This post was updated on May 1, 2024
Ready Seal Wood and Deck Stain Review 2024
Ready Seal Stain Review
We would love to hear from you if you have used the Ready Seal Wood and Deck Stain on your wood or deck. Please post a rating in the Consumer Star Ratings below. Consumer reviews below in the comment section have shown mixed results when using the Ready Seal Wood and Deck Stain.
If you have any pictures of your experience with Ready Seal Wood and Deck Stain, you can add them in the comment area with a detailed description.
Ready Seal® Stain and Sealer for Wood is a Professional Grade wood stain. Ready Seal® Wood Stains may be used on fences, decks, arbors, gazebos, log cabins, and any other outdoor wood project. Developed for contractors, Ready Seal is now available to homeowners. Ready Seal will not run or drip and will always apply evenly. It is a unique blend of paraffin oil, quality resins, finely ground trans-oxide pigments, and algaecide.
Ready Seal® Stain Rating (1-10)
Appearance After Initial Stain Application: 7
– The Ready Seal® had a nice even application on the wood. The Gold color enhanced the older pine decking similar to as if wet with water. We did notice that the stain color faded significantly after a few days.
Preventing UV Graying at 2 Year Mark: 3
– There was no color left after two years. Very poor at preventing UV graying.
Picture of Ready Seal losing all color after 14 months. Picture from DeckStainPro.com
Wear/Tear and Peeling: 8
– Ready Seal® penetrates extremely deep into the wood. It does not peel.
Ready Seal Gold
Cost Per Square Foot: 5
– Coverage for the Ready Seal® is not very good. We got only about 75 square feet per gallon and needed to apply 2 coats. The Ready Seal® is less than many stains per gallon but you need much more stain than normal. The stain absorbs so well into the wood that you get very poor coverage. We needed 10 gallons to properly cover our 600-foot test deck with two coats of stain.
Preventing Mold/Mildew/Algae: 7
– Containing primarily paraffin oil which does not promote mold growth, Ready Seal® shows promise. 30% of the decking floor was covered in green algae, though.
Ease of Application: 9
– We agree with the manufacturer’s claims here. Ready Seal® is goof-proof in that it will dry evenly and will not run or drip. When we looked at the deck 24 hours later, the finish was perfectly even. 3 days later though it had faded significantly.
Color Shifting (darkening) after 2 Years: 9
– No darkening was noticeable. Ready Seal® fades in color instead. Better for reapplication.
Difficulty of Reapplication: 8
– Easy to reapply. Just clean/brighten the wood to prep. No need to use a stain stripper.
Overall Score Ready Seal® Stain at 2 Year Period: 7.125
– Ready Seal® contains paraffin oil which is a non-drying oil. This means that it does not cure or seal the surface of the wood but dives deep into the wood cellular structure. The positives to Paraffinic stains are:
- Extreme ease of application
- Deep penetration into the wood
- Even coverage
The negative is the poor UV protection and proper sealing of the surface. If you want a stain that is easy to apply then Ready Seal® might be a good choice for you. Just remember you will need to redo every 9-18 months if you want to retain the color.
Ready Seal Deck Stain Customer Photo Issues
Product Information:
Where To Buy: Ready Seal® Stain
Cost: $44.99 per Gallon, $199.99 per 5 Gallon Pail
Stain Type: Paraffin Oil Based Transparent
Available Colors: Gold, Natural Cedar, Light Brown, Medium Brown, Dark Brown, Medium Red, Dark Red
Application Temperature: 45-95 F
Coats Required: 1-2 Coats
Coverage Per Gallon: 75-100 sq. ft per gallon as tested
Application Tools: Sprayer, Pad, Brush, Roller
Dry Time: 48-72 Hours
Cleanup: Mineral Spirits
VOC Compliant: 250 Compliant in All 50 States
More Info: Product Data
Manufacturer: Ready Seal® Stain
Test Deck Stats:
Deck Wood Type: 8-year-old Pressure Treated Pine
Deck Square Footage: 600
UV Exposure: Full Sun
How Many Years Tested: 2 Years
Stain Color Used: Gold
*All products tested and results are from our experience. We offer no guarantee of similar results. Take into consideration that results may differ due to different wood types, exposure to UV radiation, and natural weathering.
