Hi, I am Scott Paul, a leading exterior restoration contractor and business owner with over 30 years of experience in exterior wood decking. My Benjamin Moore Arborcoat 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.
Benjamin Moore Arborcoat Stain Review 2026 — Overall Rating: 5.75/10
Benjamin Moore Arborcoat stain is one of the most recognized premium exterior wood stains on the market, and after testing it on a 1,000-square-foot new pine deck in Michigan over one year, my verdict is direct: Arborcoat looks good on day one but fails where it matters most. The stain peeled significantly within a year on a brand-new deck, required power sanding to remove, and behaved more like a surface film than a true penetrating stain throughout the test. For 2026, my recommendation has not changed — there are better options for almost every deck application.
Arborcoat is a line of exterior wood stains available in water-based and oil-modified options across semi-transparent, semi-solid, and solid finishes. It is positioned as a premium product with improved durability and color retention. From my experience restoring decks since 1993, Arborcoat does perform better than many big-box store brands in terms of consistency and initial finish quality. However, like many higher-end water-based stains, it sits more on the surface of the wood rather than fully penetrating — especially in the semi-solid and solid versions. And in a cold-weather state like Michigan, that surface film behavior is a direct path to peeling.
- Benjamin Moore Arborcoat peeled severely on a new ACQ pine deck in Michigan within one year, requiring full power sanding to remove.
- Arborcoat is a film-forming surface coating, not a true penetrating stain, making it prone to cracking during freeze-thaw cycles in cold-weather states.
- Arborcoat scored a strong 9/10 for UV protection and a perfect 10/10 for mold resistance, but those strengths are negated when the stain peels entirely.
- Competing penetrating stains like TWP 1500, Armstrong Clark, and Restore-A-Deck Semi-Transparent all outperform Arborcoat significantly, with no peeling and simple clean-and-recoat maintenance.
- Arborcoat costs approximately $0.63 per square foot in materials, but failed reapplication and required power sanding make the true ownership cost far higher.
Benjamin Moore Arborcoat Ratings (1–10)
How I Rated Benjamin Moore Arborcoat: All ratings use an 8-step process on a scale of 1 to 10, covering appearance, UV protection, wear and peeling, cost per square foot, mold resistance, ease of application, color shifting, and ease of reapplication. The final score is the average across all eight categories.
All ratings below are based on our one-year test on a 1,000-square-foot new ACQ pine deck in Michigan, mostly shaded. Color used: Cedar semi-transparent.
Wear, Tear, and Peeling
Arborcoat peeling on a new pine deck after less than one year.
We applied Arborcoat in summer and received a call from the homeowner the following spring. On inspection, we were extremely disappointed. The stain had peeled significantly across the brand-new pine deck. Patches of the finish had lifted off in strips and large sections could be peeled back with your fingers. The product did not appear to have penetrated the wood at all — it had sat entirely on the surface and failed when the wood expanded and contracted through the Michigan winter. This is a score of 1 out of 10 and the primary reason we do not recommend Arborcoat for cold-weather states.
Benjamin Moore Arborcoat Stain Photos
Benjamin Moore Arborcoat Product Information
| Where to Buy | Benjamin Moore paint outlets |
| Cost | $69.99 per gallon |
| Stain Type | Semi-transparent, water-based acrylic |
| Available Colors | 75 custom colors |
| Application Temperature | 40°F to 90°F |
| Coats Required | Two — a stain coat and a clear top coat |
| Coverage Per Gallon | 150 to 200 sq. ft. in field tests |
| Application Tools | Sprayer, pad, brush, or roller |
| Dry Time | 24 to 48 hours |
| Cleanup | Soap and water |
| VOC Compliance | 250 g/L compliant in all states |
| Manufacturer | Benjamin Moore |
Test Deck Stats
- Wood Type: New ACQ pine decking
- Square Footage: 1,000 sq. ft.
- UV Exposure: Mostly shaded
- Test Duration: 1 year
- Color Used: Cedar semi-transparent
All results are from our first-hand testing. Results may vary based on wood type, UV exposure, and weathering conditions.
🔹 Best Wood Types for Benjamin Moore Arborcoat
Benjamin Moore Arborcoat performs differently depending on the wood species, age, and climate. Here is an honest assessment of where it is and is not appropriate based on our testing.
Where Arborcoat Performs Better
Arborcoat delivers its best results on older, dry wood in moderate climates where freeze-thaw cycling is not a significant factor. In warmer climates where the wood does not experience the extreme expansion and contraction of cold-weather states, the surface film has a better chance of holding. For decks where consistent color and appearance is the priority and the homeowner is prepared for more involved periodic maintenance, Arborcoat can deliver a polished result in those conditions.
Where Arborcoat Performs Poorly
Our test was conducted on new ACQ pine in Michigan — and the results were conclusive. Arborcoat is not appropriate for new wood because it films on the surface rather than penetrating into fresh grain. It is not appropriate for cold-weather states where freeze-thaw cycling forces film-forming stains to crack and peel. It is not appropriate for hardwoods like IPE or Cumaru where penetration is essential. And it is not appropriate for any homeowner who wants simple clean-and-recoat maintenance, because Arborcoat’s film-forming behavior means removal requires stripping or power sanding rather than a simple prep and recoat cycle.
New Wood
Do not use Arborcoat on new wood. Film-forming stains applied to new, smooth wood have very limited mechanical adhesion because the wood grain is not porous enough to create a bond. New ACQ pine in particular contains moisture and preservative chemicals that further inhibit film adhesion. Our test was conducted on a new deck and the peeling result was severe. See our guide to staining new wood for better options.
How to Apply Benjamin Moore Arborcoat: Step-by-Step
If you choose to use Benjamin Moore Arborcoat, following the application steps carefully gives you the best chance of a durable result. These instructions reflect the manufacturer’s guidance and our field experience.
- Clean and Prep the Wood ThoroughlySurface prep is even more critical for a film-forming stain like Arborcoat than for penetrating stains. The film bonds to the surface rather than absorbing into the grain, so any contamination — dirt, mildew, old stain residue, or mill glaze on new wood — will compromise adhesion. Use a quality deck cleaner, follow with a wood brightener, and allow a minimum of 48 hours of drying time before applying. Do not apply to wet or damp wood.
- Check Temperature and ConditionsApply Arborcoat only when temperatures are between 40°F and 90°F. Do not apply if rain is forecast within 48 hours. Avoid application in direct sunlight as Arborcoat’s water-based formula dries quickly and is prone to overlap marks when applied to hot surfaces. Early morning or overcast conditions are strongly preferred for this product.
- Apply the First CoatApply Arborcoat with a brush, pad, roller, or sprayer using thin, even strokes. Work in small sections maintaining a wet edge at all times — Arborcoat dries fast and overlap marks are a consistent problem when sections are allowed to dry before being joined. Apply only as much as the surface will accept without pooling. Do not over-apply.
- Allow Full Dry Time Between CoatsArborcoat requires two coats — a stain coat followed by a clear top coat. Allow 24 to 48 hours between coats depending on temperature and humidity. Do not apply the second coat until the first is fully dry to the touch with no tackiness. Rushing the second coat is a primary cause of adhesion failure with film-forming stains.
- Apply the Top CoatThe clear top coat is the final protective layer and must be applied uniformly over the stain coat. Follow the same thin-coat, wet-edge technique used for the stain coat. The top coat is what provides the UV and mold resistance that Arborcoat scores well on — skipping it or applying it unevenly will significantly reduce the product’s performance in these areas.
- Allow Full Cure Before TrafficAllow a minimum of 48 hours before light foot traffic and 72 hours before furniture placement. Full cure for a two-coat water-based film system takes approximately two weeks. Avoid power washing or heavy cleaning for 30 days after application. Monitor the deck through the first winter carefully — in cold-weather states, the first freeze-thaw cycle is when film-forming stain failures typically appear.
