This post was updated on April 4, 2025
Hi, I am Scott Paul, a leading exterior restoration contractor and business owner with over 30 years of experience in exterior wood decking coatings. My Best Deck Stain Canada reviews and help tips are 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.
The Best Deck Stain for Canada in 2026
DeckStainHelp.com has become the Internet’s go-to resource for wood deck restoration-related. Since this article was first released, Restore-A-Deck Wood Stains was introduced. It is a high-quality, durable, semi-transparent stain ideal for Canadian climates. Our go-to stains for Canada’s climate are:
My Top-Rated Deck Stains Canada
- Restore-A-Deck Wood Stain
- TWP Semi-Solid LOW-VOC Stains
- TWP 200 Series
- Armstrong Clark Stains
- Defy Extreme Stain
Feel free to leave me a comment below with questions you may have.
What is the Best Deck Stain for Canada’s harsh climate?
These days, choosing a deck stain considers more factors, such as the environment. Many deck stain companies are forced to comply with these tighter regulations or leave business. Areas like Canada have stricter guidelines for shipping deck stains than other areas.
Canada also has harsh weather that can wreak havoc on a deck stain. Long, hard winters and large amounts of snowfall can deteriorate an unprotected deck quickly. So, finding a VOC-compliant deck stain that will hold up to Canadian winters can be tricky. To answer the common question, “What is the best deck stain for Canada?” we will look at several brands.
Canada Requires 250 VOC Deck Stains
Canada restricts decking stains and coatings and changed its limits back in 2012. The lower VOC changes mainly affect oil-based coatings. By lowering the amount of “solvents” that can evaporate into the ozone, you need to increase the amount of “solids.” This can cause issues with oil-based stains, which may have drying and curing problems. A few good oil-based stains are still allowed but are not as readily available at your local stores. You may need to go online to find them and have them shipped. Examples would be the TWP 200 Series and Armstrong Clark Wood Stains. If you choose water-based for Canada, ensure they are a true semi-transparent stain and fully penetrating. Many companies like Behr and Valspar will lie about the opacity of their semi-transparent stains, resulting in their coatings looking opaque.
Avoid Deck Stains in Canada at Big Box Stores
Avoid deck stain brands like Behr, Olympic, or Valspar, which can be readily available at your local Home Depot, Lowes, or Menards. These brands are not high quality, film on top of the wood instead of penetrating, and are prone to peeling in Canada’s harsh climate.
Olympic and Behr Deck Stain Failures
My Top Picks for Canada Deck Stain
1. Restore-A-Deck Wood Stain
Restore-A-Deck Wood Stain can be applied to dry or damp wood. Applying to damp wood allows you to prep and stain on the same day, saving you a tremendous amount of time. In 2018, our first full year of using the Restore-A-Deck stain, we had zero issues with performance and saved a tremendous amount of time with the ability to prep and stain on the same day. The Restore-A-Deck stain comes in both Semi-Transparent and Solid Colors.
2. TWP Semi-Solid Low-VOC Stain
Available in 30 Custom Colors, the TWP® Semi-Solid Pro-Series Low-VOC will keep your wood beautiful, fresh, and looking new longer! The ease of application and maintenance will allow you to enjoy your investment for years.
TWP® Semi-Solid Pro-Series provides a broad spectrum of weather protection, is water repellent, and aids in color retention. TWP® Semi-Solid Pro-Series resists water absorption that causes warping, cracking, and splitting and prevents freeze damage in colder climates. Use TWP® Semi-Solid Pro-Series to Restore and Protect YOUR GREAT OUTDOORS!
3. Armstrong Clark Wood Stain
Another great choice for the best deck stain in Canada is Armstrong Clark Deck Stains. If you prefer an oil-based formula rather than a water-based one, this stain is ideal. Its low-odor oil formula is compliant with all environmental standards in Canada.
