Deck Stain Reviews On 27 Popular Brands | Deck Stain Pro (2024)

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DEFY Extreme Wood Stain Review

Manufacturer Description: DEFY Extreme Wood Stain is a synthetic-resin, semi-transparent wood stain formulated using state-of-the-art nano-technology to create a level of durability that simply has not been available in a wood stain finish in the ...

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DEFY Extreme Wood Stain Review

We find that the Defy Extreme Wood Stain to be the best performing water-based deck stain on the market. The zinc oxide nano-particles do double duty in preventing UV fading and preventing mold or mildew growth. The Defy Extreme penetrates into the wood grain extremely well for a water-based stain, resulting in a non-filming coating that is not prone to peeling or wear from traffic. Utilizing nano-technology, Defy Extreme is one of the best stains on the market when it comes to preventing UV graying. (This product, performed the best and was the top rated stain/best stain ranking.) Product was easy to work with, penetrates well and looks great. 14 month exterior exposure testing showed very little color loss. Overall great product. Note: Product label design has changed since test was initially conducted.

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DEFY Extreme Solid Color Wood Stain Review

Manufacturer Description: DEFY Extreme Solid Color Wood Stain is an extremely durable synthetic-resin, opaque wood finish that helps protect against the damaging effects of water, fungi, and UV radiation on exterior wood surfaces. This V.O.C. ...

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DEFY Extreme Wood Stain Review

DEFY Extreme Solid Color Wood Stain was released in the spring of 2019, but has been in testing for the last 5 years. The results are pretty impressive. This product has outstanding resistance to peeling as well as color fade. Where most solid or opaque wood stains are just thinned down paint, this product is a premium grade wood stain that hides extremely well. Additionally, it applies very smooth. We don't recommend applying most solid color stains on horizontal surfaces due to peeling issues, but this product can be used on both vertical and horizontal applications and will be resistant to peeling even on surfaces that get foot traffic. It only comes in 4 base strengths, and can be tinted to any color you like. It can be purchased at local Do it Best hardware stores or online at Duval Paint where they have a number of color options available to tint to.

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#1 Deck Stain Review

Manufacturer Description: #1 Deck Premium Wood Stain is an advanced, water-based, semi-transparent stain formulation designed to penetrate deep into wood pores for maximum protection and longevity. #1 Deck protects wood from harmful UV rays and ...

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#1 Deck Stain Review

Easy to apply, easy clean up and the color of the stain looks excellent. *Weathering Testing: In-Process

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Restore-A-Deck Stain Review

Manufacturer Description: Restore-A-Deck Wood Stain is an advanced, water-based, semi-transparent stain formulation designed to penetrate deep into wood pores for maximum protection and longevity. Restore-A-Deck Wood Stain protects wood from harmful ...

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Restore-A-Deck Stain Review

Easy to apply, easy clean up and the color of the stain looks fantastic . *Weathering Testing: In-Process

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#1 Deck Advanced Solid Color Wood Stain Review

Manufacturer Description: #1 Deck Solid Color Wood Stain is an advanced, water-based, solid color stain formulated to offer maximum protection and longevity. This deck paint provides a beautiful matte finish and protects wood from harmful UV rays ...

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#1 Deck Advanced Solid Stain Review

Maximum protection against color fade & UV damage, easy to apply and clean up, excellent coverage and nice color selection. *Weathering Testing: In-Process

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Sikkens WB Stain Review

Manufacturer Description: Sikkens WB is a one-coat, waterborne translucent exterior wood finish for use on a variety of wood surfaces. The hybrid formula is designed to give the advantages of both an alkyd and acrylic. CETOL Waterborne SRD contains ...

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Sikkens Cetol WB Review

The 14 month weathering test results were fairly good however, of note, was some darkening of the stain as well as a significant amount of splitting in the wood. Some of the splitting could simply be that the board used was less than perfect but it appears as though the product did a less than acceptable job of protecting the substrate against water penetration.

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Superdeck WaterBorne Stain Review

Manufacturer Description: SUPERDECK® Semi-Transparent Waterborne Stain is a high quality stain that will provide a rich sheen and total wood protection from the elements. The waterborne formula contains UV blockers to protect the wood from ...

