This post was updated on June 25, 2024
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 Restore-A-Deck 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.
Restore-A-Deck Solid Stain Review 2024
This is my initial Review of the Restore-A-Deck Solid-Color Wood and Deck Stain. This review will be updated over the years. As deck restoration contractors, Restore A Deck Solid-Color Stain will be our go-to Solid-Color Stain for 2024 due to its ease of use, 5 pre-mixed solid colors (the only solid stain on the market that comes pre-mixed), and the ability to prep and stain on the same day.
Note: Restore-A-Deck Wood Stain is the only stain we have tested that can be applied to dry or damp wood. Applying damp wood allows you to prep and stain on the same day, saving you a tremendous amount of time.
Restore A Deck Solid Color Wood Stain Review
Summary: Restore-A-Deck Solid Color Wood Stain is an extremely durable synthetic-resin, opaque wood finish that helps protect against the damaging effects of water, fungi, and UV radiation on exterior wood surfaces. This V.O.C.-compliant water-based product provides exceptional protection for nearly all exterior wood surfaces in a beautiful matte finish.
Restore-A-Deck Wood Stain can be applied the same day as the prep. Make sure that all standing water has dried off the surface after prep. Typically 2-4 hours at 70º F and less than 50% humidity.
Restore-A-Deck Solid Color Wood Stain can be used on interior or exterior horizontal and vertical wood surfaces, including wood siding, log homes, decks, fences, outdoor wood furniture, pressure-treated wood, and all other natural wood surfaces.
How I Rated Restore-A-Deck Solid Color Wood Stain
My Restore-A-Deck Solid Color Wood Stain review contains a 6-step process and the final average score. Each step is on a scale of 1-10.
- The appearance after the Application
- Peeling or Wearing
- Cost Per Square Foot
- Preventing Mold and Mildew
- How Easy Was the Application Restore-A-Deck Solid Color Wood Stain
- Ease of Reapplication
- Restore-A-Deck Solid Color Wood Stain Final Score
6-Step Review of Restore-A-Deck Solid Color Wood Stain
1. Appearance After Initial Stain Application: 10
Note: We used a two-toned deck stain approach for this Restore A Deck Solid Stain Review. This review is for the White Solid color stain applied to all verticals. To see our review of the RAD Semi-Transparent Stain, Click Restore A Deck Wood Stain
The Restore-A-Deck wood stain color we used was the Solid Classic Color in White for the Railings and Semi-transparent Dark Walnut for the Floor. The two coats applied to our PTP wood covered nicely and did not show any wood grain, which is expected with a solid stain. The application was even, and there were no overlap lines.
Restore A Deck Solid Color Stain Review
2. Wear/Tear and Peeling: 10
At the 2-year mark, there is no wearing or peeling anywhere on the white verticals.
3. Cost Per Square Foot: 8
We applied two coats to our 350 sq. feet of verticals that included all railings and steps. 2 Gallons were used for $59 per gallon.
4. Preventing Mold/Mildew/Algae: 9
Like other water-based solid color deck stains, the Restore-A-Deck Solid Color Stain will not promote mold or mildew growth. This is one of the main advantages of using a water-based coating. At the 1-year mark, the deck showed no mold or mildew.
5. Ease of Application: 8
Our favorite aspect of the Restore-A-Deck Wood Solid Color Stain is the ability to stain and prep on the same day. We tested this by cleaning and brightening the wood with the Step 1 and Step 2 Restore A Deck Cleaner/Brightener Kit and applying the RAD stain 1 hour after the prep. The Restore-A-Deck applies more easily to damp wood than dry wood. We also found that the coverage was better when applied to damp wood.
We applied both coats of the White RAD Stain to the wood with a roller and brush, waiting about 30 minutes between coats. The second coat goes on very easily and covers twice as far as the first coat. Overall, application with the Restore-A-Deck solid stain is very easy. It spreads excellently and is easy to work with.
6. Difficulty of Reapplication: 8
Clean and reapply using their Step 1 Deck Cleaner and a light pressure washing.
