This post was updated on February 28, 2024
PG Proluxe (Sikkens SRD) Wood Stain Review 2024
Here at DeckStainHelp.com, we have worked hard over the years to become your trusted reference for deck stain reviews and information. In 2017 PPG changed and transitioned the name of Sikkens branded products for exterior wood to PPG ProLuxe for North America. The PPG ProLuxe product line will contain all of the same Sikkens ProLuxe products and formulas, but will now showcase the updated PPG ProLuxe name and new packaging.
Sikkens PPG ProLuxe Cetol SRD Deck Stain Review
PPG Proluxe (Sikkens) Cetol SRD (Siding Railings Deck) is a high solid 1 coat wood and decking stain. The SRD offers 3-way protection for your exterior wood. Protection from water damage, UV radiation, and Mold. Sikkens SRD penetrates deep into the wood and does not film on top of the wood.
Containing Translucent Iron Oxide Pigments, PPG Proluxe (Sikkens) SRD can be used on all unfinished exterior wood.
Sikkens PPG Proluxe SRD Wood Stain Rating (1-10)
Appearance After Initial Stain Application: 9
– The PPG Proluxe (Sikkens) SRD displayed a very nice natural cedar color to the pine dock. We were pleased with the penetration into the wood. Much better than other PPG Proluxe stains that filmed on top of the wood like a varnish.
Preventing UV Graying at 2 Year Mark: 6
– At the 2-year mark, Sikkens PPG Proluxe Cetol SRD lost a lot of color after 24 months of full sun exposure. The stain that was left on the dock had either deteriorated away or darkened in color.
Wear/Tear and Peeling: 7
– The Sikkens SRD exhibited bare spots on 30% of the flooring surface after 2 years. The dock exhibited a wear pattern down the middle of the walkway.
Cost Per Square Foot: 8
– The SRD is priced at $45 a gallon. Coverage per gallon was closer to 200 feet per gallon. We used 6+ gallons for the 1200 sq. feet. This equals $.23 a foot.
Preventing Mold/Mildew/Algae: 5
– After 2 years we noticed a lot of black mold growing on the dock. On inspection, we noticed that the mold was embedded into the stain that was still left on the dock. About 40% of the SRD had this problem.
Ease of Application: 6
– We were not pleased with the application process. PPG Proluxe (Sikkens) suggests brushing the SRD into the wood. We took their advice and use a Wooster Stain Brush. It took close to 8 hours to apply the stain this way. We had many issues with the SRD dripping into the water below the dock creating an oily haze to the water.
Color Shifting (darkening) after 2 Years: 5
– Very poor. The high solids of the SRD stain darkened significantly. The original golden cedar color had turned a dark brown. The addition of the mold made the leftover stain look almost black in color.
Difficulty of Reapplication: 6
– A full stripping of the SRD would be needed. This will ensure that the reapplication of a new stain will achieve even color and proper penetration into the wood. Failure to remove/strip will result in the stain darkening even more (where the stain is left) and very light in the bare areas.
Overall Score PPG Proluxe (Sikkens) SRD at 2 Year Period: 6.5
– Akzo Nobel/PPG is one of the largest stain manufacturers in the world with Sikkens being the most popular. We hoped that their signature stain would perform better but we were very disappointed with the final results. We are not fans of stains that darken significantly in color. This makes future maintenance much more difficult to perform.
Product Information:
Where To Buy: Commercial Retail Stores
Cost: $59.99 per Gallon, $289.99 per 5 Gallon Pail
Stain Type: Semi-Transparent Oil-Based
Available Colors: 60 Colors
Application Temperature: 50-95 F
Coats Required: 1 Coat
Coverage Per Gallon: 200-300 sq. ft
Application Tools: Pad, Brush, Roller
Dry Time: 6-25 Hours
Cleanup: Mineral Spirits
VOC Compliant: 250 Compliant in All 50 States
Manufacturer: PPG ProLuxe
Test Deck Stats:
Deck Wood Type: Pine Boat Dock
Deck Square Footage: 1200
UV Exposure: Full Sun
How Many Years Tested: 2 Years
Stain Color Used: Natural Cedar
*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.