This unique formula revitalizes the wood by replacing its missing natural oils. The non-drying oils condition the wood, while the drying oils form a protective barrier on the surface. It will withstand harsh winters and ensure maximum protection in a low VOC formula perfect for Canada.
4. TWP 200 Series Stain
Another semi-transparent oil-based option for Canada is the TWP 200 Series. Containing paraffin oil, the TWP 200 series penetrates wood extremely well. Paraffin oil is a “non-drying” oil that enhances the wood cell’s structural stability, greatly improving the wood’s life and appearance.
5. Defy Extreme Wood Stain
Defy Extreme is a water-based VOC-compliant formula that is still durable enough for Canadian weather. Defy Extreme will outperform all other water-based stains on the market. This unique deck stain combines Nanoparticles and synthetic resins to produce a one-of-a-kind formula that provides optimal UV protection like no other tinted transparent wood stain.
Defy is a penetrating stain that dives deep into the wood pores so moisture cannot get in. This is an excellent choice compared to film-forming stains that stay on the surface and would not hold up well to harsh weather conditions. Defy’s high-performing, low-VOC formula makes it a good candidate for the best deck stain for Canada.
Need Help Choosing A Canadian Deck Stain? Ask Below!
I live in Mississauga ontario Canada. Where can i buy these products?
Restore a deck or twp?
Check with their websites.
This is so sad, spending hours online looking for an oil based wood deck sealant to buy in Ontario and nothing in this hellhole of Canada with its scam taxes and restrictions on everything. Anything like TWP oil based thats good from the US costs a fortune for shipping. Can not believe this place. Will be driving to Buffalo to buy and take back with me to Muskoka. So glad to be an American.
I finished a deck with ordinary Sienna pressure treated wood and surprised how great it looked. Now the question is how does one retain the colour and do I stain to preserve it now or wait and power wash it and semi transparent stain it later. The deck is 1 week old.
You cannot retain the current color. See this about new wood: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/staining-a-new-deck/
Best to wait until next year to prep and stain.
Where do you buy Restore a Deck in Canada?
Check with their website.
Sorry, but I couldn’t find it & that’s why I posted! Can you tell me where, please & thankyou!
Restore-A-Deck.com
We are currently only selling Restore-A-Deck products at retail stores in the Michigan area and Online. — quote from website. I would not consider this for Canada unless it is available here. Shipping and customs would be astronomical.
Many Canadians buy from the sates and have it shipped as there does not seem to be any quality stains available in stores there.
Yeah sorry, when people search for desk stains Canada, they’re looking for stains in Canada. It sucks that we can’t get good products here.
We bought Defy on line and shipped in from the USA and it was reasonable and worth it.
Our deck is 3 years old. When we first built it we painted it with Cabot Australian oil which peeled within a few months. We have power washed the deck and would like to stain it with a semitransparent stain to protect from UV and water. Deck is approx. 400 square feet. Do we need to sand (overwhelming) or would a chemical wash work?
Just clean and brighten the wood for prep. Try Armstrong Clark wood stains.
We do have a bit of “furring”. Should we buff first or clean and brighten and then buff before staining?Also, is it better to stick with one product line for stains and clean & brighten?
Thank you for your assistance.
Buff and then clean and brighten. Same products are typically the way to go.
Thanks very much. Easier for us to purchase Sansin products in Canada. This got an honourable mention in your “stain off”. Will this work as stain too?
We did not give Sansn an honorable mention on any review on this site. We personally do not like it.
Thanks for your advice.
Hi, I just had a brown pressure treated wood fence installed, as well as a green pressure treated deck. I live in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. The climate has short, hot summers and extremely cold winters, and is reasonably dry, as it’s on the prairies. Two questions: 1) When should I apply a protective coat (if I should apply anything at all)? and 2) What should I apply? I do not need to change the colour of the deck or the fence. My sole purpose in applying anything at all is to prolong the life of the deck and fence.
Last year I applied a 6-8 year Behr stain/sealant product to a different, small deck, and it’s terrible. It started peeling the same season I applied it. I fear applying something to my new fence and deck and having comparable results.
