This post was updated on May 1, 2024
Water Based vs. Oil Based Deck Stains
We welcome you to Deckstainhelp.com, where people come to share their knowledge and insights about deck staining in 2024. Please see below for some information that sets the record straight when comparing water-based stains with oil-based stains. As always, comments are encouraged below.
A long-debated topic is that of water-based vs. oil-based deck stains. Which one is better to use and will provide the best protection for a wood deck? Actually, there are advantages to both water and oil-based deck stains even though they do have some major differences. Both types of stains can provide a beautiful long-lasting finish on all types of wood. Both water-based and oil-based deck stains help reduce water intrusion and UV damage to increase the longevity of the wood.
Oil-based deck stains have been around the longest. Oil deck stains can preserve and enhance the wood’s natural color. They help to inhibit mold and mildew growth, which can lead to wood decay. Oil-based deck stains naturally shed water to help prevent warping, cracking, and splitting. Most oil stains are low VOC formulas that are compliant in most states.
In general, oil-based deck stains are easy to maintain meaning once the stain begins to fail after several years it will simply fade and wear off. This makes it easy to do a light wash and a recoat so the wood is protected once again. After several years of maintenance coats, it may be best to strip the stain completely off to get back down to bare wood again. Stripping an oil-based deck stain is easily accomplished using a deck stripping product.
Water-based deck stains are extremely environmentally friendly and clean up easily with soap and water. They too do a superb job of locking out unwanted moisture and harsh UV rays to preserve all types of wood surfaces. Even though they have not been around for as long as oil stains, new technology has taken water-based stains to a new level making them a great choice for long-lasting deck protection. With additives like zinc, water-based deck stains naturally resist fungal growth and wood rot. They are easy to work with for do-it-yourselfers looking for a professional finish that is going to last for several years.
Top Water-Based Stain Ratings
1. Restore-A-Deck Wood Stain
2. Defy Extreme Stain
3. Defy Hardwood/Cedar Stain
Top Oil-Based Stain Ratings
1. TWP 100 Series
2. Armstrong Clark Wood Stain
3. TWP 1500 Series
The Different Types of Deck Stains Video – DeckStainHelp.com
If it were you Scott Paul and you had a one year old pressure treated deck which is in the shade all of the time except for the steps and near a lake, would you choose oil or water based stain/sealant and which brand would you choose.
Either base is good as long as they are fully penetrating. Look at these top options:
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/best-semi-transparent-deck-stain-reviews/
Do you have mold or mildew issues being in the shade?
Yes there is mold & mildew issues here so which brand would you use.
Try the Restore A Deck Stain. There is less chance of mold or mildew.
Hi again,
I have questions about our balcony and front steps as well!
The balcony I can’t tell if its ever been treated with stain? (Pictures below) It looks like it is just cedar toned wood bought that way. We built our front steps with cedar toned wood which is why I think that. But I wanted to ask the professionals!
Is the balcony in need of a strip or does it look like cedar toned wood and can we go ahead and stain and seal it? Should we clean it first with a cleaner or if it’s never been stained before is power washing good enough?
Thanks again!
Hi, my husband and I have 3 separate wood outdoor surfaces we need to stain/seal. A large back deck, small balcony, and some front steps.
These pictures are of the back deck.
The deck is old with cracks and weathering but still in good condition. Before pressure washing it didn’t seem to have a stain on 85% on it, just greying all over. So we pressure washed the whole thing and it looks new again. But 15% had what the pictures show below and the pressure washing didn’t get it all off. Is it an old stain that I need to strip? Does it need to come off or can i stain right over it?
What do I use after stripper if I need it? A brightener on the whole deck or just those areas?
And if I do need to strip whatever this is, do I need to do the same to the whole deck?
For prep, you need to strip and brighen all. It looks like an easy strip based on the pics. Use the Restore A Deck Stripper and Brighener kits prior to applying the stain.
