Top 5 Best Deck Stains (2023 Reviews)

So, if you want to make sure you can stain your deck easily and get amazing coverage, keep reading our buying guide to learn everything you need to know before you start staining!

Our Top 5 Best Deck Stains

If you're truly looking for the best stain finish to use on your deck, you're in the right place!

Below is a list of our top 5 stains, keep reading to learn about the pros and cons of each one:

What Types of Stain Should You Use For Staining A Deck?

While there are tons of different staining solutions out there for staining decking, there are a few key things you should consider about your deck before you start diving into stain!

Wood Types

One of the first things to think about when staining your deck is what type of wood you're working with.

Is it pressure treated? A hardwood? A softwood? 

Different types of wood require different treatments in order to keep them protected and looking their best.

Staining Soft Woods

If you're working with a softwood like cedar or pine, you might want to consider using a pre-stain conditioning treatment.

That's because softwood grains can absorb stain unevenly, leaving your end result looking blotchy.

I recently built myself a wood desk using pine wood and I'm so glad I tested the stain on scrap wood first to see if it was worth using a pre-stain conditioner. 

I ended up seeing how blotchy the stain looked without the pre-treatment and decided to go for the conditioner and the end-result turned out beautifully!

So, if you're staining a fence that's made of softwood, I highly recommend using some sort of pre-stain treatment because blotchiness can be very obvious on a larger surface area like a fence.

That said, you can probably use either an oil-based or water-based stain when working with softwoods since the wood grain is easier to penetrate.

Staining Hardwoods

If you're working with hardwood, it's important to know that hardwood can be harder to penetrate with stain.

You'll often need to go with an oil-based stain in order for the wood fibers to fully absorb and take the stain properly so the pigment is saturated. 

Not only for aesthetic purposes but also for protecting the wood surface.

Water-Based vs. Oil-Based Stains

For most applications, you'll be okay using an oil-based or water-based (sometimes referred to as acrylic) stain.

That said, there are a few key differences to consider.

For one, oil-based stains tend to be more durable and deeper penetrating for certain wood grains.

There used to be a massive difference in durability between water-based and oil-based stains, but that's no longer truly the case.

Today, water-based products have improved in quality so much that it (almost) comes down to a preference.

The benefit of water-based products is that they're much easier to dispose of and are often less hazardous to your health because they have a much lower concentration of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) which are the chemicals that give stains and paints that toxic smell.

So, ultimately what stain you choose depends on your preference and the specific deck you're working with.

Make sure you do deeper research on the specific stain you're looking at and whether or not it's right for your needs.

Check out the video below to learn more about the differences between using an oil or water-based stain for staining a deck.

Semi-Transparent Deck Stain vs. Solid Deck Stain

When choosing the stain you want to use for your deck, it's important to decide what kind of finished look you're going for.

If you want a full-coverage on your deck boards, you'll want to opt for a solid stain.

This will prevent any of the wood grain from peeking through when you're done staining.

But, if you don't want to cover your decking with a solid color, semi-transparent stains or semi-solid stains can offer the opacity you're looking for.

They enhance the color of the natural wood which allows for all the natural beauty of the wood to shine through.

If you want to be able to see some of that beautiful wood color coming through even after you're done staining your deck, semi-transparent stains are perfect for you.

Even a semi-solid stain can do the trick, it will just tend to have a higher opacity than a stain marketed as a "semi-transparent" stain.

The beauty of using wood stains though is that you can kind of determine the overall opacity as you go by putting down a lighter layer or only opting to put down one coat.

Stains are far more versatile that way than paints.

What Do You Need To Know Before You Start Staining Your Deck?

There are a few things you need to prepare before you're ready to start staining your deck, even if you have the right stain for the job!

Prep Work

Prep work is especially important when staining a deck because it's going to prepare the surface to accept the stain properly.

If you're staining an existing deck, I'd highly recommend taking a pressure washer to the surface first.

Even if the fence doesn't look dirty to the naked eye, I promise you there's plenty of grime to remove before you dive into staining.

You want to make sure you're working with bare wood, not wood covered in hard water stains from rain, grime, and other dust or debris.

Luckily, you can rent a pressure washer from your local Home Depot or Lowe's if you don't have one handy.

Getting the boards completely clean before applying stain is essential when you're staining your fence.

If, however, you're working with previously painted or stained wood, make sure you do a great job sanding that existing paint off first so you can get down to the wood's natural color so the stain can do its job right.

Our Reviews Of The Top 5 Deck Stains