I live in New Brunswick, Canada. In 2008 we had some major renos done on our home. One of those was a 100′ long veranda or porch which wrapped around 3 sides of the front portion of our home. This decking material is New Brunswick cedar which I sanded with 120 grit paper, (huge job…) and we finished it with the original Sikkens, the good stuff. The veranda and the 3 sets of steps looked beautiful. We applied two coats of Sikkens. It took several days to dry before the second coat was applied. Then several years later we resurfaced our deck with cedar. This cedar, like our veranda cedar was dry and also sanded with the 120 grit. When I went to purchase the Sikkens I was told it was discontinued but was replaced with a water based product, which I was told was exactly the same as the ‘good’ stuff. Well it was terrible. The following year it was peeling off. Then I had to scrape and sand the 22′ x 13′ deck and reapply. The next year the result was similar. I went back to the dealer and the guy told me I was in luck as Sikkens realised they screwed up and brought back the oil based product. I bought the stuff and decided to sand the deck yet again, along with the 3 sets of steps and reapplied with the ‘new and improved’ version, which is SIK250077C, cedar 077. It is a matt finish as that is what I have used since 2008. The problem now is this stuff does not have the same finish as the original stuff. So, all the refinishing I did last year now has to be scrubbed somehow as it is dark and dirty. While doing the refinish job last year, I also refinished all the outer cedar boards on my large veranda, so now all that will have to be scrubbed. I am not a happy camper. And I will not use a power washer on my cedar so it will have to be manual labour. Does anyone know of a product I can use to wash the cedar?
I have a 12X 16 pressure treated deck that’s going on 20+ years old and I took care of the deck – cleaning and using the original formula SIkkens Cetol SRD ( I think that was the name but I could no longer get the original formula in MA the past few years). I used the replacement product by SIkkens for the last couple applications (now PPG) but it’s been awful. The deck became sticky in some spots after application and it doesn’t last. The pressure treated wood is drying out much faster than it used to do. It’s a south facing deck – full sun all year and I have to look at restaining it again this summer when I did it in the Fall of 2019. It was a rich redwood coloring but now looks dirty brownish red because of the lame replacement “Healthy” product I had to buy. Please help recommend a product I can purchase in MA to help reclaim my once proud deck.
Your first issue is removing the Sikkens. Post some pictures for prep help with this.
Thank you – Here are a few pics – there is some pollen on deck and furniture/grill, but the flat dull coloring and dried out wood still comes through.
Once removed, use the TWP 1500 Series or Armstrong Clark Stains. Use the RAD stripper for prep with both additives. Brightener after: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/restore-a-deck-stain-stripper-booster-thickening-gel-review/
The product brochure says that you have to remove the previous coating before application of this stain. Are they talking about previous coatings that are not the Sikkens Cetol SRD? Surely, you would have to remove the Sikkens completely every time you went to restain year after year. The Sikkens I am referring to is the Prolux Cetol SRD and it is not oil-based.
I meant to say, “Surely you wouldn’t be expected to remove the stain every time you needed to restain.”
If so, that’s just crazy. Why would you want to use a product that had to be stripped every time.
We agree but we do not use Sikkens anymore. Never had any good luck with it.
How soon can I put a 2nd coat of the SRD on – I know that one coat should do it but the 2nd one should make it nicer –
Best to check with Sikkens on this. Typically over applying is not a good idea.
Thanks – think I’ll wait until next year and see how it looks –
I have an outdoor potting bench that I would like to stain with a semi-translucent, deep penetrating exterior stain. It will be a permanent outdoor piece of furniture in my garden when I am done. I would love to use one of the top three stains that you recommend but the color selection is limited. I would like to go with a powered blue or green tint. I have looked at Sikkens and Olympic….but they both have limitations according to the reviews. What would you recommend and what are your thoughts? Thank-you!!!
Sorry but it is not possile to have a quality penetrating semi-transparent stain in those colors. To achieve a blue or green tint you need a” base” to custom tint and that meanss you will end up with an acrylic that is a semi-solid or solid color stain
From what I see, it is better to use the oil base so that it can be recoated without completely stripping the old -transparent Matte Wood finish. I used the Cetol SRD Semi-Transparent Matte Wood Finish 2 years ago and it is peeling. I was told that it needs to be completely stripped before a reapplication can be made. Ever try stripping a log home? Never use this product.
