The Worst Deck Stains in 2026?
We here at DeckStainHelp.com are proud to be the internet’s number one reference for all things wood deck restoration-related. If you have had a negative experience with deck stains, you have come to the right place to warn people. We are always looking for ways to engage with our readers, so we appreciate your input and questions by leaving a comment below.
- DeckStainHelp.com is the top independent resource for wood deck restoration, collecting real consumer feedback on deck stain failures.
- The site actively gathers negative experiences with specific deck stain brands to help homeowners avoid costly mistakes.
- Readers should identify the brand and type of deck stain used, such as solid, semi-transparent, transparent, or semi-solid.
- Sharing the location and application date helps others understand how climate and conditions affect deck stain performance.
- Documenting how the stain failed, whether peeling, turning black, or growing mold, provides the most useful data for other homeowners.
- This community-driven article complements the popular "What is the Best Deck Stain" article, giving a full honest picture of what works and what does not.
Deck Stain Failures
Have you had a bad experience with a decking stain?
Our most popular article, “What is the Best Deck Stain” has become the #1 article for consumers on the Internet for deck stain questions and answers. We have decided to create an article based on negative consumer feedback and experiences with decking stains.
We are looking for bad experiences with a particular brand of decking stain.
Please include:
1. Brand of Deck Stain
2. Type of Deck Stain (i.e. Solid, Semi-Transparent, Transparent, Semi-Solid)
3. Location and date applied
4. How long did it take for the stain to fail and how did it fail? (Peeling, Turned Black, Mold, Etc)
5. A brief description of your overall negative experience.
Note: This is mostly for fun and to allow you to vent your frustration!
Going to stain my redwood decks. They are about 3 years old. Am using Penoflin Ultra Premium transparent oil. Planning to power wash then apply. Do you recommend sanding vs. power washing? I know the power wash needs to be set gentle enough to not damage the wood
Use a deck cleaner while pressure washing and then a wood brightener after. Do you want your deck stain to turn black over time because Penofin has known issues with doing this?
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/penofin-ultra-red-label-stain-review/
I am installing a brand new pressure treated pine wood deck in the northeast. The deck will be on the north (most shaded) part of the house. Am I better off with a water based or oil based semi transparent stain? Mold and mildew protection I believe is important? Please advise, thanks.
See here about new wood and the best options:
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/how-long-should-you-wait-to-stain-a-new-deck/
Redoing our wall cabin with behr from Home Depot heard it’s a good stain and cost is great what u think thanks
Sorry but no, Behr makes very poor wood stains. You will have many issues with peeling and mildew.
Behr failed in a matter of months for us; we followed the application instructions on the can to a T. We live on the Canadian prairies.
Have a log home from Appalachian log structures I have used Permachink ultra 7 and I am currently stripping it off and looking to change it is so expensive what would you recommend to use that might be better? Thank you sir.
I heard behr oil was really good for log homes. That’s what I’m going with very very reasonable price and the colors are amazing.
Sorry but no, Behr makes very poor wood stains. You will have many issues with peeling and mildew.
I recently put Behr penetrating oil transparent on a small front porch and joists under an awning. I did clean some mildew off with white vinegar and dawn. Just hand scrubbed and came off mostly. I like the color ( clear but slightly yellow) but concerned about mold. How would I clean it strip the joists if that becomes an issue ? Thanks
We would not worry about it unless it becomes an issue. If it happens, then post some pictures for advice.
Is Perma-Chink Lifeline Ultra 7 worth the price to stain and protect white pine in a screened in porch?
No, much better brands our there.
Which brands are better?
Any of these brands would be better: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/the-5-best-deck-stain-reviews-and-ratings/
Which stain is better a valspar stain or a sickkens prolux
Neither are any good. Both have issues with penetrating and peeling.
We bought woodsman deck stain at our local true value and had a color mix. Deck was prepared properly..The stain started peeling after 3 months !!!!!! its isnt even a year and this is what it looks like! horrible deck stain
Can you use a waterbase stain over a oil base stain to seal and get rid of mold build up?
No.
What do you like as a reliable stain/sealant for a new Cedar fence in California’s Central Valley – very hot summers and mild mostly dry winters?
TWP 1500 Series or Armstrong Clark stains.
Thank you!
Is steina any good?
Never heard of it.
It used to be called ready seal
Ready Seal is still around and did not change its name. We are not fans of Ready Seal: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/ready-seal-wood-and-deck-stain-reviews/
Ok last one, what about penofin? Thanks for your help.
Turns black on decks. Lots of issues.
If you are asking about Passeport Élite’s STEINA penetrating oil
I have been using it for last 3 years. I was using Home Depot products and so many peeling and rot and stuff, I had to re-do the wood. Again with Home Depot planks/boards (budget)
Pré-pandemic, price for 2.79L Steina was $69 CDN, Now 2023 it is $92 CDN. tyoo expensive for me but works goods, I was doing 2 applications (spring and late fall) the first 3 season (North East Montreal Canada area). Good results, Works good, Easy Application, Looks good. Does does not last more then a season. Still I prefer it to having to take everything off (onetime I even rented a floor sanding machine) Simply re-apply. Sadly, now price are way over my budget
We were going to use SWP Dock & Deck on our deck but there’s a shortage right now and our painter wants to use UGL. Does anyone know how good of a product it is?
We would not use either brands.
Some of these photos absolutely show that some people were simply putting new stain over top of another older product , without proper prep that caused total failure of your chosen coating. If your not going to spend the proper amount of time prepping the wood , it will not matter what brand you use because it WILL FAIL WITHOUT PROPER PREPPING OF THE WOOD. Everyone always is quick to promise and swear how good of a job that they did prepping and the truth is 90% are simply lying . They did not do the prep properly they got anxious and in a hurry , not wanting to spend all of the time that is required.
Certainly some stains are junk IE Thompson & Olympic to name a few. In my experience , some of the lesser known smaller manufacturing companies are making great products. I personally used the Behr deckover product. (The stuff that resembles truck bed liner) . Its been on 4 years with ZERO ZERO ZERO PROBLEMS.
The stain product called “storm protector ” is also a good one. Its easy to blame the product insted of taking the blame for your own doing. OWN WHAT YOU DO.
is beat-tone oil based deck stain any good
Never used it.
That is supposed to read Beauty-Tone (Darn that auto correct). It is a stain put out by Home Hardware and is supposed to be oil based. I have my doubts, as there is a restriction here in Canada with certain VOC levels; this one is 250g/L. I am tired of paying good money only to have stain last one year. I hope this is not the case, but I am skeptical.
Lol BeautiTone
You can still have oil based paints/stains in Canada if they are a specialty paint. Wood Shield Best Oil Deck and Siding stain is considered a specialty coating so it is allowed to have an oil base. It uses tung/linseed oil.
There are plenty of oil based stains allowed in Canada, they just have to be 250 VOC compliant. Examples: TWP 200 Series. TWP Semi-Solid Low VOC, Armstrong Clark Stain, Ready Seal.
I have had very good luck with Beauti-Tone Woodshield Best, even when applied over a faded previous stain (of maybe the same product, from maybe 10+ years ago), on an exterior of a cedar Pana-Abode garage.
I’ve had extremely good results on a cedar deck chair that I had sanded down and then stained.
In both cases, read the directions, w.r.t. the prep, re-stain and cure times. Deck prep is the absolute worst, as you need to be concerned with dirt, mould,, etc…..
And as you’ve probably seen/heard, condition and prep needed are huge factors.
As a note, though…. When I was at my local Home Hardware, they did recommend as their best product for a new outdoor cedar planter that I had made, some American stain, which cost around 80 (CAD) for a 4l. I couldn’t bring myself to pay more for the stain/sealant than the wood cost… I settled for a clear Woodshield Best, as the sealant–still not cheap, but it does look good and it survived its first rainstorm well.
Andrew
I am looking for a weather protector from my new cedar boxes, located in Ontario Canada. The boxes have no soil in them, nor come in contact with the ground. They essentially hold stones. I have had good experience with Sikkens when the wood is vertical which these boxes are. I just want to protect the boxes for the summer elements (boxes will not be exposed to snow / cold weather). Should I just use a Thompson’s Water Seal?
Thompsons is useless. You need a pigmented stain.
Is there a specific brand you would recommend? Lee valley has water based pigment stains. I have not experience with these types of stains. Thanks.
TWP 200 Series or Armstrong Clark.
Do you have reviews for Beauti Tone Wood Shield Best Oil Deck and Siding stain
We do not.
I have used it and find it very good, last 2 to 3 years and does not chip
Brand of Deck Stain- Easycare woodsman
2. Type of Deck Stain (i.e. Solid, Semi-Transparent, Transparent, Semi-Solid)-suppose to be oil formula semi transparent
3. Location and date applied-October 2020
4. How long did it take for the stain to fail and how did it fail? (Peeling, Turned Black, Mold, Etc)-4 months,peeling bad
5. A brief description of your overall negative experience. our deck had never been treated with anything and it was only 3 years old….We pressure washed the whole thing and let dry…..applied the paint….busted our butts working on this as its a big deck….it started peeling after only a few months and looks horrible….i would not reccomend this stain to anyone!