Benjamin Moore Arborcoat vs. Competing Deck Stains
Benjamin Moore Arborcoat competes in the premium deck stain category against TWP 1500, Armstrong Clark, and Restore-A-Deck Semi-Transparent. Here is how they compare based on our hands-on testing of all four products.
| Feature | Benjamin Moore Arborcoat | TWP 1500 Series | Armstrong Clark | Restore-A-Deck Semi-Trans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stain Type | Water-based acrylic (film-forming) | Modified oil penetrating | Modified oil penetrating | Water-based penetrating |
| Price Per Gallon | ~$70 | ~$45 | ~$73 | ~$46 |
| Coverage Per Gallon | 150–200 sq. ft. | 150–200 sq. ft. | 200–250 sq. ft. | 100–150 sq. ft. |
| UV Protection | Excellent (9/10) | Excellent (9/10) | Excellent (8/10) | Excellent (9/10) |
| Mold Resistance | Excellent (10/10) | Very Good (8/10) | Good (7/10) | Excellent (10/10) |
| Peeling Risk | Very High — peeled within 1 year | None | None | None |
| Cold Weather Performance | Poor — film cracks in freeze-thaw | Excellent | Excellent | Very Good |
| Reapplication Prep | Power sanding required | Clean and brighten only | Clean and brighten only | Clean and brighten only |
| Same-Day Prep and Stain | No | No | No | Yes |
| Penetrating Formula | No — surface film | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Overall Score | 5.75 / 10 | 9.0 / 10 | 8.2 / 10 | 8.63 / 10 |
The comparison makes the case plainly. Arborcoat’s UV protection and mold resistance are competitive with the top-performing stains in this category, but every other metric favors its competitors. TWP 1500, Armstrong Clark, and Restore-A-Deck Semi-Transparent all penetrate the wood rather than filming on the surface, none of them peel, all of them can be recoated with cleaning and brightening alone, and all three score significantly higher in our overall testing. Arborcoat’s 75-color selection and premium brand positioning are its primary differentiators — neither compensates for a peeling failure at the one-year mark.
🔹 Benjamin Moore Arborcoat — Frequently Asked Questions
Is Benjamin Moore Arborcoat a penetrating stain?
No — Benjamin Moore Arborcoat behaves primarily as a surface coating rather than a true penetrating stain, particularly in the semi-solid and solid versions. The water-based acrylic formula dries on top of the wood surface rather than absorbing into the wood fiber. This is the fundamental reason Arborcoat peeled on our new pine test deck — without deep penetration into the wood grain, the film has limited mechanical adhesion and fails when the wood expands and contracts through freeze-thaw cycles. True penetrating stains like TWP 1500, Armstrong Clark, and Restore-A-Deck Semi-Transparent soak into the wood fiber, which is why they do not peel and can be recoated with a simple clean and brighten rather than power sanding.
Does Benjamin Moore Arborcoat peel?
Yes — in our one-year test on a new ACQ pine deck in Michigan, Arborcoat peeled significantly. By spring after a single Michigan winter, patches of the finish had lifted off in strips and large sections could be peeled back with your fingers. The product had not penetrated the wood at all — the entire film sat on the surface and failed when the wood moved. This is a predictable outcome for a film-forming stain applied to new wood in a cold-weather state where freeze-thaw cycling is significant. Arborcoat may perform better on older, dry wood in warmer climates, but the peeling risk is inherent to its film-forming chemistry.
How long does Benjamin Moore Arborcoat last?
Based on our testing, Arborcoat did not hold up for a full year on a new pine deck in Michigan. Severe peeling appeared by spring following a summer application. Results may vary significantly depending on climate, wood type, and condition — Arborcoat may last longer on older, dry wood in warmer climates without the freeze-thaw stress that caused failure in our test. However, even under ideal conditions, a two-coat film-forming system on a horizontal deck surface that experiences foot traffic, UV exposure, and seasonal moisture changes will require more frequent attention than penetrating oil-based alternatives like TWP 1500 or Armstrong Clark, which last 2 to 4 years on comparable decks.
Can Arborcoat be reapplied easily?
No — reapplication after failure requires power sanding, not the clean-and-recoat process that penetrating stains allow. In our test, a traditional deck stain stripper did not remove the failed Arborcoat adequately. Power sanding the entire 1,000-square-foot deck was required to get back to bare wood, which cost the homeowner substantially in labor. Under the best-case scenario where Arborcoat holds well and does not fail, reapplication still requires more surface prep than competing penetrating stains because any new coat must bond to the existing film rather than penetrating fresh wood. If the existing film has worn unevenly, getting a uniform result on reapplication is difficult without sanding first.
Is Arborcoat good for new wood?
No — new wood is the worst possible application scenario for Arborcoat based on our testing. Our test was conducted on a brand-new ACQ pine deck and the stain peeled within one year. New wood has two characteristics that work against film-forming stains: the grain is smooth and less porous, which limits mechanical adhesion for a surface coating, and new pressure treated wood contains moisture and preservative chemicals that further inhibit film bonding. For new decks, penetrating oil-based stains like TWP 1500 or Armstrong Clark, or water-based penetrating stains like Restore-A-Deck Semi-Transparent, are significantly better choices. See our guide to staining new wood for full details.
How does Arborcoat compare to TWP 1500 and Armstrong Clark?
Arborcoat and TWP 1500 or Armstrong Clark are fundamentally different product types despite both being marketed as deck stains. TWP 1500 and Armstrong Clark are penetrating oil-based stains — they absorb into the wood fiber, do not peel, and can be recoated with cleaning and brightening alone every 2 to 4 years. Arborcoat is a film-forming acrylic coating that sits on the surface, is prone to peeling in cold climates, and requires power sanding for removal when it fails. In our comparative testing, TWP 1500 scores 9.0 out of 10 and Armstrong Clark scores 8.2 out of 10 versus Arborcoat’s 5.75. The only categories where Arborcoat is competitive are UV protection and mold resistance — and those advantages are irrelevant when the stain peels within a year.
Arborcoat is a terrible product with terrible customer service, both from the retailer and Benjamin Moore. These photos are from about 5 months to 12 months after application in Madison WI. That was a lot of money and time down the drain. I’ve NEVER had a product fail like this.
It’s the same as mine I put it on last year, and it peals off in large strips and the wood under does not even look like it had anything on it. Terrible
The Arborcoat semi transparent is the absolute worst product I’ve ever used. I pressure washed the deck, and then followed all directions carefully, used the two prep products, and two coats of stain. It was very hard to use and looked like a mottled mess when completed, showing all back brushing intervals, etc. It didn’t even make it a year. I did it early fall ($800 in materials and 8 days of hard labor) and by the end of winter is was peeling off where ever any runoff hit it. I’m not an inexperienced, first timer. I’ve built entire houses and have painted for over 30 years. I know what I’m doing. This is expensive garbage, that left me with a real mess. I have to figure out how to remove all of it, on a 1,000 square foot deck, and apply a product that actually adheres to wood, and lasts a while. I have never written a review of anything before, for or against, but this crap is “special”
Here’s my No2 cedar deck one year after ArborCoat. Terrible.
I am beyond upset about the Arborcoat solid stain that we applied to our deck. We have stained the deck numerous times over the years with other products and never had such a bad problem as we are now. We did everything right from application to letting it dry properly. It has been nothing but a horrible experience ever since. My dog’s paw prints stick to it and cannot be washed off. I’ve tried everything. And even a representative came out to look at it. I need some recourse!
Sheila, EXACTLY our experience. Sanded 700 Sq Ft deck on lake & EVERY footprint/pawprint sticks out. The deck looks filthy. The rails are peeling. Rings End, Danbury CT came out to inspect & gave us a gallon of Krud Kutter to clean. That’s not the problem. this is NOT a stain. it sits on top of the wood & attracts dirt. Any suggestions?
No stain pigments of any kind penetrate wood, All stains ARE film forming. You folks having issues with this product should really leave it to professionals. Did anyone of you do a moisture test before you applied it? I didn’t think so. SMH
You are wrong about this. Not all deck stains are film-forming and yes, they can penetrate into the wood.