Have been using Sikkens SRD #072 Butternut for years on my deck. It was wonderful, lasted for years. I reapplied every 5 or so years. Then last year I ordered more and they told me I had to use Sikkens SRD RE as I live in OHIO. I sanded my deck and applied the new stuff. Well after one year is sucks. It’s pealing and looks bad. RE is junk! Now I have to sand again and go out of state to purchase the regular Sikkens SRD. Not happy.
We replaced our decking and handrails with new cedar in September. In May I used Sikkens Cetrol SRD 078 Natural. Before applying I power washed and lightly sanded the 8 month old wood before applying the stain. Looked great, big deck so it took me about 20 hours.
After the long winter here in Minnesota I noticed some slight peeling, thought maybe a little peeling would be normal. However every day the peeling worsened to the point of tracking it into the house. Deck looks horrible. I used Sikkens because I thought it was one of the best ($48.99 per gallon). I’ve been staining decks for 30 years and this is the worst results I’ve ever experienced!
So disappointed. I would recommend staying away from “Sick”ens.
if the sikkens (now proluxe) alkyd srd is peeling it was applied way to heavy! its a translucent finish that is applied one coat and will genarally last 12-18 months! the pro luxe DEK finish will give you 2-3 years with a yearly touch up on the high traffic areas! very few products will give you more than 2 years on horizontal surfaces no matter what guarantees the company makes! ive been selling and using sikkens/proluxe products for over 25 years and when used correctly are some of the best finishes on the market! if you want to see the beauty of your wood you need to pay for it in terms of MAINTENANCE!!!
Used the cedar Sikkens SRD RE Transparent less than a year ago on our 2 level deck. Live in Michigan so we have lots of snow and ice for our winters. I thought the deck was just dirty from the winter weather. Washed deck and let dry and realized that it was not dirty but instead was a filmy, dull grey look to most of the deck especially the walking surfaces. Some areas have a slight shine to it but barely anywhere. I also noticed some light peeling on a few boards on the bottom level deck. The deck looks horrible. It’s dark graying and film makes my deck look like it has been years since it was treated. Extremely disappointed with this product and the thought of all the work we did on the deck last year was for nothing. Do not recommend this product for decks. I’m not sure what to do now. I have 4 more gallons of stain. I’m not sure if I should try to go over the walking areas or if it will just make it worse. Feeling disgusted!
I had a similar situation. After reading these reviews I tried this method. First I pressure washed the deck using a 1800 psi washer. Then I actually got on my hands and kneels and section by section sprayed straight bleach to area. Then I used a scrub brush and Murphy wood soap and scrubbed Like it was a interior floor. I wiped up the moisture with old rags. TooK me hours but after sitting with sun all day, the deck was clean and brighter. Next day I used sikkens SRD. I applied using a brush and then within minutes wiped off excess with a rag. It dried without any tacky areas. I just did this 2 days ago and it still looks good. I will not walk on it for another day or so. I would not recommend sikkens but since it was what I originally used, I used it again. If I had to do this again, I would probably buy a deck clean/brightener And pressure wash and then only apply whatever stain you choose very lightly. Don’t think a heavy application is better. In this case, less is more. Good luck
I have a shed and a Gazebo that have been stained with Sikkens cetol and over the years has become very dark .
What kind of stripper that is safe to use around shrubs and grass should I use to bring it back to its natural cedar look?
SRD verion or the shiny DEK version of Sikkens?
Applied SRD on exsisting cetol finish on veranda. New water based material would not dry. Remained tacky for 1 month. Applied same water based SRD on new steps and it pealed within 9 months. Both treatments were applied in ideal conditions as per instructions. Worse than a waste of money!! Now what??
To fix you will need to remove all down to the bare wood. Stripping and sanding will be needed.
livd in our log home for 12 years, put dek stain on the porches first didn’t last, now every year I sand the sun exposed areas , and peeling by the next season ! its great on the log walls but porches and decks are terrible all the work and expense, now I see its not just mine it peels off in strips!sanding to bare wood every year is a pain, get ready if you plan to use this product!!junk never again
15 years ago, stained new wood, south facing, uncovered deck with Sikkens Cetol Dek Natural Oak and topped with Cetol Dek Finish (I think…honestly, it’s been so long, I’m not 100% sure if we used both. I just have these cans and assume it was a two step process). Seven years later, sanded floor, steps and tops of hand rail and reapplied. Today, it’s understandable why our deck is heavily peeling. The wood itself still seems solid, just everything else is ugly eyesore.