The Ready Seal did not last and will not use it again. New larch dock, waiting one year before applying.
Outside of easy application, it is not a very long-lasting stain and has issues with rub-off since it does not cure.
All of this was my experience as well. Older deck absorbed so much stain I had to acquire more – twice. When wet, the color was beautiful. After a few days of curing, it was much lighter and had a flat finish. Many of my boards stained different shades even though they all received two coats. Ultimately, the job looks like “meh” rather than “wow”. I don’t know if people will even know I refinished the deck.
I chose the mahogany for its deep red color. It doesn’t look like the pictures at all. Its dark brown. This is on older pine pressure washed to a light gray.
I tried the product becomes the Thompson’s wouldn’t last one season. Every spring the deck looked like camouflage. That stain sits “on” the wood rather than soaking into it.
I wish there was a win-all for deck stain. I guess its called composite
Just posting a review, and I agree 100% with your review. Ready seal is very easy to apply and is very forgiving. It looks great after application, but in full sun, it only lasted about 6 months before needing to be reapplied. It completely fades.
Yep. Spot on review.
What color is this?
I put one coat of Ready Seal Pecan on my 2yr old treated pine deck a week and a half ago.
Wanted to put a second coat on but it has unexpectedly rained every other day and finally has been dry for 48 hrs.
Should I do a second thin coat now or has to much time passed?
No, it will not penetrate and will be oily and have rub off.
My contractor uses it, so he said use Ready Seal…tho I have only used Ace deck stains before. I was excited to think it may be worth the 2 x price of ‘Preserve a wood’, redwood color.
It was a 95 degree today, so he figured last nights pressure washing and bleach clean would be dry. I did NOT completely strip the old oil deck stain.
Usually I would only use less than 1/3 gallon of Ace oil on my 300 sq feet of redwood deck.
I sprayed the Ready Seal and my contractor used a high quality painters roller type looking thick plush pad to back brush each piece.
Normally…since the Ace oil says on the can, “AFTER APPLICATION, REMOVE ALL OIL THAT HAS NOT PENETRATED (SHINES), WITHIN 15 MINUTES”, ..I figured the very wet looking deck would be tacky, if left like he had suggested, so I re-read the Ready Seal can and it did not say to use rags nor did it even mention removing any wet (shiny) surface oil.
Contractor said it will be dry by tmrw. but after 5-6 hours, it looks exactly the same…’wet’.
I am so fearful that even it will may eventually dry, it will be sticky…like the Ace oil, if left standing on the surface.
Hopeful to get someones feedback before the heat of the day tmrw.
ANYONE HAVE ANY FEEDBACK / EXPERIENCE IN THIS AREA?
Thanks much.
terry
It will not dry as it is contained paraffin oil and that never dries or cures. It will rub off and track into your home. You will probably have to remove it and start over.
Thank you.
The next day warmed up, and it started to dry in many places…so I wiped what had not yet dried, and it looks pretty good…but not as good as the 1/2 ythe price, Ace brand Preserva Wood
Sorry. Adding more to my question! I live in South Carolina near the coast and TWC and RestoreADeck are not sold here. What other suggestions do you have? This is a photo after I used deck restore and sanded.
Your prep is not done. You have to remove the old coating but stripping as well. You can buy products online and have them shipped if you want better products that you cannot find locally.
Hi. I am getting ready to re-stain our back screened in porch wood floor that was previously stained with Cabot Timber oil. I went to Sherwin Williams and got their restore and applied that to the deck, scrubbed and rinsed it. I then went over it with a sander. I was going to restrain with Ready Seal because I am definitely not a professional and looking for ease of application with good results. Do I need to apply a brightener first? Would love your thoughts and suggestions.
Yes, use a brightener and there are other just as easy to apply stains that will last longer than Ready Seal and will not rub off as well. We would try a better brand like Armstrong Clark Stains: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/tag/armstrong-clark-deck-stains/
Hey what chemical or brand of stripper did you use? I can’t find a stripper that removes it. The oil is too deep.