I agree, and I’m a pretty experienced DIYer. And I used my moisture meter before staining, and the stain failed miserably.
I have the same problem, wondering if you found a solution.
Do NOT use Arborcoat over Benjamin Moore clear wood preservative no matter what BM or the BM dealer tells you. I’ve been using Benjamin Moore clear wood preservative on redwood siding for 35 years without issue. BM discontinued the clear wood preservative and recommends Arborcoat. After 2 years of New England weather, the Arborcoat on the south facing side of the house has a chalky, milky appearance. I’m going to drop BM and use Cabot clear wood preservative instead. I hope I’ll have better luck.
Use daly’s teak oil. Uses the same type of phenolic resins the old BM clear was using
Applied this to my deck September 2019. Didn’t last the winter – it peeled/flaked off all over the place.
Today, I was attempted to clean grime off the surface to start prepping for another coat and the stain peeled off from the pressure from a garden hose. So, I bought a pressure washer to strip it all off and I’m now looking for another stain to spend a few hundred dollars on…
IMO 5.75/10 is far too generous.
Oh!! Water born ,what the heck does that mean ,i know, latex paint .I have a small deck ,If i see areas of mildew or green mold iwash that only ,if there is any peeling I paint right over it ,the peeling is always very soft, so it brushes right to the new coating, I use olympic cabots , Arbore coat ,makes no difference When that hot sun ,rain , snow cold winters hits that’s the end of it till next spring.
Painting contractor, also in Michigan. Used Arborcoat waterborne semi transparent stain only once and it’s junk! (I’m a regular user and fan of Ben Moore products but not their deck stain, ever again.) Horrible to apply, even one board at a time in the shade, left lap marks. Adding Floetrol didn’t help. Does not penetrate the wood, and dries with a slight plasticky sheen. Failed within a year. My Ben Moore stores have realised this is not a popular product with their professional painters and carry TWP, which is a vastly superior stain at the same price point, and what I’ve used for years.
What she said is 100% correct.
This applied in 1998 in a mission brown color to rough cut reverse board and batten rough cut white pine wood siding. No peeling but ready to change colors. Chemical stripping and pressure washing dissolve just a small layer off. Since it already lasted for 25 years I was looking for a similar product. Are any solid stains still linseed oil based? If not what is the best water-based solid stain to go over this.
They do not make solid stains anymore that are oil-based. See here for the best solid stains:
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/what-are-the-best-solid-color-deck-stains/
i used semi transparent stain on new wood, but came to light can i put an other coat to make darker ?
No, over-applying will lead to peeling. Also, you cannot stain new wood right away. Did you follow directions for new wood?
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/how-long-should-you-wait-to-stain-a-new-deck/
Arborcoat was recommended by our painters for our new pine deck. The product was applied, one coat and looked horrible. It was streaky and uneven. They came a reapplied another coat. Within months, it was cracking and peeling. Painters came and ‘fixed’ things again. Now the stain is bubbling everywhere. How can it be a stain if it never soaked in?
Total loss. Will need to get the entire deck sanded and find a stain that actually works.
Yep. This is why BM is one of our worst-rated stains. Once it is fully removed, see here for a proper stain: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/the-5-best-deck-stain-reviews-and-ratings/
Man, I wish I had seen this review and all of these comments before I allowed my client to dictate that I use this product on the new deck and stairs that I built on her lake front house. Only time will tell how it holds up to the Lake Pontchartrain salty water and sub-tropical weather. I will take pictures and post them as time goes by and my time to allowed to take pictures dictates.
I love Arborcoat for all reasons cause it works if you prepare and apply correctly. Better than all of the others in my opinion as a licensed Ca. contractor of 25 years.
Good to read that! last spring I had a pro refinish my deck (fir) including sanding off the old (ugly) dark oil finish He then applied one coat of BM Arborcoat and advised me to redcoat it in one year (now). He didn’t put a clear coat on top — just the one coat of stain. It held up very well except that there were stains from pollen and mildew — I cleaned that with vinegar and water. Question – should I follow his advice and apply another coat now?
Just bought this at suggestion of local lumber yard. Not easy to apply as it was thick on the mullions of the fir exterior door I applied to. Can I apply Helmsman water based indoor/outdoor spar urethane now? I’d like to protect from harsh direct UV exposure and winter rain/snow.
You can never topcoat over a deck stain. It will blister and peel.
Used on outdoor cabinets was going to use a polyurethane on it. So your saying I can’t ? So what do you use to clear coat ?
You can’t. It will peel if you put anything over it.
We painted our screen porch 3 weeks ago and it is still sticky. I have a fan on it and its been in the 90’s for weeks now. I need help
Since it has been three weeks, it will probably not cure so you will need to remove and start over. It will not be easy and you will have to sand it all off.
I am sick,,, after reading these reviews we all have the same issues. This is a failed product , we all should get a new deck from the company. At age 70, I powered wash, chemical treated my deck twice . Taking over 3 three weeks to complete May 2020, it is horrible. Dog prints, dirt, peel, washes away !!!! Shame on this company and a slap in the face for all their faithful, now to be past, customers. I still have not heard from rep. Change products everyone
Is arborcoat Protective clear coat the same as Thompsons Water sealer??
No, and the BM clear coat peels horribly. Do not use it.
Can you recommend a better product , we are about to clean an stain our one year old deck, that is we built around our in ground pool. It has been a year for the wood to cure??? thank you . we just want a clear coat since our fence is almond ( We do all the work ourselves, rehabbers)
Thank you
You need a semi-transparent stain for UV protection. Clear will gray. Clean and brighten for prep. Use one of these stains: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/best-semi-transparent-deck-stain-reviews/
Sikkens is the best on the market for deck stain….period!
Sikkens used to be very good but they changed the formula and now not so good.
Extremely disappointed with Arborcoat!! The stain did not last through one winter. Taking it off has been awful. We have spent days with stain stripper and sanding to remove this product. The cost of renting equipment and the time it is taking to take off this stain is ridiculous. Never making this mistake again.
I have pressure treated wood on my deck. The deck was power washed & will be sanded. I was going to use the Arborcoat natural color in a oil base. Is there another brand that I would be better off using since the Arborcoat did not get good reviews?
Look at one of these: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/the-5-best-deck-stain-reviews-and-ratings/
This is actually a good product. This review is completely biased. As for other products I would suggest this or the Behr premium wood coating. I myself prefer the Behr but that is because of price alone.
What you need to remember is regardless of what anyone says a stain for decks is more like paint unless you go transparent. If you go solid it will have a more of a paint look because of the latex in it. It does work and lasts but don’t expect miracles. It is in the elements and on wood. Hot and cold change not only the make of the paint but the wood as well so yes there will be some fading, cracking and peeling overtime, even within a year because not one board is the same
Biased? Our experience with this product is extremely poor so no, it is not biased but from our experience as contractors. In addition, read all the other reviews from consumers complaining here and on other sites about how the product has failed for them.
WORST product I have ever used on decks
Do you have any reviews of arbor coat oil based? Specifically on hardwood?
I used TWP – 2 thin costs last September on my mahogany handrails and it was completely washed away by March of this year. Couldn’t believe it!
Was thinking messmers uv plus or arbor coat oil. Wanted your thoughts.
Thanks
Nothing will last longer than 1 year for exotic hardwoods. It is an annual clean and reapply: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/ipe-exotic-hardwood-stain-review/
We have not tried Arborcoat on Hardwoods and would not due to all the issues the brand has with their deck stains,
Thanks for the reply! But you haven’t tried the oil based? I would recommend trying it. We have used it on several softer woods with good luck! Very good color retention
Thanks
We tried the oil-based version and it did not perform very well. Never used it on hardwoods.
👍👍 thanks
use Sikkens. It is amazing. wood looks beautiful & it lasts.