My question is what are the necessary steps to “redo” the space so it looks its best with manageable future maintenance?
Thanks
You will have to sand this off to remove fully. After sanding, do a light cleaning and brightening of the wood. Stain with a stain like the TWP or Armstrong Clark.
Thank you for your prompt response.
Would pressure washing work along with a stripping agent? The idea of totally sanding is daunting.
No, you will not be able to effectively strip this.
Have a 3 yr old redwood deck stained with Sikkens srd cetol…just cleaned with hot H2, oxiclean and tsp, then closely power washed. Before reapplying same stain, should I use a brightener. Any other thoughts?
You should be good to stain.
Always wipe your deck thoroughly with acitone immediatly before applying the finish. You know you’re using enough when the wood looks damp for a few seconds. No smoking, gloves, if there’s no breeze use a fan, and get it by the gallon. I worked for the leading user of Sikkens products in the NY NJ CT area which means I probably applied more of their stuff than anyone in the country, we never had a problem with peeling.
Can I recoat my cedar which has nThe 23 oil based with new SRD water based
No. The old coating needs to be removed first.
I put Sikkens SRD on new cedar 3 years ago during a major house renovation. The sun exposed surfaces have deteriorated, the shades sided still look good. The SRD is no longer available in California. Can the new formula SRD RE be used on top of the old SRD? If not, any suggestions? Strip the SRD and put on SRD RE? Another product like TWP 1500? Thanks!
Strip and try the TWP 1500 or Armstrong Clark.
Thanks!
Applied in the evening and in the morning it is still tacky …
how long does it take to dry ?
Could be a few days.
This is pure junk. Do not waste your money and time using this product. Read comments below and this happened to my 1000 sq ft deck. Complained to manufacture and they said the product has to be applied every year. Run from this….save yourself time and money.
I agree with lorraine. Aftera whole day of extensive sanding all the teakwood down to its naturaL beauty, I applied this crap product on it . It does not enhance the beauty at all … It looks like you painted your teak with a shiny mustard PAINT. it LOOKS LIKE PAINT!! I am so effen pissed because noe i have to remove this sh/t and resand. As I researched this product on You tube, I noticed several videos on how to remove this stuff. That should have been my RED FLAGG, but I guess I was in denial, being conned by that ad with the guy with the mustache in front pof his boat. Yesm RUN FROM THIS. iT IS THE CLOSEST THING TO SH.T
I am not fond of this product and would not recommend it to anyone. I am faced with sanding down all the existing posts, lattice work on our deck and it is a daunting task. I much prefer the Olympic stains! Wish I would have used it instead’.
We have used Sikken products since 1983. Have always been happy with the products until last year. I washed my deck with recommended product, pressure washed, rented a sander and sanded until the old coating was gone. I applied the Sikkens Dek product recommended by the local dealer. I was totally shocked when it did not dry and it looks dull. Most of the summer we were not able to used the deck. It looks worse this summer as it is patchy and dull and hard to keep clean. Now what do I do????? Prep the deck and add another coat or just change products. We use the stain on our whole house and have no complaints but I am wondering if the product has been reformulated. Whatever I am definitely not happy with the results. The old product had a shine to it and lasted for years.
Is it true that if you use Sikens stain you can’t use anything else later.
Strip and pressure wash to remove and brigthen after if you want to swtich brands. It’s not that hard.
nope, its not magic….IF you use sikkens dek and NOT srd…..then that product IS hard to remove as it is more of a coating. SRD removes as any semi stain would. stripper and sanding takes ANYTHING off.
Can I mix Sikkens SRD redwood from last year with the new Sikkens Proluxe SRD matte redwood. I don’t see “matte” on the previous 5 gal can. Have about 4 gallons in the can I bought last fall.
Sorry but not sure. Best to contact Sikkesn with this question.
How moch do I have to charge per Sw/ft using Sikkens?
Can this be used on pressure treated doug for deck boards
Yes.
does anyone know of a good non toxic deck stain? my husband is very chemically sensitive.