Strip and brighten for the front balcony as well? I sent separate pictures above this post, because I think it might just be cedar toned treated pine? Your thoughts?
Yes, it is stained.
We had Arborcoat natural put on our cedar siding in fall 2019 here in mountainous B.C. Canada, which receives full sun and some rain/snow exposure. It started looking poor after the first summer and looks terrible now. Would oil-based be better than water-based for this setup? Do we need to sand off the Arborcoat before putting a new product on? Would you recommend TWP 200 or Armstrong wood stain or something else? We would ideally still get this transparent look to see the beautiful western red cedar but have a product that continues looking good for years to come with least amount of maintenance possible. Thank you for all you do.
You will need to remove this fully first. Sand or strip. The TWP 200 Series would work great here. AC stains as well.
Thanks Scott. Looking at TWP stain stripper to get the Arborcoat off. Would you suggest 1 coat or 2 coats of TWP 200? And how many years to re-apply? Any idea on which TWP 200 colour would be the most natural looking for cedar — perhaps TWP201 Cedartone or TWP205 California Cedar?
The lightest tinted color is the 203 Cedar Gold then the 205. Redo the siding every 4-6 years.
I just washed my deck with dawn dish soap with a broom and a bucket of water. rinsed well with the hose. I’ve had a lot of squirrels this winter pooping an peeing on my deck. Half of the deck is covered but the uncovered part is taking a beating for the sun. 2 years ago a company came out and power washed the deck with water only and let it dry for a day the came back a put one coat of Pinafin (spelling?) on it. I hated it. No water beaded up except for the covered part. they said there was no need for 2 coats. My deck looks in terrible shape this year. I live in the Denver metro area and limited guy’s that work on decks. Theses last guys wanted Thousands to sand and restain the deck. I had it sanded a year prior. What can I do now to save my deck? My husbands in his 80’s and I’m not worth much any more….
Post some pics for prep and stain advice.
I am refurbishing a barn like building on my property and have a question about interior stain for re-sawn lumber. I am using the re-sawn lumber to trim out windows, for base board and for shelving. I am ok with a rustic look. Some of the lumber is western cedar re-sawn planks which I already have and some will be simple 1×4 re-sawn furring strips (I assume cedar or pine?) from either a lumber yard or box store. Any stain suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Use a penetrating semi-transparent stain. Restore A Deck or Armstrong Clark would work very well.
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/best-semi-transparent-deck-stain-reviews/
I am looking to stain a new pressure treated pine covered porch in Georgia. I am interested in semi transparent and minimal maintenance. Everyone I talk to recommends oil based but since it is covered, is UV protection still an issue? Also, does staining the underside of the deck offfer greater protection? Finally, what about the outside vertical areas? Should I use a more durable stain for that? Does it make sense to use a water based stain on the floor inside the porch and an oil base for the outside and vertical areas?
Thanks for any advice you can give.
See here about new wood: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/how-long-should-you-wait-to-stain-a-new-deck/
You do not have to stain the undersides and stick with the same stain for verticals or horizontals if it is water-based or oil-based.
Thank you so much for your quick reply. The painter I am thinking of using to stain the new porch said they use TPW 200. Is that recommended for a screened in porch. What is the difference between that and TPW 100 that you recommend? (I don’t see the 200 series mentioned on your website.
Thanks again!!!
TWP 200 is designed for vertical shakes and shingles. While it can be used on decks, we would be careful of using it on a covered porch. It has a very long drying time and even more when covered. It could take weeks. Once fully dried and cured, it is an excellent stain.
TWP 100 is designed for decks and porches.
Scott, I am Edie Kello, director of marketing for Viance, LLC. We make the preservatives that go into pressure treated wood, selling to wood treaterts. Our website is treatedwood.com. We have many downstream customers: lumberyards, contractors, architects, code officials, DIYers, that ask us this question in your article, Water-based vs. oil-based deck stains. I would love to have you as a guest author in our news section on our treatedwood.com website. I would post your article acknowledging you as author with a link to your website for more information. This way we direct customers to the authority on this subject matter. I have read many posts on this subject and believe you have the most thorough and credible information. Please check out our site. We have over 10,000 users on our website each month. This education is important and we want to direct them to your website. Thank you.
