Finding the right stain for your wooden deck is the key to getting lasting results. But with so many deck stain choices it can be a daunting task, to say the least. To narrow down the search for the best deck stain you first need to understand what the different types of protection are.
Without getting into oil vs. water based debate or colors, tones, and opacity levels there are basically two different types or characteristics of a deck stain – film forming and penetrating. Both of these deck stain characteristics will provide adequate protection from the sun and lock out unwanted moisture. They both can also enhance the beauty of the wood and provide general overall protection from mold and mildew, freeze/thaw damage, and heavy foot traffic.
Film Forming Stain Failure
Film Forming Deck Stains
The main differences between the two are appearance, longevity, and maintenance. The way a film forming deck stain works is basically like the name suggests, it forms a film or barrier of protection that stays on top of the wood surface. Film forming stains are normally semi-solid to solid stains that come in a wide array of colors. They mostly hide the wood grain and show a lot more color almost like a paint. The downside with film forming stains is the way they wear over time. As the wood stain begins to age and breaks down it literally begins to crack, flake, or peel off of the wood.
Film forming wood stains are typically more heavily pigmented than penetrating stains making them much tougher to get rid of once a recoat is necessary. Not being able to remove an old coat means applying a new coat over top. Although the wood surface may look better initially following a recoat in this manner, it doesn’t tend to last as long because this type of deck stain doesn’t adhere well to itself. Over time, the buildup of multiple coats begins to create more frequent peeling and flaking, mold and mildew issues, and a nearly irreversible mess.
Penetrating Stain 2 Years Full Sun
Penetrating Deck Stains
With penetrating deck stains longevity is normally better and future maintenance is much easier and less expensive. Penetrating wood stains don’t sit on top of the wood surface like film forming stains but rather penetrates or dives into the wood pores to give superb protection. Penetrating deck stains are excellent water repellants and do a good job of blocking harmful sun rays. They are usually transparent or semi-transparent allowing the natural beauty of the wood to show through and are available in different colors or tones.
a penetrating wood deck stain ages and begins to wear it does not peel or flake but instead, it just fades and begins to disappear. They are also normally much easier to remove using a deck stain stripper so a recoat can be applied. In the case of using the same penetrating stain for a recoat, you can even do a light wash to the wood without removing the old stain before applying a new coat of the same penetrating stain. This recoat over an old coat of stain is much more effective with penetrating stains than with the film forming type.
When choosing a deck stain type it isn’t hard to see a clear winner. As far as a more natural enhanced wood appearance, longevity, and ease of future maintenance – penetrating deck stains are best.
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25 Comments on "Why Penetrating Deck Stains are Best"
An older dock on a freshwater lake will be pressure cleaned and some dock boards will be replaced with new boards. I’ve been told by some that I should NOT use pressure treated pine new boards as semi-transparent stain will not penetrate pt lumber. Is that correct?
You can use PTP wood. Just let it weather for 3 months and prep correctly with a deck cleaner and a wood brightener.
I’ve read several dozen articles on different websites in researching the best stain for a new red cedar deck. I’ve been to local specialty stores that frankly they weren’t that helpful. They weren’t pushing any particular product but seemed to know less than I do about the products they sell and ideal products considering the information below. Deckstainhelp.com has been more help than other sources but looking for expert suggestions. I thought I’d settled on TWP and then Sikkens Semi Transparent Cetol SRD but now I’m less certain. I understand TWP is a great product but their pigments don’t match our needs.
Based on the following information, I’m interested in recommendations.
Location:
-Prior Lake, MN (southern side of Twin Cities)
Deck Specifications:
– Newly built early spring 2017
– Red cedar decking
– Wrapped with with rough hewn red cedar on all vertical surfaces, including stairs
– Joists and supports are green treated pine
– Elevation is about 8ft from bottom of joists
– Powder coated railing
– 10 x 21 (about 5 x 21 gets the majority of foot traffic. The rest of the traffic is around a large dining table and furniture)
Exposure:
– Nearly due east exposure with a fair amount of wind all year
– Full un in summer months from about 9:30 to 3:30 central time give or take early spring to late summer
– Deck will have potentially significant snow accumulation during MN winters with high foot traffic area cleared regularly
Customer Requirements
– Pigmented semi transparent stain. Need a wider range of pigment options since my wife has pretty particular ideas for colors.
– Vertical surfaces will have a different pigment than horizontal surfaces
– Maximum durability considering exposure and traffic
– Prefer to re-stain no less than every 3 years on horizontal surfaces with seasonal cleanings/mainenance
– Do not want a stain that needs to be stripped and/or sanded before re staining
– Minnesota does not restrict higher VOC stains
– Don’t want a stain that will flake or bubble
– Intend to use the the same brand/type/color stain indefinitely (or at least brand/type if colors are discontinued in the future)
Lots of information in know and appreciate the time to review. Big box, small box, specialty stores didn’t give me a lot of confidence in their suggestions based on the same information above
You want a penetrating semi-transparent like one of these: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/the-5-best-deck-stain-reviews-and-ratings/
Couple of things though:
-2 years is the norm for a high quality stain. Sometimes three if you are lucky.
