Deck Product Reviews

Hi, I am Scott Paul, a leading exterior restoration contractor and business owner with over 30 years of experience in exterior wood decking. My Review of the DEFY Extreme Solid Color Wood Stain 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. Defy Extreme Solid Stain Review 2026 This is my initial Review of the Defy Solid Color Wood and Deck Stain, which will be updated throughout the years. The Defy Extreme Solid Stain is an excellent choice for solid-colored wood and deck stain. As always, we appreciate your input, so feel free to leave a comment …

Hi, I am Scott Paul, a leading exterior restoration contractor and business owner with over 30 years of experience in exterior wood decking. My review of the Flood Pro Series Solid Color Stainis is based on my history as a wood restoration contractor and actual hands-on testing, and it is all designed to present you with the top deck stain choices. See here for more info about me. Flood Solid Stain Review 2026 This is my initial Review of the Flood Pro Series Solid Color Wood and Deck Stain.  This review will be updated throughout the years. As contractors, we have used the Flood Pro Series as one of our top solid stain choices for the last 10 years when …

Hi, I am Scott Paul, a leading exterior restoration contractor and business owner with over 30 years of experience in exterior wood decking. My Review of the Behr Solid Color Wood and Deck Stain is based on my history as a wood restoration contractor and actual hands-on testing, all designed to present you with the top deck stain choices. See here for more info about me. Behr Solid Color Deck Stain & Sealer Review 2026 This is our initial Review of the Behr Solid Color Wood and Deck Stain.  This review will be updated throughout the years. As always, we appreciate your input, so feel free to leave a comment below and pictures of your completed projects using the Behr …

Hi, I am Scott Paul, a leading exterior restoration contractor and business owner with over 30 years of experience in exterior hardwood decking. My Restore-A-Deck Hardwood & IPE Stain 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 tips. See here for more info about me. Restore-A-Deck Exotic Hardwood Stain Review This is our initial Review of the Restore-A-Deck Wood Stain for Exotic Hardwoods such as IPE.  This review was one on IPE sample boards and was tested for 1 year from the date of application. The  Restore A Deck Wood Stain showed excellent Ipe color retention and showed no signs of wearing or …

2026 Latest Consumer Magazine Reports on Decking Stains Please read this article and feel free to post any questions in the comment area below. The Latest Consumer Magazine Reports on Decking Stains are out again this year, and we’ve been receiving questions about why our ratings differ significantly from their highest-rated products. To address this, we’ve compiled a list of reasons why we believe our reviews and ratings offer a more realistic and honest evaluation of how a deck stain performs in real-world conditions. Why Our Reviews Are Different Contractor Expertise Our reviews and articles are based on decades of experience as contractors specializing in exterior wood restoration. We’ve mastered the trade of prepping and applying deck stains, giving us …

Deck Resurface Coatings: Behr Deckover, Olympic Rescue-It, Rust-Oleum Deck Restore – Do They Work? Hi, I’m Scott Paul. With over 30 years of experience as a leading exterior restoration contractor and business owner, I specialize in exterior wood restoration. My Deck Resurface Coatings reviews and helpful tips are grounded in decades of hands-on testing and professional expertise. Everything I share is designed to help you find the top product choices for your deck projects, ensuring long-lasting protection and a stunning finish. Let my experience guide you toward the best solutions for your wood restoration needs. See here for more info about me. 2026 Deck Resurface Coatings and Tips Share Your Experience with Deck Resurface Coatings Have you used products like …

Hi, I am Scott Paul, a leading exterior restoration contractor and business owner with over 30 years of experience in exterior wood decking. My Cabot Solid Color Deck Stain 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. Cabot Solid Color Wood and Deck Stain Review 2026 Cabot Solid Color Wood and Deck Stain: Initial Review This is our initial review of the Cabot Solid Color Wood and Deck Stain, and we plan to update it over time as more feedback becomes available. Cabot Solid Stains have been a staple in the market for over 20 …

Hi, I’m Scott Paul As a leading exterior restoration contractor and business owner with over 30 years of experience in exterior wood decking, I’ve worked extensively with a variety of products to protect and enhance wood surfaces. My review of Sherwin-Williams SuperDeck Solid Color Wood and Deck Stain is grounded in my extensive background as a wood restoration contractor and real-world hands-on testing. My goal is to provide you with honest insights and guide you toward the best deck stain options for your project. For more about my experience and expertise, feel free to read more about me here. Sherwin Williams SuperDeck Solid Color Wood Deck Stain Review 2026 This is our initial Review of the Sherwin Williams SuperDeck Solid …

Why use A Solid Stain on Vertical Wood With a solid color (opaque) deck stain on the verticals or railings of a deck, you can create a two-toned deck that looks great and can ease the maintenance down the road.   Advantages to Solid Stains Vertical Wood There are several advantages to having a solid color stain on your vertical wood or railings. The ability to color match the railings and vertical wood to blend with the color of the house. Solid stains on vertical wood/railings can last 2-3 times longer or up to 6 years with little to no maintenance. Note that solid stains will fail much quicker on horizontal flooring and can be harder to maintain. Choosing a solid stain for the verticals and a …

TWP 200 Series Wood Stain Review for 2026 TWP 200 Series is a semi-transparent oil-based penetrating finish designed to extend the life of exterior wood such as decking, cedar shake siding, and shingles. Containing a 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. This greatly improves the wood’s life and appearance. The penetrative portion of the product absorbs into aged and porous wood, adding bulk to aged and brittle wood fiber.  This restores lubricity and flexibility to brittle shingles.  The TWP 200 Series complies with all current Canada, US federal and state VOC (volatile organic compounds) regulations. The TWP 200 Series was designed for shakes and shingles …

PPG Timeless Advanced Stain + Sealant Review The PPG Timeless Deck Stain was introduced in 2017 into Home Depot. The product is actually the exact same thing as the Olympic ELITE Advanced Stain + Sealant in One (Lowes), just relabeled for Home Depot use. The review below is a repeat of our testings of the Olympic Elite version since it is the same stain. PPG Timeless Manufacturer Description PPG Timeless Advanced Stain + Sealant in One is a deck and wood stain that is ideal for bringing the rich look of interior wood to exterior wood surfaces such as decks, doors, furniture, and trim. Delivering more pronounced color while still enabling wood grain and texture to show, it provides luxurious appeal …

Hi, I am Scott Paul, a leading exterior restoration contractor and business owner with over 30 years of experience in exterior deck brightening and prep. My wood brightening tips are based on my history as a wood and deck restoration contractor and actual hands-on testing. See here for more info about me. What Is a Deck Brightener and Why Use One? (Updated for 2026) As someone who has been restoring decks for over 30 years and tested hundreds of products, I can say this: applying a deck brightener after cleaning or stripping is one of the most overlooked steps in deck preparation. Yet it’s also one of the most important if you want your deck staining to look great and last. …