Hi Edie,
Sure you can use my article. Let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks!
I have some redwood stairs and railing that I initially treated with Superdeck semitransparent stain. Now I would like to switch to a water-based product. Is there an alternative to sending it down to bare wood first? My apologies, I am sure this question is frequently asked.
You have to remove the current stain when switching brands of stain. Post some pics in the comments if you want prep advice on how to best do this.
Here are pics showing post-scrubbing with a wood cleaner product.
Use the RAD stripper: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/restore-a-deck-injectable-deck-stain-stripper-review/
with both additives: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/restore-a-deck-stain-stripper-booster-thickening-gel-review/
Pressure wash off using the stripper and then brighen after.
Thank you!
Hi, I’m in the Chicagoland area. We have a pressure treated pine deck, and then an addition covered in cedar car siding. What would you recommend? Thanks a ton!
Your first issue is that your previous stain needs to be removed first for the siding and deck. We would need more info about the current stain and close-up pictures of each. Once prep is done, try the TWP 1500 Series or Armstrong Clark Stains.
Installed new fence. I’m assuming it’s pressure treated pine. I live on the North Carolina coast, 1/2 mile from the ocean. Which should I use Oil or water based?
Try the Restore A Deck Stain in a semi-transparent color.
What is the best stain for coastal Mississippi?
Try Restore A Deck Stains: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/restore-a-deck-wood-stain-review/
or TWP 100 Series: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/twp-100-pro-series-wood-and-deck-stain-review/
I recently wrapped my front porch posts with KDAT pine wood. I would like to know which type of stain would be best for this project, water base or oil base. I’m looking to stain the posts a dark walnut and I do live in Illinois so we go thru all four seasons.
Try Restore A Deck Stain in Dark Walnut or TWP 1500 Series in Dark Oak.
Thoughts on Ready Seal? That is the brand pushed by a company in the area. Looking to do the work myself. Power washed already, mixed reviews out there on stain. Want the best stain to look and last the longest!
We do not like it at all. Does not last and rubs off: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/ready-seal-wood-and-deck-stain-review/
Try one of these brands:
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/best-semi-transparent-deck-stain-reviews/
My property has a cedar privacy fence and appears to be stained with a semi-transparent stain. Have no idea how old it is, but the stain is starting to fade. When I had to have some large trees removed, they dropped a large limb that bounced and took out two panels of the fencing. They did replace with two new cedar panels, but now I have to stain it. I most likely will have to stain the entire fence. Problem is, I have no idea what type of stain/sealer was used by previous owner. How can I tell if it was oil or water based stain so I know what to use? Any quick and easy solutions? Thank you.
Post some pictures. No matter what, you will have to remove it when applying a new coating.
i used what I thought was a top rated Behr semi-transparent weather proofing stain on my pine treated deck and it started pealing after a few years. While Behr replaced that product, I had to strip and sand which was a pain. While I’m planning to use Behr premium waterproof stain and sealer to recoat this deck, I’m concerned if this paint is my best choose as it has been sitting in my basement for 2 years. My son is planning to stain his treated pine fence and I question if a water base stain would be his best bet as I would hate to have him have to sand the fence when he needs to restain his the fence 5 to 10 years down the road. Your advise would be appreciated
Behr makes terrible deck stains. Do not use it unless you want to have it peel again. https://www.deckstainhelp.com/behr-deck-stain-review/
I have a new pressure treated deck that was built 2 years ago, the wood has never been painted or stained. I bought Cabots wood sealer to apply and I was told that I should mix 1 gallon of the cabots with a gallon of paint thinner and apply 2 thincoats 2-4 hors apart and then in 24 hours apply an undiluted coat of the cabots. Does anyone have any experience with mixing these 2 products and does it make the finish last longer?
