Opinions on deck stains

Need to stain the deck. 5/4 cedar decking. Most is older wood but replaced a bunch of rotten boards so it's a mix. Pressure washed and ready to go.

Comments

  • Hermitism
    Hermitism Posts: 4,192
    Avoid this if they still make it. My Dad made the mistake of using it and it peeled within 6 months. There were so many complaints that there was a lawsuit.

    https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/closed-settlements/856904-behr-deckover-resurfacer-class-action-settlement/
  • ken brydson
    ken brydson Posts: 8,638
    fastz28 wrote: »
    bears higher end stain 5 gallons $175

    DeckOver? Have you used it? Supposedly works well but sounds like a pain to apply.
  • ken brydson
    ken brydson Posts: 8,638
    Hermitism wrote: »
    Avoid this if they still make it. My Dad made the mistake of using it and it peeled within 6 months. There were so many complaints that there was a lawsuit.

    https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/closed-settlements/856904-behr-deckover-resurfacer-class-action-settlement/

    Beat me to it. Hadn't seen that. Thank God, we were leaning toward it....
  • Hermitism
    Hermitism Posts: 4,192
    edited August 2019
    He originally used a tinted sealer a long time ago on another deck and it just faded away over time. I liked it a lot, there were a variety of colors to choose from and it just tinted the wood and eventually disappeared with no chipping or peeling. But the solid color stains have always scared me ever since that happened to him.

    Somewhere on here is a another thread about deck stains because I remember mentioning that lawsuit. Let me see if I can find it.
  • kevhed72
    kevhed72 Posts: 4,950
    edited August 2019
    I used almost 5 gallons to do all the railings of Deckzilla:
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    zj01ybxsyfpj.jpeg

    While it is cheaper to buy in bulk, I went with single gallons because it is easier to stir frequently and less messy. I used both the thin roller thingy and several brushes since the stair penetrates better than spraying. It was a complete PITA but worth it.
  • kevhed72
    kevhed72 Posts: 4,950
    Oh....and that Deckover stuff completely blows. It reminds me of the paint and primer in one garbage they used to sell!
  • gudnoyez
    gudnoyez Posts: 8,056
    edited August 2019
    You would not use deckover on a cedar deck, anyways. Beats the purpose of having a Cedar deck covering it up with that thick goop. If you replaced the bad boards with new Cedar Boards there will be quite a difference in color so a transparent stain would be out of the question.

    I would use a semi solid stain from Cabot, you will cover the difference between the shades of new and old boards with still seeing the grain. Any deckover product is junk and wont last.

    I have been dicking around with my deck for 20 years replacing all boards staining, restaining after a couple of years. Replacing boards that cracked or warped I hate treated lumber then restaining again it's a viscous cycle. Not wanting to do the deck again after the umpteenth time I let it go last year and most of this summer.

    I just dropped a big chunk of cash for a new Azek maintenance free deck and glad I did I got tired of getting the power washer out and doing the every 2 year ritual. Good luck with your staining project. Cabot or Behr semi solid is the brands I had the best luck with, but the wife wanted a new deck and she got what she wanted. I wont be getting any new gear for a while though.
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  • hochpt21
    hochpt21 Posts: 5,423
    We just finished ours. We used a stripper with a power wash, a cleaner with a power wash and then 2 coats with Behr solid stain. It’s perfect.
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  • txcoastal1
    txcoastal1 Posts: 13,124
    Here's a how to video...

    https://youtu.be/i6c4Nupnup0
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  • My dad used to work in the paint/stain industry and by far the best stuff we ever used was Rymar. We used to do testing compared to other products and they just outlasted them by a wide margin.

    https://www.rymarindustries.com/products/xtreme-weather/

    Not cheap, but in my opinion you get what you pay for. This stuff may last 10 years where another is only 3 years. You figure your time and having to reapply 3 times vs. one time and the cost becomes mute. This is just an example, and the amount of time Rymar will last will depend on your location and weather. Same goes for any other product mentioned though.

    Regardless of what product you use, in my opinion I would suggest the following:
    • On a deck, use semi-transparent. Solids don't hold up as well to the foot traffic, but this is still your preference.
    • Never use clear as it will never last as long and having a pigment helps block the UV. If you want a clear, try to find a semi-transparent that is as close to the color of the natural wood you are using and use that instead.
    • In my opinion, stay away from CWF and other Flood products.
    • Make sure the stain you are using is for a deck. I know this sounds like common sense, but I've seen people use Cabot's siding stain on a deck and wonder why it doesn't hold up to foot traffic.

    All the best.

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  • muncybob
    muncybob Posts: 2,963
    $89/gallon plus shipping...it better be good! I agree though, if it lasts 5+ years it would be worth it. I applied Clark/Armstrong 2 years ago and it looked great up until now. Need to reapply and if it only lasts another 2-3 years I'll try the Rymar stuff.
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  • muncybob wrote: »
    $89/gallon plus shipping...it better be good! I agree though, if it lasts 5+ years it would be worth it. I applied Clark/Armstrong 2 years ago and it looked great up until now. Need to reapply and if it only lasts another 2-3 years I'll try the Rymar stuff.

    Yep, not cheap. As with all products though, before purchasing you may want to call them first or read up on what their requirements are for prepping and let them know what you have already had on the deck. They may end up not recommending their product based on prior stuff used on the surface. Better to ask than purchase something that expensive to find out you will have issues with it's application.
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  • ken brydson
    ken brydson Posts: 8,638
    Thanks for all of the advice. I ended up going with this...
    eew52g092fjv.jpg

    Working on the second coat now. Pretty happy with the results so far. Not worried about it lasting 5-10 years as I'm getting ready to list the house. I'll post pics when I'm done.
  • tratliff
    tratliff Posts: 1,651
    edited August 2019
    About 5 years ago I owned a house, 75% cedar, with 2 large decks. Along with a 40x50 cedar garage and carport that was 90% cedar.

    I owned it for 12 years and always fought with transparent stain. I then talked with a painter that talked me into a solid stain. I was reluctant because I always wanted the cedar look.

    That was the best decision I ever made. Everything was consistent and I picked a color that was very close to the transparent stain.

    Changed the appearance of the place for the better.

    We used a Sherwin Williams product. It took a S**tload of the product but the results were worth it. Something you might want to consider.

    Good luck with whatever you choose.

    Forgot to add that the solid stain was 4 years old when I sold and it still looked great. After 2 years with transparent it needed to be redone.
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