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Superdeck WaterBased Stain Review

Product was difficult to apply and looks terrible when applying, almost like applying paint instead of stain. The stain looks like “yellow-paint”. Held color pretty well in 14 month exterior exposure testing but some mildew growth was visible.

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TWP 100 Stain Review

Manufacturer Description: TWP 100 is a unique combination of chemicals, preserving and enhancing the natural beauty of new and old wood. Total Wood Preservative products penetrate deeply into the wood without excessive surface film build. ...

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TWP 100 Stain Review

TWP 100 has a nice look to it. It was pretty easy to apply and looks good after applying. Probably one of the better oil-based products that we tested. Didn’t seem to support mildew growth like some other products did. Definitely didn’t hold its color as well as the acrylic products tested but did better than most of the oil-based competitors.

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Wolman DuraStain Stain Review

Manufacturer Description: Wolman® DuraStain® One Coat Semi-Transparent Stain is a one-coat, water-based exterior wood stain designed to provide excellent color retention; adhesion; and protection against UV graying, water damage, and mildew. It ...

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Wolman DuraStain Stain Review

Wolman’s DuraStain looked terrible when applying. It literally looks like orange paint. The product also has a strong odor. Initial appearance is not really a semi-transparent look, but more “thin paint” semi-opaque, hides quite a bit of the look and grain of the wood.14 month weathering did show good results in maintaining color and appearance and this would be expected based on the paint-like consistency of the product. Bottom line, the results were disappointing for a stain that has 6 year guaranteed performance on decks.

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Arborcoat WaterBased Stain Review

Manufacturer Description: Arborcoat WaterBased Stain, a premium quality waterborne alkyd/ acrylic semi-transparent stain formulated to penetrate and protect wood, resist abrasion, and beautify wood decking, siding, fencing, shingles and furniture. ...

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Arborcoat WaterBased Stain Review

This product was very difficult to apply, it doesn’t absorb easily in to the wood. Penetration was not very good, the product laid on the surface looking more like thin paint. 14 month weathering tests were pretty good. The product held its color and only showed minor peeling and mildew growth in the denser grain of the boards.

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Thompsons WaterSeal Deck & House Semi-Transparent Waterproofing Oil Stain, enhances the natural beauty of wood by adding fade resistant beautiful color that allows both the wood grain and texture to show. ...

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Thompson's Deck & House Oil Stain Review

Thompsons WaterSeal Deck & House Semi-Transparent Waterproofing Oil Stain applied easily and looked good initially. However the 14 month weathering results were disappointing. The product showed peeling and general failure inside of 14 months, and it had to be cleaned up with mineral spirits, which was kind of a pain.

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Arborcoat Oil Stain Review

Manufacturer Description: Arborcoat Oil Stain offer a variety of opacities in an array of captivating colors that let you express your own unique style. These finishes are designed to enhance the appearance of your deck, siding, or outdoor wood ...

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Arborcoat Oil Stain Review

Product applies easily and the initial color looks great. It doesn’t seem to absorb in to the wood very well, definitively nowhere near how other oil based stains are absorbed.14 month weathering test showed a pretty significant loss of color and darkening from mildew growth was beginning to occur.

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Thompson’s Waterproofing Stain Review

Thompson's Waterproofing penetrating oil stain that enhances the natural beauty of wood by adding fade resistant beautiful color that allows the wood grain and texture to show through. Thompson's Waterproofing Stain also resists UV damage. ...

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Thompson's Waterproofing Stain Review

This product looks like pink paint. Even when applying, it still looks slightly pink tinted. Though it held its color pretty well, the peeling that we saw, in our 14 moth weathering test, was severe.

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Cabot Semi Transparent Stain Review

Cabot Semi Transparent Stains are deep penetrating, linseed oil-based stains that beautify and protect exterior wood. These lightly pigmented stains enhance the natural beauty of the wood by allowing the grain, texture, and color variations ...

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Cabot Semi Transparent Stain Review

This product was fairly difficult to apply, you have to really brush it in to get proper results. Product performed reasonably well for an alkyd stain on the 14 month weathering test. Though a fair amount of darkening did occur, the stain resisted peeling and erosion reasonable well. Signs of moisture damage (splitting/cracking) were also evident.