Can you provide a review on Rymar Premium Cedar Stone Stain for a deck?
We have not personally reviewed it. Mixed comments on this site from consumers.
Hi, I have a 3 year old deck out of pressure treated brown. Is Behr transparent stain/sealer good? How about Saman exterior or Olympic? I would prefer an acrylic, transparent. Thanks!
Behr is one of the worst stains: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/behr-deck-stain-review/
Olympic is not much better: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/olympic-elite-wood-stain-review/
For a quality acrylic semi-transparent stain, try Defy Extreme or Restore A Deck Stains.
Thanks for the advice. I cant see where to buy Defy or Restore A Deck in Canada (Quebec) aside from online. Any suggestions?
Have you ever tried Saman deck stain?
No decent stains we know of are sold locally in Canada. Never heard of Saman. If you mean Sansin, then w have people complain of it peeling.
Beauti Tone vs Behr semi transparent stain for green pressurized deck
Neither. Both are poor stains. Try TWP 200 Series or Armstrong Clark for Canada.
I’m going to be building a new fence with rough surface Eastern White Cedar. I’m in New Brunswick, Canada, where there is a lot of humidity and temperature range. I want a semi-transparent stain that will give the cedar a light brown colour. I can’t afford the shipping costs to get the TWP or other American products here and can’t cross the border to get it, or I would!! I believe you can stain rough cedar right away and I plan to stain all four sides before installing. I have read so many reviews and I can’t figure out the best product to use in my case. Any suggestions for products sold in Canada?
Sorry but no quality products that we know of are sold in Canada. We do not live there and it seems most of them are poor big box brands.
Try Superdeck or Messmer’s stain. They offer a wide range of colours and quality product. To achieve optimal performance with them, a clear top coat would be ideal to offer the most resistance to humidity. Both brands have and have had latex options, but i’d recommend the oil based products.
Have you any rating on California storm oil stain. Just used it on a pressure treated side deck.i haven’t found any reviews regarding this product.
We have not tested it.
As a contractor and previous paint store owner,
I Have been using storm stain and California paint products for over 30 years. Their product lines
Are some of the best. Highly engineered !!
What is this rated? Why does most of my deck bead the water but some of it doesn’t?
It is not a very good stain: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/pittsburgh-paramount-exterior-wood-stain-review/
Thank you so much . So what would be your best advice so next time I have to seal it ? The wood is cedar tone wood from menards.
What would you recommend to use next time then? The wood is cedar tone from menards. Pressure treated cedar tone.
Strip it off and use one of thee products.
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/the-5-best-deck-stain-reviews-and-ratings/
Ever used a wood preservative instead of a stain? Example ArmorAll mocha brown which contains zinc naphthenate and is primarily used to seal end cuts. How do you think this would hold up in Canada?
it will not provide proper UV protection or water repellency. They even state yo not use it as a finish coat.
HOW IS Beauti-tone best solid stain rated? Most of the products rated here are not available in Canada?
Sorry, but we have never used it or even heard about it from other posters on this site.
Sorry,I should have included the name Weather-Sheild Best as well as Beauti-tone. It is widely sold in Canada by Home Hardware. It comes in acrylic and oil based. I cannot get the other top brands recommended by this site, even online.
I have used the weather shield before and have had pretty good results I live in Osoyoos and its very hot here in the summer and it handles the heat and sun well we do not get a lot of rain and it’s not very humid here so don’t know how it handles that Also I should mention the I’m a professional painter So I have a good knowledge of paints and stains. One thing I always say is if you are buying top of the line products you usually get a very good product.
I am a professional painter and have used Weather-Sheild Best in 100% acrylic sold at Home Hardware stores in Canada. Used semi-gloss on a covered deck with great results and also used it on exposed wooden steps that look great 7 months later after a very wet fall and winter plus shoveling snow off them. Must apply 2 thin coats and follow re-coat and drying times instructions. Haven’t used any oil based, because
The PPG Ultra Advanced stain and sealant is the absolute best for fences. I used the Honey Gold on my fence 2 years ago and it looks as good now as the day it was finished. This product was purchased in the USA, cannot find it in Ontario. Too bad.
Question, canadian resident here purchased stain locally, can says its oil based on front however having doubts as the surface scratches easily as if there is a film on surface. Can anyone confirm whether oil based easily scratches from moving deck furniture?
Depends on the brand and type of stain you used?
Unexpected rain came two hours after alllication of Pittsburgh stain and sealant. What will happen?
Hard to say until the rain stops and it dries off the wood. Look at it then and assess if any damage.
Is it ok to use outside stain on a bar top? . If so can you seal it with poly ?
You can use stain for an outside wood bad but you cannot top coat it with a poly.
I am having a problem with Cabot Gold, the red finish. It’s been almost a week, and it’s still sticky. On top of that, it seems like there are permanent water marks in it from the rain a couple days ago. How do I fix this? Already spent over $150 on the stain, not including everything else like sand paper, drop cloths, ect… This DIY project has become very expensive.
The only way to fix this is to sand it off and start over. Sorry.
I have a pine-clad bunkie in the Kawarthas that was constructed last November. It was too cold then and too wet and cool this past Spring to stain it. Hopefully a more pleasant (and bugless Fall) will provide an opportunity to do the job. The contractor suggests using Benjamin-Moore Arbor Coat stain but, like so many VOC restricted products here in Canada, you give it a very poor satisfaction rating. I want to avoid the hassles of importing products from the States so is there any superior, Canadian sourced, semi-transparent stain that deserves a high recommendation?
Not that we know of, sorry.
I have used B M Arbour Coat on my house exterior, 8 years ago and it is still as fantastic as the day I painted it! I live on the west coast of BC, high up, cold and windy. A painter friend told me to spend the extra and I wouldn’t regret it… he was right. I put one good coat on to aged (30 plus) cedar that had been stained once upon a time with no more prep than a good swipe of a wire brush and a soft brush before hand. The cream Arbour coat trim on spruce is wearing a little where the water pools on the sills. I love it and have painted houses for others. I would always recommend this Arbour coat which is why I am bothering to write this! Came here looking for reviews on CIL Distinction!
Try Sansin
Is this site run by the makers of Defy and Restore-A-Deck products, two that I have never heard of? Yet three major manufacture’s products are listed at the worst? Humm.
Nope, read the very first article on the home page (with the additional links) and it explains in full detail where our experience comes from and who we are.
They are for sure getting paid to sponsor those stains.
Obviously you didn’t bother reading the articles.
Everyone on Reddit is saying that is website is extremely biased and sponsored by the makers of Defy. I totally believe it.
Really?! Did you bother reading about who we are as explained in the comments above? This site is not run by Defy or any of the manufacturers and the very first article on the home page explains this and who runs it. The Reddit article is inaccurate. We have always been upfront about this. and BTW, if you do not like our free help and advice, go somewhere else. It does not bother us at all.
I would avoid getting defensive with comments since your About Us page lists you as an owner of eCommerce sites where you can purchase these brands and you admit to being biased based on your experience over time. RAD, Defy and TWP are all available online from the same website e-commerce structure which is yours. You may not be sponsored by the brands, but admittedly you make money off of them – which is a little bit of a conflict of interest only if they are duds. Which as far as I can tell, most people love them – so that bias is totally warranted.
Unfortunately, here in Canada where you have a lot of readership we can’t get them right now. There are no retailers that carry them and your online sites are not accepting orders. If we could get them after the borders open again, the exchange rate makes them costly with the shipping. Would love to know if you have any thoughts on an alternative brand in Canada that may not be as good but won’t totally suck for a cedar deck. If not, thanks for making the shipping to Canada an option on your site, hopefully we can use it in the future.
We appreciate your advice on not getting defensive but it is very annoying that we spend countless hours per day answering 100s of questions only to be trolled by someone who does not get who we are and what we do. We have always been upfront about this. As we said numerous times, you do not have to like our site or want to use any of our free advice. Just move on and go somewhere else but to try and call us out for something that is wrong, is just ignorant.
As a painter with some pretty good knowledge on paints/ stains and how to do decks I would give definitely give this site a recommendation. And I have for awhile on Reddit. But there is so much bad info on Reddit it’s ridiculous, I tried giving people plenty of general paint advice on avoiding behr products inside and out or how to properly clean a deck. But ignorance still reigns there.
This site definitely has all its details correct on how to properly clean a deck and what chemicals are best. And the recommendations of Clark & Armstrong and TWP that I’ve seen on here are on point.
I haven’t see the Reddit thread and would be interested to see what kind of (mis)information is in it.
Why is there so much hate on the behr product for paint or deck stain? I really appreciate the comments in this discussion clarifying what something is and is not is really helpful to the user.
Perhaps you could respond to the comments from Dee Tanzer;
About Us page lists you as an owner of eCommerce sites where you can purchase these brands and you admit to being biased based on your experience over time. RAD, Defy and TWP are all available online from the same website e-commerce structure which is yours. You may not be sponsored by the brands, but admittedly you make money off of them – which is a little bit of a conflict of interest only if they are duds.
Is this indeed a fact?
I always check to find if the site is getting paid if I buy after using the hyperlink provided by the reviewer to the commerce site. It wasn’t clearly stated in the disclosure section. Could you advise if this is indeed the case with your site?