Abject failure. Removed old stain in september. Sanded to 60 grit the week after pressure washing. Lightly washed again 2 days before staining, using fans to maximize the 2 days of drying. Stained (roll and tip) in early october after having 2 dry (post-wash) days, and 2 more days to dry before next rain. Deck was wrecked by february. The wasted money is disappointing; the wasted time is infuriating.
What was the moisture content of the wood when you applied it?
Allowed my pressure treated deck to dry properly . Applied with brush and followed with a rag in other hand. kept a wet edge. Deck is 650 sf. Used 326-30 translucent teak. Also applied to mahogany railing. 3yrs is 100% southern exposure,northern Ma., no shade. Looking great ! Will reapply this summer. My only regret; I had my boards with the grain down but wish I had applied stain to bottom first. All my boards are cupped and hold water. Bummer. Also used the Camo side screw system.
Very pleased !!
i have just been dealing with Benjamin Moore over a serious Aborcoat peeling issue on all horizontal services after 9 months. The local BM rep stated that this was due to the fact that I did not sand with 60 to 80 grit paper, after power washing the deck. It should be note that no were on the product label or in the dealer do they advise that this is a must. I now have to strip the deck, sand and re coat. BM will only replace the stain. The local dealer has offered to help with prep, as he understands what good customer service is all about, something BM does not understand.
BM need to change their labels and advice to advise customer sanding is a must.
A bloody shame they treat customers like this, after spending meg bucks on their products. No longer a loyal customer!
Do you recommend Murphy’s soap for mopping my covered porch with arbor coat stain?
It should work.
I stained my new cedar deck last year with arbor coat transparent stain. It is uneven and I want to fix things. Do I need to strip it all and sand? If yes, what kind of stripping do I need and what grit sand paper? Or can I just restain over the top? Do I need to clean it first and if yes with what?
Best to sand ti all off and start over with a better brand that performs better and is easier to maintain.
What is the the best type of stain to use on PT decking, semitransparent, etc
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/best-semi-transparent-deck-stain-reviews-2020/
Worst Product EVER!. Completely ruined the cedar wood. Had to replace all this.Product didn’t last 2 year. Never again.
Before buying any Benjamin Moore product, take a look at the photos of my deck. This is how it is 9 months after receiving two coats of Benjamin Moore stain. The customer service and concern from Benjamin Moore and the local supplier was as bad as the stain.
John Blake Ontario.
Bottom Line…..buy something else. (especially if you are located in the Northeast)
We had our house painted July 2020 including our front and back decks. The paint company recommended Benjamin Moore. The decks were done with Arborcoat solid color stain……..It was disappointing to notice that by November every time it rained the the stain bubbled……..and the front steps……40-50% has peeled off. I have never in my 25 years at this house…..ever seen that happen…….I used other brands of solid deck stain and never had that happen.
The deck was pressure washed a week prior to staining……..
This was the first…..and most likely the last time I will hire someone to stain the decks…….I have read about this issue in other posts and BM reimbursed or provided more product, but I am assuming we’re out the labor cost……what good
does that do?
Other posts mention prep…….I can tell you from experience……prep didn’t make much difference over the years that I have done the work myself…….whether I did 2 days of prep (wash, scrape, dry) or 2 hours of prep…….I usually get 2 years before I add another coat. And heavy traffic areas? 1 year…..
Your timeline doesn’t add up. It’s currently July 2020. November 2020 is still a few months away. Evidence of time travel… I think so. 🙂
can you use this on the exterior wall of a house?
Yes, you should be able to.
How to remove stain from cloth ? Had a can of Arborcoat Exterior waterborne solid deck and stain (red) pour accidentally over a stack of sheets/towels in a closet. Some items only have a splash of stain on them…how to remove?
Please reply. Many thanks,Carol
You cannot remove it from cloth. They are ruined.
Arborcoat Solid is the worst stain I have used. It holds dirt like nothing else. Even people wearing socks leave marks on my deck. Those marks are difficult to remove. Soap and water won’t do it. Only bleach based cleaner will remove the marks. The same goes for pollen stains or staining from leaves. The coating remains soft even after weeks of curing. My advice? Never use this stuff. My advice to Benjamin Moore? Pull it from the market.
Thank you Ken. We share your frustration and your opinion. Any advice on help from BM?
Complete garbage. Had a beautiful deck installed 3 years ago and I then ruined it with this crap. I am now in the process of power sanding it off and staining it with a much better product. Finally, I’m getting the deck I wanted. I have been warning everyone to stay away. Oh, and I’m a huge Benjamin Moore fan. I insist on Benni Moore on all my interior walls. But they screwed the pooch with Arborcoat.
What are you using we are just about to clean an stain a new deck. and were recommend
this product. I would really appreciate your advise. We built a new deck around our in ground pool. which is 20 by 40 . We did the work ourselves,
Its been over a year ( though the winter) IL
I found the Arborcoat stain has poor adhesion qualities. With in 2 months of application it has peeled in numerous sections of my deck. I am going to restain the entire deck again and will try using a Kilz primer prior to using the Arborcoat stain….maybe this time it will remain on the wood…
Benjamin Moore Arbourcoat Transplant Teak looks amazing on my teak covered porch. It rained heavily right after it was applied and we sanded lightly and reapplied with a soft cloth. It has only been two weeks so I’ll need to see how it stands up to the test of time.
IT has been three years now. How does the deck look now, and what have you done to it over the last three years, since you typed this ?
I used Arborcoar Transparent and after two years parts of the deck, underneath the dripline of the roof, are peeling. Many parts of the deck, in shade or less weather, are fine.
Question: What do you recommend that I do to treat this problem?
You would have to strip it all off and apply a new coat if you want it to be even again.
Would you apply a chemical stripper and also sand?
Possibly. The BM Arborcoat is tough to strip so sanding may be needed as well.
Strip or power wash and apply Behr stain from the depot. If the wood and old paint is in really bad shape, Use the Behr solid color stain. You will lose the Beauty of the grain but at least it will be neat and even, and it will last!
Behr has horrible reviews and feedback: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/behr-deckover-review-2015/
Behr Stain is very good, Behr Deckover, IS NOT, Behr Deckover is not a stain, its like a very thick paint. and lots of problems reported, it is a product that has not been on the market many years, and it is a newer type of Deck “paint like” but offers 3 types of textures. with grit levels. Rustoleum has a similar type of product, and that also has problems. But remember the Behr Premium Solid Stain is good, I have applied it on over 2 dozen decks for customers. Have not had one complaint from any of the jobs I had applied it to. Always make sure to power wash a deck before applying stain, and always make sure to let the deck dry 24 hours before staining, and no rain 24 hours after application. People alos must understand, that Transparent stain, Semi-Transparent Stains, last about 2 years…..( deck environment sun, usage, rain/puddling, snow sitting on a deck all affect the longevity of deck stains, no matter what brand. Solid color stains, last longer than transparent, and semi- transparent stains, no matter the brand.
There is a lot of people including us that would disagree with you on this: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/behr-deck-stain-review/
Mainly only on this website as it doesn’t own Behr. Deck Stain Help and all of these domains are owned by the same company running on the same server: TWPrestore-a-deck.com, opwdecks.com, deck-stains.com, defystain.com, concretesealerstore.com, twpstain.com.
DeckStainHelp.com gives the lowest rating to Behr Premium yet it’s Consumer Report’s #1 rated deck stain for several years.
Hello Jeff,
You are uneducated as to who we are and what we do and more importantly how bad the Behr stain is.
As for who we are, you can find that on the very first article on the home page. We fully disclose who we are and always have. Your other assumptions on this are incorrect.
As for Behr, it is just a plain bad stain. Don’t believe us? See the many 1000s of complaints from consumers on this site, Youtube, and more importantly on your mentioned Consumer Reports site. While CR is obviously paid to rate the Behr stain, you will see numerous consumer reviews in the CR site giving it very poor reviews! Don’t believe us, just read the reviews on the CR site.
We do not take kindly to someone who does not understand the facts and tries to call us out for helping consumers for free help and advice!