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Cabot Wood Tone Stain Review

Cabot Wood Toned Deck & Siding Stain is specially formulated with a unique blend of resin and oil to provide a superior natural finish for bare wood. This distinctive product comes in five natural tones that not only sustains the natural ...

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Cabot Wood Tone Stain Review

Product doesn’t penetrate very well. Have to really brush the product onto the wood. Initial results are nothing special, just average. 14 month weathering tests mirrored our initial application…the product performed OK. Some darkening occurred, which is to be expected with an oil-based product. More concerning was the splitting and weathering of the board, as though there was not an adequate amount of protection from moisture.

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Flood CWF-UV5 Stain Review

Manufacturer Description: Flood CWF-UV5 is a premium oil-based wood finish that protects and beautifies exterior wood. Flood CWF-UV5 advanced formulation guards exterior wood from its two biggest enemies – water and sun. Flood CWF-UV5 is fortified ...

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Flood CWF-UV5 Stain Review

Flood CWF-UV5 Product doesn’t penetrate very well. I had to brush like crazy to get the results needed. Initial appearance looked pretty good, just a bit difficult to apply. 14 month weathering testing showed that the product maintained its color reasonably well but the samples did show signs of peeling, specifically around the tighter grains of the wood.

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Wood Defender Fence Stain Review

Manufacturer Description: Wood Defender has deep-penetrating, modified-oil formula ensures superior results every time in just one application, with no back-brushing. Wood Defender stains wipe off most metal, glass, and non-porous surfaces, so ...

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Wood Defender Stain Review

Wood Defender showed good penetration and was pretty easy to apply. This product has a very nice initial appearance, though it does have a very strong odor. Would not recommend to someone who has a sensitivity to strong odors. Product significantly darkened and the color did not hold up well during the 14 month weathering test. No visible graying or mold or mildew was noticed.

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Olympic Waterproofing Stain Review

OLYMPIC Waterproofing Stain provides a slight hint of color to maintain the natural beauty of new wood or restore the natural beauty of weathered wood. ...

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Olympic Waterproofing Stain

Product has a bit of an odor but was easy to apply and penetrated very well. The overall initial appearance is Ok/ Average. 14 month weathering test showed a significant loss of color as well as a fair amount of darkening (mildew growth) in the softer grain patterns of the board.

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TWP 1500 Stain Review

Manufacturer Description: TWP 1500 Series resists water absorption that causes warping, cracking and splitting. It also prevents freeze damage in colder climates. TWP 1500 is great for wood decks. TWP 1500 Series is a low VOC preservative with ...

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TWP 1500 Stain Review

Product has a strong odor, but looks nice on the test boards. It was harder to apply because I had to brush extra. Did not look nearly as nice, or apply nearly as easily, as the TWP 100 series that we tested.14 month weathering tests were also not nearly as good, with the 1500 series showing significant darkening, color loss and mildew growth, when compared to the 100 series.

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Olympic Maximum Stain Review

OLYMPIC MAXIMUM Deck, Fence & Siding Semi-Transparent Stain provides a subtle color that allows wood’s natural grain and texture to show through. Core shell hybrid resin technology provides deep stain penetration, waterproofing and UV defense to ...

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Olympic Maximum Stain Review

Olympic Maximum claims a 6 year warranty. Our testing showed that the product failed with peeling in a little over a year. The testing was done on boards that saw no foot traffic. We can only guess how poorly this would have held up on a deck with patio furniture, pets, and people. Cleanup was difficult as this is an oil based product, and required mineral spirits.

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Armstrong’s Wood Stain Review

Armstrong's Wood Stain drying oils stay at the surface, lock in the conditioning oils and create a dry to the touch barrier. Armstrong’s formulas also contain vegetable oils, transparent oxide pigments, water repellents, mildecide and solvent. ...

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Armstrong's Wood Stain Review

Hard to apply, seemed very “oily” and the product doesn’t soak into the wood very well. The product looks ok after applying but is difficult to apply and brush on…kind of sticky. Did seem to be really good at resisting lap marks. 14 month exposure testing showed pretty poor results with the stain film breaking down and disappearing pretty badly.