We are 100% upfront about who we are, what we do, and where our experience comes from. This is explained on the very first article on the home page with two links that explains everything in full detail. There is no conflict of interest when all is explained and as mentioned in the articles, if you disagree with our site, then feel free to get free advice and help from somewhere else.
These articles have always been there for all to see. If you cannot find them and need help locating. See here:
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/who-are-we
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/contributors/
No one is getting paid from hyperlinks. There is no “Amazon” pay if you buy from this site for links or similar.
PPG Timeless transparent oil exterior wood stain, would like to hear some feedback
On this product. 3 gallons for price of 1 at Home Depot returns. But want an excellent
Product.
Also TWP any comments. . .
See review for PPG timeless here: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/ppg-timeless-deck-stain-review/
We are not fans of it.
Thank you.
What do,you recommend for my specifications?
One of these brands: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/the-5-best-deck-stain-reviews-and-ratings/
I need some serious help. We have a newly-installed pressure treated deck with built-in benches. We have waited 8 months for it to be ready to accept stain. We want a dark gray semi-transparent or semi-solid stain with white trim accents in a solid stain. We live in Kentucky, where summers can easily reach upper 90s to 100 and humid, while winters can be below freezing–and dip close to zero. Lots of weather extremes here. We cannot find any of the deck cleaners or stains that you list locally. Can you please suggest some sort of cleaner/brightener that is available at a big box store? Also, we are looking at using ZAR semi-transparent stain, but I can’t find one single review on it anywhere. Can someone tell me something about that product? It is a hybrid alkyd/acrylic with soap and water clean up so what does this normally mean for longevity. If we wanted to use something different over it in the future would the replacement have to be oil or water based? We have read that semi-transparent stains are better/longer lasting because they penetrate the wood instead of sitting on top of it. However, everyone at our local paint stores and big box stores tells us that solid stains last longer. (We thought they were not as durable since they cracked and peeled easily.) Please help us. We are sooo confused.
You will not find anything decent at a big box store: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/deck-stain-quality-at-lowes-or-home-depot/
ZAR has no clue how to make a proper deck stain, they are a primer company trying to sell a stain.
Best to find a brand that we suggest for ease of maintaining and performance.
Solid stains for verticals: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/what-are-the-best-solid-color-deck-stains/
Semi-transparent for floors: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/the-5-best-deck-stain-reviews-and-ratings/
Thank you so much for your help. We are looking for a medium to dark grey semi transparent stain. We have searched for your recommendations, but none are available either in those colors or within hours of our house. We can get Flood Pro Series semi transparent in either alklyd or acrylic base or Cobot semi transparent in our area. Would you recommend either of these? Could you recommend a good deck cleaner that might be available in our area? Thanks again.
Order online if needed and have the products shipped if nothing is nearby. Everyone does. You can find revies of Cabot and Flood on our site. Just use the search function at the top.
Man. Here I go defending you in an above comment and then I see you write that Zar doesn’t know how to make a stain. When they have on of the best solid stain products on the market.
And Restore a Deck and Defy are the two best on your link? How long have these products been out? How many years have they lasted in your outside jobs to say they are the best?
No Storm System Enduradeck? That is up there with the best solid stain on the market and it’s not in your top 3? Well now I am questioning this site. And I’m not sure it will be in my recommendations except with the good directions on how to clean a deck.
Pro painter with deck experience. And enough experience to know that your number 3 pick, the Flood Pro Series is inferior to their previous/ discontinued solid stain: the Flood SWF.
Also no info on another well regarded solid stain for painters: Gulf Synthetic Extreme.
James,
Our reviews are based on our experience with deck stains. We have tested about 90% of deck stain brands but not all. Storm and Enduradeck are not sold where we are located so no experience using them or testing them yet. Also very little feedback with consumers using those products as well so there has not been a need or demand to test them as of yet. As for Defy and RAD stains, we never said they are the two best but they are rated high in our tests and we have been doing these for 25 years, so yes we have seen them last and perform very well for semi-transparent stains. As for Gulf Synthetic, it is reviewed on this site.
James we have a 25 year old deck in mountains gets lots of rain occasional snow and mostly sun. Scraped off most of old paint there are a lot of cracks and splinters. Painters have recommended they would use Zar deck and siding because it fills in cracks. I can’t find reviews but want something that will last awhile. It sounds like you are familiar with this product. Others have recommended Sherwin Williams Super Deck. Anyway what would you recommend?
I have a 55 year old pressure-treated pine deck. After prep (bleach cleaning, detergent cleaning, pressure wash, and rough sanding) i filled some hole with the lightest tan Famowood stainable filler (neutral/tupelo) which seemed to match the wood when it was dry. It rained before i used a stain, and the patches stand out too brightly against the wet wood. This makes me worry that the stain will penetrate the wood more than the filler, and i will be stuck with these bright patches. I am thinking of a tan or golden semitransparent sealer, Defy if i can find it. Should i chisel out the filler and apply a darker one, or even paint a darker filler over the tupelo color? I can upload a photo.
Update: I found your filler page, and that plus my experience above onvinces me that it will be difficult to find a filler that will stain to match the sealer i end up using. So i have chiseled out most of the filler, and will sand and steel-wool to minimize what remains. I will say that Famowood dried in under 24 hours at 75 degrees F to a very hard final substance, and it bonded well to clean wood. I left it in several area where boards were hollowing out, which adds solidity. None of that is load-bearing. So my question has drifted to the next step. Can semitransparent Defy pine-color sealer be applied with a sprayer, or is it strictly a pad and brush application? And do i need to apply two coats to my 55-year old pressure-treated pine deck? I thought i read one coat is sufficient. Oh, here is a picture of the un-chiseled dried tupelo-color Famowood filler on fairly dry (no rain for 12 hours, 75 F) pine.
You can spray on the first coat lightly and back pad or brush the second coat for the Defy.
FYI, do not use steel wool on exterior wood. It leaves metal in the wood and that turns to black rust spots.
Thanks for application notes, and especially for steel wool warning!
I have applied Defy pine-color semi-transparent to my 45 year old pressure treated pine table, to see how it looks before doing the whole deck. I applied a coat to a board, then a second wet coat. I like the color, but i have a question about “luster”. In some places, Defy says one coat, in others it says one coat plus a wet coat. They have a how-to video that seems to show three coats. If i apply one coat of semi transparent, will that give me the expected two to three years of uv protection? If a apply a clear Defy sealer for the final wet coat, would that make the wood more bright or lustrous or shiny? (I wont clutter this forum with another thanks, but i really do appreciate your comments 🙂
No, you cannot add a clear or any sealer on top of a deck stain. A shine of any level will peel and blister.
Best apply the Defy with two coats wet on wet as their directions state. Do not do more than that. One coat will not be enough.
I am having a deck finished for the first time. It is pressure treated wood. The person doing this has power washed it, but there is still some green algae on it. He did not use a cleaner. He said that since I am using a cedar tone Flood finish, it will cover the green. Is this true?
Maybe but hard to say. Post a picture.
Does anyone have experience with the Pittsburgh deck over paint?
Applied following directions perfectly and it failed in a few months, located in Minnesota.
I have a small treated wood deck around our pool. 2 years ago we used Cabot deck stain. Of course after the first year, the stain started coming off. I just pressure washed the deck and most came off. I was going to use a deck coating, until I saw all the problems with the while researching them. So now I am thinking of a solid stain. Behr is out as I dislike all their stuff. Cabot is out as well. I tried finding Defy, but no luck locally. My local ACE carries ZAR (made by UGL) is this a decent brand, or what other brand should I look for?
We dislike Behr as well. Terrible deck products. Fro a solid stain, try one of these brands: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/what-are-the-best-solid-color-deck-stains/
I am so glad to see this page and section to be quite active. I hope you can help! Our upper deck is 20 years old, never had been stained….that is, until we did it about 2* years ago. We used Behr deck stain, one of those 4x, 10x jobs. I don’t remember which one it was but in 3 moths it all peeled up, bubbled up, and left us with a disaster. I can only thank the Lord we hadn’t done our lower deck as well. UGH!! So, we have been stripping the remains off for the past 2 years. With a very wet New England winter, it made our job easier. We just power washed the two decks (the lower deck is 3 years old, never sealed or finished). We are now lightly sanding it….a little zealous with the power washer…oops. Not to mention the crud and mildew that builds when you are near trees. Wow.
SO! We are terrified to use anything again. We are looking at Olympic solid but I see you don’t care much for them. What do you recommend? We looked at Armstrong and Clark but that price tag….ouch. Then again, if it is the best option….I just don’t want to go through that nightmare again. How Behr and Rustoleum can still take people’s money and sell these products is beyond me. Shame on retailers for selling them as well. I’ve met so many people locally who are facing the same nightmare as us.
I should also mention that there are remnants of the old stain that just won’t come off on the spindles of the deck rails. No big deal to me as I’m hoping whatever we use will cover or blend enough that it won’t be super noticeable.
Any help appreciated. Thank you!