Arborcoat is easy to apply and looks good for a while. But on parts of my front porch deck and wood shingles on my house, the stain started bubbling and blistering, which looks awful and is very difficult to fix.
My experience is similar to the other posts. Had a brand new pressure treated deck built. Let it dry for eight months. Had a reputable and experienced painter prep and stain the wood and apply clear coat. Cleaned and reapplied clear coat annually per Benjamin Moors directions. Two years later the Arborcoat started mildewing and peeling. Year three I have a mottled finish and big strips started coming off during cleaning. Now I need to strip the deck down to bare wood. Plan to restain with TWP.
Using the Benjamin Moore “stain” was a wasted effort, an exercise in frustration and is costing me money.
Very disappointing.
Plan on sanding as well to remove fully. Strippers have a limited effect on the Arborcoat.
I used arbor coat semi transparent stain and was surprised by your review. It does not go on like paint at all. The grain of the wood shows through. In fact I used it on my front porch including the stairs. I love it it is maintenance free after 2 years Are you sure you didn’t use the semi solid stain? That goes on more like paint.
Yes, we are sure and many consumers have had the same issues as us. Many complaints in the comments below.
I used arborcoat oil last fall, and the previous fall on our deck. I bought special deck wash, and powerwashed the deck before application. the arborcoat product cost me 50 bucks a gal. and I believe I needed 2 gal (but I have some leftover) for a 12’x16′ decking and all the railings, 3 steps. it was very difficult to apply – it’s thick and sticky and covers poorly. stain needs to constantly be stirred/mixed too, as the oil starts to separate. I recommend buying a mop pad applicator and broom handle for deck applications. It’s a miserable job to do with a brush on your hands and knees. this product streaked. it also looked milky and faded after a year. it had several worn areas (one was from the gutter leaking down on it, the other spot was from wear). every year it needs another coat. i’m sick of dealing with it. this year i saw another deck stain on clearance for 5 dollars at lowes, olympic elite, which i purchased bc i don’t have anything to lose at this point. i was surprised by how much easier to was to apply. and the color matched but looked nicer too… i only over-stained the actual deck (not the railings) and i only used 1/4 gal. I had powerwashed it, lightly sanded it with 80 grit sandpaper, broomed it, and blew it off with the leaf blower first. i cannot comment on the wear bc i just stained it yesterday. we’ll see…
After using the Benjamin Moore stripper and then the B-M Restore, I erred in the middle of our properly prepared 4 y.o. deck. Overlapped, and now we have a board that is darker and more ‘plastic’ looking than the rest of deck. How can I recover from my mess-up? 🙁
If just one board, try sanding it down and restain.
My old GC used this on my new covered porch 1.25″ interlocking pines boards, the boards were painted in their entirey inside, left to dry then installed. My GC didn’t apply the clearcoat and the stain has failed miserably, all boards on the edges are warping. The boards that get zero water by the door are also chipping etc, this stain is absolutely terrible.
I don’t know what to do to fix and what to use next, any advice would be helpful.
The clearcoat would not have mattered. It still would have failed. You will need to sand all to remove and start over.
can i use a belt sander for floors and hand for sides? what stain should I use now?
Use a drum sander for floor and belt/hand sander for the verticals. Once fully sanded off, do a final prep with a deck cleaner and then a wood brightener. Stain one of these brands: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/the-5-best-deck-stain-reviews-and-ratings/
North Vancouver, arborcoat translucent natural applied under ideal conditions to a well ventilated new deck which we allowed to cure for a year, which was then cleaned thoroughly with Thompson’s WaterSeal heavy duty deck cleaner. One year later….the translucent st peeling off in some areas in ribbons. Beyond a complete waste of time and money as now I need to sand off this mess and start all over again !
> peeling off in *some areas* in ribbons.
Stains and paints don’t decide to fail randomly in some places and hold up fine in others. Failure is due to lack of or improper prep.
I do house painting, deck staining, and pressure washing. I’ve used Arborcoat with great success. I do a great deal of prep work including belt sanding and pressure washing. The surface has to be dry, clean of dust and mildew, and free of all other product. If you do a shabby job prepping the surface, you will have difficulty down the road. Don’t paint of mildew, wet wood, or dust.
This Benjamin Moore deck stain Arborcoat is an inferior product. It was applied two years ago and it looked as though it was applied 25 years ago after the first 6 months. Dirt from walking on our grass and onto the deck, including dog paw prints are like glue. Every Mark shows. O called BM customer service and they claimed they have never had that complaint. Dry disappointing because that is simply not true. It was a waste of money plus I had to pay for the deck to be stained. People come over and ask “What happened to the deck?” I reply, “Benjamin Moore Arborcoat deck stain. It’s a substandard product. None of our friends and neighbors will use it because if our deck. It’s a complete waste of money. BM sent me four new cans to say they were sorry. How does that make sense?
Cathy,
EXACTLY the same experience. VER POOR product & we love BM. Lets see hw the Rep handles us.
They make good paint but have no clue how to make a good deck stain.
I have Arborcoat by BM on my deck and every year deal with bubbling and peeling. Can I lightly sand and apply Flood stain over it? I have too much decking to completely remove or is it something I have to continue to deal with every year?
No. You will have to completely remove it before using a different brand. 😥
DON’T USE THIS STAIN! I applied the Arborcoat to my cedar deck railings and posts on a new deck mid-June 2017. I was very careful to apply one thin coat as instructed. Days after application, the stain was still tacky and this was after wiping down any residual. By September 2017 the stain was getting mold spores and appeared some of the stain was coming off (blotchy). I called the local hardware store that recommended this stain and they came out to my house. The hardware store was surprised the stain looked so bad after only a couple months. I’ve lived here for 32 years (CT) and my other deck and my cedar sided house never got mold like this. The hardware store gave me a gallon of bleach based cleaner for free to see if I could clean it. The cleaner didn’t do anything to help along with an aggressive powerwash. Now one year later I’m stuck with this stained cedar that has most of the stain gone and blotchy. Never seen anything like it. My deck boards are mahogany and I’m grateful I didn’t use the Arborcoat on the mahogany. I’ve used Cabot’s semi-transparent on my cedar siding since 1985 and though the formula has changed over the years, I never had a problem. Benjamin Moore has done a disservice to all of us that found this stain to be a problem. I would rather have the stain completely come off the cedar than now having to figuring out how to recover from this mess. Benjamin Moore owes me!
I totally sympathize. Consider Restore-A-Deck Cleaner and Brightener. I live in humid Savannah, GA and am waiting for autumn to clean and stain my deck, so I haven’t used this yet. After much research I chose TWP stain and the manufacturers recommended the Restore-A-Deck cleaning products. This video demo made by a novice convinced me to give the cleaner a try. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Q1mrKbIuXU
Good luck!
I have the same exact issue. Terrible.
Having used BM products at other homes with great success 5+ years without a reapplication, we decided to use this Arborcoat SemiSolid Stain on our existing home. It is being used on the screen enclosed North facing porch as well as the exposed to weather stairs. We have lived in the home 4 years this summer. The deck stain has been applied to the deck for about 3 1/2 of those 4 years. Every year this stain has been a PAIN! Every year after pressure washing the pollen (we have pollen storms in the South East) off of the deck boards the stain either had to be touched up or reapplied completely. I went back into the BM store, which is now out of business, and they told us to think about using a clear coat on the deck. The one difference between the deck of other homes and the deck today is the pressure treated wood. Today’s wood doesn’t have the arsenic content as it used to, thank you environmentalists. I don’t know if that makes a difference in the performance of the stain. However, I want to enjoy the covered porch not continuously work on it. I do believe that the next time we deal with any deck. We’ll consider the TREX deck boards now in a multitude of colors. Cost is way more but my time is worth something also.
Hey guess what don’t use a pressure washer. Use a deck cleaning product, a bristle deck brush and garden hose. I would not recomend the clear coat, once you use that then your stuck with it for good. People just want to slap the stain on and when it fails blame the product. No one ever wants to hear this but proper cleaning and prep is key to success with any acrylic solid stain.