I doubt blasting will draw out the deep oil either.
Thanks!
The Ready Seal is easy to strip. Use Restore A Deck Stripper and then Brightener after.
I have the same problem. Did you find something to completly remove it ?
No I have not. I’ve tested several strippers. So far I’m just having to wait for the oil to burn off. It’s been 5 years….
I used Restore-a-deck stripper with the additive and it removed the color completely but the wood is still slightly oily.
I installed a new cedar deck in June of 2020 and applied a product called Ready Seal. This was recommended by my local lumber company and was an oil penetrating product but not strictly petroleum based as it could be cleaned up with warm water if not allowed to dry in brushes. The product has now grayed with a hazy film on my deck which ruins its appearance. I have a hot water commercial pressure washer that I cleaned a portion of the deck with and the color and beauty of the wood is still there under that nasty film. I want to clean the entire deck and and reseal it with your best oil/stain penetrating UV protection product. I live on the Missouri/ Illinois border near St. Louis so summers are very humid here. What would you recommend in my situation? Is that TWP sold in Missouri? It got your best rating overall. Please advise. Thank you.
Are you in IL or MO? Makes a difference on what you can use. For prep, you will need to remove the Ready Seal. Strip and brighten.
BTW, we agree that Ready Seal is not that good. Only thing it is good at is that it is easy to apply. Just does not last.
Hi, very useful article, thanks. I was just about to purchase Ready Seal – Pecan because there are many great pictures showing the results when applied on cedar. However, seeing on this review that the color fades so quickly, it’s not so interesting finally.
Which other product performs best in your reviews, when applied on a white cedar deck, with a similar Pecan color and available in Canada? The deck is 6 months-old, almost through its first winter. Thanks in advance!
Try Armstrong Clark or TWP 200 Series.
After applying Pecan ready seal this spring 2 coats it simply looks beautiful, I don’t live in an area that gets excessive wind and dirt flying all over.but in Ohio so far its been crazy with rain and thunderstorms! I would recommend you reconsider your decision..Just because someone may not have used enough stain or stained when the moisture level was too high…does not mean it will happen to you.. read the product info and follow their directions you should be just fine! There is a utube video on how to apply with a garden sprayer..and not a paint sprayer that might work better and reduce over spray mist..that’s what I’m going to try painting my fence when it drys out some.But my Pavillion looks awesome..
Oil Stain for deck – seems whatever we use, continues to peel after the winter, and so annoying. This past spring, we washed the deck with a hose (did not spray hard at all) and the stain that was peeling came off easily. Live in Canada and the deck sits in full sun. We are going to re sand the deck and reapply stain again. We have tried diff stains over the year. The deck was built in 2012. I have read the reviews and only 1 person mentioned peeling but everyone else, says easy to apply or it fades after a year. We want natural oil stain, I would rather it fades than to peel as it is very annoying to have to do this annually. I want to enjoy our deck. Has anyone experienced peeling using this Ready Seal Oil Stain for deck? We use the same oil stain for fence and experience zero peeling so what the heck! Look fwd to replies back re peeling from those living in Canada as apparently because of environmentalist, our oil stains have changed. Very frustrated.
RS will not peel but it also does not last and tracks oil onto clothes, shoes, etc. We never use it.
thanks for the answer…so you never use RS….what do you recommend then for Canada? that doesn’t peel and last long? cause I am so tired of doing this every year.
You can try Armstrong Clark or TWP 200 Series.
I stain a cedar table base with Ready Stain & Sealer in “Dark Walnut”. However the color was a more golden brown color. Can I use a darker Ready Stain & Sealer “Mahogany” over the existing stain? Im looking to darken the Wood and give it a red tint.
It will most likely not work or soak in and leave an oily film on the wood. Best to remove the first coat and start over.
Spoke to manufacturer about just this issue. They suggest a quick clean of 25% bleach and 75% water. Rinse well, Let dry completely like you would a deck and apply a coat of next color darker. The cleaning reopens pores and kills any mildew etc that might be hiding in the grain.
