Deck Stains?

I have a deck that was built two years ago and I want to stain it, but I am not sure which are the best stains to use. I recently read reviews that Cabot is no longer good to use according to people's reviews. They say the formula has changed and that it peels. I want to use a solid stain, so if anyone out there knows, I would greatly appreciate it!

 

Welcome to the forums!

What is the current condition of the wood? pics could be useful - http://www.doityourself.com/forum/el...your-post.html

The odds are your deck needs to be cleaned before it will be ready for stain.
Cabot, SuperDeck, Sikkens and most of the better paint store brands all have preformed well in the past. I don't know if Cabot has a lower spec stain that is sold at the big box store or if what you heard includes all their stains.

 

Reading on-line reviews on deck stains can drive you batty. One guy's top performer is the next guy's loser.

After doing a lot of research I opted for Behr semi-transparent on my PT deck. I chose it mostly because I have had good experience with Behr paints. It was a huge mistake on my part. For me it was the "next guy's loser". I found it difficult to apply and short lived. I applied two coats and now less than two years later I'm trying to decide what next. The stain is already worn through in many areas and my deck is not high traffic.

I don't know what stain to recommend but I will not use Behr again.

 

There used to be a saying that a $10 stain would last 1 yr, a $20 stain would last 2 and $30 stain would get you 3 yrs. That might need to be adjusted for inflation Generally a quality deck stain with proper prep and application will last 3-4 yrs although a lot depends on how and what weather exposure it sees.

 

Mark,

I think the Behr stain is somewhere around $40. I was getting better results when I used to paint my deck every 4-5 years.

 

Thank you guys for getting back to me! It is not letting me upload photos because I am on my mobile phone. I will send you them later when I have my laptop. I do know about having to clean the deck first. I did notice on some of the deck posts that it has some mildew. Today, I ended up getting a color guide for Cabot stains and liked one of the solids, but the solid line is all acrylic based, but is resistant to scuffs, mildew and also water repellent. And the line that is oil based called "gold" doesn't mention if it's mildew resistant, but doesn't have the color I like and is semi transparent . Don't know which really is better, because I also read that oil based stains are better than acrylic? Is it true? Also, just a few more quick questions? I read on some sites that the proper way to staining a deck is to power wash and clean the deck first, let it sit for 3 days to dry than stain in weather that isn't too hot and make sure the deck isn't stained while the sun is beating down, wait until later in the day to do it. According to them they say the direct sun can make it peel. Is all that true or not? I just want to make sure I do it right and not spend all that money and get no where with it.

 

Your going to regret using a solid stain on decking.
Works OK on the railings, just not the decking.

 

Joe doesn't like solid deck stains, not sure why he's had bad experiences with them but I've done dozens of decks with solid deck stain with good lasting results. It is imperative to use a quality deck stain!

How long to wait after cleaning the deck depends on both the condition of the wood and weather conditions. Lots of sun/wind will help dry a deck quicker, old porous wood will take longer to dry than tight grain newer wood. 3 days is a good rule of thumb.

Oil base stains do a better job of sealing the wood but are also more prone to fade than latex. I'm partial to the waterborne stains although they are more sensitive to rain that might pop up in the first 24 hrs after application.

You don't want the stain to dry too fast! It's ok to stain in the sun if the temp and more importantly the deck temp is cool. If the wood or air is too hot it can cause the stain to dry too fast and it will lay on top of the wood not creating a bond deep into the wood.

 

Why? If you can go look at a deck with solid stain, it looks like paint. To me if you build a wood deck you'd like to see the wood, correct? Solid stain is like pouring a five gallon can of paint on it then slathering it around with a mop, same thing. (slight exaggeration there )

Being only two years old I'd guess your wood is in pretty good shape, use semi-transparent please, you'll be glad you did.

 

I like solid stains when the wood is old but, like Baldwin, would like to see more of the wood when it's new and in good shape. I would opt for a semi-transparent as well.

 

Sorry for taking so long to get back! I was without a computer until now. Here are the pictures of my deck. I have decided to meet in the middle and try Cabot semi-solid deck and siding stain, so that way I get more coverage but still shows some of the wood grain. I haven't purchased it yet, just wanted to get some opinions on it?! Thanks!

 

From Cabot:

Semi-Transparent— Lightly pigmented, these stains impart more color the surface than wood toner stains, while still letting the wood grain to be seen. View semi-transparent colors.

Semi-Solids— Our unique semi-solid/semi-opaque finish masks most of the wood grain, but allows some of the wood texture to be seen. View semi-solid colors.


That's a pretty nice looking deck, I'd go with the semi-transparent if it were mine.

 

I'd also recommend a semi-transparent stain ..... but the customer always gets the last say

I've never used semi-solid [any brand], mainly because it didn't come out until shortly before I retired. As mentioned above solid stains allow the wood's texture to show [not filled in like paint] but don't let the coloring of the wood show thru. Solid and semi-solid stains are available in more colors than semi-transparent stains.

 

I agree, that wood looks good enough for a semi-transparent.

 

I heard that semi-transparent stains don't last as long as the solids, is that true? How many years can you get out of the semi-transparents? I just don't want to be staining it every year like I hear some people do. And just one more question? Is it better to use a brush, unlike the roller, so it won't leave any puddles of stain?

 

How long a stain lasts has more to do with the quality of the stain than how opaque it is. A solid stain does generally last a little longer than a translucent or toner stain. It's doubtful solid would last longer than semi-transparent.

Nothing wrong with using a roller although if you are concerned with uneven application you can go over freshly rolled stain with a brush to even it up. I often do although my main objective is to knock down any roller stipple. Sprayed on stain should always be back brushed or back rolled to work the coating into the wood versus just letting it lay on top.

 

I finally finished powerwashing and cleaning the deck yesterday. Now that it is clean, I noticed it raised wood fibers from it. Do I lightly sand it so there won't be any splinters?

 

Sounds like you used too much pressure or held the wand too close to the wood I normally take a drywall pole sander and give it a quick sanding when I run across decks like that. You don't need to get the wood slick like you would your hardwood floor inside, just knock down the fuzz. The stain will adhere better to slightly rough wood better than slick wood. Splinters shouldn't be an issue.

 

Yeah, a light sanding with 100 grit paper sounds in order.

 

Thank you both for getting back to me! It appeared on some of the ballusters and a few railings, but not on the floor boards. Some areas were tricky where I had little space to get into, which was near the stairs, so I knew I had got too close. I checked the weather report and it looks safe to be able to stain the beginning of next week. There will finally be a stretch of sun for 7 days, so it will be able to dry for the 3 days and have time to stain. 😊