This post was updated on April 4, 2025
Restore A Deck Wood Stain Review
Hi, I am Scott Paul, a leading exterior restoration contractor and business owner with over 30 years of experience in exterior wood decking. My Restore-A-Deck Wood 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 Semi-Transparent Review 2025
This is our 6th Year for the review of the Restore-A-Deck Semi-Transparent Wood Stain. This review will be updated through the years with new pictures as the stain ages. In 2017, our first full year of using the Restore A Deck stain, we had no issues with performance and saved a tremendous amount of time with the ability to prep and stain on the same day. We will continue to offer the Restore A Deck Semi-Transparent Wood Stain as one of our go-to decking stains for the 2025 restoration season.
*We prefer the application to damp wood as it performs better and applies easier.
Note: Restore-A-Deck Semi-Transparent 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.
Summary: Restore-A-Deck Semi-Transparent Wood Stain is an advanced, water-based, semi-transparent stain formulation designed to penetrate deep into wood pores for maximum protection and longevity. Restore-A-Deck Wood Stain protects the wood from harmful UV rays and damage caused by water penetration. Restore-A-Deck Semi-Transparent Wood Stain is safe to use, has a low odor, and is easy to clean up with soap and water. It is ideal for all wood types including pressure-treated pine, cedar, fir, or redwood.
Recent advancements in water-based wood stain technology have allowed the active ingredients in the Restore-A-Deck Stain to offer better UV protection, excellent penetration into the wood grain, and the ability to apply to damp wood. All this is available in five beautiful semi-transparent colors highlighting the natural wood grain.
RAD Wood and Deck Stain will increase all exterior wood surfaces’ life, appearance, and durability. With the easy-to-apply and maintain Eco-Safe formula, you’ll be able to finish faster and enjoy your exterior wood or deck for years.
Restore-A-Deck Wood Stain Ratings (1-10)
How I Rated Restore-A-Deck Semi-Transparent Wood Stain
My Restore-A-Deck Semi-Transparent Wood Stain review contains an 8-step process and the final average score. Each step is on a scale of 1-10.
- The appearance of Restore-A-Deck Semi-Transparent Wood Stain after Application
- Preventing UV Graying
- Peeling or Wearing
- Cost Per Square Foot
- Preventing Mold and Mildew
- How Easy was the Restore-A-Deck Semi-Transparent Wood Stain Application
- Color Shifting
- Ease of Reapplication
- Restore-A-Deck Semi-Transparent Wood Stain Final Score
8-Step Review of Restore-A-Deck wood stain
1. Appearance After Initial Stain Application: 8
The Restore-A-Deck wood stain color we used was the Semi-Transparent Light Walnut. The initial appearance was a rich brown with a hint of red (see pictures below) after drying. The Restore-A-Deck Stain penetrated extremely well into the wood grain on our test deck. No surface film on top of the wood.
2. Preventing UV Graying at 2 Year Mark: 9
Restore-A-Deck had little to no fading at the 2-year mark. Excellent color retention should be achieved through years 2-3 as well based on initial pictures and testing. See below for a picture.
Restore A Deck Stain Two Years
3. Wear/Tear and Peeling: 9
At the 2-year mark, there was no wearing or peeling.
4. Cost Per Square Foot: 8
We applied two coats to our 150 sq foot deck, including all railings and steps. Less than 1 gallon was used for this at a total cost of $40. This equates to $.30 a square foot. Very reasonable pricing and better than most other top brands.
5. Preventing Mold/Mildew/Algae: 10
Like other water-based deck stains, the Restore-A-Deck Wood stain will not promote mold or mildew growth. This is one of the primary advantages of using a water-based coating. At the 1-year mark, the deck showed no signs of any mold or mildew.
6. Ease of Application: 9
Our favorite aspect of the Restore-A-Deck Wood 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 then applying the RAD stain 1 hour after the prep. The wood was visibly wet on a few deck areas and damp to the touch throughout. The Restore-A-Deck actually applied more easily to the damp wood than any other water-based stain that we have used previously. We also found that the coverage was better when applied to damp wood. In theory, the stain will absorb better when applied to damp wood. The water “swells” the wood pores and “pulls” the stain deep into the wood as it dries. Applying to damp wood will also help avoid potential issues with Applying a Deck Stain in Full Sun.
