Best Solid Deck Stain (Review) in 2022

You remember having a good time with your friends and family on your freshly built wooden deck. Going through memory lane, you recall friends gossiping, smiling, birds chirping.

Well, let us refresh your memory and see what you don’t remember. You forgot the oil dripping off the grill while you were preparing a barbeque feast. Forgot how your friends (unintentionally) dropped a huge chunk of sauce on your poor wooden deck!

As the image sets in your mind, you should realize (which is why you’re here now) that wooden decks are not immortal deities. They suffer, just as we humans do, and if you do not have any stain-coating over them, you are in trouble.

If you’ve ignored your wooden deck for a long time (most people do), then surely it is bent out of shape. Black patches and cracks start forming in woods that were ignored and took a beating for a long time. Hence, semi-transparent or transparent stains are not going to do in this case.

You need to get your hands (asap) on the best solid deck stain. Although they hide the natural texture of the wood, they are the final line of defense. They will change the overall color of the deck, but finishing will be smooth, albeit not woody.

In this article, we present the best stains in the market. You can check the reviews and see if this can bring back the lost glory of your party-haven.

Best Solid Deck Stain Reviews

Here is a list of our top picks. You will find a wide range of products suitable for various situations.

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Cabot 1400 Semi-Solid Deck Stain

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Cabot 1400 Semi-Solid Deck StainOur Choice

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The Cabot 1400 is an oil-based stain with unique ingredients which gives it high durability. This product contains linseed oil that can penetrate deep within the wood.

So, it is also ideal for old and worn decks because the stain can regenerate the wood cells and recover the oil that was lost naturally. This feature makes it the best semi-solid deck stain.

It will also beautify the color of your deck and give it a brilliant pigmented appearance. Moreover, the stain will efficiently protect your deck from the damaging UV rays.

Just one coating of this will be enough for your deck, especially when you want to use this for recoating your semi-transparent stained wood surface. It can also be applied on surfaces such as fences, siding, roofs, and log homes.

The stain provides the best coverage and protection on weathered wood and timber such as pine, fir, cedar, redwood, cypress, and spruce. To get the maximum performance out of this stain, you have to make sure to prepare your deck correctly.

An unprepared or unsound deck will minimize the durability of the stain. Therefore, you must clean your deck and get rid of all dust, dirt, mildew, mold, loose fibers of the wood, and other materials.

Pros

• Applicable for various types of wood surfaces.
• Protects against UV rays.
• Able to rejuvenate wood cells.
• Long-lasting durability.

Cons

• Might create mold.
• Not suitable for extreme cold

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Star Brite Teak Oil StainBest Value

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The Star Brite Teak Oil Stain is the ideal finish/sealer for different types of wood, such as marine teak. This is one of the best products for protecting your wooden structures.

It uses high-quality natural oils that have been modified chemically and is ultra-refined so that your deck can handle long term exposure to harsh weather and saltwater.

Moreover, its ultra-refined feature provides a natural radiant color so your deck will look new and beautiful. What makes it the best solid color stain for a deck is its excellent additives, which are blended to protect your deck from harmful UV rays.

So you don’t have to worry about your deck anytime soon because this stain will keep it from catching mildew, mold, and other harmful materials.

The product is straightforward to apply and has a swift drying technique. Although the instructions recommend that you use the first two steps of this teak oil, you don’t have to do it necessarily.

The product works great as a stand-alone. This is because it can seal, preserve, and coat all of the teak structures for an extended period. The product has been known to work excellently in the marine territory, which usually has a lot of saltwater and UV exposure.

Pros

• Easy to use and dries up quickly.
• Very durable and affordable.
• Enhances the beauty of beautiful woods.
• Able to prevent weathering.

Cons

• Strong odor.
• Solidifies quickly.

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Tenino Copper Wood PreservativePremium Pick

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The Tenino Copper Wood Preservative is an oil-based stain that contains a meager amount of VOCs and includes 2% copper as a metal. It has a low toxicity profile.

The brand is known for its efficiency and high durability. This preservative has been able to protect wood for over a hundred years.

It is suitable for benches, field boxes, fence posts, flats, burlap, water tanks, canvas, nets, ropes, utility poles, cross arms, greenhouses, and wooden structures both above and in-ground contact.

The stain can highlight the natural and refined wood grain. Moreover, a coating of this stain will turn the wooden surface into a beautiful brown color, especially in outdoor exposure.

It provides maximum protection against decay, mildew, mold, etc. the stain also has superior resistance to water because of its oil-based feature. Furthermore, the constant use of this stain will make your deck or any other wooden surface look new and clean.

The preservative will have minimal exposure to the environment. So it is cost-effective and environment-friendly.

It has a higher durability than most other preservatives. It is the number one choice when it comes to barn timbers, bridge timbers, protector boards, glulam beams, highway railings, and salt container domes.

It is waterproof, toxic repellant, and resist termites and different wood damaging insects.

