This post was updated on April 11, 2025
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 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.
We had similar results with deckover. After a winter it started peeling. We applied it in August and by the following spring the peeling started and has not stopped. We are very unhappy with the product and would not recommend it to anyone. When I went to Home Depot to complain about the terrible results I was told there was nothing to be done.
Contact behr they were helpful
Thank you. I will.
I wish these reviews were posted before I spent all the time, effort, and money for a very inferior product. Very disappointed to say the least. I welcome any feedback from Behr to dispute the fact that this is definitely not what they advertise as a good, durable deck paint.
Do not buy. We are having to replace two decks because of it.
Worst product known to man. Should have to reimburse all who bought it and remove product from market.
We are very upset about deck over. We are an older couple and thought we found a product that was going to last. We applied it last summer according to all instructions and after its first winter it is chipped and peeling. It has to be done all over, which isn’t going to be easy.
Horrible product. My deck looks awful, I don’t know how to remove what’s left to remove and I don’t know what to do to keep the wood safe from weather.
Peels terribly and wood underneath rotted in 3 years. Our deck is ruined.
Same thing happened to our deck after 1year.. l had put about 40 hours into it…did the correct stuff and now have to replace alot…it’s Manly where exposed to elements .have talked to company many times and they told me to get (cheap labor)to strip it
This is the worst stuff ever, will have to replace my whole deck. Stay away from this product!!!
I would not recommend this product to anyone. It looks good when you first put it on but doesn’t take long to start peeling. It also makes the deck too hot to walk on in the summer barefooted. Lost a lot of money and time with Deck Over.
Deck over is not a good product in my option I applied it as directed and had peeling within 1 year power washed it all off and washed it again with deck cleaner and still peels I received a refund from behr for the paint but had double labor on applying it. I have used sherwin Williams deck stain and have never had a problem. I have a painting business and I do know what I’m doing! I have seen many negative feedback on deck over!
This product is a nightmare!!! Started peeling after a year and the areas that are still adhering we cannot get off. We are afraid to put any other product on the deck in case it won’t go on or stay on properly. Deck Over is very expensive for the quality of the product. Would never recommend!!!!!! Would suggest we get our money back for all we spent.
After one winter the top railings all peeled. Have to sand entire deck and applie something else. Would not buy again.
This stuff is CRAP.. NEVER use it.. We have 2 large decks that we used it on a year or 2 ago and they are peeling so bad that we are going to have to replace all of the deck boards.. HOW can they still be selling it?? Oh sure you can get a refund maybe, but that doesn’t account for thousands of dollars worth of destroyed deck boards.. If I had only seen this review thread before I started it.. Hopefully I can save someone else a real headache.
Us too. I am so disgusted. I don’t see why they are still selling this crap.
We may have to replace with composite decking which is very expensive.
Can you use a different stain after applying deckover. It is peeling terribly and this is the second time applying the same product.
No. Has to be sanded off first.
this is a HUGE job. (sanding it)
Sorry but no other way to remove.
Awful. After only 2 years it’s bubbling & peeling. This was all new decking & railing that was seasoned & ready for stain. Total waste of time & money!
Did not last one year. The first summer it was fine, after the winter it peeled and changed color. We are having a difficult time removing what is left so we can stain our deck.
Home Depot personnel not honest about this product. Did not perform according to expectation. I don’t mind paying the high cost if you get the result.
This is less than a year . I had to have a professional come and pressure wash and try to get Behrs deck over off . I have a full unopened gallon I am not planning to use. Where do I get a refund with no receipt?
Applied to deck and wood walkway following manufacturers directions in the early fall. Looked great when finished. By early spring entire walkway chipped and peeling. How do I repair it?
To fix you will need to power sand this off.
REALLY?? at who’s expense? (will take a long time)
Very difficult to apply when the deck is hot and peels off of old wood within a year on new wood it adheres much better but the reason I bought it was to not have to replace all the old wood. I had a cedar deck and followed all the directions and was so pleased when it was done but after all the hard work my deck looks worse now then before I applied the deckover. I have an open deck that measures 60′ x 24′ and it just looks horrible, every time the gardeners come to blow off the leaves huge pieces blow off. Total waste of time and money!
They call it Deckover, because, you’ll have to do your deck over after using this horrible product!!
Lol! So true!
I used the Behr Deckover, I thought it would be a great product. I was wrong. After one winter, the Deckover is peeling, the wood has rotted under the Deckover and I will have to peel the rest of it off and replace many of my cedar decking boards. I’ve joined a class action lawsuit over this horrible product. I don’t expect anything from it, but, it made me feel like I had a voice.