-You will not get a wide range of colors with premixed stains.
-To get “custom” colors you will not be using a penetraging stain but a filming acrylic and those will be prone to peeling.
-First time staining a new deck and it usually only lasts about 1-2 years. This is based on new wood not being very absorbent.
Cabot solid acrylic . I’ve been using it for ten years. It does not penetrate a wood deck. You can strip it, rough up the surface, use a primer, let a new deck age, put down a seasoner on new wood. Doesn’t matter. After the winter it peels off in a bad way. Every spring you will have a major job on your hands to remove an enormous amount of peeling stain. Let dry and redo. And the same thing will occur next spring. Major peeling . Do yourself a favor. Don’t even get started with Cabot Solid Acrylic. Buy a penetrating oil based stain.
We are wanting to refinish our deck after years of using Thompsons Water seal. It just peels off in the snow. We plan to use TWP because our cedar home is finished with the same. What would you recommend as a preparation for the stripper and any other preparations before applying the TWP?
Prep with the Restore a Deck Stripper Kit and presure washing.
Is Behr Transparent Oil-Based Waterproofing Wood Finish a film forming stain or a penetrating deck stain? I desparately want to avoid a product that will peel and/or flake off. Open to suggestions.
Behr has a tendency to film and peel. Yt is also a water based stain.
Have a low to ground deck which peeled badly and had to be scraped off/ Penetrating is bet but deck must breathe. what is best stain for this.?
TWP stains or Armstrong Clark. Make sure you prep to remove all previous stain.
How do you know which of the 2 kinds of stains you're getting?
It should say, but some brands are not honest. Penetrating stain that we like are:
TWP Stains
Defy Extreme
Armstrong Clark
Timber Oil Brand
Thanks. I also saw on your comparison table. Very helpful. Paul
We have applied stripper and power washed but the solid staid remained. We have sanded and dry it looks ready for a penetrating stain but some boards look like there is some sort of product deep inside the wood – maybe a penetrating stain was used years ago. The deck is 40 x 16 and we don't want to replace all the cedar boards. Are we ok to use another penetrating stain?
You cannot apply a semi-trans over a solid stain. Can you post a picture in our forum area so we can see?
We have used stripper and powerwashed. Even with sanding all of the previous product that was used will not come out. The sanded wood looks ok dry but when wet, you can tell something is still on the boards. Are we safe using a penetrating stain or will the boards look bad? We do not want to use a heavy stain that will flake and peel and are at our wits end. Our deck is elevated and is about 40 feet by 16- we don't want to have to replace all of the cedar. Help!
Replaced some old deck boards with new ones. Let some of the new ones dry out for 3 months and other new ones 12 months (has been a work in progress). Had the deck power washed and cleaned. Applied Armstrong Clark semi solid Oxford brown stain to blend old
with new. Looked great first few weeks ..now some of the boards are oozing sap. Sap is turning white. How do I get that off and return the boards to a better look? Also, can I restain next spring for better penetration?
You cannot stop sap and you cannot remove it easily. It just happens to wood. Turpentine my remove some of it.
I am a facilities manager on a campus with Craftsman-style buildings. The newest building, built in 2000, has tons of exterior wood trim, wood stairs, and a huge upper deck. It was originally stained with Cabot transparent stain to show the grain. Due to construction with new, poor quality wood and/or stain failure, the wood railings were badly split and dried out within 4-5 years. Because lots of patching was needed, transparent or semi-transparent penetrating stain was not an option. For the last 10 years we've stained it with Cabot OVT solid stain. It's been stained 3 times – most recently just 2 years ago and it looks horrible and even has termites. It is way too much wood (10,000 sq. ft. building) to completely remove all the solid stain. Short of that, what are your recommendations for prep and a better solid stain product? Thanks.
Probably is you cannot fix a bad solid stain job by adding more solid stain on top. In short it will continue to peel. Prep by removing all the loose paint. Try a stain stripper and pressure washing to remove what is loose. Stain with any solid stain brand.
I'm torn between TWP 100 and the Cabot 4300 Wood Preservative. Are there any reviews for this new Cabot product? I can't seem to find any mention of it.
Cabot is available locally whereas TWP I would have to order.
Thanks!
Tyler, we have not been fan of Cabots since they sold the company and changed all of their formulas. Just not the same quality.
Can I change from a solid deck stain – one coat which is pretty well worn off – to a penetrating stain? From reading this site, it seems I'm in for a bad problem if I apply solid again because it will peel. What is best?
Margie, you would need to 100% remove the solid stain by sanding if you want switch.