Updated for 2024 – Best Deck Stains
One of the newer, more impressive stains on the market right now is the Restore-A-Deck Wood Stain. It’s a water-based, synthetic resin, semi-transparent stain made with high-quality resins that bond firmly to the wood. Check out this deck stain to save yourself some time and effort as it can be applied the same day as prep. It’s a little more money than the cheaper ones you see advertised a lot, but worth it in the long run.
In this article, we’re going to talk about the different types of stains – which are the best deck stains and which are the worst deck stains to put on your wood. If you’ve been doing any research on how to stain a deck or patio, you’ve probably noticed that deck stains usually come in one of two categories: water-based deck sealers and oil-based deck sealers. There are some very important differences between the two that you need to be aware of.
Comparison of Deck Stains: Oil vs. Water
Traditionally, oil-based deck stains have been the preferred method to stain a deck. They penetrate into the wood very well, they look good when you put them down and they have a decent lifespan. When you do some further investigating, you begin to notice some not-so-desirable characteristics of these stains.
The first problem is that they are made of natural resins, which is basically food for algae and mold. Ever notice the large black regions of mold growing on your deck? You guessed it, the mold is eating your stain right off your deck. And not only that, once it starts, it becomes a breeding ground for more mold and algae, and it begins to grow, eventually taking over your whole deck!
A Toxic Dilemma
To counteract this, manufacturers put a heavy amount of toxic algaecides and mildewcides in these products. Over time, with UV sunlight and rain, these chemicals are brought to the surface of the wood and eventually washed away. This presents a two-fold dilemma…one being the safety of barefoot children absorbing these toxic chemicals into their skin, and the second being that once these chemicals are washed away, it’s open season on your deck for mold and algae attacks.
The other problem with oil-based stains has to do with new environmental laws. Oil-based products typically are much more dangerous to the environment and are beginning to be outlawed by the EPA. So far, the following states have outlawed almost all oil-based stains: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Washington DC, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Virginia.
Aside from their negative environmental impact, oil-based stains are more difficult to work with, only clean up with mineral spirits, and take much longer to cure than water-based stains.
Up until recently, there hasn’t been a good alternative for oil-based stains. Deck owners simply had to deal with the unsightly algae growth, environmental damage, and safety issues. There have recently been vast improvements in water-borne technologies that have allowed water-based stains to penetrate like an oil stain. There’s a newer product out called Defy Extreme Wood Stain that has this new water-based technology. It resists mold and algae and it’s environmentally friendly.
Natural Resin and Synthetic Resin Deck Sealers
We’ve already talked about how oil-based sealers contain “natural resins” that promote algae and mold growth. The alternative option is to use a stain with “synthetic resins”. These are man-made resins that imitate natural resins with one big advantage. They aren’t a food source for algae. That’s right, mold and algae would never think about eating this stuff! It performs just like the natural resins of the oil-based stains but is a synthetic material designed to work the same without the mold growth.
Because synthetic resin sealers aren’t going to be food for algae, it’s not necessary to add a bunch of mildewcides and algaecides to the stains, making them much more family-friendly and environmentally friendly.
Clear, Semi-Transparent or Solid Color Deck Stains
The next thing to consider when choosing a deck stain is whether to use a clear deck stain, a semi-transparent deck stain or a solid color deck stain. All three have their advantages and disadvantages, but the semi-transparent is usually the best choice for staining your deck. I’ll explain why.
Best Clear Deck Stains
Most clear products are not able to hold up to the UV rays well enough to give you a significant lifespan. Frequently, the clear stains vanish within a few short months of applying them. On top of that, most clear deck stains aren’t totally clear. They have an amber tint added to them to give them extra UV protection. If it weren’t for this amber tint, your deck would turn gray in a matter of weeks rather than months.