Try Defy Extreme Stain:
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/defy-extreme-stain-review/
Can silkens be applied to a previously sealed deck?
If you strip and brighten for the prep it will work.
Significant mold penetration after 2 years. 4 initial coats per specs on well prepared virgin cedar on an outdoor pergola on maui (humid, direct tropical sun and often wet conditions). Initial treatment included mildewcide. Subsequent cleaning after 2 years revealed large scale mold penetration into the wood. No flaking, or deterioration. However, mold problem was massive, even after treatment with mold removal products. I will add another two coats and see if they hold up. Still, probably better than flaking and peeeling encountered with the usual poly finishes. I have a covered porch and the product has held up reasonably well there. Underwhelmed, but I haven't found anything better.
Applied Sikkens SRD water cleanup stain product 2 years ago to new pine plank siding on a new home and it looked great at first but now after just 2 years it looks faded and grey and dirty. I've been painting and staining for 40 years and have never seen a product break down so quickly as the Sikkens SRD. Don't waste your money on this trash. Around the same time I also sprayed an older home with Behr Solid Stain. It was also pine plank siding. After 2 years the Behr product looks like brand new and stuck like glue to the wood. It cost allot less. So disgusted with Sikkens. Sorry I paid so much for a supposedly premium product and wound up wasting not only allot of money but also allot of time and effort. Would not be surprised to see a class action law suit against this defective product.
I’ve used SRD for 8 yrs now, had 4 other products before, behr, penifin, superdeck and Sikkens DEK, by far the Dek looked best. had people stop and knock at my door asking about it. However after about 6 years it began to really peel and maintenance was impossible all with stripping sanding etc to prepare. I switched to sikkens srd, the SRD is by far the next best . It looks great after 2 years at which point I reapply. Where I am, full sun, cold winter,plenty rain NOTHING looks better after 2 years. …..Ask a Question or Post a Review
I've used it on my cedar fence and my gates 4 years ago and just applied a another coat on it a week ago I live on the Pacific ocean with direct sunlight on the gates all day.
Very happy the product has no translucent or clear sealer or stain ever last generally two or more years under these conditions.
First time user of Cetol SRD and will be my LAST. After less than 1 year, my expensive Cedar deck is peeling all over. 16 x 65 feet, over 100 Sq Ft all wasted and $500 poorer. Should have stayed with Sherman Williams. All Technical Support would do is Brag about their product and pretty much say I don't know what I am doing.
This stain did not hold up well, especially on south exposures. It was peeling after 6 months.
SOLID STAIN—-SUCH A RISK ON DECKS–EVEN IF YOU WATCH ALL MOISTURE LEVELS—-WATER DOES GO THROUGH THE STAIN AND INTO THE WOOD—THEN LOOK OUT! HYDROGEN AND OXYGEN TRIES GETTING OUT—NOTHING ELSE CAN HAPPEN BUT LIFTING STAIN—WHAT A MESS—SEMI-TRANSPARENT OIL STAIN—THE ONLY THING TO USE—UNLESS YOU ARE VERY ADVENTUROUS AND ARE IMMUNE TO FRUSTRATION AND LOSS OF TIME AND MONEY—I AM SURPRISED THESE COS. ARE STILL PUSHIN SOLID STAINS FOR DECKS–MUST BE PLAYIN THE PROBABILITY GAME FOR PROFITS
5 years on our 8' privacy fence in the backyard. Shows fading only on the west exposure. I really like this stain.
The one thing no one has mentioned is humidity, from what I was told by the contractor desk was to apply all your stains in low humidity. Also as everyone has mentioned dry surface and a light sanding, and last but not least watch your weather and have 3 to 4 days of nice sunny weather and a low humidity this is the trick. Apply only when the sunny day has low humidity. I live on the East Coast of Canada, and have had very poor results from the most expensive stain with a very good name. It was peeling after one season with some digging this was the only thing I did not watch for before doing the deck. I hopes this helps
i built a beautiful ceadr deck 2 years ago..prior to installing the decking it sat in my garage with spacers to ensure that the mositure content was low. I stained the bottoms first, installed and then coated the top. within 2 years its peeling and flaking. I have just rented a floor sander to sand the cedar and restain . it Will NOT be sikkens…..absolute junk
Never stain both sides of the deck floor. Never
TD, With Sikkens DEK……….you stain ( or coat all 6 sides of the boards). When Dek first came out you had to do a base coat on all 6 sides AND top coat on all 6 sides, now the product has no more “base” coat. Also with Dek you can’t use on a deck that’s to low to ground and or no air flow under it. I used this product for 15 years. In regards to paul ( above comments)..moisture content is important, but no mention of removeing mill glaze or any brightners after wood sat in garage….VERY important. Brand NEW wood is NOT ready for any products.