Thanks!
It will not work to mix. Just clean and brighten the wood and then stain with a better brand than Cabot: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/the-5-best-deck-stain-reviews-and-ratings/
What do you consider better? I really only want to protect the wood, it is a pool deck and it is in full sun all day. Thank you for responding!
In the link we sent.
We have multiple cedar & pine decks. Live in VT. . harsh winter and strong sun. Do not know if wood is pressure treated. Have stained several times but all water based stains peel after 1 year. Never last more than 1 year. What are we doing wrong? Would we get a better result using oil based in this climate. We are at our wits end. Please advise.
You would have to remove all down to the bare wood to fix this. The use a penetrating stain: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/the-5-best-deck-stain-reviews-and-ratings/
Good info, but what are the disadvantages to each? Just bought a house that has a 1 year old pine deck that has never been stained. North Georgia, so very rainy winters, and surrounded by pine trees. Wondering which type would be best, oil or water based. Looking for a semi-transparent. I’ve had deck stains in the base that peeled one year later and want to avoid that here. Thanks
The disadvantages would be more based on the brand than the stain type. For example, the Restore-A-Deck Semi-Transparent stain is one of the best water-based semi-transparent stains as it fully soaks into the wood but the Behr Semi-Transparent Water-Based is horrible as it dries on top of the wood leading to issues with peeling and application.
See this for our top semi-transparent stains: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/the-5-best-deck-stain-reviews-and-ratings/
we live on rainy west coast…there is a new product that is oil based , claims organic, (claims to have no V.o.c.’s) but dries fast and cleans up with water, so is water soluble… Contains linseed and Tung oils and beeswax. .. I wonder how it will hold up on a new cedar deck? and if another traditional oil based product could be applied on top of it, once applied.?
No, you cannot topcoat a stain with a different product, it will peel. As to if any good, no idea as to we do not know what brand you are referring to. See this for new wood tips: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/staining-a-new-deck/
We live in N.California in the SF Bay Area… We just replaced our 32 year old 800 sq foot redwood deck with a new one.
I used Penofin redwood tinted oil deck stain on that original deck and it looked and stayed beautiful for a few years before a recoat…
Our deck faces South and gets fried in the summer sun…We can no longer get the “good” stuff because of EPA regulations in this area…
What would be a good oil based product we could use on our new redwood deck?
Lou R.
Hello, we answered your question below and pointed you to our new wood article that suggest prep and stain brands to use.
We live in N.California in the SF Bay area…We just replaced our 32 year old 8oo square foot redwood deck with a new one. I used Penofin red tinted oil deck stain on that original deck and it looked and stayed beautiful for a few years before a recoat…
Our deck faces south and gets fried in the summer sun…
We can no longer get the “good” stuff because of EPA regulations in this area…
What would be a good oil based product we could use on our new deck?
See this about new wood: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/staining-a-new-deck/
I just picked up valspar one coat exterior stain and sealer Cardova brown. I am repainting a 980sq ft deck in Western North Carolina that was already done in a solid stain. It said a 10 years on decks and 25 years on fences and siding. I Already pressure wash the deck how long can I expect the stain to really last.
Should I also use this stain on the siding lattice and concrete We just purchased this house a few months ago and any help would be greatly appreciated
That stain will last about 1-2 years before it starts to peel on the floors.
I use oil based stain and have to re apply every 6 months
You are using the wrong stain brand then.
Read your review of both stain types/ Which one is better or do they perform identically? What do pros recommend in general and what for cold climates like Maine?
Any of the above stains will work well. In colder weather states, the oil-based would be less prone to peeling.
If one power washes the deck, can one use oil stain over an old solid water-based stain?