Should also mention:
CT
20 year old deck/4 year old deck
Trees/moss/mold/wet conditions
High sun
pressure treated pine
Go with a solid stain. One of these brands: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/what-are-the-best-solid-color-deck-stains/
A lot of problems
Occur with stain because of four reasons.
1) improper prep(removal old coats mandatory for most products)
2) stain wasn’t applied in correct conditions(make sure to follow instructions of product- they are all slightly different)
3) all sides were treated(the wood isn’t fully protected if you don’t get the edges and underside(they absorb water and act like a sponge)
4) surface temperature can be different than air temperatures so make sure you check both(direct sunlight increases temperature of wood dramatically)
I have a pressure treated pine deck mostly in afternoon sun, a year and a half old never treated. I am cleaning off a little green algae now getting ready to stain, but the only stain available locally is Cabot and Valspar. I am looking at semi transparent and the Cabot is oil based and the Valspar is water based. The Valspar states 6 year lifetime, but I am doubting that. Would I be better off with the Cabot Australian Timber Oil, or the Valspar water based? Not a lot of traffic, but in Kentucky we have just about every type of weather imaginable.
We do not like either brand but if had to choose one, the Cabot oil-based is better.
Doing more searching I found the Do It Best stores nearby also carry Flood and DEFY, would those be better choices?
Defy.
Hi, I live in the Laurentians in Quebec and resurfacing my southern exposure 10 year old rear deck. I initially used Thompson’s Cedar tinted sealer. Never again… so I have used Saman Deck Stripper then Saman Deck Wash with a pressure washer and rinsing after er each. Then I sanded with a random orbital sander at 60grit. My deck is 46′ x 12′ (552sf) with two sets of stairs. Painstaking work but it is looking pretty good for its age. I have been researching several products; Cabot, Olympic, Ready Seal, MF Woodmate, Storm Stain to name few. The reviews say the best are Defy, Restore-A-Deck, TWP, Wolman Durastain, Superdeck, Sikkens but quite frankly am overwhelmed. I don’t want to buy online and I don’t want to pay $200+ per gallon US. I am leaning towards a linseed oil based product such as MF Woodmate but newer products kinda scare me. They all look great initially but the bad reviews only come out a year or more later. Looking for expert advise. I really don’t want to have to do that prep work again at my age (64). Forgot to mention, I do not want a solid or semi solid stain. Being a woodworker, I prefer a semi transparent stain to be able to see the grain of the wood. Really don’t like water based products as they are not as durable as oil based and the overlap marks are unsightly and look so amateurish.
We list the top stains on our site but if you want to buy locally in Canada you are severely restricted to anything decent and since we do not live there, we do not know what is available to suggest.
Do not use anything with linseed oil. It will mildew and turn black eventually.
Not true. While many cheaper stains will do this, a high-quality stain will also add mildewcides to prevent this.
Hello!
We are having our deck re-stained professionally and I am in search of a new color. The current color is a redish brown Cabot semi transparent and I am thinking of switching to a taupe. The painters have suggested that I go with a solid oil-based stain, so I am looking for recommendations. I was going to go with Cabot again, but the reviews online are terrible (including the reviews on their own website). Which brand would you recommend?
Also we live in a climate that is 90s and humid during the summer and below zero during the winter.
Do you want a solid stain? If so see this: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/what-are-the-best-solid-color-deck-stains/
The painters said we needed oil-based because of what the previous owners had used. All of the stains listed in the article are water-based. Do you have any other recommendations?
Solid stains do not come in oil based anymore. Haven’t seen any in years.
I have been using Pittsburgh revitalize at home and in Canada on all my decks, I have used everything and this is the best stuff I have found ever
Restaining our deck on north side of house. Gets both east and west sun. Will powerwash first. What is best stain to prevent mildew? Semi transparent, solid, or clear. Linseed oil? Read linseed oil promotes algae. Solids tend to peel and look bad after a year.
Try Defy Extreme or Restore A Deck Semi-Transparent. All old stain must be removed first.
Was thinking TWP 150 series, I will have to check if we can get the other 2 here, small town USA.
We cannot get either one of those anywhere close to me, so we bought the TWP 100 oil based.
If I’m putting a solid stain on the ceiling of a covered deck, will it crack and peel?
Probably not.
Thanks for all your help
Cathy, I also have a covered wrap around deck with a T&G 1″ x 6″ red pine ceiling. I used a Fruitwood tinted Watco Danish Oil applied to the visible underside before installation about 13 years ago. Still looks great, although a little yellowed which is normal for pine but haven’t done anything to it since. Danish oil is very watery so cover everything, including yourself.
Actually solid stain can act as a bonding primer. The seeping into the surfaces can strengthen adhesion!
If I like a color of solid stain in one brand, can they make if it’s a different brand?
Make it in a different brand. I think I’m going with Cabot but color I like is in Pittsburg
Yes, they should be able to custom color match it.
Anyone have a favorite blue for deck ceiling? Going to do in a solid color
Never done a blue.
Has anyone used zar exterior deck and siding semi transparent in rustic dark? This is the first time our deck is being stained (installed summer 2018) and the color looks rich when put on with two coats but with rain water it leaves a “camouflaged” look that dries out when the sun gets to it and then you can’t see the water marks anymore. Wondering if anyone else has experience with this stain?
Never used it.
Can I stain over a semi transparent brown stain.? Want to use blue solid stain on a deck ceiling
Yes if you are using a solid stain.
Thank you!
I had my deck professional cleaned and stained last June with a paint from Pittsburg called Revitalize resurfacer.
This year I am putting in a claim with menards which is still selling and promoting this paint. It is horrible. My deck looks really bad. Peeling, cracking. I have taken pictures to summit with my claim.
I paid a company to come out and clean and prepare it and stain it with this paint. Now I have to have them come back out and remove all this inferior paint. Frustrating to say the least and the good money that was wasted on this paint plus labor. My deck is over 10 years old, just needed some TLC, but this really ruined it.
Buyer beware I will let you know how our claim goes with Menards and Pittsburg paints.
Any suggestions on how to handle this that we have not thought of.
Hi, I stained my pressure treated wood deck (installed in 2016) in 2017 with CIL Fine Wood in natural (tinted transparent)~ I only did one coat as it was very dark…. last year it started to look foggy/faded out and looks dirty now this year… when it’s wet it looks great, the color is deep but when dry it looks dirty.. I’m wondering if I should have applied a protective coat? There is no flaking as it was a stain but now I have to redo it.
Two questions, should I switch to a better brand and what do I have to do in order to prep the wood? Second, I still have two unopened cans of stain as I over bought the first time (I also stained my fence which has held up great!) so should I try again with the current stain and do 2 coats?
Thanks!
You cannot apply a coating over the top of a deck stain.
Try a different brand like the TWP wood stains.
Thanks! Do you think I need to do any prep or just go on top of it?
I can’t seem to find TWP locally (I’m in Canada) I heard a lot about Sikkens – any thoughts?
Not a fan of Sikkens. Nothing can go on top of tour current stain. You will need to strip and brighten for prep when switching brands.
I had good success with Olympic Semisolid Elite deck stain in Royal Mahogany that was sold by Lowes. Unfortunately Olympic stains are now being sold by Home Depot and the colors have changed because the base has changed. Home Depot has not been able to match the Dark Chocolate color of Lowes’ Royal Mahogany. I am wondering if anyone knows of a stain/color that is close to a glossy Dark Chocolate brown. Thanks
Gloss coating will not work on decks. They will peel.
Sorry…didn’t really mean a true ‘gloss’ like with paint but rather a slight ‘sheen’ look…just basically trying to find a Dark Chocolate color. Thanks
Has to be no gloss and penetrating. Anything else will lead to peeling.
Dark chocolate color, try Armstrong Clark in Espresso color.
Do you have pics of this Armstrong Clark Espresso color stain on a deck? Thanks
We do not. They offer samples.
Try Pittsburgh Paints for the Olympic stain. It’s the only place I can find my original color.
I am building a house in Austin with a lake-facing front deck. The house is framed and has been sitting for 4 months. The Douglas fir columns and beams have some cracks in them now. I feel that I need to use solid stain on them? (Should I fill the large cracks? If so, with what product? ) I have cedar rafter on the upstairs window for metal awnings that I need to match. We are retired and want a low maintenance house. What would you recommend? We also have tongue and groove pine deck ceilings and soffit. How should we go on those? Thanks
Do not fill cracks. Wood filler does not work for exterior wood and cracks are normal. Prep with a cleaner and pressure washer. Use one of these solid stain brands:
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/what-are-the-best-solid-color-deck-stains/
Thanks so much for the prompt reply. Do you think it is worth the 40 minute drive to see the Defy stain colors, etc.? Or am I going to be as happy with Flood which is available only a few minutes away? Restore-a-Deck just doesn’t have the color choice I need. (This is a moderately high end Mediterranean modern house so it needs an appropriate treatment.) Also should I do solid stain on the tongue and groove pine ceiling and soffits? Do I have the choice of and is it appropriate to switch here to something more transparent? I will have to match it all inside too since the t&g and roof beams extend into the living room. Also I have been told to prime the cedar awning rafters before using solid stain. Is this a good idea? Thanks
Do not use a primer with a solid stain. Defy Soldi stain will come in any color you want as it is custom mixed. We like the Defy over the Flood. You can use the solid stain on all areas but can choose a semi-trans if you like. That is your preference.