Purchased Sikkens Cetol SRD in Butternut from a local paint dealer. Bought second gallon from Home Depot. Colors are totally different. Sikkens personnel would not respond why two colors with the same name are clearly different and unmatchable. Very disappointed
I used 2 coats of sickens srd, on one side of the deck.( not right i know!) came out shinny and a little tacky. i applied 1 coat where the boards switch direction. is there anything i can do to match the flat finish of the 1 coat side to the side with 2 coats other than starting all over? help please Mike
No, you will have to remove to fix and make it even.
I live on the East Coast in Canada……lots of rain, fog, snow, etc. I am having a new pressure-treated deck built very soon and need some advice as to what to use for a stain……..a long-lasting stain…….I am a senior who will be doing the application and reapplication so do not want to be doing it every year……any suggestions?
See here about new decking: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/staining-a-new-deck/
I am a painting contractor of 35 years. Don't use sickens products they just don't last more than 2 years
nothing does…..Ask a Question or Post a Revie
After 3 years on new wood and applied by a professional, both covered and uncovered decks are w/o any color or waterproof protection. I would not use this product again and the people who installed it had no info as to whether it would last or not. It didn't so i am searching for another product. It even faded under the rugs on the porch which was covered.
Product is only expected to last 2-3 years and wear off rather than peel off, so stripping is unnecessary.
I agree with this post, if it’s worn a good cleaning and recoat and this normal. They ALL only last 2 years….at least on the decking, railing I go 3 years.
Ask a Question or Post a Review
Our home which is a cottage has vertical wood siding on the whole second floor, the garage door and the front door. I use to protect the wood with cetol 1 and 23 following your instructions on how to the product properly. After 20 years of using the cetol system, I got tired of the product peeling off and decided to use Sikkens SRD 005 instead. As recommended, I apply a new coat every year. Last year, I bought a new can which was suppose to be new and improved. However, I got terrible results. SRD is suppose to mat, but some areas dried gloss while some were mat. Also the color was a lot darker too. I stirred the product alot before use and during use and plus I`ve been using the product for the last five years with happy results. After the terrible result at the second floor sidings, I did not bother to do the garage and front doors. I took pictures and showed them to the dealer where I bought the product. They admit that something is wrong and they took my name and telephone and told me they would call Sico and have a rep contact me. It has been over 6 months now and I have not heard anything. In the mean time, I have ugly wood siding different color from my front and garage door and a defective 3/4 full can of SRD. If I don`t hear anything soon, I`m just sand the siding down and switch to different product manufacturer.
A very unhappy customer,
Henry Jeung
I'm getting ready to re-stain this year and am now confused as to what to use! Our Oil Base Semi-Transparent Sikkens was applied rather poorly (rolled on and wiped with a rag rather than brushed) to new deck by contractor fall 2012 to WR Cedar and DF, color of Stonehenge Gray to match the Cape Cod Grey composite decking used. Color actually good upon completion, looked pretty good for first year. Now has pealed/flaked, appears now that very little "stain" actually penetrated wood and there are many black patches all over, apparently mold. Color, were it still exists, is still good and true matching the decking. FYI, curious that spots where they stained ends of the cut comp decking, the stain apparently penetrated deep and is holding up very well! And of course there was NO moisture in the composite!
Although wood was not 'wet', it was not cured or kiln dry and I think contractor applied too soon and likely deck should have sun dried a year prior to staining for full penetration. I was worried after completion and called Sikkens … got a tech rep who told me that I was correct, contractor miss-applied and that our best 'corrective action' would be to wait a year or two and then re-sand and re-stain. So this is what I've been looking at this spring. Just curious about suggestions?