See before and after pictures below.
Restore A Deck Stain After Prep
Restore A Deck Stain Damp Wood Application
7. Color Shifting (darkening) after 2 Years: 8
As expected, the Restore-A-Deck stain darkened very little and did not shift color. See the picture at the 2-year mark above.
8. Difficulty of Reapplication: 8
The Restore-A-Deck will be an easy clean and reapplication as needed.
Overall Score Restore-A-Deck Stain at 1-Year Period: 8.63
– The Restore-A-Deck is an awesome exterior wood stain and has shown the ability to outperform other water-based and oil-based wood stains. Restore-A-Deck’s 3-Step system allows you to save time and money when restoring your exterior wood and decking. No other system that we have used or tested has allowed the ability to Prep and Stain in the Same Day. If you are looking for the future of exterior wood and deck stain, consider the Restore A Deck Wood Stain and their prepping system.
Product Information:
More Info: Restore-A-Deck Wood Stain
Cost: $47.99 per Gallon, $219.99 per 5 Gallon Pail. Products ship free on their website.
Stain Type: Semi-Transparent Water-Based
Available Colors: Natural, Cedar, Light Walnut, Dark Walnut, Cottage gray
Application Temperature: 45-95 F
Coats Required: 2 Coats. “Wet on Wet” for older wood. New wood = 1 Coat.
Coverage Per Gallon: 100-150 sq. ft
Application Tools: Sprayer, Pad, Brush, Roller
Dry Time: 2-4 Hours
Cleanup: Water
VOC Compliant: 50 VOC Compliant in all States
More Info: Product Data
Manufacturer: Restore-A-Deck
Test Deck Stats:
Deck Wood Type: Pressure Treated Pine
Deck Square Footage: 150 Square feet
UV Exposure: 50% Full Sun
How Many Years Tested: 2 Years
Stain Color Used: Light Walnut
*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 Semi-Transparent Stain Photos
How To Restore Your Deck All in One Day – DeckStainHelp.com
I cleaned and prepped my new deck 2 yrs ago with Restore a deck products and semi transparent cedar stain. It looked great. I need to do it again soon. It doesn’t look too bad, but is a little “thin” in spots. I probably didn’t get enough stain on it. What steps do you recommend for me to use to restore the beautiful color I had. I love the product.
Hi Linda, can you reply back and post some pics in the comments for prep help?
I applied the this product to a new deck this weekend, with great results. I was able to mostly complete a 750+ sq. foot deck by myself.
I was extremely surprised how much much dirt and grime came off of new kiln dried cedar after only 3 months of being installed. Although it was a bit of work scrubbing the deck boards, I am so glad that I used as I had no idea that the boards were are dirty as they were.
Anyways, now for my question, do you have a suggestion for a product to remove any stain that may have gotten on metal railing/trim?
I saw the video of someone suggesting goof-off graffiti remover. My worry with this product is that is it pressurized and I don’t want overspray to hit the deck.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Goof or similar works best. They have some that are not aerosol.
The deck looks great!
I absolutely can honestly say this restoration product(s) are the best I have ever used. We live in PA. I followed all the directions to the tee. I applied the SOLID stain on 20 yr old deck wood, which was in poor shape. Nothing worked previously, even when it was professionally done with their materials, we would have chipping and peeling after the first Winter. I applied this during covidcation last March/April because we had a warm beginning of Spring. This was not hard to apply but we did everything that was recommended, along with some sanding. We were in communication by email with this company almost every other day asking a question or two. They returned a reply sometimes within 10 min. Then if we had additional questions they answered them and referred us to other research material to help us. They were great to deal with even though you didn’t talk over the phone with them. Like I said, we applied this and then wondered if it was going to start peeling by the Fall. Nope, well then definitely after the first ice storm, nope. Well, then after 3 weeks of snow fall pretty continuously. Even though we shoveled the snow off the wood deck, NO PEELING OR CHIPPING! We have a deck that gets hammered with rain, ice, hail and snow. This stuff is the best we have ever used. This Spring, we only had to hose it down with mild soapy water and that’s it. We really appreciate when something actually works the way it’s advertised. This would out sell anything in the stores if it were sold their. I am in awe by this product(s). I am telling all my family, friends and colleagues. I hope you don’t sell out because of word of mouth advertising. It is GREAT COMPANY WITH GREAT PRODUCTS!!! Thank you!!