Ive used a pressure washer on 100s of decks beforehand to get it clean. First off 9/10 people dont know the first thing as to how to use a pressure washer and how to clean it. Ive seen some wild jobs done with a pressure washer where i came in and did it myself and did it right. Good clean boards are the key to make sure stain is on and stays on
Do you have to use the top coat sealant?
The clear coat is optional. Talk to your dealer about your specific requirements….
My god the comments on this website never cease to amaze me. Latex obviously do not penetrate in the same way solvent based products do, are film forming and require more prep work end of story. Its 2018 and latex products are the future so get used to doing a bit more prep! Bubbling and peeling are a 100% indicator you did zero prep work and/or painted over a damp surface or other moisture issues. Sand your boards to 80-120 grit or use a wood brightener to open the wood pores, make sure your stuff is dry with a moisture meter, then stain. Check out the pic from “Anthony maldonado”, my dude those boards look like I hired my 5 year old niece to stain them in fact she would do a better job.
Nailed it ^
Seems like there are so many cons to Arborcoat . Having deck powerwashed and re-stained. Should I consider another produck??
Yes.
We are very unhappy with the look of our deck after using Arborcoat. We had a very experienced painter prepare and stain our deck about a year ago. This spring it is pealing and darkening in many spots. I was not very happy with the initial look of the stain on the wood. It looked very flat and plastic appearing. I would have been ok with that but it is already showing wear after less that 18 months. Very disappointed!
Homeowner called me about there deck I stained back in August last year said the deck was this was a new deck on a newly built house the home allowed the deck to dry and wait before deciding to go ahead with staining the deck and all the deck boards and hand rails are peeling and it’s chipping like a latex paint.
My can of deck stain was in the garage all winter here in Ohio, certainly exposed to some single digit temps. Can says protect from freezing. I want to use it and it looks fine, but has it been damaged?
Possibly, might want to contact BM to make sure.
I used arborcoat on my deck, it turned black from Mold. Sent pictures to Benjamin Moore rep, they do Not stand behind their product! Just pressure washed again and put Sherwin Williams on…. Will NEVER use Benjamin moore products again!
How do you like the SW stain? I have the BM stain right now and thinking about restaining with the SW.
Our experience with BM Arbor Coat solid stain has been horrible…excessive and unnecessary work, major expense and hugely disappointing. I will NEVER use this product again and I urge others to do research before embarking on this kind of project. It was applied to a new treated pine deck after adequate aging…that lasted less than a year. Another attempt several months later resulted in similar failure. Now we will follow the directions of this website and I expect success. A hard lesson learned! Shame on Benjamin Moore for marketing this product!
Use Sherwin Williams, it will cover the Benjamin Moore mess after pressure washing…… I will NEVER use Ben again either!
I stained my decks with Arborcoat last summer on my new decks. The wood was dried for over a year before I stained it. I primed and stained the decks as recommended. The stain is now peeling up after only 6 months and I have now even used them. I did my research and chose Arborcoat. Now I was told I have to strip my decks back to bare wood and start over. If I would have known that I would have to strip and redo my deck every using this product I would have never purchased it. I spent over 400 dollars on the stain which is twice the cost of the other products I researched. I should have used one of those at least it would have been cheaper. Benjamin Moore representative actually did nothing to resolve it only to blame it on the customer. Now it will take days and money to strip the stain off. It allot of time and money staining the deck the first time. It is going to be harder now since it has been stained.
I sanded my PT deck down to bare wood, it was dry and clean and the BM Arborcoat STILL chipped and peeled within 3 months!
I used the Benjamin Moore Arborcoat on my new deck. I let the deck season, cure and used the deck preparation cleaner recommended. The deck looked amazing the first few months after the application. After that, the deck started to get mold between the wood and stain. It looked aweful with black mold spots everywhere. I’ve talked to my stain rep where I bought the stain. The said it’s very rare but it sounds and looks like the stain flash dried before it penetrated the wood. This has been a nightmare to remove. I’ve used multiple other brands over the past 30 years and never had this issue. I’ll never use this product again. I’m over 100 hours in stripping and sanding.
Always hire a pro painter like myself. I have been staining and painting decks for over 20 years. Proper prep is very important. I love arborcoat stains. Arborcoat classic oil is my favorite. If i use waterbased solid stain i apply 1 coat of slow drying oil-based primer then apply 2 coats of stain. For oil based stains 1 to 2 coats of stain(no primer).
I have a mahogany deck. I was going to use Arborcoat semi/solid Do you think this is the correct choice?
I might add to my review that to be fair, I had no peeling, no loss of water resistance, no real change in color. I live on Cape Cod and left it for 2 years before reapplication. So really, just butt ugly.
I used to use Cabot Mahogany flame on my mahogany deck, which I thought was great. Then they switched to a water based formula(they have since returned to oil I believe). I went to my Benjamin Moore store, where they told me they had an identical product in oil base. The color was certainly very similar, which I wanted because I also stain my mahogany deck and rear steps, as well as the decking in my outdoor shower stall, and they needed to match. the first time I applied the stain with a natural brush, and it looked ok until it dried. Then I could see all the brush strokes. Very ugly. I thought maybe it was my brush, so the next time I used a synthetic brush. Same thing. The third time I tried a new can of stain and a better brush. Just as lousy. It’s too expensive to throw away, but I am going back to Cabot.
This test was for the 100% acrylic. Have you tested the benjamin Moore ARBORCOAT Semi Solid Classic Oil Finish? I’m curious if the same peeling and bubbling happens with the oil version? I hear a lot of complaints with latex bubbling and peeling, regardless of the brand, but is it true with an oil based stain? Since it is hard to find an oil based stain in a color, Benjamin Moore has one and I’d love to know how it performed as it’s one of the few oil stains with color.
Thank you for your time.
Yes, and it wore/peeled but not as bad as the acrylic.
My deck has peeled terribly after a year, and then again after sanding and a re-application. And no warning or remedy on the can. Terrible.
If you make sure the siding is dry properly and the decking waiting the 6 months to a year on pressure treated arbor coat is awesome. My son and I have had no problems with it. Do it right and it will treat you right.
about 6 mos after our new deck was installed we applied this product as directed on the can. It is not an easy application and you can see the brush strokes. Within a few weeks it was peeling under the deck chairs. 1 year later it has peel spots over most of the floor boards. It has performed well on railings. We are going to try and touch up the floor and then apply a sealer over it and see if that helps. I would not recommend this product to anybody.
Hi Brenda – I’m no expert, but my case is similar to yours. I thus thought I’d share the “tech” reply/caution below from another forum to a reader asking if they should apply a top/clear coating to fix peeling. See comment/reader #25 posting at the end of this article about “Why Deck Stains Peel”, https://www.defywoodstain.com/why-deck-stains-peel/: “Your frustration is shared by many people. Unfortunately there isn’t a deck stain on the market that will last 5 or 6 years, in spite of what the warranties claim. 2-3 years is about what the best products on the market will give you. The big question is how easy is it to do maintenance coats. Some products require the wood to be stripped or sanded every time. In our case with DEFY products, you only have to apply a single maintenance coat every 2-3 years to maintain the finish. Unfortunately for your situation, a thick clear top coat may not be the best answer. This will only form a film on the surface of the wood, and typically when you put film-forming coatings on decks, they will peel. Solid stains in general can peel as they weather. A good quality semi-transparent stain will fade as it weathers, rather than peel. This makes it easy to maintain with a simple maintenance coat. If you want to switch to a semi-transparent stain, you’ll need to allow your solid stain to weather and then either sand or strip the finish off. Once the wood is bare, you can use a semi-transparent stain hopefully with less frustration and work. The other option if you don’t want the maintenance is to replace the wood with a composite type decking material or a concrete patio, but obviously these are much more expensive up front.” BTW, while the Defy staff refer to their product in the above, I found their articles and replies to readers to be otherwise fairly objective and helpful (they referred to this website in a reply). I’ve read in other forums that in reducing harmful VOCs in paint/stain products, manufacturers haven’t yet produced a product that performs at the level of 15 or so years ago. The BM Arborcoat 640 Solid Stain my wife and I applied to our deck is lifting/peeling in varying strips of roughly 2″ wide by 4″ to 6″ long (I check by putting a dull knife in the crack). These break/peel off if stepped on etc. The vertical posts/spindles are OK (or so far, as I’ve read in reports from others), but adhesion on horizontal deck boards is apparently an issue. We, too, followed the directions, power washed the deck (which had a thin/faded layer of non-peeling, oiled-based, semi-transparent stain remaining), let it dry thoroughly, applied the BM stain using a roller followed by brush, avoided over-thick application, etc. The staff at the store selling us this product said we’d have no problem applying this stain over the remnant stain on our deck, as that selling point appears in the Technical Data… Read more »
I had my cedar deck completely rebuilt in 2014, waited one year and stained it using BM Arborcoat Semi Transparent (waterborne) after sanding, cleaning and brightening the wood. I second all the complaints about this product regarding flaking, peeling and cracking and regret ever using it in the first place. My question is, can I expect good results using RAD stripper to remove as much of the old finish as I can, sanding the rest off, and then re-staining my deck with TWP 100? I live in Washington state, and the deck gets a lot of direct sun/uv in the summer and lots of rain in the fall/winter/spring.