Overall Score Restore-A-Deck Solid Color Stain at 2-Year Period: 8.88
The Restore-A-Deck is a great Solid Color Stain. It is the only solid stain on the market that comes pre-mixed, making it much easier to choose a color. Restore-A-Deck Wood Stains have allowed the ability to Prep and Stain on the Same Day, giving it a huge advantage over other brands that perform just as well. If you are looking for the future of exterior wood and deck stains, consider the Restore A Deck Solid Color Wood Stain and its prepping systems.
Product Information
More Info: Restore-A-Deck Solid Color Stain
Cost: $59.99 per Gallon. Products ship free on their website.
Stain Type: Solid Color (Opaque) Wood Stain – Water Based
Available in Pre-Mixed Solid Colors: Classic White, Coastal Gray, Desert Taupe, Cypress, Brown Oak
Application Temperature: 45-95 F
Coats Required: 2 Coats
Coverage Per Gallon: 200-400 sq. ft. Coverage varies depending on the age and type of wood.
Application Tools: Airless Sprayer, Brush, Roller
Dry Time: 2-4 Hours
Cleanup: Water
VOC Compliant: 50 VOC Compliant in all States
Manufacturer: Restore-A-Deck
Test Deck Stats
Deck Wood Type: Pressure Treated Pine
Deck Square Footage: 350 Square feet
UV Exposure: Full Sun
How Many Years Tested: 1 Year
Stain Color Used: White
*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.
Restore-A-Deck Solid Stain Photos
How To Restore Your Deck All in One Day Video
Where can I purchase this? I can’t find it online..
https://www.google.com/search?q=restore+a+deck+solid+stain
Hello! We just bought a house that has a 600 square foot deck that is in need of repair. The previous owners used Rust-oleum Deck and Concrete Restore 2x One Coat Solid Stain. We have pulled boards that had dry rot and replaced them with pine because we thought we were going to use Behr Deceiver (no way after reading reviews). So we possibly have different types of wood down on the deck. We have narrowed our choices down to RAD Solid Stain, Gulf Synthetics Deck Revive or KILZ Porch and Patio Latex Paint. My question is, if we have different types of wood, will the solid stain cover that fact or will you be able to see the difference? Out of these three products, what would you recommend? My gut is telling me Gulf Synthetics, but that cost has got me scared. Do we need to strip the Rust-oleum Solid Stain completely or just power wash and remove loose pieces? Thanks so much for your help and advice!
Solid stains will cover the different wood types so it blends. The RAD and the Gulf both work very well. You have to remove all of the Rust-oleum.
Thank you so much!
12×12 pressure treated wood deck with Cabot semi_ transparent stain 3 years ago. No peeling. Small areas of mildew in corners. Do i need to prep first with RAD brightener and or cleaner then use RAD solid stain? Or just stain? Thanks
Use both cleaner and then brightener.
What would be the best way to apply a solid stain? Looking to redo a 1200 square ft deck with the solid Cyprus color. Power washed it, used deck cleaner and sanded. Now the final step.
We use airless sprayers, rollers, and brushes.
Your Wear/Tear Peel review for Restore-a-Deck was for the verticals. Did you test how their solid stain did on the deck itself, as in the horizontals?
Yes, we have. Works great for floors.
My deck is old, but clean and sanded, no rot. Some boards have a dent from removed split pieces. I am looking to cover with a paint or stain but do NOT want it to peel. What product is best to use to avoid peeling?
Our deck was previously coated in Deckscapes solid stain in black. We’d like to change it to a lighter color because it’s very hot on your feet midday (even here in Maine). I’m considering the RAD solid stain in coastal grey. What’s our best course of action for prepping? My husband wants to do it himself, but we’re new to deck maintenance. Thank you!
Just pressure wash off any loose paint.
No need to sand or otherwise treat? The grey stain will cover despite it being black currently? Thanks!
Only sand if you still have peeling paint after the prep. You may need 2-3 coats to cover the black.
No need to use a stripper? Thanks for your time!
A Stripper will help to remove the peeling paint when pressure washing.
Can this product be used with a HVLP sprayer?
No, too thick. Need an airless sprayer.