Please help!
See here about new wood: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/staining-a-new-deck/
You have to stain it late Fall or next year. You cannot just preserve the color as is, it will not work. For Canada, use the Armstrong Clark or TWP 200 Series. They will not peel like the Behr.
We can’t find anywhere in Canada to purchase any of the top 4 rated deck stains?
Even though this site suggests that they are available here?
Have it shipped.
We will if it’s allowed across the border?
Armstrong Clark, Restore A Deck Stains, and TWP 200 Series are.
Hi: I have a pressure treated pine deck, four years old starting to grey. What do you recommend for a stain and how long should it last before I have to do it again? Deck is in the Muskoka area.
Clean and brighten the wood for prep. Stain with TWP stains or Restore A Deck Stains. Redo every 2-3 years.
Hi
I consulted this site last year for advices on staying my 15f X 16f deck .
This is the result last week after using SANSIN Espresso 17
Thank you guys
Sam
Montreal
Canada
Armstrong Clark stains are not available for sale in Canada because they are oil-based. The federal government, in their infinite wisdom, decided we should not be able to buy oil-based stains. You would have to visit a store south of the border.
Sorry but that is not true. You can still use oil-based stains there as long as the stains are 250 VOC compliant. They are just not sold in Canda but you can shave it shipped.
I live in Winnipeg MB and have read a lot of the comments on your site. Can you recommend a stain that I can actually buy at a store in Manitoba? All of your suggestions are only available to purchase online.
Sorry, but we do not live there and as far as we know from other posters, there are not any decent stains in your local stores.
Can you please tell me where I can buy Defy oil based deck oil in Canada. We previously used Natural Deck Oil from Biowash. It has apparently been replaced by Defy but I am having trouble locating anywhere accept online to buy same. I live in Winnipeg. Thanks for your help.
Online only from what we can see.
Thanks for replying.. Can you give me your best shot at the best deck oil to buy locally in Canada? Thanks
We do not live there so no idea as to any decent brands. It seems from other posts there are not any and most buy from states and have them shipped.
The states do not ship the 200 series to Canada. I tried. If you does how much would a gallon cost. What about duty and shipping fees. Any idea
You can order the TWP 200 Series and have it shipped to Canada. As for cost, check with the TWPStain.com site.
Hi! I live in Canada, I have two fences and a deck to stain- but one fence is cedar one is pressure treated wood. What stain would you recommend? Thanks!
TWP 200 Series or Armstrong Clark.
I live in Edmonton Alberta. Last year I prepped and used a solid color stain on my deck (about 15 years old). This year it is peeling like crazy! I would like to “start over” with Restore a Deck or TWP. Are these products only available for on-line purchase? If so, would I have to buy them from the US website? Please let me know!
Check with them directly for help buying. As for the solid stain that you have now, you will have to sand it off fully to fix it.
Thanks. Will any products assist me with stripping or is sanding the only option? I would like to do this as efficiently as possible.
You cannot strip off a solid stain fully. Needs to be sanded.
Sorry but that is inaccurate
Sico deck stripper bought at rona worked 100%
roll it on, wait 20 min, wash it off with light power washer so not to damage the wood
That will not remove a solid stain. It will remove semi-transparent.
For a 10 year old cedar south facing deck in Saskatchewan what would be better the Restore a deck or the TWP
Try the TWP 200 Series.
I have a 3 year old Cedar Deck that we want to stain as the cedar is turning grey in colour. We live in Canada,
what stain would you recommend? I was told we should use a oil stain,
TWP 200 Series or Armstrong Clark.
What is the best, most durable stain for house siding in Northern Ontario? One that will cover the weathered parts that got splashed from the rain hitting the small roof over our front door onto the house siding and that will be a water sealant as well as last a very long time as our home is a 3 story (2 story with half above ground walk-out basement).
Try TWP 200 Series. Make sure to prep well.