Best Solid Color Deck Stains
The solid color stains are great for vertical siding or posts, areas that don’t get as much direct UV damage from the sun. The problem occurs when you put a solid color stain down on the flat parts of your deck. This is the area that gets the most damage and direct sunlight. Add to that the fact that people and pets are walking on it, contributing to even more wear and tear. As solid color stains weather over time, they tend to peel rather than fade. You end up with a mess. Simply applying a stain stripper is normally not enough to remove these stains. Frequently, the only option becomes using paint stripper, a highly dangerous and toxic substance that can cause burns and kill your surrounding vegetation upon contact.
Best Semi-transparent Deck Stains
Semi-transparent stains are far and away the best choice when it comes to staining your deck. They have a tint to give them added UV protection which extends their life to a year or more, and sometimes up to several years. The tint still allows you to see through to the wood grain below giving the wood a nice, rich finish without hiding the texture of the wood. Also, they are super easy to maintain. Usually, the maintenance process involves a simple cleaning, and then a re-application of the deck stain once every other year or two. No stripping involved!
Conclusion
When it comes to the best decking stains, these are the main issues that you need to be concerned with:
- Water-based stains are the way to go, ditch the oils – easier to clean up, more green-friendly
- Synthetic resins, not natural resins – no mold, and no toxic chemicals
- Semi-transparent deck stains rather than clear or solid color deck stains – easier to maintain
Keeping in mind these points when buying a deck stain will save you a lot of time, money, and labor. Remember that with deck stains, you get what you pay for. Cheap deck stains are made with cheap resins and inexpensive fillers that won’t last. Buy a more expensive deck stain with higher quality resins that will last and keep your wood beautiful over time while protecting it from the elements.
204 comments
Thanks Clay, that is wonderful news.
One more question, some of the wood we put down is still a little green I think – some boards were quite a bit heavier than others. Do I need to wait on staining because of that or is it still OK to go ahead once I have a dry day and the deck is dry from the rain?
I just had my upper deck replaced with cedar, we were going to refinish the one that was there but discovered a lot of the boards had gone bad and decided to replace. It is untreated wood, how long do I need to wait until I can stain? I am in Oregon and we are going into the rainy season and I am concerned about getting it taken care of before winter hit. I am also pretty environmentally minded and want to use what is best for the environment, but still use as good of product as possible to ensure the longevity of my deck. I also have critters that run around on it too so I prefer not poison anyone in the process…. any recommendations would be much appreciated. Thank you!
Angie, the good news is that cedar doesn’t need to weather before you stain it. You can stain it immediately after installing it. Cedar is an oily softwood that typically has problems accepting water based stains. A lot of times, people use oil based stains as they tend to soak in a little better on cedar wood types. The downside is that most oil based stains are not very environmentally friendly. If you’re wanting the most environmentally friendly product without sacrificing performance, I would try a product called Deck Stain for Hardwoods. It’s a water based product that has tiny resins that soak into hard or oily wood types better than most other water based stains. To get the longest lifespan out of this product (or any other for that matter), I would use a Wood Cleaner and Brightener first to prep the wood. This will make a big difference in the performance of the stain. The Wood Cleaner opens up the pores of the wood so more stain can soak in. The Brightener neutralizes the surface, bringing the wood to a neutral ph level, which is what it needs to be in order to be stained.
I am building a replacement deck of pressure treated douglas fir or hemlock then plan to cover it with Timbertech decking. The contractor has agreed to stain all exposed structure before attaching decking. Does the structure require preparation prior to applying stain? He planned to use Behr but that is not my choice and will probably use a semi transparent stain. I live in western wa-what stain would you recommend?
Thanks, Dean
Dean, first off, if you’re using pressure treated lumber, it needs to weather for a few months before applying anything to it. Once that happens, it’s best to use a Wood Cleaner and Wood Brightener first. That will make a big difference in the lifespan of the stain. The best stain I’ve tried on pressure treated lumber is Extreme Wood Stain. It has zinc nano-particles in it that are extremely resistant to mold and mildew and it resists UV damage very well. It has far outlasted Behr in every case I’ve seen so far. I think Behr does have a product that has nano-particles in it that supposed to be pretty good but I can’t say whether it’s any good as I haven’t tried it yet.