Hi! We are in the process of restoring our deck on our seasonal camping lot. We have bought last year an older deck and rearranged it to fit our need and camper. We had to had pieces to the deck to complete it with new wood. Plus, we added a brand new railing to it with new wood. The “old” part of the deck was solid painted. We have removed the paint last year with a pressure washer. Now, we want to stain or paint it this year, but we are wondering what would be our best solution: stain or a solid paint. And should we put the railing the same color? The wood on the older part doesn’t look too good….and I am afraid that stain will not cover enough and it will not look good… it’s grey and have cracks…perfect for a camping site though. Thanks for your help!
See here about new wood and when to prep and stain: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/staining-a-new-deck/
Using a solid stain for this would probably be best so it all blends.
I have a cedar Arbor I stained with Cabots Solid stain about 4 years ago no peeling and I want to use Restore A deck Solid stain can I just go over it or do I have to clean and brighten Or strip it?
No need to strip, just clean it well.
Hi, what Tip size do you recommend for airless spraying of the railings with the RAD Solid Stain. The two tone deck looks great. I want to do the same.
Not sure, we use rollers when we are applying solid stains.
The RAD app sheet recommends 0.013 to 0.015 for tip size.
cn this be used on a dock that sits over water?
Yes.
More of a comment than a question first. Just below my first question i looked again at JIMS pics. I have almost the EXACT same deck situation…peeling, divits/cracks and crowded boards. I wanted to know if the ballisters are in fair shape can I just scrape the bad areas, sand and wash. Then paint with a brush or roller?
By the way I am carefully running my circular saw down through the joints in order to re-space and remove old debris and paint.
??After I measure the deck surface square footage what is th best way to calculate the paint quantity for the ballisters, top railings and steps?
Yes, you can do that with the balusters. See here for measuring: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/how-much-deck-stain-should-i-buy/
Im prepping my deck for your solid stain. Im using PC pe reviewsetrfier on the questionable areas and fill divits with PC wood paste. Is this going to cause an adhesion problem with your solid stain? PS I love your reviews and hope that i am not to late.
Thank your John
No issue with adhesion.
I am getting ready to stain our deck. Not sure what was used on it before but it is peeling on the floor boards. The railings seem ok. Can I just pressure wash and clean it and use RAD solid stain over what doesn’t come off or are there additional steps I need to take. Thanks.
Use a stripper and pressure washer to remove what you can. let dry and sand any additional peeling areas. You can then cover the intact stain with a new solid stain.
Do I need to apply any type of primer before I use the RAD solid stain? Thanks.
No, you cannot do that.
My deck has 2 applications of One Time over the course of 8 years, the last being applied in 17. What would you recommend doing to freshen it? Could I use Restore a deck to restrain it or an other stain? What preparation would need to be done?
Strip and or sand to remove. Brightener after. Then you use the RAD Solid Stain.
Would I be better off just reapplying One Time again? Had hoped I could just restrain without sanding or stripping..
We would switch. Not fans of the OneTime as it has curing issues.
How many people have used restore A deck SOLID stain on there deck and at the two year mark how does it look now and are you happy with the results ?? Please people let me know !
My client has a newly built wrap around porch on their house. It has only been 4 weeks. It will be getting a lot of harsh sun so this product seems ideal. How long do you recommend waiting before the floors are stained? The builders are wanting me to go ahead and stain the post before they put up the screen on the section that will be a screen porch.. what would be your recommendation?
See this for new wood tips: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/staining-a-new-deck/
You cannot prestain.
Have pine deck refinished 3 years ago. Many new boards replaced at that time. Now time to refinish and used Deck Over last time. Unhappy with results. Replaced boards peeled badly while older boards seem to have held up better. Thinking of using Cabots solid cedar stain. What are your thoughts for prep and refinish?
You cannot apply anything over the Deck Over. You will have to sand it all to fix or replace all the wood.
Thanks for timely response even though it’s not what I wanted to hear!