Please send a pic and let us know what color you used. Thank you!
This is the start of our third year and we are still amazed by good it looks with no chipping and peeling. We used the taupe, solid stain originally. Apply this according to the directions and you won’t regret it. This Summer we will use their cleaner and sand it all lightly and apply another coat or two, just for good measure. We don’t want to go through the whole process with stripping again, so this is the easiest method to maintain it. We truly love our deck and would not replace it, at this time since there is no visible rot from above. We cannot see underneath, so maybe years ahead that would be the area that may cause it’s destruction. Until then, we are very pleased with it’s look. Sorry, if the following picture isn’t the best, I just now took it, after a rain storm, early this morning.
Take care, have fun and be safe!
3 YEARS AND LOOKING GOOD!! Thank you so much for sharing!
We are so pleased with the Restore a Deck stain. New wood 9 months after it was installed. Process couldn’t be any easier!
All I can say is WOW! I was in a world of hurt with an oil-based sealer/stain product. Admittedly, I had applied too much when I was doing my maintenance clean & reapply after a year of the original coat. I tried stripping the oil-based coat with paint stripper, denatured alcohol, and mechanically, but I would have been at it for weeks!
Then I discovered the Restore-A-Deck webpage and read about the Restore-A-Deck water-based products: Stripper, Brightener, and Stain. I used the Stripper along with the Booster. I first tried just the Stripper, but realized that as the salesperson noted, I did indeed also need the Booster. After a second application with Booster, the deck came out beautifully! I then applied Natural Stain (after waiting a day – ran out of daylight!). The deck looks fantastic! I hadn’t expected the gentle satin or eggshell finish, but it was a nice surprise! Cleanup, being all water-based, was a breeze, and I didn’t end up with lots of environmentally unfriendly run-off.
Hats off to the Restore-A-Deck company! Great products, easy to use, with fantastic results! What more can I say?
Just cleaned and brightened my 2 year old pressure treated pine deck. Then applied the light walnut stain, all from Restore A Deck. It looks great.
Post a picture or two if you have time.
Will do.
Ken, can you try the pictures again when you have time. The issue with uploading images has been fixed.
Here are some photos.
Looks really good!
What shade color is this
Light Walnut
What color stain is shown in photos?
Light Walnut
Some more photos.
If I spray the RAD stain on my privacy fence do I also need to use a sealer?
No, and you cannot apply a sealer over the top of a deck stain. It would peel if you tried this.
Is restore a deck available in Ontario?
Online sales only.
Hello we live in Phila pa and installed a new pressure treated deck in Oct. It gets sun all day long and goes down to a smaller pool deck. I am so confused about what stain to use. Leaning towards either the TWP 1500 oil base or the RAD semi solid stain. In your opinion which would hold up better? I watch the video on the RAD prep and coating, didn’t see one on the oil base.
I have always used oil base in the past but with the newer VOC regulations not sure if it’s worth the extra hassle.
Do you also have the tools list to apply the stains, we used to use paint brushes.
Please help…. Appreciate this website.
Both TWP 1500 and the RAD stains are excellent. One does not last longer than the other. Both can be cleaned and recoated as needed since they are penetrating stains.
For applicators, look at the yellow flooring brush for floors and stain pads for the verticals.
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/product-category/brushes-stain-pads-sprayers-and-tools/
Do you have a video of you guys with oil stain application. Thanks for your help, can’t wait to get it done.
Sorry, but we do not.
Do you think i would have to use both cleaner and brightener?
