nothing you apply will stay for long without peeling. Deck over is the absolute WORST of them all.
worstproductever
😡 Won’t let me show picture…. but like the majority…. it’s just bubbling and peeling off. Held moisture…some boards with rotten spots. Now what?? Replace the deck?!?!
Definitely do not recommend Deckover. Started bubbling in spots just weeks after I applied it. Sanded and did touch ups. More bubbling elsewhere. This is year two. I’ve been sitting on the deck, literally just peeling large chunks off. I’ve peeled close to 3/4 of the stain off with no effort. It is a complete waste of time and money. It looks good for about 5 minutes.
Agreed this product is crap! Get your money back!
We just finished using the DeckOver, would not recommend it. Its like working w/cement! We ended up using a brush as the roller used to much paint. Very diffucult to cover over the previous textured paint from previous homeowners. Powerwashed to removing flaking/peeling areas..used 7 gallons costing $260 dollars!
We used Advanced Deck Over summer 2019. We followed all the application instructions. Spring rolls around and the Ohio snow melted and we were left with bubbling and peeling finish everywhere. It was clear that water had penetrated the finish as the boards were wet.
We contacted Behr customer service and they sent us replacement product and said they would cover the rental of a sander. All well and good, I still had to purchase stripper and power wash the deck. Still the finish isn’t removing everywhere. It also appears that the Advanced Deck Over has ruined boards on the deck. I’m guessing because it held water all winter between the finish and the board.
If we can’t get the product off completely, we may have to replace the entire deck which is over 500sq ft.
Does anyone know if there is difference between DeckOver and the new “Advanced DeckOver” product that HD is selling now?
It probably means it will peel even faster. 🙂
We would never trust anything from Behr, just read the comments below.
We used product on decking and step landings going down to lake. Product looked good first year. This year is totally pealing off vertical surface of deck wall. Now we have to figure out what to put on it to match horizontal surfaces. Disaster. Didn’t seal moisture either. Instructions do not say you cannot use on vertical surface..at least not that I can see on the instructions. We put a lot of work into this and are very disappointed.
Deck looked beautiful after application. Followed instructions to the letter. After first year it began to peel. Now we are in year 3 trying to figure out how to get it all off and find something that works!
I am in the same boat as you. This happened to the deck on the home we just bought. We have 3 huge decks…..I think the previous owners just kept painting additional coats as it started to peel. Sanding doesn’t work. Tried that. I purchased a product called “diamabrush”. Basically grinds the deckover off without hurting the wood. Taking all the coating off down to the bare wood and then plan to paint. Deckover is the worst!!
Worst product ever,did not come close to doing what it said,peeled and cracked within 6 months,most of the rest like a thick layerof that peeled wright off,but it did manage to seal moisture in which wasn’t too good for the wood,have 4 gallons in basement if anybody wants them.If I could give minus stars there are not enough in the sky!
Behr DeckOver is the most inferior covering we have ever used. It has peeled, flaked, looks like it is covered with mildew & shows all dirt & grime. I chose the chocolate color & it looked so good @ first,
but then after a few months the nightmare started. We tried cleaners, pressure washing and have considered sanding but that is such a long tiresome job. We are seniors & do not have the energy
nor extra money to do this job. Home Depot & Behr should have to bear this cost for selling such
inferior products! I filed a claim on the Class Action suit against Behr and it has been settled but,
of course, they are denying any liability in most cases saying it was not prepped correctly. We did
everything we were told to do.
Same here. I replaced a vast majority of my boards last fall as many had rotted under the product plus a lot of peeling. I still have some boards that are good with partial peeling and some with no peeling at all. Since I have stripped and maintained this deck since 1994(built in 1990) and still have some original boards I know how to prep a deck for stain. Missed out on the class action suit. So right now I am powerwashing/peeling what I can of the deck over boards that are left and am seriously thinking of just buying/cutting new boards before I stain my deck. Who am I buying my boards from? Home Depot. Seems a win/win for them….
When we initially put it on as per instructions, it was great. After a year it turned horrible! It started to peel everywhere. It looked so bad it was embarrassing to have company. Of course this all happened after the warranty. We bought it at Home Depot and told them that we were very unhappy with it. And it was not cheap! But they didn’t care!
Will never ever use again. So here we are trying to sand what remains on the deck…hate the stuff!
Behr DeckOver is without doubt the most inferior deck covering I have ever used. After every winter there is significant peeling. This stuff just does not adhere to the high traffic areas. It stays on the railing of the deck OK, but the deck and stairs peel . Behr, you oughta refund the money spent by folks who have wasted time and effort on this product. Next deck I get will be a composite.
Prepared deck as stated. Looked great for 3 months. Started peeling after a few rains. We have been retouching for 2 years. I’ll NEVER buy this again. Very disappointed 😫
Avoid. Traps moisture resulting in rot. Yes, rot. Pressure treated lumber will rot if continually wet coupled with heat from the sun and some air. TOM, temperature, oxygen, and moisture will destroy wood.
I am replacing rotting boards now from use of deck over which I must repaint every year. There should be a class action lawsuit on this stuff
ruined my deck all peeled
Whole deck is peeling ,what do I do now? Ruined my deck this site won’t let me post pictures
You will have to sand it off.
that will be a nightmare trying to sand off that thick product that is left.
Sand or replace the wood are your only options.
Actually, there is another option but it’s extremely time consuming. I have been using a scraper and scraping by hand for three summers now and I am nearly done. 90% came off easily. The remaining 10% takes a long time to get off, you have to be careful not to damage your wood, and it’s best done after a rain when it’s really hot out so it’s crappy work. But none of the grinders I tried worked. The stuff is so thick. So I put on my podcasts or audio books, grab a water or a wine if it’s late, and just do it. I’ve been able to save my deck this way so it was worth it to me!
Gary, I recently began removing DeckOver with a “Diamabrush” attached to an angle grinder. Fast and easy. This thing is no joke and really the only hope for folks trying to save their decks after Deckover ruined it. I’m no deck pro. I am a Nurse Anesthesiologist and if I can do this anyone can. Good luck!
If i could give this product a minus rating i would. The worst experience ever. Used on 20 yr old decking of home purchased in 2017 in WA. No other with product in desert climate, where i used it on an exterior stairway. Nob water there, dry climate, product ok. In WA, Mold, mildew, wood rot, peeling after only a few months. At 1 year, a total mess. When it peels it takes up the top layer of wood. Color faded within a month. Peeling began at 4 months. Finish isn’t cleanable. Where applied under porch, peeling didn’t occur, but finish isn’t cleanable. Behr reimbursed cost of product and sent replacement product at no cost, but I’m at a loss wondering if i should use Behr again. Plus, all the railings! OMG! It is a total nightmare. Might actually have to replace decking. If so, I’m inclined to use composite, but that has problems too.
This was the worst product! Used according to manufacturer directions, prepped according to directions and after less than a year and a small fortune, our beautiful deck needs to be sanded and stained again. Do not waste your money or time on this product. We were never able to contact somebody to discuss our disappointment in their prodoct.
Deckover is an absolutely terrible product, especially if you live in colder climates. It’s so thick, that it’s almost impossible to sand it off, which you shouldn’t even have to do in the first place. It’s just a giant headache. In certain situations, you basically have to rebuild your deck. This product should get -5 stars. It’s really that bad. It will end up costing you a lot of money to fix the mistake of using this terrible product.