Thanks. Can’t tell you how much I appreciate the sharing of your expertise plus prompt response.
When should I sand? Before of after power wash? And should I use a wood brighter?
Sand after. No need for the brighten if using a solid stain.
Thanks
So disappointed. We’ve had a large deck since 1992, having replaced it in 2013. Except for a gazebo, it’s in the sun and surrounds a pool. We’ve used many stains over the years but none has disappointed us more than the one applied last summer, Pittsburg Ultra Advanced stain and sealant, semi transparent. I put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into this project, and within a couple of months it began to wear off. These are current photos taken today.
We used Pittsburgh Ultra Advanced semi-transparent on our deck in September of 2018 and by March of 2019 it’s all peeling off. I’m furious! The amount of time and money spent to have it peeling off only 6 months later. I’m tempted to go to Menards and ask what they can do about it since they sell this piece of crap stain.
I agree. My time was hard to come by and could have been spent doing much better things. Now the issue is what to do with a deck that is partially stained. I would rather not pressure wash in an attempt to remove the remainder so I can apply new DIFFERENT stain.
I asked Menards if there was a guarantee through the company and he said only if I used their specific deck cleaner first…which we didn’t. Would have been nice of Menards to inform us of this when we were purchasing the stain!
I agree. A deck cleaner was not mentioned by them to me.
What about Australian Timber Oil? 105 degrees and 10 hours of direct afternoon sun during summer months. Would it maintain the natural color of our fence and deck? Is it a better option than clear wood sealer? We bought Thompson’s WaterSeal, but haven’t opened it yet…
See here for review: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/cabot-australian-timber-oil-review-2016/
Finally got husband to do 22 year deck/railings and captain paneling. Pressure washed got most of the old up….some spots no and many dark spots..Been told to make it all blend have to use solid stain. Tried semi in spot with several dark spots, does not blend. REALLY do not want solid color but not much of a choice at this point. Have had input from many, PPG, Behr, SW, Cabot and Olympic. Saw on here Flood. HELP needed in Georgia where husband despises painting and maintaining!
Post a picture.
I have had great success with ready seal. It is essentially mineral oil, linseed oil and different tints of stain. Soaks in deep, penetrates is easy to apply with no lap marks. Great product.
Is it paraffin oil, not linseed or mineral. It does not cure or seal because of this as it is non-drying.
California Storm Deck Stain is not good. We built a cedar deck and stained all the boards top, bottom and sides. The first year it faded out pretty quickly. We sanded the tops of the boards and re-stained this past summer. Over this winter, 2018-2019. It is currently March 2019, the stain is coming off. We do not shovel our deck we use a broom and there has been little to no traffic on this deck all winter, but the finish is coming off. We thought because of the linseed oil it would penetrate the wood and provide a long lasting finish. I have painted homes for twenty years, both interior and exterior. I have never run across a product this poor. Not sure if there are any other options, but once you start with a product it is not good to switch. In the spring we will be sanding and staining again. I would not recommend this product.
How long was it until the stain started to fade away? Normal for decks to need to be redone every couple years. Was it semi trans oil? Clark and Armstrong is the standard for that, use it next time.
On new decking you need to wait 30-60 days at a minimum before staining. It’s also not a good idea to stain all sides. The stain failed because you stained it too early.
Storm category 4 has been on my boat dock for 4 years and still looks great! Dock gets snowed on, rain, heat, kids, dogs…
Best stain I’ve ever used.
Never stain under floorbords, moisture will come back through the top, since cant ventilate underneath
Agree 100%, Storm System by ICP is the worst! We renovated a 100 yr old Craftsman in Southwest Ohio . To stay true to the original architecture, we added porches covered and uncovered with real fir flooring and cedar railings. All work was done by a professional contractor. Within 2 weeks of the Storm application in August 2018 , the stain began to fade and wear, it progressively worsened thru the Fall. We were told that the only alternative was to sand and re-stain which, due to weather, couldn’t happen until late Spring 2019. Sanding the stain off caused the wood to split and splinter. Then, the second stain attempt did the same thing, it began to fade almost immediately, followed quickly by unsightly black mold. We were told to use the Storm product to get rid of the mold which basically bleached the stain and wood. It looks worse than ever! Our contractor has been working with ICP for over a year trying to find a solution with no end in sight as we head back into Fall. See pictures and looking for help.
Strip it all off and then brighten the wood and then redo with a better brand like TWP 100 Series or Restore A Deck Wood Stains.
Pittsburgh stain on my cedar gate is the best I found. Perfect color and it has that bit of a sheen. I love this this stain. Perfect.
Pittsburgh Ultra Advanced semi transparent stain and sealant isn’t very advanced in my book. This is the worst performing deck stain we’ve had in our 26 years of deck ownership. It was applied in May 2018 and was showing signs of wear by summer’s end.
Wow…I totally agree about Pittsburg. I bought the Most expensive Pittsburg Paramount semi transparent and it looks like your photo after one year! Totally disappointed and looking for a replacement product to use in the exposed cedar! Not going to use Pittsburg! Also used Cabots on another deck and it was terrible!
I keep seeing on the right side of my screen what look
s like a list of the worst rated deck stains, but I can’t find this list anywhere!!! Help, please. I want to find this article: “The Worst Deck Stain Ratings
1. Behr Premium Wood Stain
2. Sherwin Williams Deckscapes
3. Benjamin Moore Arbor Coat
…See All Deck Stain Reviews”
but when I click on “…See All Deck Stain Reviews”, I get sent back to the article that lists the best rated products, not the worst.
HELP!!! I NEED TO KNOW WHAT TO AVOID!
You can click on each individual review for each “worst” stain on the right-hand side. There is not an article just for the bad reviews, but a list for all the reviews.
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/category/deck-product-reviews/deck-stain-reviews/
Scrolling through all those articles will show all our reviews. Good and bad.
I’m a stain rep in Ca and for the most part trans and semi trans you’ll get a couple years and solids a few more. If you go to a more rural area like Truckee you can get the old meaning “ Better “ formulas in oil.
Go to a reputable paint store for the pros like Kelly Moore for stuff that works. Stay away from big box BS paint and stain.
I live in southern Illinois where the summers get very humid, and have a 40-year-old home with some reverse board and batten cedar siding on the east and north sides. Also, when the wind is right ( or wrong), there is dust from a nearby limestone quarry in the air. The cedar is thick and I have been told that it is in good shape except it has not been taken care of for years. I cleaned a section of it and it became a lovely brownish color. That is the color I like. Both Sikkens natural and TWP 115 Honeytone Total Wood preservative appeared yellowish, which I don’t like. I don’t mind re-doing it every two years or so. I think I need a penetrating water repellent preservative. I read here that oil based stains get sticky which would not be good with limestone dust in the air. If needed I would consider a semi transparent stain, but I have a problem with the colors available , and I don’t want a solid stain. Suggestions on how to finish it? Thanks
If you want to retain the color from graying then you have no choice but to use a penetrating semi-transparent tinted stain and those will enhance the grain based on the color you choose. It is not possible to keep the color as is. That means you would use a clear sealer without tint and that also means zero UV protection from graying. It will gray in months.
Not all oil-based stains are sticky. For example, TWP fully cures and will not be sticky.
Is Pittsburgh paint solid deck stain good
Average.
Connecticut, new pressure-treated wood deck being installed this week, south-facing and west so full sun for half the day, tall white pines create tendency to mildew in part of deck. Want a solid color if possible. Best brand to use and should it be oil or water based? Thank you!
Try the Flood Pro series solid stains.
Thank you – is maintenance over the years harder on this than a semi-transparent stain?
Yes. Solid stains can be prone to peeling and are harder to apply and maintain.
I’m also in CT too. I had my deck virtually replaced, but there are a few posts that are from the old deck. I had used a Cabot sold stain. The posts were fine, but after time there was peeling and cracking. I’m not sure what to go with now. The deck is on the back of the house and our house faces South so in the morning it gets the sun. Lots of tree shade after that. I was thinking of going with PPG or Sherwin Williams. Any thoughts on those products?
Use Flood Pro Series Solid stains. SW and PPG do not have very good solid stains.
Flood used to have the absolute best Solid Stain around, the old SWF would last for years and years compared to all the other brands. But they changed the formula a couple years ago. It used to be oil modified and also had Emulsa Bond in it for added adhesion. Now, no Emulsa Bond, you have to add it yourself to the first coat of solid stain. And it’s 100% Acrylic instead of oil modified.
I think they either changed because of voc rules or just wanted a cheaper made product. The new Flood Pro Series is Urethane fortified. Many painters believe it is actually a rebranded old Sunproof solid stain, which was also Urethane fortified. Flood/ PPG(who owns Flood) bought them out.
PPG now uses that same Urethane fortified solid stain in other brands they own. Compare them and you can see they’re all the same.