Hello we live in Phila pa and installed a new pressure treated deck in Oct. It gets sun all day long and goes down to a smaller pool deck.
Yes, you need both.
Sorry Scott final question. With either TWP 1500 or RAD on new deck do i need 2 coats?
One coat for new decks.
not sure how to figure Railing as it is a shadow box of 1 x 6. Has to take more than a regular railing. Any ideas?
Length x width x 2=?
Scott, I’m going to purchase 2 5 gallon pails if I don’t use one of them and don’t open it how long will it last?
If I do open it, how long will it last?
2-3 years unopened, about 1 year if opened.
Scott. I stained stripped and neutralized deck with TWP low VOC semi solid stain. Stain took well and dried fast. Just wondering if adding a sealer would brighten up the flat finish a bit and benefit the weather protection at all without negative consequences for refinishing in the furure
Thank you
It is not possible to add a sealer over the top of a deck stain. It would peel if you did this.
We followed the prep and application instructions but the Rad semi-transparent stain is taking a while to cure. It’s been almost a week and still a little tacky when in the sun and temps rise but hopefully it will cure soon. We also had rubbery balls form when we were brushing it on so now that’s in the finish. Don’t know why this happened. When we pull the bigger balls off the stain lifts. Feels gritty under foot. Is there anything we can do now? or just wait until it wears and then maybe lightly sand off the balls, clean, and brighten before reapplying another coat? If you think wait, should I go around with an artist brush and apply a little stain to each of the bare and? Thanks for your help.
It looks like you overapplied slightly. The RAD is designed to fully penetrate the wood. In your pictures, it looks like it dried on top. This is the main reason for taking longer to cure. I have never seen the balls before. Maybe something in your brush got in the stain? I would suggest leaving it as is and addressing it as needed when you recoat.
Ok thanks. To address it at recoating time do you think we could use an orbital sander on low to knock off the balls and lightly blend the pock marks with the remaining stain, then clean, brighten and recoat- with no need to strip? And we’ll know it’s time when the stain is wearing off in any places at all or water no longer sheds? Reapply stain 1 or 2 coats? Thank you again.
It is best to wait and see how it weathers due to the overapplication. Address how to prep and coats needed when it is time to reapply.
It will look faded and or worn. The need to bead water is a myth and not an indication of time to reapply.
My redwood deck is 6 months old.Do I need to the cleaner/brightner before staining with the RAD brand?
Yes, you need to prep:
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/how-long-should-you-wait-to-stain-a-new-deck/
Hello, I ordered the RAD sealer today along with the cleaner and brightener. But due to timing with weather I really need to clean and brighten this week ahead of the delivery. I sourced another brightener locally with oxalic acid which should work? I can’t find a cleaner to buy locally with the same chemicals as RAD cleaner. Can I use Oxiclean powder with the RAD sealer and get a good clean or is there something else better sold in big box stores? Our deck is very gray. Thank you
Regular oxalic acid is not the same as the RAD Wood Brightener. Same with the Cleaner. The RAD Cleaner is much more advanced and has better performance that oxiclean. You may run the risk of something going wrong.
This is what I’d love to see when reading this:
Step-by-step implementation, including links to the tools/products.
This would be a great opportunity for affiliate revenue too!
I have a 22 year old porch swing that hangs from its own trellis/pergola that my husband and I started working on yesterday. It is made of pressure treated wood and had never been stained before this. We cleaned and brightened it in the morning, then started the staining process in the afternoon when the wood seemed the right dampness. We worked on it til bedtime and still didn’t quite finish the first coat. Now of course it’s completely dry. Should I dampen the “raw” areas before I stain them? Can I put a second coat on? I had no idea it was going to take us so long. The lattice panels on each side were very tedious. I am using the RAD semi transparent stain.
-If you apply a second coat, it needs to be applied wet on wet. Basically 20-60 minutes after the first coat.
-You can mist with water before applying the first coat.
-A pump sprayer for applying to lattice works well. Spray on and back wipe drips right away.