You will have to sand off the Arborcoat to remove fully. Strippers have limited effect with the Arborcoat. They will remove some, but not all.
Do not apply in direct sunlight!! I apply all my stains at dusk and it cures just great after all night to dry. This is really the key to getting to last years.
Do NOT apply oil stain at dusk if you live anywhere with dew! It is a good idea to keep any type of stained surface dry for as many straight days as possible. A suspended tarp is awesome at night against dew. An angled tarp is great if rain is coming within the first week.
The colors are way off. My first light brown semi-solid looked like circus peanut candy, a cartoonish orange. Smoked oyster came out pinkish purple. Awful.
last year we had our deck sanded and then used arborcoat. we are not pleased. blotchy, scratched-not up to Benjamin moore standards
Bought a house last year in the Spring 2016 and deck was stained with Arborcoat. Before the summer was over, deck was showing wear and tear and so reapplied stain. This SPring 2017, power washed deck and stain came off in strips where foot traffic was heaviest. Waited for deck to dry out (no rain for 3 days prior to staining and day time temps 70-80 F). Applied the stain using a roller. It rained 9 hours later (torrential bouts for at least a couple of hours). I see some bubbling in areas on the deck as it dries out – looks like moisture got under the stain surface. . Will these bubbles go away on their own with time? Can I do something to get rid of them.
They will not just go away and mostly those bubbles will be the start of peeling.
This product should never be used on a deck. New deck, applied stain four months later, summer dried, stain was applied in September on dry serface No one has walked on it no shovel has touched it during winter and it now must be sanded to be removed. It may work in southern countries but not Nova Scotia.
This product should never be used on a flat surface. My deck is 6 months old has gone through one winter and all I can do now is sand the whole deck and start again with a DIFFERENT product. The biggest disappointment to date. Never consider this stain for a deck.
This product has failed for me since 21011. I continue to resand it and retry it thinking I’ve done something wrong. I’ve pulled up deck boards and made sure all sides are coated, but it still peels. Its all peeled again. Mostly any horizontal deck surface. Perhaps the natural oils in the wood prevents the stain from adhering or soaking in? I don’t know, but I’m NEVER purchasing BM paint of any kind again.
The product seems to be faulty, not the wood.
This post is of great interest to me as we have a brand new cedar deck & are looking at Ben Moore Arbor Coat semi-transparent deck & siding –classic OIL finish (C328). We used that on our previous deck & LOVED it, however I noted that the “ingredients” on the 2 cans are somewhat different. The BM rep answered my question about that yesterday saying that the company had to adjust due to government regulations…as did all companies.
Do you have any reviews or information on the OIL (alkyd) BM semi-transparent stains? We will only use oil!!
I’m in the same boat. Just built a new cedar fence, cap/trim, really fancy. I wouldn’t dream of applying acrylic water based to new cedar. However the customer has a solid color fence in back he’d like to match. I’m considering and testing the ARBORCOAT- ALKYD- semi-solid Oxford Brown.
It’s vehicle is Linseed Oil, I guess that penetrated well. Parafinic I heard is best.
You must apply keeping a wet edge or you get overlapping. So it’s tough to put on.
Only one coat is reco’d for this reason. A second coat wouldn’t soak in and cause failure.
It is high in solids U-36% C- 56%
Alkyd Resins – not sure what this means. Maybe oil/repels water well. ????
How long did the finish last on your previous deck??? How did it weather? It seems that with high solids and lots of resins and pigments it will hold up well to UV and last pretty long. As long as the Linseed oil has a chance to soak in…. Thanks !!
Had the Semi Solid professionally installed. The contractor cleaned and sanded the deck prior to application. After 1 year deck started peeling in high traffic areas. In order to save some $$ I touched up the peeling areas with no positive results. Now in the second year and the deck is a mess. Stain peels just with a strong garden hose washing. Contractor informed me the entire deck must be sanded again before restraining. Do NOT USE THIS PRODUCT.
Don’t use this product. I used it my cedar deck and it looked great for a year however, then it started to peel away. I was told by BM to use their stripper that is supposed to strip it off – good luck, I even tried it neat with no result. In the end I had to have the whole deck sanded and that cost me $1800 NEVER AGAIN!!
This product should be recalled. Completely peeling all over my deck within 2 years of application following BM instructions to a tee. This is obviously some sick can grab but definitely realise now that the BM brand is just marketing with no substance at all.
This is a failed product which should not be sold. It peels Soon after application. When we approached the company with this issue they attempted to blame us for not applying the product properly. We followed all directions for application. We also recognize now similar claims / reviews from other people who have used this product.
Have used BM Arbor Coat Solid (railings,etc) and Translucent (decking) with 636 clear. This is BY FAR the best decking/exposed wood paint product I have ever used. I live in Plymouth, MA so our weather is all over the place…rain,snow,hot,dry and everywhere in-between. Yes, after 3-4 years it needs to be redone in heavy traffic areas but what deck doesnt?? Any horizontal wood with standing water and snow is going to show wear and tear. If you don’t want maintance you better use Trex/PVC,not wood. Some if not most of the reviews are clearly “operator error”. New wood,wet wood from power washing,etc will not hold ANY product you apply, period. New PT wood needs at least 3-4 months to dry, 5 months ideally, before ANY paint product is applied.
This product should not be sold and removed off the market. Our two year old deck is a disaster. Thanks Benjamin Moore.
Very disappointed in the durability of the UV coating on the railing. It has now peeled 2 years in a row and I had to completed re sand and reapply stain and UV coating. Not doing that again. A lot of work for an expensive product. Giving the brand one more try this month with their new water base Translucent.
Extremely disappointed – we have a 400sft brand new cedar deck, wood was new, dry and smooth before applying semi transparent Arborcoat – left a strange look, wood grain disappeared completely, and now- after the second winter, it is pealing of in little strips all over the deck. We did neither shovel nor salt – looks horrible. I wish I had read the reviews before buying this product.
Where can I buy it??? I'm in Palatine Il. 60074
Contact Benjamin Moore directly for help.
Poor results from BM Semi Transparent deck and siding stain. It peels shortly after application. Others have experienced the same.
We have attempted to seek financial assistance from Benjamin Moore without any result. Our deck is embarassing, disappointing and now infuriating due to the lack of cooperation from Benjamin Moore.
I will never suggest or purchase Benjamin Moore products again. What happened to this company?