Floods:
PPG Timeless version:
Pittsburgh Paramount one:
Olympic Elite one:
They’re all the same. Me, as a pro I’ve had good success so far with Storm System Enduradeck Category 4. It’s oil modifed. Hard to find though, have to buy online. I had good success on one deck with Zar Solid Stain, which is also oil modified. I had added Emulsa Bond to the first coat of that job though. Emulsa Bond on the first coat of solid stain is a painter trick to make the coating last a lot longer. Partially why the old Flood was so amazing. Only for first coat though. And I haven’t ever used it with the Enduradeck, just because I really don’t think it needs it.
Though I agree with what you wrote about Gemini Deck Revive, that sounds like the best of the best for all Solid stains. Pricy though.
Do you mix the emusla bond into the primer or just put on first like a primmer
Emulsa Bond is an additive that can be added to solid stains or paints in certain situations. So say if using Flood solid stain you add Emulsa Bond to it following directions. But only supposed to use Emulsa Bond on the first coat as directed in instructions.
So depending on size needed to be stained, adding the full quart to a gallon and doing the first coat, of you have leftovers and want to do a second coat you won’t be able to use the remaining. So can add half Emulsa to half gallon or whatever is needed for first coat. So can have remainder for second coat.
If the second coat is even needed. If one coat covers that might be all that’s needed. A smaller film(one coat) may be better to prevent future peeling.
If using Storm System Enduradeck I wouldn’t even use Emulsa as I don’t think it’s needed. But I would use it for Floods or Zar’s. And prep work is key. Mold must be killed and cleaned with a deck cleaner, preferably sodium precabonate as recommended on this site. Pressure washing helps, but must be careful not to get close or use high pressure, if causing wood to splinter that’s too close.
I’m looking to stain my deck in the next 2 weeks. I’m looking to use a semi-transparent stain. I’ve scoured the area and unfortunately no one carries any of your recommended stains. I’d really appreciate your recommendations from the following options I have. Thank you!
– Behr Premium Semi-Transparent Weather Proofing Wood Stain
– CIL Canadian Woodcare Canadian Wood Oil
– CIL Woodcare Premium Semi-Transparent Stain Deep Base
– CIL Woodcare Distinction Semi-Transparent Stain
– Olympic Deck, Fence and Siding Stain and Sealant
– Olympic Semi-Transparent Stain and Sealer (various colours)
– Olympic Maximum Toner Stain and Sealant
– Beauti Tone Wood Shield Acrylic Deck and Siding Stain
– Superdeck Transparent Stain
Olympic semi-transparent as long as its oil based.
Thank you!!!
No oil base in humid climates as it will stay sticky. That came straight from Olypic number customer service on can. Use Flood with no oil base.
There’s no Flood in Canada, where the OP is.
Use of Pittsburg Ultra Stain on Cedar resulted in a attraction to squirrels who nibbled on several cedar siding boards! Not only mine but also a friend’s. Do you have a remedy?
No there is not a way to deter squirrels.
Not sure if it can be mixed in stains but there is a rymar product called chew stop that is concentrated pepper oil that deters animals from chewing on wood
I have just recently sand down my two 500 sqft deck. What brand of Stain do you recommend for a deck that is 20 ft high, open sun exposure @ 95f to 110f temperature, that can last for minimum 5 -10 yrs? I have seen on a Behr Premium label, that they guarantee 10 yrs on Deck, 25yrs on fence. But after reading some of your reader’s reviews i am not so sure if I should go with Behr brand at all. Thoughts?
Nothing lasts 5-10 years. 2-3 is the max you will get on a deck surface and that is why you want a penetrating stain that is easy to clean and reapply as needed. Look at one of these: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/the-5-best-deck-stain-reviews-and-ratings/
Olympic Flood CWF-UV with no oil base.
Are there any Canadian stain brands that you can recommend ?
None that we know of that are decent since the VOC laws changed there.
I have Benjamin Moore Aaborcoat on deck and tired of peeling and bubbling. Paint store said I will have same problem with Flood since my deck is low to the ground? What is your opinion? I can sand and clean but not completely remove the existing arborcoat? LVP
The only way to fix this is to fully sand it all off. Then choose a penetrating stain: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/the-5-best-deck-stain-reviews-and-ratings/
2 year old pine deck never been stained. Deck is backed up to a pool and has direct sunlight for most of the day. What brand and type of stain should I use? Semi or semi solid? Thanks
See this link: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/the-5-best-deck-stain-reviews-and-ratings/
Clean and brighten the wood for the prep.
Just stained the deck with Flood Pro Series Solid Stain. It’s 8 hours later and a thunderstorm is rolling in. Will this be a disaster?
Should be fine.
I had several new boards on the deck. It was recommended by the individual who stained it to go over with a third coat after a couple days. Attached are the results. Suggestions?
That will be the only way to get it to blend at this point.
same experience in Seattle 4x
I have a one year old deck that faces north, so gets a good amount of afternoon sun. I would like to stain it a solid gray color. I’ve been agonizing over reviews such as Behr, SW, Benjamin Moore, CE Lee, etc. I happened to see a reference to Flood stains. What is your opinion on the solid stains from this line of products?
Use Flood. Better than the others.
Would you recommend Flood over Zar?
Yes.
New Jersey
Full Sun
Pressure Treated Pine
limited mold/mildew
New (11 months/not stained) backs up to pool
Never Before Stained
Clean and brighten the wood for the prep and stain with Armstrong Clark in a semi-solid color.
If we had previously used Sikkens Teak Oil on our deck, can we use the TWP 100 series oil based sealer on it without stripping it down completely?
Thx
No. You will need to remove the current coating when switching brands.
Behr premium. Stained it last year, looked good. Snow melted and it had peeled like cheap interior paint. I have never seen a stained this, ever.
Did you use Behr Deckover? That is what I used with the same problem. I have a guy that is recommending Behr Premium.
Working a a deck. I cleaned with cheaner then simple greened ,sanded then unfortunatly had to power wash some spots. The sherwin williams solid red stain is traash and the customer has mo interest on putting sw back on and is a water base stain cirrently down. Can i stain a brown FLOOD stain over the existing?
If the Flood Solid Stains, yes.
Hi, I purchased Flood CWF-UV “Cedar” finish and used on my old fence. It doesn’t look too Cesar like but more of a nice dark walnut which is ok. I was going to use the same product on my parents fence but they want a more lighter cedar color. What are my options.
Also if I apply this on actual cedar beams, will the color come out different as opposed to the walnut finish on my non cedar fence
We are not sure on the Flood colors as what would be lighter. Maybe a “natural” tone. Yes, the cedar beams will probably be lighter in color.
I have a 1000 sf pressure treated pine deck. I used Behr DeckOver a couple years back. Peeled off in sheets and stuck well in other areas. Blotchy-horrible. I have replaced a few boards. I have been stripping what lifts and will sand. What if I find more small boards that need replacing? Should I sand them and brighten? Will that work prior to staining since cure time is very limited?What products should I use? The deck gets full sun-faces the west by I ground pool and yard. I live in Atlanta. I need a good reliable product. Should it be oil based? Paint or stain?
Use one of these brands: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/the-5-best-deck-stain-reviews-and-ratings/
Can you answer my other questions? Thank you.
You need to let the new wood weather for a few months and then clean and brighten for the prep.
Same here, and you complain to Behr, they just dismiss you and tell you you didn’t use it right.
I used the Behr Deckover as well. Looked great the 1st year, now year 2 I noticed some of my deck boards literally rotting. I basically need to replace the deck. My mother mentioned to me that after I used it on her deck starting rotting. I did some research and see there is a class action lawsuit against Behr for this.
Storm system category 4 is an aweful product. My porch floor is still sticky a month later. I had to completely sand all of it off of a deck 3 months later after apllication. It is now ruining a 120 year old house restoration. Garbage shit product. Do not buy!
Storm System Enduradeck/ Category 4 is the best on the market in my pro opinion. How sticky was it? Was the wood dry enough before application? Did you use Emulsa Bond paint additive along with it by any chance?
Do you get better or worse results when adding emulsa bond to storm system 4?
How is Pittsburgh ultra advanced solid color stain for a fence? Coverage? Durable?
Sorry but never used it before.
What about Flood Pro Series Solid color on a covered porch? I don’t care about grain showing, so would the solid stain be a good choice from Flood?
If you want a solid stain then yes, Flood is a go brand.
Hi, just found your blog – I’ve been researching stains for the past two years. We have a 33 year old cedar-sided home. Within the first 15 years, we twice applied CWF-UV Cedar Color – water cleanup. Believe it or not, it lasted a long time – did not like the prolonged smell. It did not do so well on horizontal surfaces; within a year it was peeling and the formula was not as good. Did not sink into the wood. We recently built a log home in the Adirondacks – we used Outlast Log Oil – it was expensive, but just beautiful. It’s been 3 years, still looks like new – recommend doing every 7 years. Our log home is all hand peeled logs and it penetrated. To add to that, we are in the process of restoring our cedar sided home – we will most likely use Outlast Log Oil; but are also considering WeatherSeal Ext. Has anyone used this product – comes highly recommended. Key is to make sure all prior surfaces are truly cleaned and stain free.
Sorry but have used eithe of those brands.