Just bought a house built in ’96 that needs to be stained before closing. It is weathered, not sure if or what it was treated with last. See pictures of two tone appearance due to sun. Thinking of going with RAD solid stain product if available but was hoping for more colors, is it tintable or similar product? Looking to have a durable long lasting coating that stands up to Wyoming weather. Am I in the right track?
I do not believe it is tintable. It comes in stock colors. It would work well for this.
We used a solid stain on our deck about two years ago. I know it was Cabot brand but I’m not sure what the actual product was. I think it was the solid color acrylic deck stain in redwood. I have never liked the color and now it is mostly peeling off. We power-washed with a brush attachment and just water. Do we need to do any additional prep or can we just cover over the remaining Cabot stain? And which product would you recommend?
As long as the rest of the Cabot is intact to the wood you can now cover it with a solid stain. The RAD stain is very good.
I purchased a house that has a deck that needs some love. Looks like the previous homeowner used a resurfacer as it has a gritty surface and the parts peeling off are really thick. I’m guessing I would need to strip and sand the deck before using the RAD? Also, I need to replace 8 boards that are rotting. Would those need to season before using the RAD on those?
You will have to sand off a resurfacer. Strippers will not work. Once removed you can use the RAD solid stain. New wood does need to season.
Hi,
I have a very large deck that was stained with Sikkens Mahogany many years ago. I would like very much to change the color to a much lighter one. One of the contractors I spoke with said he would simply power wash the deck with water, allow it to dry and then apply two coats of any stain – however, he warned that staining lighter might take a third coat. Is this the type of stain you would recommend to go lighter. Thanks so much for any advice.
The only way to make it lighter is to fully remove the previous coating. Not sure your contractor understands this but we have not seen the current condition. Post some pictures.
Here are two photos. Thanks again for your time and advice.
That looks like a solid stain on there now so you will need another solid stain to cover it. You can go lighter but you may need the 3rd coats as he suggested,
Can the white solid stain be tinted to another color? If so, do you recommend it?
I would think so but you would need to take it to a paint store that would be willing to do this.
We live in a house that was finished in 2008 and is located 120 miles north of NYC near the Mass. border. The deck has only been re-stained once and that was 3 years ago. I am uncertain as to what stain was used but based upon can I found in our basement and my recollection I think it was Penofin Verde. Meanwhile I will ask our contractor to see if he can recall what he used 3 years ago.
Since our house faces due south without any shade (passive solar) we would prefer to use Restore-A-Deck Solid Color stain over Restore-A-Deck semi-transparent stain because of UV exposure.
We have not discussed choice of stain with our contractor but his estimate includes sanding the deck prior to applying the stain.
So, can we use either Restore-A-Deck stain if deck is sanded to bare wood, and if so, then will reapplying the Restore-A-Deck stain every 2-3 years be more costly (will deck require additional preparation in short or long term with solid color stain) or difficult if we use the Solid instead of the Semi-transparent Stain?
Sanding is not the best way to prep. Better to strip and brighten. This will leave the surface in a porous state while sanding closes the wood pores by smoothing the wood. Best that he does not do the sanding.
Application and the time to redo is about the same between the semi and the solid. Solid may give a little longer results.
I used Cabot’s solid deck stain about year ago it all peeled so I power washed , sanded to bare wood, power washed again, cleaned with Deck cleaned and used twp100/ temp outsider was 80 and Deck temp 85 , used two coats 30 min between coats looked ok but bubbling on top and weeks later white spots started to show but when rained spots would go away, spoke to twp rep he told me to wait a couple months and it should go away then it started turning like black ( like old decks need to be brighten) sent rep pictures of deck again he said try cleaning which I did but used oxi clean now all stain is peeling. What did I do wrong ? Right now stripped deck to bare wood with resore A deck( this stuff is the best of the best) and going to clean, bright, and use solid Restore A deck because like the colors better then stain, will I have better luck this time and I used twp 100 which has top reviews from everyone. What did I do wrong so it won’t happen again, please help,want to use solid restore A deck this time
You should be fine with applying the RAD solid stain. If the black was dirt, etc, then there is not a way to prevent this from returning. You will have to clean it off every few months to avoid a buildup of dirt.