Don’t buy this product
I applied this to my deck in 2014. I am reapplying now after 2 very hard winters. I find that you probably want to give it 2 coats.My deck really soaked it up. I am both pleased with the color and the protection it offers and I would use it again. I did not find any peeling. Where it wore off, I had some algae start to grow. For me, that was an indication that I really needed to re-do it. Hey, nothing lasts forever–especially in our cold and snowy New England winters. I would certainly use it again and felt it was well worth the money.
I use this product and within less than a year all of it came off the knots. I was given the excuse that knots are harder it won't soak in. I cleaned the wood with a pressure sprayed and The special cleaner that they suggested. I did everything that I was supposed to do! don't buy this product it's a rip off not worth your money. also doesn't look like staying after applied looks like you applied some kind of plastic layer to the wood looks fake. I contacted my dealer took pictures of the issue and he stated that they would get back to me and they never dead they won't stand behind their product I would not ever recommend to buy this!
I used this stain on mahogany and the most exposed part of my deck to the sun 3 months after was black like sooth was setting in, power wash it twice and it comeback, never use this product agai
Would stay away from this stain, bought 3 gallons for my cottage deck and one was gone bad looked like wood chips. Went back next day brought what was left and they told me that they had a bad Bach, gave me another one went back to the cottage that weekend same problem bad stain. Went back return what I had left they said they will talk to the rep to see what they will do . Because I have to strip off that stain and redo the deck, it's been over one month with no word. Don't buy it's garbage
Mold, where there was never mold before. I power washed the deck two years before I finally stained it, and let it sit. I got no mold ever in two years. I washed it again, applied chemical treatments, rinsed and waited for it to dry. I applied the Arborcoat, and for about a month it looked good. We had some bad rain for about a week and now there is mold all where the Arborcoat is. I have never had mold before. Eastern Exposure lots of light in the A.M. hours. The mold is a mess, and not easy to remove – it is a real problem, but I here there may be a class action lawsuit, so maybe I will get it fixed.
I had new top boards installed on my deck. I waited four months for them to completely dry. Bought Arborcoat because I wanted an oil base stain. Took my time and applied it with a brush. Within a few months it turned BLACK from MOLD. I had to use a MOLD removal product. It left my deck looking very chalky. I re-applied another application of Arborcoat. Now it is a few months later and my deck is completely BLACK again. It looks terrible and we are completely embarrassed when we have company. I am thinking about turning all the boards over because it looks so bad. As a side note we have an outdoor bench, table, and chairs. I applied Behr Solid Color Waterproofing Wood Stain on it. Several years later it still looks great. I used the Arborcoat on my deck because it was supposed to be an even better product. Also what is so confusing to me my deck is in complete bright sunlight. I would love to at least get my money back for this terrible product. Proof is in pictures here is mine: https://www.fototime.com/inv/9454BA47797F730
I had the exact problem with mold.
I was told by a local BM rep that they have had many complaints from customers using this product in the northern areas of the US. Apparently the freeze- thaw cycles and related moisture changes have wreaked havoc on the two part system. Lower 48 states that do not get the extreme cold winters of the north had fared better. I agree that there should be a legal action to recoup costs from homeowners that have been financially hit by this poor product.
I have been using BM Arborcoat solid and semi solid for more than ten years. With proper prep work, primer (solid) this stain works well. No clients have complained. There are cases of peeling, but , it is usually because home owners use salt and shovel the deck in the winter. I would say re-coating horizontal surfaces in five years is average. prep work means all the difference. If power washing, the deck should dry for at least 4 days. Power washing drives water into the boards. The deck must be dry!! I disagree with you evaluations.
No only did Arborcoat peel after the first Canadian winter but trying to get the remainder off was all but impossible. We applied it to a new cedar deck. It was far worse than nothing at all.
(2) Decks: Vail and Littleton. Both peeled horribly within one year. Both brand new decks, professionally prepped, seasoned and dried; sanded and cleaned. My paint contractor stepped up, fought with Benjamin Moore rep and replaced the Vail treated deck for free. The Benjamin Moore Rep is in full denial. Their stores, like Guiries here in Denver blame the homeowner, the prep and or the contractor, anyone but Benjamin Moore. Now they say, it's merely a trade-off in annual maintenance; oil based fades, Arborcoat peels an a mere power wash and reapplication will look the same. My view: only if you want your new deck to look like a calico cat, spotty and awful. The rep says its reformulated, so it's better, but I don't see that in these reviews. Wake-up, this product is horrible, it's ruined two new decks an I'll never buy another Benjamin Moore product by my choice again, given their attitudes.
Just as bad as described above?? wish I had read that review before buying. Worst Ben Moore product I have ever used!
We applied Arborcoat stain to our deck in June 2015. Application of AC was difficult to say the least. Within 6 months horizontal surfaces were peeling! I sanded the Arborcoat off and applied an oil based stain. I've invested a lot of time and money correcting Arborcoat's dismal performance. There has been so much discussion on the sites like this where people have had horrible experiences with AC stain. Its apparent the product performs poorly for the vast majority of the people using it. Most people advocating the product appear to be connected with the company or the store selling AC.
We applied Arborcoat stain to our new deck in May 2015. The application was a nightmare…took many hours to apply (much longer than oil based stain). Much to our dismay it was peeling in less than 1 year!!!! I sanded it off (a huge time suck) and used an oil based stain this spring. I will never buy Arborcoat products again. I feel I should be compensated for testing their product.
most of the problems i see here with it, is that people used it on new decks. when you build a new deck you have to let it sit for atleast a year before top coating it. i have had it on my deck for 5 years now and no problems at all
very disappointed in this product. It only looked good for about 2 years! expected it to be more durable
I wish I could post you a picture of how TERRIBLE this stain is. It is so bad that BM discontinued making it, but they will not stand behind the faulty product. IT WAS A2 STEP SYSTEM. Our entire new deck, kitchen, built ins, and walkways are completely peeled and stain particles blow off in the wind after one winter. The stain did not penetrate the wood. We are so disappointed about the thousands of dollars we invested in a deck and now have to spend thousands more trying to fix it. I really feel that so many people had the same experience that there should be some type of law suit for restitution for the labor and new product.
We used BM Arborcoat on our deck last fall and this spring it is peeling off, I just went to the dealer and was told that this is very common and there is nothing that they will do, this stain only lasts over one winter, of course I was not told this when I bought it. DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT. I have used Benjamin Moore paint for years and will never use any of their products again.
We had our front porch professionally sanded – beautiful job. Picked a brown wood colored semi solid stain to cover. The paint is not at all like the color on the brochure – it is PINK! dark pink, but pink nonetheless. Definitely not a wood color. Not returnable, of course. The salesperson agreed: it's pink, but… We will not be replacing this can of stain with another BM stain. Don't trust the brochure colors. We always thought Benjamin Moore was the best, but no longer. Will not be buying any more of their products.
I have the exact same issue.. after only 2 years this paint is peeling off in big pieces. It has not penetrated or adhered to the wood at all. Very disappointing and now left with many big 2-6 inch chips of peeling paint.
Like most of the posters here, I did not perform any research into this product, trusting instead on the reputation of the BM name. After seeing the horrible results of weathering on the product (multiple shades of color fade, and the most horrible peeling that one can imagine, I am done with BM products for life. As one reviewer put it, BM couldn’t’ care less, they got their money and after attempting to deal with their customer service reps who put quite bluntly blamed me (even though I followed the instructions EXACTLY) I am convinced that is all they care about. Yeah BM you got me for quite a pile of coin this time, but you will never get another penny from me! I hope your business model takes your company into the dust bin of history of once great companies who succumbed to corporate greed which in the long run destroyed the company.
Total waste of money bought at Canadian tire. After One winter the deck is peeling and flaking , this product is also a dirt magnet. BM you should remove this product from your line. I am amazed at how many terrible comments related to this product , also customer service is very poor.
I have an absolute nightmare!!! 6months in. I talked to the Bejamin Moore rep and she told me everything i did wrong. I will never use their stuff again. The sad thing is they couldn't care less.
Brand new deck, applied Arborcoat, did not last one season. Product has peeled of at least 75% of deck area. Will not use this product again.