I’ve got 3 gallons left of a 5 gallon pail. Can the stain/sealer be saved? If so, what is the best way to store and at what temperatures?
If closed 100% and stored in a temperature controlled room, it should be good in a year for another coat.
Should I apply a second coat with this product on the first application?
Probably no as it may not soak in. this does depend though on the porosity of the wood.
Just as I thought. The 2 different people at the paint store recommended a light second light coat on outdoor furniture I made and some of it took 48 hrs to dry. Lesson learned but I will use it again. Thanks.
I have previously used transparent Behr products on our deck, but cannot completely remove the Behr product from all the crevices of some redwood shingles that we have as a part of the railing. What can I do if I want to make the switch to using Ready Seal, because I am worried that the new coats may not be absorbed through the Behr product that lingers.
Thanks for any tips.
Strip or sand are really your only options to remove the old coating of Behr.
Doing both, hope it turns out OK!
My deck (mahogany/redwood color) is weathered, and has many small cracks and splits. Unfortunately, before i know this site, i have applied wood filler (dap plastic wood) to fill those cracks. Now my deck has a beige colored filler scattered on tje mahogany/redwood colored deck. It seems that the ready seal is semi transparent? Would 2 coats of ready seal still make the beige area noticeable? Would you rather suggest using solid stain?
No, you cannot darken the filler with a semi-transparent deck stain like Ready Seal.
Thank you…… It seems that i am stuck……. well, would thin paimt spray on the filler area followed by applying ready seal eventually result in peeling in a while? Thank you.
Probably not and it still will not blend well. Your options are limited. Cover all with a solid stain or replace those boards with new ones.
I now own a 25 year old home with 25 year old magogany/redwood colored deck, which now has so many small cracks and splits. Unfortunately , before i recognize ready seal, i applied beige colored wood filler (dap plastic wood) in sealing the cracks and splits. Now, would two coats of ready seal on the deck hide, at least more or less, bright colored filler marks? Or would you recommend using other solid stains?
no
Our builder delivered new green (wet) cedar to our home, but it also rained on the wood for two hours that day, and then he built our fence with the very wet pickets. He returned just 36 hours later and stained with Ready Seal dark walnut. Of course the stain job is completely uneven and four different colors, but the worst part is that all of the defects in the wood turned very dark brown – black and the fence looks horrible; I suspect this is because the tannins never had a chance to dry and cure before being soaked with oil stain, but do you have a reference that I can read to understand this better, and at this point what can / should we do?
I highly doubt it has anything to do with tannins. Can you post a picture or two?
I will post three images. One of the new “wet” stained fence, one of a 17 year old gate that was power-washed and stained, and one of a two month old fence that was never stained until now; all three were stained the same day with Ready Seal.
Ready Seal is a paraffin oil. I think this is the issue. Call them and see what they suggest to fix.
It looks, to me, like the left side of your fence (in the picture on the left) was sprayed with dark walnut and the lower right portion was sprayed with the pecan stain. The door and the non rail side of the fence both look like walnut. I’ve used Ready seal for years and have never seen that kind of color difference. This is purely speculation, on my part, but it sure looks like two different colors of stain were used…
it appears as if the product wasnt mixed well the lower was the mostly solvent “top of the pail” and the upper was the “bottom of the pail” where all the colorant settled. as for the photo on the right soft woods need conditioner directly before staining to take stain evenly
Thanks for your insight Sherlock. The fence builder stirred the stain, he’s not very bright but he’s not that stupid!
Ready Seal is just a really crappy product designed for ease of use by DIY’ers and fence builders with little professional continuing education; read the reviews by the professionals here at Deck Stain Help.
I had the crappy Ready Seal chemically stripped off and then restrained with Bakkers, no more black knots and defects, just an even single tone and single color of high quality stain that will last for 5 years.
Do your research, Ready Seal fades 50% within 18 months and has no UV protection, just garbage.
Hey what chemical or brand of stripper did you use? I can’t find a stripper that removes it.
Thanks!
The Ready Seal is easy to strip. Use Restore A Deck Stripper and then Brightener after.
