Deck stains are like magic potions that improve and enhance your decks instantly. The best deck stain provides a rich color to your deck, making it last longer and resistant to weather conditions.
Staining your deck might be an easy DIY task but making that stain last is not. This is why choosing the best deck stain along with the best brand matters.
When we start talking about the best wood deck stains, Cabot and Olympic are two brands we can never forget. Both Cabot and Olympic are home to outstanding deck stains that caters to a variety of surfaces.
But both brands and the deck stains produced by them carry differentiable factors. And to find out which brand is better, you need to learn about those factors first.
In this Cabot Vs Olympic deck stain article, we will be doing an in-depth comparison between these two brands. We have picked our favorite products from both of these brands and will be discussing them as well.
Cabot Vs Olympic Deck Stain: Comparison Table
If you are in a rush and only interested to know the basic differences between Cabot and Olympic deck stain, take a look at the table down below. We would highly encourage you to go through the entire write-up to understand the difference in depth.
| Differentiable Factors |
Cabot Deck Stain | Olympic Deck Stain |
| Model Name |
Cabot 140.0019204.007 |
Olympic 411010 |
| Color | Heartwood | Cedar |
| Size | 1 Gallon | 1 Gallon |
| Style | Translucent oil stain | Semi-transparent stain |
| Usage | Outdoor | Outdoor |
| Unique Feature | Makes the wood water repellent; the oil finish enhances the natural color of the wood. | Can be used as both sealant and deck stain. It is waterproof and UV proof. |
If you want an in-depth review of these two deck stains, then read on. In the following section, I will describe these two deck stains to help you make the right choice.
Also read: Oil Based VS Water Based Stain
About Cabot
Cabot is a beloved brand that produces top-notch indoor and outdoor wood stains and wood care products.
Founded by Samuel Cabot in 1877, Cabot still carries what he believed in. Providing the best wood care with their products.
This brand offers the finest quality outdoor wood deck stains in a wide variety. The deck stains are infused with several premium oils, and nourishing pigments to provide your deck with the best care.
In simple words, the wood stains from Cabot make your deck look good while nourishing it.
What Features Would I Find On A Cabot Deck Stain?
Here are some features that will help you to understand why we love Cabot so much!
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Easy usage
The deck stains from Cabot are very easy to use. Since it is an oil-based formula, even application is not hard to achieve. You can use a brush, a roller, or even a sprayer to stain your deck.
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Weather resistance
Water repellent deck stains are quite rare but they do exist. And Cabot has them. Cabot’s exterior deck stains are formulated with resin and natural oils. Once applied the surface becomes repellent to moisture.
So when it rains outside, your deck will not soak the moisture. so, you will get to see little beads of raindrops forming on your deck and running off instead.
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Nourishment
Cabot deck stains are infused with A-grade natural oils like linseed oil and ting oil. These oils are the reason behind their water repellent qualities. But these oils also nourish and enrich your wooden deck.
Favorite one: Cabot 140.0019204.007 Deck Stain
Our favorite Cabot deck stain belongs to the 19200 series. The Cabot 19204 deck stain in the color heartwood is one of the richest, finest, and most durable deck stains available in the market.
This product is a fine blend of resin and premium oils that leaves a translucent oil finish on your deck.
It is available in five colors. The color heartwood is quite unique. It has a touch of warm undertone which will make your deck look stunning and lively.
A great quality of this deck stain is that it is not waterproof but water repellent. This means a layer of this stain will turn your deck into a water-repellent surface.
Features
- Translucent oil finish increases the beauty of the deck
- Water repellent formula makes it last longer
- Covers up to 350 square feet per gallon
- Can be used on pressure treated wood as well
Also read: Painting or Staining Deck
About Olympic
Olympic has been a popular choice among many since 1938, the start of the brand. Olympic stains offer several styles of coating for different types of surfaces.
From stains to enhance the natural beauty of your deck to an opaque finish, this brand has it all. No matter what your taste is, we promise you will find something here.
The reason Olympic is so loved is because of the wide variety of products it offers at a very limited price. You can pick the color, the finishing style according to your choice without spending hundreds of dollars on one jat of stain or paint. And it is all due to this great brand, Olympics.
But this is not all this brand has to offer. Olympic’s deck stains are exceptional at protecting and prolonging the life expectancy of your deck as well.
All the stains from Olympic offer waterproof protection, UV protection, and fade protection.
What Features Would I Find On A Olympic Deck Stain?
Here are some of the features that make Olympic stand out in the Cabot Vs Olympic deck stain debate.