Can I get this in northern Ontario?
Check with TWP.
Hi there. We have a 20 year old multi-level deck/fencing across the street from the ocean on Vancouver Island BC Canada. My goal is to extend the life of the deck as long as humanly possible as it’s on a very steep hillside so refinishing regularly is not an option. We have used the Benjamin Moore Remove after having sanded certain areas on the fence. And we will finish all surfaces with brighten. We have a stripper on the way from Restore-a-deck for the decks/walking surfaces. I prefer wood to look as natural as humanly possible but I don’t want to redo it 5 years from now if possible. #1. What product would you recommend for the fencing? 2. What product would you recommend for the decks/walking surfaces? Many thanks,
Try TWP 200 Series or Armstrong Clark. BTW, nothing will last more than 2-3 years on a deck. You can get close to 5 years for a fence. Use the same brand for both areas.
hello. i have an old cedar deck that’s probably about 30 years old. previous owner had applied a sikkens treatment. when it started peeling i stripped about 10 years ago and left it au naturel. it’s now grey, cracking and rotting in a few places but salvageable. the holy grail of sealers for me would be a product that offers uv/mildew/water protection and very importantly DOES NOT form a film that would need to be stripped down the road. i don’t mind cleaning and reapplying every other year but not stripping. does that product exist. i’ve yet to hear of one. thanks, jim
TWP 200 Series or Armstrong Clark stains.
I need to stain a pressure treated wood deck that is approx. 2 years old and has never been stained. We live in the Ottawa region. What stain would you recommend?
TWP 200 Series or Armstrong Clark stains.
Hello,
I have a cedar fence that was installed 8 months ago. It has nothing on it yet and I would like a stain that protects well without adding too much colour- so it has a “just rained on” look. I’m considering super deck transparent natural, any thoughts on this or recommendations?
Thanks!
I should add that we’re in ottawa as the weather may change the recommendation
Clean and brighten for prep and try Armstrong Clark in Natural tone.
Hi, I have a 10 year old pine deck and I will be sanding it to remove the old stain, mold,etc. I’m from Montreal (harsh winters, humid summers) and my deck does not get much sun in the summer. What is the best product for me to use?
Is oil based better than water based?
TWP 200 Series or Armstrong Clark of this. Both are oil-based.
Hi, I have just made a large outdoor cedar dinner table. We live about 4 hours north of Toronto, Ontario. Not sure what to use to preserve the look and make it somewhat water/weatherproof. What product would you recommend?
TWP 200 Series.
Hi, we have a 5 year old pine deck. Previous owners applied opaque stain. We found it quicker to just flip the deck boards to the underside that had not been painted and lightly sand them.
* Is this now considered “new wood” or can we stain right away?
* We live in Edmonton AB with harsh winters and the deck also gets full sun most if the day. I want something more transparent to see the wood grain. What product would you recommend?
Treat like new wood. TWP 200 Series.
I have a 3 year old veranda and fence and 1 year old deck I need to stain, how do you recommend on tackling these and with what stain? I’m living in Calgary, Alberta.
Thanks
Clean and brighten all wood prior to staining. Use TWP 200 Series or Armstrong Clark.
What does the brighten do and is it really needed?
Yes it is needed. https://www.deckstainhelp.com/what-is-a-deck-brightener-and-why-use-one/
I installed pressure-treated wood deck two years ago, now it is starting to grey…want to stain it…does it need to be prepped before staining? and which product is best for Toronto, Ontario weather?
Clean and brighten the wood for prep. Stain with Armstrong Clark or TWP 200 Series.
Working on prepping a cedar deck that was built 3 years ago and stained using a Behr product. I can’t remember the name but it didn’t hold up well. Part of the deck is high traffic and the whole deck is south facing, getting a lot of sun on most of it. Also, I live in Alberta and we get quite a bit of harsh weather. What product would you recommend? Or should we stick with the Behr brand?