Can you please tell me what is the name of the color of the first picture on the lift
Hi, I replied this morning and included three images, but for some reason I don’t see that reply as posted. Did you get it? Thank you.
Cedar has to dry for a whole year pressure-treated 90 days before you apply any paint or stain
Ready sesl gets loads of love from verified purchasers. This fact influenced my purchase decision.
Does Ready Seal works well for walking deck that already had an old coating that was from more than 10 years ago? Any recommendation? Thanks.
You would have to remove the old coating first if still there.
I've used 20 + gallons of this stain on decks over the past 5+ years and have found the Ready to hold up very well. I have also used Defy (older mix) and Ready Seal applied easier and lasted longer on a full sun deck in Maryland area. I do think the overall review score on this site seems low and believe the UV rating should be higher. The ease of reapplication is also a major plus. Stains seem to only last 2-3 years on most full sun decks, but this stain has outperformed others in my experience. Overall I would rank this as the best possible stain for the money, and given other aspects of a good quality stain. As others noted, you can also 5 gal. at Home Depot right to your house with free shipping.
I am very familiar with the Ready Seal products and wouldn't use anything else. The Texas heat/sun can be relentless, but Ready Seal has held up beautifully on the fences around here for years. I agree with those who say that the darker colors will have a longer "staying power" than the lighter shades, so your review of the Gold color is a little misleading about the brand as a whole. Pecan is the most popular color choice in our area. Some other key points that some are not mentioning– the age of the wood, the type of wood, and the condition of the wood can all affect how any stain works. Experienced contractors will know this, but DIY homeowners may not. If you are applying stain on a brand new fence or deck, it won't last as long as an older fence because of the porosity of the wood. Older wood is more porous and will absorb more stain. That is just the nature of wood– it can take months or years for it to open up completely. So after that first application on a new fence, you may have to re-stain after a couple years, but beyond that, you should be getting years longer life. Also, if an older fence or deck is grey and oxidized, or if it has been previously stained or sealed with another product, there are some easy but necessary steps to prep the wood. Power washing is not always sufficient. Sanding not always recommended. And if there is any moisture left in the wood at all after cleaning or rain, the stain won't absorb properly. You absolutely have to let it dry sufficiently before applying any product (should be less than 15% – you can get a moisture meter cheap at HD to be sure). I've found very helpful information just by calling the company (Ready Seal) to describe the condition of a particular project and to get their advice on the best way to prep. I personally recommend Ready Seal to all our customers. I think it's an excellent product and was pumped to find it available at my Home Depot last year.
Is the information on this site applicable to staining wood on Log homes?
Yes it is.
Readyseal Is the best stain I've ever used will always use it. itlasts The longest and goes on the easiest it is uniform with great color
Ready Seal is easy to apply but does not last very long. We do many decks in PA and tried the Ready Seal a few years ago. Color fading was significant after one year, but that was not the biggest complaint we received. Our customers really did not like the oily residue that would rub off on clothes after the first week or two of applying. I guess this would be the nature of having the paraffin oil as it does not dry at all. We stopped using it because of this.
So basically, you've got a 3-4 year old review about a product that isn't even made anymore (Ready Seal Gold), and you're basing your evaluation off that? I have no connection with the company nor do I care which stains are rated highly, but the point is your review is too old to be valid any more, yet it doesn't mention anywhere the date of the review, nor what has changed with the product. It certainly doesn't cost $27.99, and it definitely doesn't come in the colors this review claims it does. I believe, like another poster said, that the Gold finish, specifically, didn't contain UV protection. So while you claim you were trying to compare apples to apples, you definitely weren't. Time for an update, or even a retest?