Sunday applied RAD dark walnut semi-transparent water-based stain on prepped wood of western red cedar deck. Only finished 1/3 of 360sf. It was done in the morning while air temperatures and sunshine were lower. Monday, I started early again at about 65 degrees and cloud cover was helpful. As the day waxed on, air temp went to a high of 81 degrees and full sun appeared. Rain expected at 2pm on Tuesday so I kept working to stay within the window. That was a mistake. I was trying to keep color uniform, but it became very dark, more like mahogany. Please see pictures attached.
Can you recommend a way to even out the color by either darkening the light area or (much more preferably) lightening the dark area? The cedar is 11 months old, originally light-sanded to remove mill glaze and stained with Behr Premium Transparent Waterproofing Wood Finish Penetrating Oil. A month ago, I stripped and brightened the wood to change the color since it appeared dirty and orange-ish. Pressure washing did not clean it up and I removed too much of the finish. I wanted transparent to show the beauty of the wood, so you recommended RAD Natural or TWP 1515 Honeytone. A good suggestion, but I changed my mind to go with the RAD dark walnut thinking it would hide the dirt better. Lovely color, but I messed it up. Can you help? See pictures of original unfished and recently stained.
Hi Bob, the only way to fix this is to remove it and start over.
Admin question: Is there an easy way to view the question I posted? And, an easy way to check to see if it has been answered? Please offer instructions. Thank you!
When questions are answered, you will get an email with the link to view.
Hi Scott, how should I wash discoloration off my deck from a floor mat and umbrella base before I begin staining? Already stripped and brightened/neutralized about 5 days ago. Gonna use Restore-A-Deck Semi-Transparent Wood Stain. Been raining a lot, but it hasn’t washed away the dirt from base or fading from floor mat.
Those are deep stains in the wood and will not come out. Not an issue of mat and umbrella go back in the same spots.
We’re ready to begin our deck clean, brighten, stain project using RAD products. Lots of Pine Pollen right now. Should we wait a few weeks?
We would. Pollen if trapped in the stain wile drying can feed mildew.
The stained deck looks great after applying the cleaner, brightener and stain. I followed all the instructions. However, I’ve noticed that if I am wearing just socks on the deck that the stain shows up allot on my socks. It concerns me since I do not want to bring the stain onto the indoor house carpet and floors. Was I suppose to apply a wood sealer after the stain was applied ?? What else could be the problem ?
No, you cannot top coat over a deck stain. The RAD stain is fully curing so it could be that it has not cured yet. How long it takes to fully cure varies based on temps, humidity, and how thick you apply it.
Thank you for your quick response. I’ll give it more time to cure and see if that solves this issue.
HI, What is the difference between Defy essential semi-transparent stain and Restore-a-deck semi transparent stain? Are they equivalent products? Between these two which would you recommend and why? Thanks
We use the RAD Stain all the time and have not had any issues. It can be applied same day as prep and saves us time and money. With the Defy products, we like the Extreme the best and would use that over the Essential.
We would suggest the RAD stain over the Defy Extreme.
It is also still quite sticky after 40 hours
You may have over applied some but it will cure out and fully dry.
Can I do anything with the color? Also there’s drips on the sides of the steps, should I sand and restrain those areas?
No, you cannot do anything about the color. Actually I think it looks great! It will tone down a little as it cures over the next week or two. You can sand and fix the drips.
We put two coats of the natural color stain on the deck, after the cleaner and brightener, and it is way more orange than the sample color I had put down. Is there anything I can do to tone down the orange?
No, it is not possible to tone down a deck stain but it should tone down a little while it fully cures.
If you use an airless sprayer to apply RAD semi-transparent stain to vertical walls should you back brush as you apply or, just spray without back brushing? Is 1 coat usually sufficient on walls or should I plan on 2 coats? Thanks, Mike
Yes on the 2 coats and back brush the second coat. Easy to do.
What about if using RAD semi trans on a deck- just spray first coat and spray and back brush second coat or backbrush both coats?
Either is fine, but decks are easy to apply. Both coats are wet on wet with a floor brush or stain pad.