We have a composite deck, but the railing system is a wood called Cambara. We have tried using Austrailian Oil but it does not last. The rails have a lot of checks and have weathered.
The deck is on the west side and gets sun from late morning until sunset. What can we do to make it presentable for a few more years?
Forgot to mention that the porch is covered with an awning/roof, and faces east. We live in the Pacific Northwest.
Any suggestions for the best semi-transparent stain for a front porch? It’s tongue-and-groove fir, 1×4″ clear vertical grain. Not sure whether to go with oil or water-based. Water seems better but may not last as long. Appreciate any help.
Jeana, I like a product called Extreme Wood Stain. It’s a water based product that has outlasted anything else I’ve tried, including oil based products. I prefer water based products as they are easier to deal with, plus the good ones last just as long, if not longer than oil based products.
I have a composite deck but used a Brazilian wood called Cambara
as a railing sysem. I have tried using Australian Oil but it does not last. As of now, the rails have a lot of checks and has weathered.
The deck is on the West side of my house with sun starting around late morning and all through the day.
What can I use to make it look presentable for the next couple of years?
Thank you for your time,
Joe Vieira
Joe, unfortunately there isn’t anything that’s going to last a couple of years on brazilian hardwood. I usually consider myself lucky to get 12-18 months out of a stain on this type of wood. I’m not a big fan of Australian Timber Oil. It tends to attract mold and algae every time I use it. I usually will go with a synthetic resin stain. There’s a product called Deck Stain for Hardwoods that you can try. Keep in mind that regardless of what you use, you’re still going to end up doing maintenance coats at least every 1-2 years at best. The good news is that vertical surfaces typically last longer than horizontals as they don’t get as much direct UV damage.
We plan on staining our deck this weekend and can’t decide which brand to go with. We’re looking at the brands Wolmans or Behrs…any recommendations? I cannot find Defy deck stain anywhere nearby and we need to make our purchase soon. Thanks!
I’d stay away from Behr…never had too much luck with their stains. Wolman makes some that are ok.
Clay – We just put down a cedar floor on a porch that is covered on the north side of our house, so it doesn’t get much, if any sun. We love the natural color of the wood and we’ve read what seems to be a million suggestions about what to protect it with. But we haven’t seen many suggestions on wood on the north side of a covered area. Thanks.
If it were me, I’d use DEFY UV-Resistant Clear Wood Finish. That’s a totally clear product that works really well on cedar. The fact that your deck is facing the north means that it won’t get as much uv damage. The DEFY product has synthetic resins that don’t attract mold or mildew. Sometimes mold can be an issue on north facing decks due to the increased amount of shade so I’d definitely stay away from oil based stains. They tend to attract more mold than water based products.
As anyone tried Penofin? What do you think of it? My wife and I are thinking of using it on a new cedar fence, deck and hot tub.
Penofin is one of the better stains out there. I wouldn’t say it’s my favorite, but it’s still a pretty good product.
Hi,
About 8 months ago I used Cabot’s Natural Decking Oil on my merbeu deck. But now it’s looking quite faded with the daily sunlight shining on it. I now want to go along the lines of using a stain to get a bit more colour into it.
In terms of preparation though, would I need to strip the decking oil off first or would a good scrub with some deck clean solution suffice?
Thanks!
You’ll need to strip the old stain off with a stain stripper, then use a brightener to neutralize the surface. Keep in mind that Merbau is a hardwood and any stain you use is not going to last that long. When wood is that dense it has trouble allowing stain to soak in. Since the deck stain doesn’t soak in very deep, it isn’t able to bond with the wood fibers as well. The result is you’ll probably need to stain it every year. If you were going to use the same Cabot product again, you could probably get by with just cleaning the surface, but if you’re going to change to another type of stain or another brand, then I would definitely strip and brighten the wood.
Hi, Clay
Why my post was deleted?
John
John, I’m not sure. I don’t remember deleting any posts unless they were marked as spam. If you’d resubmit it I’d be glad to let you share your thoughts.