Jeff, we have a restest with Natural Cedar that will be evaluated this year and a newer review posted. The gold was tinted and does have UV protection. It was not clear (with no color) but tinted like any other honey or gold color. You can see this from the picture above and any other pictures of the gold on the web. Here is quote from another contractor on the web that offered similar advice:
\”I have yet to try any other colors, although I probably should. On a couple of occasions, I have used Gold……but, Gold does not have much color in it, and therefore does not provide as much protection from the sun……..gold only lasts 12 – 18 months (roughly), and therefore, I discourage using it unless the customer is crazy about light colors, and doesn\’t care that they\’ll have to reseal more often.\”
and this is from Ready Seals website:
\”All Ready Seal colors contain transoxide pigments. Transoxide pigments have exceptional UV radiation absorption, providing exceptional protection to wood surfaces.\”
Our findings are valid in our experience with the product and color.
Very disappointed in this stain. Very expensive & does not cover with one coat. Fades quickly if fence is in the sun.
Color varies significantly from can to can. Will never use again.
"Ready Seal Stain and Sealer for Wood is an oil based semitransparent stain and sealer in one. It is a unique blend of oils, quality resins, and finely ground transoxide pigments that penetrate deeply into wood to protect and preserve it from the elements."
all brands say this, and the "oils" are subject to change and also unlisted. i personally would not rely on rumor and assume the product contains no natural oils that mold likes to eat. you'd have to keep it clean, like (%99 to %100 of products i can find that are not synthetic; like urethan)
I have 125 feet of new cedar wood fence to stain front and back, how many gallons of Ready Seal do I need to buy. I will be using a sprayer. Thanks
I have used Ready Seal for the past 3 years and I believe I have finally found the stain I will be using forever. I have a 500 square foot cedar deck built in 2008 which I first used Cabot and I was not pleased with the results. In 2011 I stripped the deck and applied Behr solid stain. The be Behr stain is junk do not use this stain ever! In 2013 I tried 3 gallons of Ready Seal for the floor just to try it out. It worked wonderful. I will never use another stain. Buy it you will love it.
I have used this product four times at our beach home and it in the past 13 years and it has held up well and provided the protection I expected. Will use again and would recommend it.
This Product is the best on the market Goof Proof no laps runs or streaks and it shows the wood grain looks beautiful. I have used it several times on different jobs decks, fences, cedar homes, and logs homes. The light colors don't last as long because they don't provide as much UV blocking. Light colors 2-3 year, Dark colors 7-8 years. I prefer a medium to dark color. I have use it on my own personal things like a 20 year old Redwood deck that I stain ever four years with Ready Seal, I use the Redwood color it looks like new. I also have a 20 year old fence that I stain ever seven years it too looks like new. How many fences have you hear of lasting 20 years I think that says it all.
My deck was 10 feet from the water's edge on North Padre Island, Corpus Christi TX. About every 5yrs I would power wash and refinish with Ready Seal using their dark transparent stain. Many compliments by those living on the Island. With stood the hot South TX sun and salt air/ salt moisture. Found no other seal to compare. Worked well on long privacy fences,sprayed banisters/rails, fences and used roller/brush on deck, applying 3 coats each, using much less with each coat. I gave 5 star on all questions as the deck mellowed over a 5yr period. Much better than other products.
The stain does apply easily, civerage is good but be aware it does dry darker than you might anticipate. I have a shaded deck so I can't really judge how well the stain holds up in direct sunlight. I do vey much like the surface of the wood on bare feet, very smooth. If asked to rcommend it I would but i would be cautious about using it in areas that receive a great deal of direct sunlight.
READY SEAL is actually a really good product but you have to know some things about it, choose the correct color and use ample amounts where the sun is going to hit.
Basically, we've found (after using it on hundreds of decks) that the darker the color, the more UV protection. This may not be much of a surprise! However, using "Redwood" color on pressure treated pine or other similarly dense woods, we can easily get 2 full years of UV protection and still have a beautiful looking wood color.
Used readyseal on cedar pool deck. Horrible for this application. Figured since it penetrated it would have some durability. Currently looking for an oil penetrating stain for cedar that will not peel and last longer than the swimming season in NY.
I used ready seal 3 years ago on a new deck after 6 months of aging, I used the dark walnut, it has held up very well, I have found that it needs to be applied heavily on the. First coating, then reapplied after 48 hrs. It is easily applied , I think some people apply like a paint. It all about your application, have been very satisfied, am about to reapply again.