Pros

• Has 2% copper as a metal.
• Environment-friendly and budget-friendly.
• Resists termites and is waterproof.
• Low amount of VOCs.

Cons

• Strong odor.
• Permeates in clothes.

Things To Consider Before Buying Solid Deck Stain

When it comes to purchasing a solid deck stain, there are a few factors that should be taken into consideration. This is because the factors will decide what kind of stain you need to buy.

Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile Organic Compounds, also known as VOCs, are considered extremely dangerous because they pose many health complications to pets and human beings. Hence, it is vital to check if the deck stain that you want to purchase is VOC compliant or not.

A VOC compliant deck stain consists of some legal necessities. VOCs can cause problems like throat irritation, headaches, and even severe damage to the central nervous system and kidney.

So, it is essential to see if the stain you buy meets the standards that are fixed for VOC compliance.

Location

Another thing you need to be aware of is that some stains are not going to function correctly in specific climate zones. This is true in extreme cold and hot temperatures.

Therefore, if you live in either of these extreme zones or an unpredictable climate during the year, then you need to be a little careful with the type of stain that you choose. Before buying a product, we suggest that you research and read the information carefully.

Usually, climates are not that much of an issue. However, if you see your temperature fluctuating regularly, then you need a stain that is capable of handling such environments.

Exposure to The Sun

This is one of the essential things that you need to keep in mind. Although you can always choose to cover most of your deck to lessen the sun exposure, it still pays to know about its effects.

The sunlight contains UV rays, which are known to cause damage to the wood.  The harmful rays dry and bake the cellular texture of the wood, which ultimately leads to destruction.

It also makes the whole structure look terrible and enables the moisture to seep into it. So you need a high-quality deck stain which can protect the wood from being damaged.

Previous Coating of Stain

One of the major concerns is the coating that you previously put on your deck. This is because it is quite tough to work in reverse when it comes to the color spectrum.

For instance, if your deck currently has a solid stain, then you might have to work very hard while stripping and prepping your deck if you want to use a lighter shade of stain or other types of stains such as the fully transparent or semi-transparent ones.

So, you’ve to choose a solid stain that should be of the same color as the previous or a darker one to cover the shade that is already present.

Wood Type

There are different types of wood that require different kinds of coating. Thus, you should know what type of wood you have. This is vital because the finished shade will change according to the type of wood you buy.

So, it is better to perform a test with the stain on a corner of the wood, which will not be noticed until you coat the entire deck.

Colors of Stain

Last but not least, there are a lot of shades and hues of stains to choose from. But your choices might be severely limited because you have to pick a particular brand and a specific kind of stain as well as consider stuff like VOC compliance.

So, in conclusion, you have to choose the one that will complement the color of your deck, protect it from all types of damages, and is environment-friendly.

If you want to know what the best solid deck stain colors are, we would personally suggest going for anything that looks natural and compliments your house décor overall.

Frequently Asked Question (FAQ)

Q: How Much Stains Do You Need?

How much stain you need depends on the size of the deck that you have. The perfect way to figure it out is by measuring the square feet of the deck and also the extra parts of it that need to be stained.

Another thing to take note of is to check how much area your stain can cover. This can usually be found on the label of the stain itself, and it will also tell you if your deck needs a second coating or not.

Q: When Should You Stain A New Deck?

If you have a newly built deck, then you should take a little time before deciding to stain it. This is because the new wood takes a little while to dry. Usually, the regular type of wood still has some moisture in it when you buy it.

Therefore, we suggest that you wait a few weeks, at least, before staining your deck. But since some stains can be applied to damp wood, it is also advisable to just read what the instructions say.

Q: How to Clean Mildew and Mold Off the Deck?

To clean mildew and mold off your deck, you need to use some soap and water with the help of a scrubber. But you have to make sure that you don’t scrub hard enough to peel the color off or damage the stain on your deck.

So instead, it is better to find a solid deck stain that is highly capable of resisting mildew and mold. That way, you don’t need to spend much time and effort on cleaning your deck.

Q: What’s the Best Solid Stain for Old Deck?

If you happen to have an old deck, then you need the best type of stain in the market for it. But before you apply the stain on your old deck, you have to make sure to repair and prepare it for the staining.

After that, it is preferable if you use an oil-based stain because this will help regenerate the wood cells and recover the oils which were naturally lost.

Final Notes

We understand that solid deck stains are not the primary choice of any homeowner. They hide the wood’s natural texture entirely, changing the color and appearance.

However, if you have backed yourself (your deck) up to the point that semi-transparent or transparent stains won’t do, then what options do you have?

Decks that have black patches or cracks should be coated with solid stains to hide the blemishes. Well, you may not get the lost charm back, but you can still have a beautiful afternoon on your deck if you act with haste.

Get your hands on the best solid deck stain and rejoice in the rejuvenated beauty of your deck. For those looking for a quick recommendation, we would suggest going for the Cabot 1400 Semi-Solid Deck Stain due to its durability.

We wish you happy shopping.