I have a large, uncovered cedar deck that faces south and gets a LOT of direct sunlight. As a result, no stain or paint that I have tried over the last 12 years seems to last more than one summer season.
I would like to try something other than stain and/or paint.
I thought that perhaps Linseed Oil would work as it would not peel but would simply fad as it ages? I also thought about Teak Oil, however the cost would be prohibative.
Any suggestions or comments?
Thanks.
John, unfortunately you have probably the worst type of environment for a deck. Any deck with a southern exposure that gets sunlight the majority of the day probably needs to be restained every year. The UV rays will cause it to gray faster than anything else. Plus, cedar is a tough wood to stain. It’s naturally resistant to the elements and it resists stains as well. I’ve never seen a stain hold up that well on cedar compared to something like pressure treated lumber. You could put linseed oil or teak oil on your deck, but it’s probably not even going to last 12 months before the wood starts graying. If it were me, I’d use a semi-transparent stain. Some are better than others. The color in the stain will give you better UV protection than a clear. You might get 2 years at best. There’s a new product out called Extreme Wood Stain. Check out this wood stain video below comparing it to other stains. You can buy the Extreme Wood Stain here.
Just so everyone knows, here are the stains that Tim Carter is using: The far left semi-transparent stain is DEFY Extreme Semi-transparent Wood Stain in Cedartone color. The next is DEFY Extreme Clear Wood Stain, then Sherwin Williams Clear. He’s supposed to do a follow up video showing the results. I’ll post that when he does it.
Why do I want to “maintain my deck” by painting it every year or two!. I have used Olympic OIL BASED semi transparant stain for its life. IT’s over 20 years old. I have only stained it 2 times! I have no issues with MOLD or ALGAE. I live in the midwest. The sun is what breaks down the stain. OIL base staines are ABSORBED into the wood. LATEX products are a FILM on the top. ONCE broken, there is nothing to protect the wood underneath. I will find and OIL BASED product sold in another state and have it shipped to me. ps, there is no clean up, I DISPOSE of the roller and clean the brush!
If you’ve got that long out of your deck, consider yourself extremely fortunate. Most stains typically last 2-3 years. True, the sun does break down the stain but there are other factors that can play into it such as rain, snow, foot traffic, pets, elevation, etc… Penetrating stains are available in both oil and water based. While it is true that oils typically do penetrate better, water based stains have come a long way and will soak in almost as well. You can get oil based stains in other states, but it’s becoming harder to find because online stores that ship these products to states that have adopted the California OTC standards can be subject to some pretty hefty fines. Eventually the EPA said they are going to have a nationwide law that prohibits oil based products. So far, these standards have been adopted by the states listed in the above article. From what I understand, the EPA keeps pushing back the date of a national standard which is why some individual states have taken their own initiatives.
This is extremely helpful. We were just told by our painters that in Massachusetts oil-based stains are illegal. Didn’t see MA in your list up there. Any updates?
Yes, Massachusetts is another that has adopted the California OTC standards. The list has been updated.
Clay: We live in Michigan and just built a cedar deck, which was completed in December. After doing some web searching, I purchased a product called Cedarshield Deck-Dock-Fence. It is a penetrant, solvent based wood treatment and a wood stabilizer.
We have cleaned the deck and are preparing to apply the product. Are you familiar with this product? We understand that it is not a coating and has no UV protection value. The Cedarcide web site suggests either an oil or water based protectant can be used once the Cedarshield is allowed to sit for 72 hours. I would like to “hear” your comments on Cedarshield to make sure that I am doing the right thing to promote the longevity of my cedar deck.
I’ve never heard of this particular product. My only thought is that cedar is naturally weather resistant. It has plenty of oils that make it hold up to the elements without applying anything to it. I can tell you that most stain manufacturers will not recommend putting their stain on a deck that has this type of treatment on it. Let me know how your project turns out. I’m curious to see what your results are.
Dear Clay,
We built a two level westren red cedar deck in 2008. I have not applied any type of finish or stain as of yet so as to allow the wood to naturally weather first to remove the mill glaze.