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Sikkens SRD Stain Review

Manufacturer Description: Sikkens SRD Semi-Transparent Wood Stain is a one-coat, semi-transparent stain for use on a variety of exterior wood surfaces. It features supreme UV protection, plus unique Sikkens technology for deep penetration. Available ...

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Sikkens SRD Stain Review

Product was easy to apply and penetrated well. The stain looks much like orange paint when wet but dried to a fairly attractive finish.In the 14th month weathering test, the stain showed severe film erosion, resulting in a significant amount of graying. Overall weathering results were not very good.

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Behr Semi Transparent Wood Stain Review

Manufacturer Description: Accent and enhance your wood’s natural patterns, while providing increased protection from the elements with BEHR’s Semi-Transparent Waterproofing Wood Stain. This 100% acrylic formula seals out water and blocks the sun’s ...

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Behr Semi Transparent Wood Stain Review

Product applies like paint and has a strong odor. The stain doesn’t soak into the wood very well. Almost looks like orange paint. Not really a semi-transparent finish but rather more of a semi-opaque…hides the grain a little more than a semi-transparent should. 14 month weathering showed good color retention and resistance to fading but there was a good amount of peeling of the film over areas of the denser, winter growth rings on the board. The product has a 3 year warranty on decks, but in our test, it failed a third of the way through the warranted lifespan.

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Ready Seal Stain Review

Manufacturer Description: ReadySeal wood stain and sealer contains all the essential elements of a quality coating for exterior wood projects. Ease of application was in mind throughout the formulation of ReadySeal to ensure all consumers a ...

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Ready Seal Stain Review

Stain looked good after initial application. Ready Seal has good penetration and applies easily. The product has a very strong odor, would not recommend if the user is sensitive to smells. After 14 months of weathering the product has completely weathered away. The test board has darkened significantly and small black spots of what appear to be mold have shown up. Bottom line: although this was one of the cheaper stains on the market, unless you want to redo your deck every year, stay away from Ready Seal.

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Penofin Oil Stain Blue Label Review

Penofin Oil Stain exterior wood finishing products on your wood projects to beautify and protect against fading, discoloration, mold and mildew. Penofin transparent exterior finishes were formulated to enhance and protect the natural beauty of ...

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Penofin Oil Stain Review

Penofin Blue has a small odor. This product is easy to apply and absorbs well into the wood. The initial appearance looks pretty good, but not great. The instructions stress wiping the stain after applying to reduce sticky finish. Even though the finish looks OK, who really wants to wipe their entire deck after staining? 14 month weathering results were the worst of anything we tested. Severe failure, graying, color loss and mildew growth were all terrible.

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Penofin Ultra Premium Stain Review

Manufacturer Description: Penofin Ultra Premium Red Label wood stain was created to meet the demand for an exterior wood finish that outperforms all other transparent wood stains. The highly-penetrating Brazilian Rosewood Oil base, from sustainably ...

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Penofin Ultra Premium Stain Review

Transparent On application, Cedar does a nice job of highlighting the natural wood look. Wasn’t the best product for applying and penetration. (*Instructions stress wiping the stain after applying to reduce sticky finish. Even though the finish looks OK, who really wants to wipe their entire deck after staining?) Performed terribly in exterior weathering test, losing all color and turning black with mildew within 14 months.

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Messmer’s UV Plus Stain Review

Manufacturer Description: Messmer’s UV Plus is a premium deck stain and natural wood finish which protects and beautifies exterior wood decks, siding, fences, log homes, and other wood projects.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaL96Yxk_J4

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Messmer's UV Plus Stain Review

Product has strong odor but penetrates well when applying. Overall, on initial application, the stain looks pretty nice. Unfortunately, the 14 month weathering test on this product was not good. Boards showed significant color loss, graying and mildew growth. Overall, the performance of this product was at the lower end for all of the products we tested.

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SuperDeck Oil Stain Review

Manufacturer Description: SuperDeck Oil penetrating oil-based formula that protects the beauty of the wood with a rich semi-transparent stain that allows wood grain texture to show through. SuperDeck Oil-Based Semi-Transparent Stain repels water to ...

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SuperDeck Oil Stain Review

Product was very streaky and was harder to apply than other stains. The stain didn’t look great after applying but wasn’t terrible either.14 month weathering test showed significant color loss, mildew growth and darkening. This was one of the worst stains we tested.

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