This post was updated on January 15, 2025
Olympic Wood Deck Stain Reviews 2026
Olympic Maximum Stain + Sealant in One
Note for 2026: This review is for the Olympic Maximum Stain + Sealant in One. This is their newer water-based version. For the Oil Based review see: Olympic Maximum Stain Review
OLYMPIC MAXIMUM Deck, Fence & Siding Semi-Transparent Stain provides a subtle color that allows wood’s natural grain and texture to show through. Core-shell hybrid resin technology provides deep stain penetration, waterproofing, and UV defense to strengthen, protect and condition wood fibers, ensuring the wood’s natural beauty lasts.
Recommended for use on properly prepared exterior wood, including decks, fences, siding, railings, outdoor furniture, and other wood surfaces.
Note: Olympic Elite Stain is the same stain, just a different label for different stores.
Olympic Maximum Stain + Sealant in One Stain Rating (1-10)
Appearance After Initial Stain Application: 6
– The Olympic Maximum Stain + Sealant in One is a water-based acrylic oil hybrid. What that really means is that it is a waterborne stain. This stain applies like the majority of water-based stains in that it is a film-forming stain that does not penetrate into the wood deeply. The appearance of the Cedar natural tone on the deck was a mild orange color. We applied evenly but the final look was uneven as some of the stain dried into the wood and some did not.
Preventing UV Graying at 2 Year Mark: 8
– After 2 years the Olympic Maximum in the water-based version did a fairly decent job with only about 30% fading
Wear/Tear and Peeling: 5
– This stain had worn about 50% on the surface and handrails. Not a very good showing here.
Cost Per Square Foot: 6
– We used 10 gallons to cover the 800 square foot deck and railings at a cost of $.53 a foot. Coverage per gallon was closer to 150 sq. feet per gallon
Preventing Mold/Mildew/Algae: 9
– Olympic Maximum Stain + Sealant is a water-based stain that did an excellent job and preventing mold and algae growth. This is typical of most water-based stains.
Ease of Application: 6
– Average to apply. We applied 1 thin coat as the manufacturer suggests. The coverage was poor and not even close to the specs. Application with a stain pad did cause some overlapping.
Color Shifting (darkening) after 2 Years: 8
– The OLYMPIC® MAXIMUM lightens in color instead of darkening.
Difficulty of Reapplication: 6
– Since the stain had worn unevenly we needed to strip off the rest and start over. This proved slightly difficult but the old stain did remove after a couple of attempts with the stain remover
Overall Score Olympic Maximum Stain + Sealant in One at 2 Year Period: 6.75
The Olympic Maximum Stain has transitioned from oil-based to water-based formulas in recent years, and unfortunately, the performance has declined as a result. Like many brands that have made this shift, the water-based version just doesn’t hold up as well.
If you’re lucky enough to find the older oil-based versions still available at your local Lowe’s or Sears, you’ve struck gold. These oil-based formulas offer far superior durability and protection. If not, there are plenty of better stains available on the market that outperform the current water-based version of Olympic Maximum.
Important Note on Warranty Claims
OLYMPIC® MAXIMUM advertises a 6-year warranty for decks and longer for other exterior wood surfaces. However, warranties promising 5, 6, or even 7 years of performance are often marketing tactics and not reflective of real-world results. Do not rely on these exaggerated claims—they rarely align with actual product performance.
If you’ve used Olympic Maximum Stain, we’d love to hear about your experience. Share your thoughts and photos in the comments below!
Olympic Deck Stain Photos
Product Information:
Where To Buy: Lowes
Cost: $43.99 per Gallon, $219.99 per 5 Gallon Pail
Stain Type: Semi-Transparent Acrylic Water Based
Available Colors: Transparent Natural, Transparent Cedar, Clove Brown, Slate Gray
Application Temperature: 45-95 F
Coats Required: 1 Coat
Coverage Per Gallon: 150-250 sq. ft
Application Tools: Sprayer, Pad, Brush, Roller – Back brush as needed.
Dry Time: 24 Hours
Cleanup: Soapy Water
VOC Compliant: 250 Compliant in All 50 States
Manufacturer: PPG
Test Deck Stats:
Deck Wood Type: Pine Deck
Deck Square Footage: 600
UV Exposure: Full sun
How Many Years Tested: 2 Years
Stain Color Used: Cedar Naturaltone
*All products tested and results are from our experience. We offer no guarantee of similar results. Consider that results may differ due to different wood types, exposure to UV radiation, and natural weathering.
Olympic used to make good stains, but not any more. – In fact, this paint is so bad that you have to wonder whether they did it deliberately on the idea that it just isn’t worth it for the average home-owner to sue them for a couple of thousand dollars worth of wasted time and money. This paint lasts less than a year in the Northwest no matter where you put it. – Sun? Fail! Shade? Fail! Covered area? Fail! Dry area? Fail! Wet area? Fail even more!
I am being serious when I say there is a strong possibility that this was a conscious business decision to defraud buyers into buying one season paint as the paint was being heavily pushed by the reps until quite recently. They even told distributors that the old stains (which actually used to be quite good) were being phased out, – they weren’t, as all the professional builders I know hated the new line,- they cared about the quality of their product whereas Olympic obviously does not.
If you are considering buying this paint you may be better off just taking a few hundred dollar bills and burning them. – You will come out further ahead as you won’t have wasted all that time putting down one of the world’s worst paint products!
This product is complete junk. Do not purchase it! I bought 3 gals of Olympic Maximum Semi-Transparent Stain 716 Cedar Natural-Tone 79561C on Apr 8th 2022 at a cost of 3x$67.99 CAD plus tax. I cleaned all the surfaces and applied as per directions. It took a lot of back-breaking work and I am over 75yrs old. The product states a guaranteed 6 year life on decks. By the fall the stain/sealant was already starting to fade and peel off all the horizontal surfaces. By the spring of 2023 almost all the stain/sealant was gone. I took a picture of the horrible mess and contacted the company ‘PPG’ for a refund. They still have not acknowledged or responded.
Very disappointed with this product! Our deck is a mess! Waste of $$ and our time. Cannot recommend this product. Pictures of deck after one Canadian winter. Can’t attach photo..probably a good thing…. file too big.
Can I get a refund from Olympic or PPG?
Contact them directly for assistance.
Stain has a white look in places, which tells me it did not penetrate the wood evenly. Its a mess and its only 6 months old. I’m so disappointed and we paid 1800 to have this crap applied.
Picked up three gallons of Olympic Maximum recently at Home Depot for $4 a gallon (90 percent off.) The Can looks the same as pictured newer formula but the fine print lists a higher VOC (VOC <600 instead of <100) than what they still sell for full price. Cleanup says mineral spirits. I am looking for a cheap move to an oil-based stain rather than continuing to use Thompson’s water seal every year.
I’m ok with what was reported on the performance of the older version of Olympic linked at the top of this article…the new formula gives me pause. Would it be safe to say I purchased the OK performing older oil formula?
No, that was many years ago.
How many years ago? So which version does your review cover? The higher VOC, apparently water based (with mineral spirit cleanup) that I bought or the newer, even lower VOC version with soap cleanup?
It’s all very confusing.
More than 4-5 years.
Can the Olympic Stain and Sealant be use if you have pets! Is it pet friendly
It should be once fully dried and cured.