The upper deck measures 20′ x 20′ and the lower deck measures 16′ x 14′. The railing system consists of aluminium upright posts and rails which enclose clear tempered glass panels. Therefore no shaded areas for mold or mildew to get a foothold.
What preparation steps should I take prior to staining the deck with a semi-transparent product?
The deck is southwest facing and therefore receives full sun all day long.
Regards,
J.R. Hughes, CPP
J.R.,
A couple of things to keep in mind with your situation…1. western red cedar is an oily wood type that has traditionally had problems accepting water based stains. 2. Your deck is getting maximum UV damage with that amount of sunlight all day long, I probably would expect to do maintenance coats on a yearly basis. 3. Mill scale is a crushing of the wood grain during the milling process. An oxygenated bleach wood cleaner is typically the easiest way to remove this. Keep in mind that oxygen bleach wood cleaners will occasionally turn cedar very dark. You can remedy this by applying a wood brightener. The oxalic acid in the brightener is a neutralizer and will lighten the wood back up to brand new again. As far as which stain to use, you can use an oil based stain or a water based stain. If you go with oil, it’s going to soak in better but it will still probably only last a year at most due to the extreme UV damage your deck gets. If you want to use a water based stain, only apply as much as the wood can absorb. On western red cedar decks, if I’m using a water based stain, I’ll use DEFY Deck Stain for Hardwoods. It has smaller resins that soak in better than most other water based stains. If you decide to use oil, you might look into Cabot, TWP or Penofin. They make some decent oil based stains.
We had a cedar deck built 2 summers ago, we waited a few months then applied a semi transparent stain water based acrylic ( cabots). the next spring we went out to see had the deck had held up and all of the stain started to peel so back that we actually was aweeping it away in most areas of the deck. So we power washed it using the widest angle nozzle we had keeping at least 8 inches awayfrom the wood if not more. well the wood got damaged,Lots of grooves, this year it seems likesome of it is starting to have light splintering. But the deck was clean, now it has to be sanded, this is the plan just want to make sure we are doing it correctly, we followed all instructions last, but didn’t work out, it has turned gray, so I’m thingking it mold and mildew, going to power wash it again, then sand it, then water based semi transparent stain it. ( I’m going to use the one you recommended) do I use a good natural brush to apply it? so does that sound right to you, the deck is cedar, three yrs old this summer,It’s grayed, it’s a 20f.x 25ft deck. how many coats of stain and how many gallons do you think I would need?
Cedar can be hard to deal with sometimes. It frequently has problems accepting stains due to its oily nature. Concerning brushes, for water based stains I usually use a good quality synthetic brush. Natural brushes are usually better for oil base stains. You have about 500 sq. feet of decking, so that will probably take about 5 gallons of stain. For cedar I use a semi-transparent product called Deck Stain for Hardwoods. It has smaller resins that soak in better than other stains. I’ve always had pretty good luck with this product on cedar. And as always with cedar, just make sure you don’t over-apply the stain. Sometimes the wood can only absorb 1 coat. If it looks like it’s soaking in well, then apply the second coat before the first coat dries. With these types of stains, the 2 coats should always be applied wet-on-wet. By the way, if you don’t want a color and would rather have a clear, I use a product called Extreme Clear Wood Stain. If you use this product, just make sure you prep the wood properly with an oxygen bleach wood cleaner and wood brightener.
Clay, our deck was previously stained using an oil-based stain. How do we go about stripping it so we can now stain it with a water-based stain? We’ve never done anything like this before and have a HUGE deck to stain!
The best way to do it is to use a stain stripper followed by a power washer. Apply a good quality wood stain stripper using a pump sprayer, let it set for about 15 minutes, then use a power washer to rinse it off. Be careful not to use too much pressure as you can damage the wood. Power washers come with several different tip sizes that determine pressure. Just remember to use the widest tip (least pressure) available and hold the power washer 8-12 inches away from your decking surface to prevent damage. After you rinse it, apply an oxalic acid wood brightener to neutralize the surface. This is a quick process. You can do it with a pump sprayer and then rinse with a garden hose. Let your deck dry out for a few days and it’s ready to be stained with a water based stain.