Behr is garbage: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/behr-deck-stain-review/
Remove it fully and try the Armstrong Clark or TWP 200 Series.
We are about to sand down and restain our red cedar deck. We originally stained it with Sikkens cetol. Should be stick with the same, or are there better products out there? I found the sikkens a little tricky to apply and not get lap marks. Help!
TWP 200 Series or Armstrong Clark.
My deck is 20 yrs old and has been sanded as much as possible to apply a new solid stain. The middle of the boards are difficult to sand off the stain but tried to smooth out any ridges. Sanded the edges as much as possible as well so there is quite a bit of bare board. Some boards have been replaced due to rot. I live in central Alberta so winters can be harsh. What stain do you recommend and also should I use a brightener? I need suggestions. Thank you.
No need for a brightener. You will need a solid stain again: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/what-are-the-best-solid-color-deck-stains/
Hello! We are staining a deck for the first time! My neighbours stained their deck and it smelled so bad and still smells bad more than a month later. Stale chemical smell. A few calls around and people are saying to get a water based stain and there won’t be any smell. I looked into sharkskin and it says 100% acrylic (water?) but I called them and the lady said it’s a hybrid oil/water. I’m so confused. Also does water based mean no oil? Is there a such thing as a no oil stain? I don’t think I could stand that deck stain smell all summer long.
Thre is no oil in a water-based stain. Most oil-based stains will have their odor disappear within a few days once it cures. Sound like your neighbor used a bad stain. If you want a water-based stain, they try Defy Extreme or Restore A Deck stains. See this for new wood tips: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/staining-a-new-deck/
Thank you so much!!!
All the best products seem to be sold into Canada from the US. Shipping heavy product into Canada with shipping costs and exchange rates is simply not practical. What is the best product sold in Canada and where to buy?
Since changes in Canada VOC laws, there are not any decent stains that we know of or others have said are sold in Canada. Many people have them shipped directly to them or to a border address in the state and then go and pick up.
is canadian tire rez stain a good quality
Sorry, never heard of it or tried it.
Not a good product. Our cottage deck was done with Rez stain in September and when we opened the cottage the following May, the stain had peeled off on most of the deck. Waste of money and effort.
I used this product last year on a new PT wood deck. I waited long enough to let the wood dry out. I applied as per instructions and probably 80% of it peeled and bubbled over the winter. The vertical surfaces are ok but most horizontal surfaces I’ll terrible. I asked and was told I must have applied incorrectly. But the one spot that was covered by a big deck box was fine. No issues. This would lead me to conclude that exposure to the elements (cold, snow) is an issue. I would not recommend use of this product especially as it is more expensive than most.
What product?
Hello there, I have gone through lots of threads here and I am trying to find out if Armstrong Clark stain can be purchased in Canada ? Winnipeg, Manitoba preferably .
Thanks
You would have to ask them but no, I do not believe so.
Last year, I sanded me entire deck and stair and applied two coats of the REZ semi-transparent stain. It didn’t even make the winter and the stain was peeling. I am extremely disappointed in this product and would not recommend.
Is there any stain which can be recommended which will last at least two years?
Strip and brighten for prep and then stain with TWP 200 Series for Canada.
I just sanded and stained my very large deck with Behr Redwood quick dry. I am sooo disappointed in this product, even tried a second coat. Ia there anything i can apply on top of this to fix it so i dont have to sand down the entire thing again
No, you cannot apply over it. It has to be removed. Strip and brighten for prep.
I’m in Montreal ++snow and humid summers–I used Armstrong-Clark on your advice from several years ago–easy to use, looks nice when fresh and I’ve renewed it a few times; Time to renew again–I’m noticing more black mildew: would a different product be better?
No, nothing is better but if you want to try something else, look at the TWP 200 Series.
Hi! I’m located in the Muskoka area in Ontario. Our home is tongue and groove pine and was last stained 14 years ago. We used Pratt and Lambert semi transparent deck and siding stain oil based which is no longer available in Canada. It needs to be refreshed. What product do you recommend? Preferably oil based. Thank you!