Last year I used a Flood semi-transparent stain on my elevated deck . I paid close attention applying the stain on the bottom of the deck because I plan to enclose with a deck ceiling. But I’m not happy with the results on the rest of the deck so I want to do a solid RAD stain. Do I need to strip first? If so would that hurt the stain on the bottom because I want to leave that intact, then cover it with the ceiling. The deck is typical pressure treated wood, about 6 years old.
Strip what you can and then cover the intact stain with the RAD Solid.
We need to restain our deck using the solid deck stain. We did it about 5 years ago with Behr solid deck over and it did not last very long. We are leaning toward using Restore-A-Deck. Since we already have a solid deck stain on our deck, what steps will need to follow to properly stain using the Restore-A-Deck solid stain? Thank you.
If it is Behr Deckover than you cannot cover it with any solid stain brands. That product has to be sanded off to fix.
*Just found our old can. It was not Behr Deck Over. We used Behr solid color waterproof stain and sealer. Now, how do we prep our deck to use Restore-A-Deck, Defy or Flood? Also, any preference out of these 3?
Prep by pressure washing and or stripping to remove any loose stain and dirt. You can then cover the “intact” stain that is not peeling with a new solid stain. All of those brands are good.
Restore-A-Deck Solid Color Stain vs. Armstrong Clark Wood Stain
No real idea as to how old our deck is; the home itself was built in roughly 1914 and was “flipped” in 2015. We have owned the home now since 2016. It does not appear that the deck has ever been treated. We power washed and applied a cleaner and brightener this weekend and have a crew coming to stain Wednesday. Our question is for an older deck, that has never been treated and with 3 dogs, which would be the better choice out of the two I listed above? I narrowed it down to those to as they seem to be the best for older decks, strong protection, etc.
Thank you!
Both would work very well. It really comes down to the appearance you would like. Solid stains will not show the wood grain. The AC products will but they range between transparent, semi-transparent, and semi-solid.
Thanks for your quick response. I am having trouble locating either the AC or Restore-A-Deck in any of the small or big box hardware stores here in Louisville, KY. Any similar products that would be more likely to be available at a Lowes or local hardware store?
You will not find anything decent at a big box store. See if you can find TWP 100 Series or Defy locally.
Can Restore A Deck Solid Color Stain be used on 20 year old redwood railings after they’re stripped, cleaned , & brightened?
Yes.
Redwood 400 sq ft roof covered patio deck has several coats of oil based solid ( Ace Royal) which is no longer available. Can I use Cabot OVT solid ? Is there anything else preferable or will it require removal. The deck is in very good condition and mainly needs fresh coat.
You will need an oil-based solid stain.
I wish I’d found this website before I bought Behr solid stain. The stain I got is nothing like the color I expected (what they call Redwood looks burnt orange). My husband stained an ungodly amount of square footage while I was away on a trip for 3 days. I came home and was horrified at the color. I want to re-stain with the RAD Coastal gray. Do I need to do any prep or can I just go over the ugly Behr that was just applied?
You can go over it but you may need a few coats to cover it all correctly.
37 year old chromated copper arsenate deck, in rough shape now. See photos. I like the idea of the 20x stuff to fill the cracks but as I understand it such resurfacing stains can be problematic. Can you please suggest some options that might help? The last photo is of a sec ond, lower deck. Thanks for your help.
Use a solid stain like the Restore A Deck or if you want a deck resurfacer that actually works, try the Gulf Deck Revive: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/gulf-synthetics-deck-revive-review-2015/
The RAD solid stain would be the easiest and less expensive way to go.
One coat of your grey restore a deck solid stain looks good. Do you really need to apply two coats on the horizontal wood of the deck?
Typically one coat will not cover fully the grain but that would depend on the wood. If yours did then you should be okay with one coat. You could always lightly clean and add another as needed down the road.
This is certainly not the result I expected when I ordered the solid stain in a shade of “dark oak”. It appears on the website as a deep mahogany brown, but more like a café latte on application. Hope I don’t have a problem with the HOA board at my development. The web color chart is extremely misleading.
It is a sun reflection and looks correct. This is from their webpage.