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Two in one product
Many people prefer using a clear sealant for their decks. The reason is mainly extreme weather conditions. Clear sealants protect wood decks from rain, heat, snow, and dust. But they don’t offer rich colors, do they? So if you are looking for a product that offers the protection of a sealant and the richness of a stain, then Olympic deck stains are the perfect product for you.
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Versatile finish
Olympic offers a wide variety of finishes. Semi-transparent oil finish, transparent finish, solid finish, etc. The solid finish requires two coats. One layer of the deck stain adds the perfect amount of oomph and richness to your deck stain.
It enhances the deck’s natural beauty without hiding it completely. But if you have an old deck that you would like to coat completely, then just add another layer of the stain.
The dull color of the old deck will not peak through as two layers of the deck stain offers full coverage.
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Weatherproofing
Outdoor deck stains need to have weatherproofing. Wooden decks will sit through heavy rainstorms, harsh sunlight, snowstorms, dust, and many more extreme weather conditions. A good deck stain should be waterproof, and UV resistant.
Olympic deck stains are water-resistant, fade-proof, and UV resistant. These weatherproofing features prolong the life of your deck while making it look good.
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Flexible Application
One of the most common issues with outdoor deck staining is finding the right time to do it. Many deck stains require a long drying time, and cannot be applied whenever you want.
But with Olympic deck stains, you can stain your deck whenever you want. And their stains require only 3 hours to dry and 8 hours to be completely rain-ready.
Favorite one: Olympic 411010 Maximum Deck Stain
Now that we have discussed everything about Olympic, let’s take a look at our favorite deck stain from this brand.
Firstly, Olympic has a huge collection of exterior deck stains. It is quite hard to pick a favorite amongst all these great colors, but we do have one.
The Olympic stain maximum deck stain in the color Cedar is our ultimate pick from this brand. The color cedar comes from the tan and brown color family of the exterior deck stain collection. Cedar is a dark honey tint that leaves the perfect stain on older decks.
Please note that this 2 in 1 sealant and deck stain is not clear. Many seem to think that this is a clear sealant. In our opinion, the tinted sealant adds a nice touch to the wood.
The waterproofing formula protects your wood deck from soaking water. So, once applied and dried properly, heavy rain will not be able to penetrate through the coating of this stain.
And it also comes with UV resistance so no matter how sunny the days are, your deck will continue to shine!
One layer of the color leaves a thin tint of the stain that increases the natural beauty of the wooden deck.
If you want an opaque outcome, apply two coats of the stain. This stain comes in the size of one gallon. One gallon can cover 350 square ft of wood.
Features
- Waterproof and UV resistant formula
- Comes in a wide variety of colors
- One gallon can coat a small to medium deck
- Full coverage stain
- Can be applied whenever you want
FAQs
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Is Olympic stain better than Cabot?
Olympic deck stain is waterproof, UV resistant, comes in a variety of colors, and lasts for up to 6 years on decks. On the other hand, Cabot deck stain is water repellent, comes in five colors, and lasts up to 6 years on decks.
In terms of performance, both Olympic and Cabot outdoor stains are equally great. But if we consider the offered features and benefits, we prefer Olympic a bit more than Cabot deck stains.
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Is Olympic maximum a good stain?
Yes, Olympic maximum is a good stain. If you are looking for a good exterior deck stain on budget, then the Olympic maximum deck stain is the ideal product for you.
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Is Cabot deck stain any good?
Yes, Cabot deck stains are very good. They will nourish, and protect your wood deck while making it look good!
Our Recommendation: Cabot Vs Olympic Deck Stain
Until now we talked about the best sides of each brand and their favorite products according to us. After an unbiased Cabot Vs Olympic deck stain discussion, we have decided that Olympic deck stain is better.
It has all the necessary quality a good deck stain should have. We loved the weather ready application feature. With Olympic, you no longer have to wait before staining your deck because the weather is not ready.
In addition, Olympic has a wide range of colors for the outdoor and indoor deck stains. From red to brown, they have so much to offer.
However, Cabot is really good as well. We loved its nourishing formula and water repellent feature.
Overall, if you are looking for a good wood deck stain, our recommendation is The Olympic stain maximum deck stain.
Final Thoughts
We genuinely loved the performance of both of these products but preferred the Olympic stain maximum deck stain’s performance more.
We believe after this in-depth Cabot Vs Olympic deck stain write-up you will no longer have to struggle to find your favourite.
And we hope that you like our recommendation as much as we did.
There are several types of deck stains. Different finishes, textures that cater to different surfaces as well. In the end, the best type of deck stain comes down to what you want and prefer.
