This post was updated on April 4, 2025
Hi! I am Scott Paul, a leading exterior restoration contractor and business owner with over 30 years of experience in exterior wood staining and restoration. My simple deck stain facts and tips are based on my history as a wood restoration contractor. See here for more info about me.
Question: Why is Deck Stain Not Beading?
Deck stains come in many different opacities, including transparent, Semi-Transparent, and Solid Colors. All deck stains act as a sealant that protects the wood from weather, moisture, and UV rays. They help lock out moisture and reduce water intrusion.
I often get a question at DeckStainHelp.com: “Why does my deck stain not bead water, and what should I do?”
Myth About Deck Stains Beading Water
For years, TV and Radio commercials have promoted the need to add a sealer or stain that relies heavily on the ability to bead water. This is not a good idea. High-quality deck stains and sealers actually will shed water, not bead water. The reason is that you need to have your deck stain breathable. This reduces the chance of peeling. 100% sealing of your wood surface can also lead to internal rotting of your wood.
To summarize, if your deck stain is not beading water, do not worry. It will be fine.
Note: A High-Quality Deck Stain may bead water when initially applied, but it is normal to stop doing this after a month or two.
Beading Water on Deck Stain
More information on Deck Stains Beading
- Are Deck Stains Sealers?
- More Pigment in Deck Stain Means Better UV Protection
- Thomason’s Waterseal Waterproofer Plus Clear Wood Protector Review
- Why stain a deck?
- Best Deck Sealers
Have a Deck Stain question? Ask in the comments below.
For more info, see our Deck Stain Facts section, which includes over 150 simple Q&A articles that answer all your questions about deck staining, cleaning, and prep.
We recently applied RAD semi-transparent stain. Followed the 3 steps and it was allowed to dry and cure. Our first significant rain happened days after application. After a rain some areas have standing water that eventually dries.
Is this standing water an issue? Should it be pushed off?
No issues. You can broom it off or just let it dry.
I just stained my deck 48 hours ago , today we had our first rain. The deck beaded for abit but now it soaking in the rain. So you’re saying this is ok?
Yes.
Hello, We are going to be using RAD semi transparent stain over our cedar deck treated with a penetrating fire retardant (that still allows penetration afterwards). We confirmed the RAD stain has a sealer in it, which is what we need over the fire retardant to keep water from getting to the wood because the fire retardant will “wash” away over time otherwise. So the answer above about water soaking in being ok is confusing. If the water soaks in, isn’t it time for another coat? A good application of RAD isn’t going to let water penetrate for well over a year, correct?
No proper deck stain will 100% seal the wood. Deck stains need to “breathe,” or internal rot may occur. While the RAD stains will prevent water from soaking in, they will not 100% seal the wood, and this is normal and does not mean you need to add more stain.
See this article for more info:
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/why-is-my-deck-stain-not-beading-water/
My deck was oil base stained this past Monday. It was applied in heat index over 100 degrees in Illinois. 30 hours after application there is heavy rain. Within about 80 hours another rain for 3 hours. It appears to look okay but more like standing water not beads. A senior worried , job was done by a deck company
See this article for tips about raining on a deck: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/it-rained-shortly-after-staining-what-to-do/
As for not beading, the article above explains it is not supposed to bead, but shed water.
Thank you for your informative site!! I had this exact question on water beading when using a stain!
You are welcome!