The outlast is a great product ,as well as Natural Wood Finishes Company out of Utah.It is the ingredients that make the difference. Tung oil,boiled linseed,citris,pine extract, mildewcide and the natural ingredients that are accepted by the EPA standards. One thing nice about these products is one does not have to sand off a cell (acrylic membrane) before you re-coat in a few years. Check out the Water Lox company also. Check out any product that is associated with marine wood coatings(boats, Yachts), anything with a finished wood coating for marine seafaring .That is your best bet.
It is Heritage Wood Finishes Company, not Natural.
Not sure what you are refering too as it looks good in the picture.
I spent many weeks preparing my cedar deck(power washing and total sanding with 120 grit)in preparation for a new coat of clear Cabots 1400 deck stain.It was applied in early July using a Cabots brush. It was applied after a week of no rain and was applied in the shade. It failed in one month and does not shed water. It is now a gray color. This product is junk. Note, Cabots is a Valspar Company which is now owed by Sherwin Williams. No wonder other posts show Sherwin Williams deck products as junk. Cabot used to be a great product. I coated a second deck with Sikens and it is beautiful. My local hardware stores are slowly switching to Sikens.
I went ahead and stained my covered screen porch with PPG Timeless American Chestnut Semi-solid stain. I had previously stripped all old stain from the wood using Behr Paint Stripper. It worked great, and my porch was ready for new stain. First off, MAKE SURE YOU BOTH SHAKE AND STIR THE PPG CAN WELL. The color sinks to the bottom and must be mixed well. Then, note that it goes on dark and quickly soaks into the wood. The color on the PPG can label is NOT the color in the can. It is probably 3 shades darker. This is really dumb policy of PPG. Why try to make the stain look lighter on the label, when users will only discover it goes on much darker and will complain about it? DUMB!!
Testing out the color in advance is a MUST with this product. PPG sells small 6 oz. cans of stain through HomeDepot just for that purpose. Buy one and apply it to some pressure-treated wood sample from any source. If it is too dark, you can dilute it with water and do another test strip. I did, and it lightened the stain and it turned out fine.
To begin, be prepared in advance with a roller on a pole, and apply the stain sparingly, then roll it over and over to spread the stain out while it is only a minute old. It applied OK, and took me about 3 hours to stain an 18′ x 20′ porch. The color was darker in some places, but that is OK and looks rather natural.
The wood dried in about 48 hours, and now, about a month later, the stain looks fine. Only time will tell if it holds up and doesn’t mold or mildew.
Frank you really messed up, never ever use a water base stain of any kind on anything exterior especially a deck floor, your setting yourself up for failure. TWP is absolutely the best stain/sealer on the market I apply 500-1000 gallons of stain per year and about 75% of that is TWP.
Update. It is now March 2018 and the PPG Timeless American Chestnut Semi-solid stain I used on my screen porch 7 months ago is holding up very well. It is not really chestnut color … it is a darker brown, sort of like dark pecan, but it has not faded or peeled. The boards are fine. Note that my screen porch is covered by a roof so rain gets in but direct sunlight is limited. Nevertheless, I have no problem with the stain. Just remember to test out the color in advance by buying a small can and testing it on a wood sample. Also realize that when it goes on, it will soak into the wood fast so be prepared to roll it with your roller many times to spread it out and make it even.
I had my deck power washed and then chose PPG Timeless American Chestnut Semi-solid stain and like you said, it was way darker than expected. After the first coat, I asked my contractor to change it. My furniture is about the same color and it would have looked awful.
He said to choose a solid stain and it will cover it. I am thinking about the Autumn Sand but I am scared to death as to how it will look. He is applying it tomorrow. I think I will go get a sample and try it myself before he comes out.
By the way, they both are oil-based stains.
Finished 2nd coat of Storm Cat 4 on deck this am. Weather now indicating chance of showers later this afternoon / evening. Deck already been drying for 4 hours and only slight tack to touch. Can step on in socks and not leave print. Should we be okay if light rain actually hits or should we try to cover with tarps? Any experience 0r wisdom on the potential? Thanks
We do not use their product so it would be best to contact them directly for advice.
Thompson’s Water Seal Timber Oil, applied in San Diego Ca on deck railing that faces west. New rail built of 4X4’s 2X4’s Redwood and hog wire. Applied the Thompsons Timber oil and had to make sure to use it sparingly otherwise it gets sticky and won’t dry. Nice color, BUT….within 7 months needed to be re-applied as it turned dark and had some mold. This railing was getting about 7 hours of sun during that time of year. The second coat was applied and within 6 months I have now pulled out the belt sander and sanded it all off…lots of work very very disappointed and a waste of my time and money. Another wonderfully irritating trait is that if you use say 1/2 can and seal up…I guess the air space in the can turns the oil black. I had to buy another gallon and throw away the original oil since it turned black and tested on wood…goes on black. I will not purchase this again. I read good things about a product called SunFrog….but not really many reviews or hard user data.
Thankyou for your post! We are currently staining our fence (Thompson Waterseal Timber Oil – Walnut) the first two sections turned out beautiful, after refilling our little pail my daughter noticed it going on darker but just thought it would dry lighter… and now we have a whole section that looks black. The oil turned in the can after less than a day of use. Now our fence looks awful, have you any advice on how to remove the oil? How did you use the oil? Did you dump it all into a container at once?
Thankyou
This past Monday after thoroughly stripping my cedar deck, I applied PPG’s Timeless Semi-solid deck stain to my cedar deck. Today, Thursday, the stain is disappearing from large sections of the deck. It rained last night but had been dry for over 50 hours. This is infuriating. I’m calling their technical help tomorrow when I’m not so mad. Not much they can do remotely. They refunded me last year when their Paramount stain I used started failing when the weather go cold. But they can’t make up for the labor I put into stripping and applying the stain.
This stuff is horrible. Brand new deck, let it dry for 4 months, lightly sanded the deck and applied per instructions. One year later, it was wearing off horribly. Stripped the deck, whitened and let it dry another couple of months. Reapplied, again, following instructions to the letter. Two years later, the deck looks horrible again.
Hi David,
I believe your expectations of a deck stain may be a little off. TWP suggest for new wood to wait 4-12 months and apply 1 coat only. They then suggest another coat about a year later for new wood. After that, they suggest every 2 years for decks that are over 2 years old. It seems this is what you did and is the correct expectations.
Unfortunately, there is no deck stain on the market that is going to give you more than 2-3 years on a horizontal and most do not even last that long. The nice thing about TWP is they do not make up any “extended” and unrealistic warranties and instead tell the truth. TWP is also a very easy product to maintain every 2-3 years going forward. Just prep and recoat. No peeling or heavy sanding/prep is needed.
Sherwin Williams stain lasted less than a year, it is peeling and looks terrible. I went for the expensive stain hoping it lasted at least 3 years. This is the first time I use their products and the last time too. Never again.
Same here, will never go near the pricey Sherwin Willims stains again, didnt get a year out of it and I did exactly as instructed re prep and application. Unreal
I had the same rotten experience with Sherwin Williams.
Same here with Thompsons water sealer. Not sure how that company is in business with such a low quality product.
Looking to use ppg mahogany penetrating wood oil or satin semi-transparent stain on a 20+ year old deck. We are going to have it sanded down and redone. Anyone have any have any idea how this is? Don’t know which one to use either. We are sanding down and replacing about 10 boards
Mahogany goes on DARK. It is not the nice rich color seen on the can label. It is dark brown, so i would definitely try out a test board first. Be sure to shake and stir the cad good. The color settles to the bottom. If you want it lighter, go with the wood oil, or try a lighter color tint (maybe American chestnut).
Has any one used Flood CWF-UV stain for decks? pro’s and cons?
See this: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/flood-cwf-oil-wood-stain-review/
so if im reapplying my new,same deck color stain (CWF-UV) can I just deck wash the deck and sand areas needed. many spots got gray and peeled only after 2 years of applying it
Yes, you should be able to do that.
I used Flood on our deck 2 years ago. Did all the proper prep. including power washing. Looked great when finished. Now, not so great. Needs to be redone already.
Umm. Two years is considered good for a deck surface.
I have been using Flood CWF UV clear for approximately 20 years or longer. My deck is 30 years old, in full sun in the south. Has never had to have a board replaced. I will not use anything but CWF. It lasts 2-3 years. I’m in the process of sealing now after 4years, what I have finished looks like new wood again.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
How does Flood Pro-series solid stain compare to Sherwin Williams Woodscapes acrylic solid color stain?
Flood is better in our experience.
woodscapes is not a deck stain, just fence and siding,
superdeck is the line that Sherwin Williams carries.
Has anyone used Woodrich Timber Oil on a new yellow cedar deck? I received a sample pk from them, but found the color not to be what I was looking for.
I am in Nova Scotia, Canada. About 5 years ago I did my front porch & steps (PT wood) with FloodPro Penetrating Oil Finish semi-transparent. Although it was soap and water cleanup, it had enough solvent in it to soak into the wood and worked beautifully, holding up very well. Last year after some updates to my back deck I decided to finish it with the same product since it worked so well out front. The store sold me a product with the same name whose label looked virtually identical but upon closer examination it was a new formulation with very little (if any) solvent used – due to enviro regulations apparently. Deceptive naming and labeling.