Where is lawsuit at
update@classlawgroup.com> The firm is Gibbs Law Group.
looks great for a very short time , then the peeling starts . Ended with more being tracked in the house then on the deck . On a windy day you can watch the peeling blowing in the wind. paid a good amount of $$$ to have deck cleaned and coated and it didn’t even last 10 months
Has anyone gotten Behr to refund for this product? Ours has been on for less than 6 months and it’s bubbling and blister and peeling!!! Horrible stuff.
Looked OK after first winter but peeled heavily after second. Perhaps the amount of rain was impacting the longevity? The potions of the deck in full sun/rain peeled the worse. Once it started peeling, it came off in sheets.
I used the Behr Deckover on our boat dock about two years ago. After the first winter season the Deckover started to fail by pealing in several areas. I spent numerous hours prepping the wood prior to a timely and slow application process. Two years later approximately 40 – 50% failure. My challenge now is removing the remainder of the product. A leaf blower removes a lot. Will try to finish with pressure washer and sander. My local Home Depot rep recommended the product. That is why I’m doing my own research before I replace with a different product.
We used the deckover on our deck 3 years ago. Within the first year it started pealimg. The wood on our deck is now rotting crumbling away.
I used this or a previous version of it in 2009 to coat 2 badly weathered decks and it has held up pretty well. The coating has worn off completely in high traffic areas but after 8 plus years in the Southern Colorado sun I can’t complain. There is no peeling or blistering, the coating is just worn through in spots. It was a real mess to apply as it spatters a lot when applied with a roller but it filled cracks in boards well. Aside from the mess my only complaint is with the rough texture that is hard to clean and not bare foot friendly. The areas that are not worn (75-80% of deck surface) look like they would be difficult to strip so it looks like I will be recoating the decks with this stuff again this year. Behr paint is generally overrated and overpriced but this deck coating ain’t bad.
I used DeckOver on my deck in Palm Springs, California last year. Obviously no winter cold weather or very many wet days but that said the deck is in full sun in summer with average temps around 110. A year later there has been no peeling like other reviews. My gardener unfortunately has done a lot of scuffing,
and a painter left a mixed trail of marks, etc. so will be restaining once again in a couple of weeks.
The application was relatively easy once I filled in the cracks and nail holes, etc. Very thick and had to be careful to work quickly and keep everything out of the direct sun. I will use the same product again.
lucky you. Maybe a different climate OR a different formula.
TOTAL WASTE OF TIME, EFFORT & MONEY. DO NOT USE on decks! Peels off. Crap product. Company is of NO help. Follow the instructions to the letter but cracked and peels in NYC. AVOID THIS PRODUCT
Peeled within a few months. Followed instructions to the letter including thoroughly cleaning the deck, again as recommended. I sanded the peeled areas, cleaned the entire deck again and applied a new coat. Within 3 weeks, more peeling and cracking. Horrible product and now faced with trying to get the entire deck professionally re-sanded, which will require countersinking over 900 nails before any professional sander will do the job.
website to submit info/complaints: http://www.behrdeckoverclassaction.com
So I’m convinced I’m not using Behr paint for my deck. I used Cabot 2 years ago and that didn’t last very long either. Two years and I need to redo it. Has anybody found any desk paint that lasts multiple years and they would recommend? Thanks!
Do not use Behring Deck Over. It has peeled off after one year. Terrible product. Use a stain.
Behr Deckover could be the worst product to use on a DECK. .. It is a thousands of dollar mistake for people who make the mistake
I agree
This was the worst product we have ever used! We watched the video and followed the directions as stated! 1.5 years later I will have to spend the entire fall trying to get this crap off my deck! I’m sick just thinking of the time and cost! I have never been so disappointed. It’s peeling in strips where there is no traffic and the wear where there is traffic (very light traffic ) is horrible! I wish I had never tried it! And when I called Behr was not helpful at all!
I had the same experience. Would I use Deck-Over again, “NO”.!!!
I agree. I have no idea how they can post a 5 star rating.
Product is total crap
We had the same experience, peeling off despite following the directions to the letter. Looks terrible, but going to attempt a second attempt as we do not want to sand the entire deck, posts and railing. Would definitely discourage people from using this product.
Kevin don’t do it again . It’s the same results. Piece of Crap.
I have been using Defy for the past three years. The deck is in full sun and requires finishing annually. I’m a senior citizen and won’t be able to maintain on an annual basis for too many more years. What are my best options?