Strip and brighten for prep and try the TWP 200 Series or Armstrong Clark.
I put 3 coats of Rez stain on my deck (2) last August, it is an absolute mess. I don’t know what to do with it now? I am also too old to be doing this again.
No idea as to what REZ stain is. Send some pictures.
Rez is a low cost stain sold at Canadian Tire and other hardware stores. My parents did there fence 28 years ago with it and its still red but showing wear. I used it last summer on my deck , its awful peeled and is almost gone. Good thing this gone easier it strip. Never again.
Thanks for the article. Not sure if you’re aware but none of the four stains you’ve listed are actually available at stores in Canada. They can be ordered from the US but shipping and exchange rates are outrageous. I wonder if you could do a review of products that are available in Canada?
Sorry but as far as well can tell, there are not any decent stains for sales in paint stores in Canada.
Cetol products are available coast to coast, and are premium products. They have specialized stains for log, decks, etc. As a contractor, I do not have an interest in one brand to another, just the results!
We have an old cedar lower deck with almost no stain left that is
cracking and splintering. We have just built a treated brown wood upper deck next to it. We would like you stain both so they are the same, using a solid (redish) brown stain. What would you recommend that is available in Canada, preferably in a store? (I don’t feel comfortable ordering online in case I don’t buy enough or I butt too much I prefer too get advice from a store.) Would it be okay to wait till the spring? What prep needs to be done on the older cedar deck? Thank you
Sorry, no idea what you have locally available in Canada for a decent solid stain. Best to wait until spring and prep all then. Pressure wash with a deck cleaner for prep.
Where can I buy (not online) Restore-a Deck Wood stain in Ottawa?
Check with them but most liley you will have to buy it and have it shipped from the states.
Hi!
Can we use the TWP or Armstrong Clark on cedar privacy screens and/or pergolas?
If not, do you have a recommendation?
Yes, you can.
Would you use something other than Sikkens for an old cedar fence that’s been powerwashed? We are in Victoria, BC. The fence is 22 yrs old and has been coated every 10 yrs with semi-transparent cedar color.
You would have to remove the Sikkens fully if switching brands. Did you do this?
I suspect my husband did not go fully down to bare wood, so good point we will probably have to stick with it then. Thanks for your help!
We live in Toronto and have always used the old Flood UV cedar semi transparent stain on a cedar deck. What would be a comparable stain since Flood no longer makes this product and there is no UV protection?
TWP 200 Series but you will need to remove the current stain.
This page is sponsored by:
● Armstrong Clark
Your comment is ignorant. None of the products that are reviewed are paid for nor do we receive compensation from any manufacturers. This is fully explained on the home page and first article with related links.
Who manufactures “Rez” brand stain?
Never heard of it.
I am trying to restore an old pressure treated wood deck at my cottage in Haliburton, ON
It has some semi transparant stain on the railing spindels, but the deck looks like it has never been stained. What would you recommend I use. I plan to pressure wash the deck and railing to remove dirt, mold and any stain left on the railing before staining.
TWP 200 Series or Armstrong Clark wood stains.
Where can Restore- A- Deck, Defy or Armstrong Clark, stains be purchased in Kanata, Ontario, Canada?
Check with them directly or have it shipped.
Hi there. We have a 15 year cedar deck that have had a variety of treatments over the years. It does not look like it will be hard to sand to the wood but we want to be sure that we use a higher quality product than we have in the past. Thanks, in advance, for any help!
Location: Alberta, Canada
Try Armstrong Clark or TWP 200 Series.
For a deck near a swimming pool , transparent no color, oil based , what do you recommend ? Thanks
No color = no UV protection and the wood will gray in months. Must be tinted.
Still prefer the clear wood color.
What do you recommend if minimal tint to be used?
The lighter the tint, the quicker you will need to reapply. Look at Armstrong Clark in Natural.