It would have to be a solid stain and no way of knowing if it will adhere to the old stain for certain.
can a oil deck stain be considered water clean up and still be an oil product? Specifically PPG Timeless penetrating oil deck stain.
No. It is water based. You can take an oil molecule and encapsulate it in a waterborne formula but it is still considered water based.
What is the VOC level in TWP?
Which Series?
what is the VOC level in TWP series 100?
TWP 100 is 550 VOC.
What is better ail or water to protect agains winter and snow in Canada
Either is fine as long as the stain is a fully penetrating stain: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/the-5-best-deck-stain-reviews-and-ratings/
I have a cider deck that is approx 1 year old. Last year we stained it with a Behr oil based product, but it has completely worn off at this point. What would be your recommendation?
Strip and brighten the wood for the prep. Stain with TWP stains.
I have a 17 year old redwood deck. I used Sikkens Cetol SRD previously for four two-year applications. I have not re-stained in 5 years so have sanded to raw wood again. If I use a water-based stain, would clear semi-transparent stain bring out the natural color of the red wood?
I shovel snow off the deck in the winter. Will it scrape off the finish? I thought using a solid stain would not hold up in Wyoming winters?
What is your recommendation for brand of stain to use?
“Clear” has no tint and little to no UV protection. Use a semi-transparent stain again. Water-based semi-transparent stains will work. Try Defy Etreme.
Shovels can scar and or scrape any surface.
If some of the wood looks too dry, then do I need to consider an oil base stain or will water base stain give just as much protection for this older deck?
Water or oil-based will work. look at one of these: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/the-5-best-deck-stain-reviews-and-ratings/
What type of stain would you recommend for a one year old pressure treated green deck? It has faded to a natural looking colour that I really like, So looking to keep the nature wood look… oil or water based?
Hi Dana, you cannot retain the natural wood color without stain in your wood and that will change or enhance the grain. You will also need to prep the wood prior to applying anything and that will restore the wood color and remove the faded look.
So tint of colour to the stain then? Also would you recommend oil or water based? This is a cottage deck…last time I used water based stain (with colour) on my home deck it started peeling a few months later, first time I’d ever had this problem. So want to avoid any peeling if possible.
Look at a penetrating oil for this deck like the TWP stains.
Thanks for your help. Informative site.
This is not a deck stain question but a cedar siding question. I have a 25 year old house with what looks like to me a tinted blueish grey semi translucent stain on it. I figure oil based since it could be 25 years old. Wanting to use an oil product that is tintable in a light grey color as I don’t like the chipping effect of paint or water based stains. A semi solid would probably be better as we will be replacing some of the cracked boards and need them to match old boards. We are in Canada. Any suggestions on the best tintable oil products.
Thanks.
There are no tintable oil-based stains that are semi-solid or semi-transparent anymore.
Benjamin Moore offers oil based semi solid (Arborcoat).
Correction to my previous question :
**Is my deck properly sealed**
I used a PPG oil based stain (uv, water and mildew protection) on my Doug fir deck a couple months ago. The wood had at least a month drying before I applied stain. I followed the directions, applying one thin coat. The deck looks nice but water doesn’t bead-up, just forming a sheen on the wood. Is my deck probably sealed?
It is most likely fine for now but will need a recoat next year.
There are advantages and disadvantages to both depending on many factors. This article seems to imply they’re both great without indicating circumstances where one is more advantageous over other. Fresh pine deck, oil or water? Why?
See this for pro/cons for deck stains: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/deck-stains/
We applied Preserva Wood oil based to an very old untreated deck, and it turned the wood black! Why,and what can I do to fix this?
Most likley due to the prep being incorrect or the wood is internally dark for some reason. To fix you would have to strip it all off and start over.
Cedar deck
3 years old
First application : THompsons(?) semi-transparent, water base
Next year application: Olympic Maximum, semi-transparent, oil
? Can I use the Olympic again as maintenance over existing stain, or do I need to strip entire deck.?
Strip and start over.