Try this product: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/gulf-synthetics-deck-revive-review-2015/
A stain .do not use Deckover made by Behring. You will regret it.
I just used Behr Deckover today on my daughters deck because I’ve been on her case about the condition of her deck..and then I found this site 🙁 I’m guessing by next spring she will be pissed at me .
Most likely she will.
according to these reviews. YES
I would be .
Sounds to me like its Behr’s version of elastomeric,. Liquid pudding, so just go to SW, and get theres, seeings how there is no difference, except perhaps SW product is 100% better. Behr guns good, but lousy on the brush versus roller, even keeping the wet edge, and Flotrol, it just doesn’t perform like it should the way they praise it so much to be. Home owners beware any others except Glidden, Dutch Boy, and Sherwin Williams.
Any of these 3, you cant go wrong
The Finisher 66
40+ years in the painting application industry.
ruined my deck..A mess….
ours too
Hard to put on but really liked how it looked. A few boards rotted, replaced them. Looked like deck over held moisture in when I scraped off the cracked paint. Am worried more wood will rot. Sounds very hard to remove it. Don’t want to put more on.
Yeah it traps moisture. Rotted half my deck.
I wouldn’t. NO answer
I was warned not to use it. I should have listened. I used about 13 gallons, two full coats last year. In one year it is peeling like crazy. A total waste of time and money. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.
I talked a family member into using this product. they paid a total of about $1600 for the materials and labor, I did the work. A total nightmare of embarrassment. Everything said here is 100% true. Does anyone know how to remove this garbage? I’ll be working for free for a while to make up for this.. Imagine the amount of money loss, labor loss, material damage this company has caused people.. I will never buy another BEHR product.
answer to these reviews BEHR !! IT’s your duty.
Painted my deck as per instructions. After a rough winter (ice storms) the paint was peeling off in 10-15% of the locations. Behr support was excellent, they replaced the product and then some. But removing the old paint took months of scraping and sanding. If I could convert my time to money it would of paid for a new deck. I finally removed all the boards and flipped them over, sanded, etc. Then treated and painted with new product (same color). That was the summer of 2016 (wasted summer). Come spring 2017 I’m noticing some spots that have peeled off again. I sanded those spots and touched them up with leftover Behr paint. Come next spring I will reprint it with another brand. Don’t know which yet but I’m done with Behr. When I spoke to the sales help at Home Depot they confirmed that they got a lot of complaints about the deckover. Hopefully this site will help me decide. My deck is 25×40′, Long Island NY, temps from 0-100.
this is the worst ever , we live in Michigan and stained the deck with this product in summer,in the spring it was peeling in sheets, chipping and what a mess!!! not worth the money just buy stain.
Deckover is an awful product. Failed within one year. Had isolated spots where it adhered well and it’s almost impossible to remove. I ended up sanding and still have very small spots where the Deckover lingered. Neighbors who saw my deck the first year tried it also. Their’s also failed. Next time it would be easier just to replace the deck.
Put Behr DeckOver on my deck 10 months ago and it has been cracking and peeling for the last several months. I was warned by several others not to use it that it would rot your deck if left on.. DeckOver is junk. DO NOT BUY this product… Now the problem is getting it off.. Any help would be appreciated.
We did our large deck 2 years ago. We have experienced peeling, cracking, blistering, dirty paw prints that are difficult to get off, and absolute worst of all, about 1/3 or more of the decking was rooted to the point that this year we ripped it all out and had to replace the boards! I finally just got around to emailing Behr, so we will see if the respond. Have mentioned this to several friends who have had similar results. Ugh!😣
Absoulte garbage eish I would never have bought it. That said I have 5 gal unopened bucket. Any takers?
this is the worst product I have ever wasted my money on. my deck is embarrassing. I even had it reapplied but it still pealed and cracked. i would never recommend this product
I wish I would have found this site before I bought 3 cans of this stuff last summer and spent hours prepping and covering. It looked great for the rest of the year, them winter came. In the spring, when the snow melted…it was faded, cracked, and peeling. Absolute garbage and a complete waste of money. Now, not only do I have to spend the money to resurface my deck AGAIN, I have to strip it down completely. I am contacting Behr to complain, but am not expecting anything other than excuses from them.
This stuff is crap…..the first time we applied it peeled off next spring, I complained and was given replacement but this time told to do 2 coats,……..this spring it peeled again , even bigger pieces. It takes hours to remove with pressure washer. Where it did stick it stained so bad we had to remove as well. This time used the cheapest latex stain we could find looks great now, DO NOT USE DECKOVER you are buying grief.