We used an oil stain on our deck floor last time and now it is peeling. I would prefer to go back to a water based semi-transparent. Is this possible? How should I prep the wood so the stain will adhere?
Yes, it is possible. Make sure you totally remove the old oil based stain first with a stain stripper and then rinse with a pressure washer (be careful not to damage the wood). If any of the old oil stain remains, it will repel any water based stain you try to apply on top of it. So it’s really important to totally remove it when switching to a water base. Once you use a stain stripper, use a brightener (oxalic acid) to neutralize the surface. Let it dry out and you’re ready for a waterbase stain.
I am just finishing up a new redwood railing system. I have been considering the defy epoxy product. Since this is new wood, what prep work is recomended before sealing? I was planning on just sanding with 140 and then 240 grit and sealing. Is it necessary to do any other prep work?
Ryan, you’re going to want to wash the deck with an oxygenated bleach as well, or else the mill glaze will prevent the deck stain from penetrating as deeply as it should. Besides that, just follow the instructions!
Clay
Does pressure treated wood oxidize? Had our deck sealed with Sealmaxx sealant. Says it inhibits mold growth, but still have mold and algae growth. Rep says it is oxidation. I thought that only effected metals not wood. Also is there any sealer that can be good for 25 years. Supposedly that’s her guarentee
You’re right, wood does not oxidize, metal does. You have to be careful with some of these products out there. You didn’t apply a stain, you basically applied a preservative. Some of these products are a little misleading. They say they come with a 25 year warranty, but if you read the fine print, they don’t claim that your deck will look good for 25 years, the 25 year guarantee simply means that the wood won’t rot away for 25 years. Your deck will normally start to weather and look bad after a few short years. From my experience, there aren’t any deck stains that will last longer than a few years on a horizontal surface. The technology simply isn’t there yet.
I applied a water based, semi-transparent deck stain to my large, gazebo deck 6 years ago. While the vertical boards have all done very well, the horizontal boards (floor and roof) began peeling almost immediately. This year, I am applying an oil based stain to the horizontal boards, as this stain does not peal off.
In almost every case your vertical boards will get double the lifespan of your horizontal boards because they don’t get as much direct UV damage. There are some good oil based stains out there that are ok to use, just make sure you don’t use them in damp or heavily shaded areas where mold growth can become an issue. Oil based stains are prone to have more mold growing on them due to their natural oil resins. Two of the better brands are Cabot’s or TWP.
If you’re going to use water base stains, you have to make sure you use a good quality water based stain and then prep the wood properly. Using a good wood cleaner and wood brightener will open up the pores of the wood so it soaks in. Water based stains won’t penetrate quite as deep as the oils, but oil stains come with their own set of problems. Usually oil stains are more likely to attract mold and mildew, they can still peel if over-applied, and with the new EPA laws coming out, oil base stains are going away. California has totally banned them, many of the Northeastern states have followed suit as well as some of the midwestern states.
REFURBISHING AN OLD DECK
Would you not recommend applying a semi-transparent stain on a deck floor and a solid stain on the perimeter railing upon refurbishing a previously stained deck? It would spare you the extra work of having to strip and sand all the rail spindles.
That would work. It’s ok to use a solid color stain on vertical surfaces. They don’t usually hold up too well on the flat parts. Solid stains are also more prone to peeling, but typically they won’t on vertical surfaces where they don’t get direct sunlight all day long.
What Epoxy Fortified Stain did you use? DEFY? And what type of wood did you use it on?
i put an opaque stain on my deck and i don’t like it. the clear or semi-transparent would have looked better b/c the opaque one looks a lot like paint i cant see the grain but i can still see a bit of the texture…go for semi-transparent
I had no idea the Epoxy Fortified Wood Stain was environmentally friendly, that must be why my shrubs in the landscaping around the deck didn’t suffer this time around like they did last time.