I have uses a number of Sikkens products from Dek to SRD to everything in between. It is a fantastic product, with very rich stain (077 – cedar) – the ONLY trouble I have ever encountered was 'operator error' – I applied it to a surface that had too much moisture in it. and again, there was an instance where I applied it to deck railings and it poured rain about four hours after so it did not have time to set up and hazed up. I waited for a few weeks, light sand and reapplied. No problem. This stuff is the best out there, but it really has to be applied properly. I haven't had any experience with the water based product, only the oil based – in fact, this morning I am buying another gallon of SRD to reapply fence boards – its been three years and its getting a little faded.
I thought srd was one coat and you had to remove to reapply ?
I agree with Peter!!!…….I’ve used MANY products , spent 100’s of hours stripping and sanding to try new products, done many decks….. SRD is not perfect, it’s just as good as it gets. :)Ask a Question or Post a Review
I live on the ocean in Sitka Alaska and have a red cedar deck. Flat surfaces have major peeling less than one year after application in the deck exposed to the weather but no problem with the covered deck. It was difficult to apply evenly. The stain was applied according to directions to very dry wood.
Within a couple of months the deck looked absolutely dreadful . We have had to have it resanded back to bare timber and done again using Intergrain with a vastly better result . It appears that a European product is not suited to Australian conditions . The Sikkens rep does not respond to phone calls .
I have been using the Sikkens oil based SRD, Semi-transparent (Cedar color from tint base) for a few years. Last application was in 2011. It's faded to the point that I need to put down another coat. I found out today that they no longer make the oil based, only the water based. I'm curious what you all may think about the idea of giving the deck a good pressure washing and then going over it with a coat of the water base.
Tom, we would not do this. If you want to use the Sikkens water based then you should strip off the old oil. Even if you switch brands to another oil based stain, you will need to remove the current Sikkens.
Agree with your review. Most of the stain gone after two years. Some spots where less sun have actually darkened and even other spots are glossy. A huge disappointment.
First time using sikkens ,we striped cleaned power washed and waited a few weeks for weather .The first coat didn't seem to cover very well and was blotchy. Waited 1 week and restained this was last week Sunday. It's been been exactly 1 week again and now it's sticky. And doesn't seem to be drying,how long should this take,I would like to replace my chairs and plants on deck but I don't want to leave marks,a better word for the coating it seems like rubber feels tacky even though I can walk on it with leaving marks
i painted my new cedar shed with sickens srd and the paint will not dry it's sticky. I am frantic what do I do?
Sikkens is a one coat system, says on front and back of label. If it is still tacky at 30days you may need to strip the surface.
8 years ago I applied Sikkins oil stain to my mahogany farmer's porch floor. I guess you can purchase pre-treated mahogany but I used un-treated. I followed the Sikkins directions, one coat only and wipe up any areas that puddled. I have had no peeling but over the years it has darkened and looks dull and I want to bring new life the the floor. I washed and then pressure washed the floor with a very powerful pressure washer. What should i recoat with. Do I need to use
Sikkins?
I would strip off the Sikkens and brighten the wood for the prep. Stain with Armstrong Clark in Mahogany or the Amber color.
Sikkens was the best product out there but the EPA forced changes that causes the stain to discolor and peal in a short time. My whole house finish was a semi gloss now the new product is flat and dull so I now have a multi finish house where the new has pealed and discolored the old is still on there from 1989 in places that were not gone over and it still has the semi gloss finish and is the same cedar color it was in 1989 when it was first done. I have a log home and it just ruined the look of my home.
Is this suitable for cedar deck and, if applied again in 2 years over the original application, would it peal.
it may peel.
My carpenter recommended Sikkens to me after I had some porch repair work. I have used Sikkens for ten years and counting. Put a new coat on my porch, steps and deck each year or every second year. Product works great, easy application, and never had a problem with appearance. I recommend it.
I don't know if your wood has faded evenly but mine has not due to uneven UV exposure. I don't know whether to lightly re-stain the areas that are faded more or what because some areas are barely faded and are very close to the color at the original time of application.. I called sikkens for a clear product I could custom mix with it to dilute the pigment but they say there isn't one. I'm worried if I restain the whole thing it will be blotchy and require stripping. This is new timber and a very decorative part of my home's entrance. The first coast was a year ago..
Why would you produce a product that after one year it turns grey with the only alternative is to sand sikkens off and find another product.