This stuff went on and looked like paint despite being called semi-transparent. Regardless of the wood being covered – some new wood cleaned and sanded to remove the mill glaze, older boards being extensively cleaned multiple times with Home Hardware’s Activox product, which worked very well – it was obvious that there was no penetration whatsoever into the wood with this product. When finished it looked nice but sure enough over the winter much of it peeled off and it now looks a mess, confirming my belief it did not penetrate at all. I figure I need to strip it all off and try something else. This has really disillusioned me in my opinion of the Flood product. Avoid this stuff.
Pittsburgh Paints Ultra Advanced Solid Color Stain and Sealant in One is THE WORST.
We refinished our sizable deck with this last year, in the process changing from visible wood grain to a white finish. It has peeled and flaked nearly off the entire surface. Hundreds of dollars in stain and weeks of work down the drain. We’ll have to redo the entire thing, this time going with a much better brand. We finished the project in late June of last year, and it started flaking in April. Very, very dissatisfied customer!
We used Pittsburgh Paint Restore on our deck 3 years ago. After 6 months it was peeling. It just flaked off when I tried to rinse the deck off. Same boat as you….$500 and weeks of work down the drain. That was nothing though….it seems it either peels like nothing or won’t come off to save your life! I have taken a pressure washer nozzle about 1/2 cm from the stuff and it won’t come off. If it worked like that on the entire deck, it would be the best deck product ever made. I have stripped it, sanded it, and some of it still won’t come off. I finally decided to just let time take it’s course with it and left most of it on covering the exposed wood with stain. It looks like crap but I just can’t deal with it anymore. If it were up to me, Pittsburgh Paint would pay for new wood for my deck that their crap product ruined. So frustrating. I have literally almost been in tears because of this stuff.
Ugh! We are in the same boat as well! $500+ down the drain and seriously did everything we needed to make sure the stain was applied correctly. 7 months later it peeled everywhere! And I as well took our pressure washer to it to ‘clean’ it up and had the same results happen. Some won’t come off! So frustrated and mad that all that hard work did not pay off…
Really, I used the solid color on my deck and it’s great. I love it great protection and has great adhesion.
There are two different solid stains from Pittsburgh though: the one he is referring to: Ultra. And the Paramount version. Did you use the Paramount version? Check the can.
Home hardware is with out a doubt the worst ever
They changed and do not offer an oil based stain. They said it was good.
Power washed the deck
Let it dry for 7 days.
Used the broom and leaf blower to clear.
3 coats 2 days apart
It started peeling after 3 months
Now a year later it looks like I never did a thing
Absolute garbage
Home Hardware has reintroduced an oil based deck stain. It’s been around for at least a year.
For the last forty years or so I have been on a quest to find a stain for my redwood decks that would last longer than a year, sometimes a year and a half. Have tried them all. Including the tragic and disastrous Behr line due to the highest rating ever given by the organization that allegedly represents the consumer. Worst of them all. Can’t add anything more to what has already been said about Behr on this site.Suffice to say: avoid it at all costs! I live over a mile high in the mountains, Lake Arrowhead Ca., and have come to the conclusion nothing is going to give any satisfactory long term results longer than a year or so; if you wish to keep them looking good. The sun’s rays are too damn intense. Along with government regulations, it doesn’t look like it is going to get better, so that’s the name of that tune. Have been using Superdeck as a result of not being able to find anything superior but it too has its drawbacks. Good luck.
Any one have experience with PPG Timeless deck stain?
I just layed first coats down on a new deck. Loving the coverage (using Mahogany semi-trans.). Rich color and seemly good penetration. Time will tell on durability 🙂
PPG is a joke, started peeling off of my deck after 1 month. There is currently a class action lawsuit pending again st them for their worthless product.
No there is not. PPG was sued for another product but not Timeless deck stain. In fact, the stain was just introduced to the market this spring.
My statement was that PPG is a joke in general. There is currently a class action lawsuit pending against them. There are way better companies out there that are not cutting corners. There are also a lot of companies that are just as horrible as PPG, and products that are made by PPG but sold under a different name. PPG was a good company until the EPA ruined it with regulations and PPG laid down and took it and just cheapened up their products instead of developing a different way of doing it. Certain states can sell stains with higher VOC ratings, which would be the way to go if you live close to one of them.
You may have a beef with PPG but I bought a sample of their new Timeless stain, and it works very well. I intend to do my deck with it. The lawsuit you quote has nothing to do with their new Timeless stain, but the wording you used suggests it does. That is just wrong! ALL of the stains sold in larger metropolitan areas by all the companies are restricted to lower volatile organic air pollutants. I happen to totally approve of better air, and the EPA has done a service here, not ruined a company. Yes, the stains are no longer oil based, but that goes for all the products available. No one has figured out how to market an oil-based stain without using volatile oils. I doubt it can be done.
If you had a service complaint with the company, that is legit, but just badmouthing their products is misleading to the rest of us, particularly since this new stain is new, and I really doubt you used it and “it peeled within a month”. It actually is quite good and soaks into the wood.
Just an FYI, there are still oil based stains allowed in all states and available as well. TWP 1500 and Armstrong Clark are two brands that “figured out” how to properly make a quality oil based stains that are VOC compliant for all areas of the USA so it has and can be done.
I used TWP 1500 on my deck in the Pacific NW two years ago because they say it is designed for the weather of the NW. After a year it looked bad. Two years later it looked terribly bad!
It is normal to have to reapply TWP after 2 or 3 years. If the wood was new the first time applied, then TWP suggests another coat 1 year after the first coat. After that every 2-3 years.
There are oil based stains. The EPA is a train wreck and states that are not attached to a large body of water do not have the restrictions for VOC. For example Kentucky is allowed to sell stains with higher VOC content than Ohio or Michigan. I’m glad to hear your “sample” looked nice, but that doesn’t mean it will in a few months.
Michigan has the same higher VOC laws as Kentucky, but Ohio does not.
We also have to keep in mind the different EPA regulations from US to Canada.
Sherwin Williams does have an oil based semi-transparent deck stain but not full oil solid deck stains in Canada anymore.
I agree…. It seems this individual is way off base with his accounts of stain and PPG overall.
I would definitely not go by his recommendations.
Hi Frank do you remember the name is it Wood Pride. I just did my deck in it.
Oh really I just coated my deck with Wood Pride and that is a product from PPG. The Dulux store guaranteed it I kept my receipt will see what happens over winter. What’s the lawsuit about
There are no class action lawsuits on PPG Timeless. Please provide info.
Mike, did you use PPG timeless semi-solid?
Just stained our huge deck with it. Weathered, dried out deck. It is quite shiny and I’m hoping the two coats we put on is going to dry quickly. It looks pretty good so far. It was lighter color on the can so test color first. HD added Chestnut brown tint to the American Chestnut base, I think by mistake but it’s dark and rich, like dark chocolate! Hope it lasts! These reviews are scaring me!!
We have 2 brand new decks that need to be treated soon. We live in southern Missouri and our decks have a lot of shade. The deck is made of treated pine. I am so confused by the amount of advice here just need someone to tell me what brand of product to use and what to stay away from. This needs to be done very soon so quick responses would be extremely helpful.
See this about new wood: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/staining-a-new-deck/
Stay away from PPG!
You also need to stay away from Behr products….Just had to replace my deck from their GREAT Deckover product (textured) what a nightmare. Hopefully Home Depot’s PPG Timeless Stain (Semi-Solid/Jatoba) is more successful. I live at 7200′ and if I can get 4 to 5 years out of the product I will be happy.
Pressure treated wood does not require a sealer. If you bought from a quality wood supplier. Home Depot and Lowe’s do not count. Their PT is junk.
Some PT is better than others, yes. However, all PT is not as good as it was pre 2006 (I think that’s the year). You used to wait to seal a new PT deck about a year, let it dry out. Now you must seal when the PT is dry. Can be either right away (if lumber sat in the lumber yard for some time and became dry) or a couple months later when the PT has dried. The person putting the PT lumber down will be able to know how dry the lumber is at that time. For example, when nailing or screwing down deck boards, does the board spit? or can moisture be seen coming to the surface? Then you know the wood is still wet. Many times you can feel the difference in weight of the lumber. Wet is heavier.
I need to stain my deck. The last stain was Cabot semi-transparent and dark but was the wrong color choice and failed quickly. It seems like now it either needs to be totally stripped or painted with a solid color. I am going in the solid color direction to save my back and get the house on the market. From this site, I know people have recommended Flood but I can’t find Flood solid stain. I found PPG and was considering going with Jefferson Tan. Anyone have any reviews of PPG solid stain or other suggestions?
Stripping is not hard to do and is the correct way to prep this when going with a semi-trans. We are not fans of solid stains as they end up peeling and are harder to maintain. Sorry but never use PPG products or their solid stain.
Do not use POF whatever you Do! There is a class action lawsuit pending again st PPG there were so many complaints about their worthless products. I used PPG, peeled within a month.
There are no class action lawsuits on PPG Timeless. Please provide info.
It is very difficult to find a paint/stain manufacturer that isn’t in a class-action suit with these new products. They are all on a learning curve. Every one of them is trying to concoct a lower VOC product that won’t fail.