We Spend 3 Years Testing Every Wood Stain We Rate. Here Are the Best Stains of 2024 (and a Few of the Worst).

The top solid wood stains provide the best coverage and typically last the longest, but they can hide the desirable grain of some woods and, over time, can build up layers that are subject to peeling and cracking.

These semi-transparent wood stains color the wood but let the grain show through for woods, such as western red cedar, that you want to show off. But these products tend not to be as tough as the best solid stains, and our data suggest this type of stain will probably last only two to three years on a deck.

As a category, transparent wood stains, or clear sealers, don’t fare well in our tests. Among the clear sealers, the Thompson’s WaterSeal Clear Wood Sealer and Sherwin-Williams SuperDeck Clear Sealer both receive an abysmal rating of 4 out of 100, and neither resists cracking, dirt, mildew, or color changes.

Olympic WaterGuard for Wood, Valspar’s One-Coat Clear, and Olympic Maximum Sealant aren’t much better, tying for the second-lowest Overall Score in CR’s tests with a 5 out of 100. None can provide even a single year of effective protection in our testing.

In the semi-transparent category, Behr Deckplus Semi-Transparent Waterproofing Wood Stain (Home Depot) and Cabot Semi-Transparent Deck & Siding are the bottom dwellers, each earning an Overall Score of 8. The Cabot does a bit better for first-year appearance, while the Behr stain is able to resist mildew. (The Cabot does not.) Neither resists cracking or color change.

Decks take a bigger beating than any other outdoor wood surface. They must withstand serious foot traffic and hold heavy items, like grills and outdoor furniture. Snow, salt, leaves, and rain can all easily collect on a deck, breaking down the protective layer of wood stain in the process. While any stain recommended by CR may do, it’s best to stick to those with particularly high ratings for their appearance after three years in our tests. These tend to be solid stains as opposed to semi-transparent or clear stains.

If your deck lies in direct sunlight, look for stains that resist color change over time. (You can check features and specs in our ratings charts.) If you have a covered deck or if your deck is in a shady spot, look for a stain that resists mildew, because it tends to grow in damp, shaded areas. And if you frequently move items like a grill, deck chairs, or a table from one spot to another, select a stain that resists cracking in our tests.

If you’re curious about which brand makes the best deck stain, you should know that the bigger differences are actually between the different types of stains, not the companies that make them. Even big-name brands like Behr, Valspar, and Olympic, which make highly rated solid deck stains, also make some semi-transparent and clear options that don’t hold up in our tests.

If you want your deck stain to last a long time, your best bet is to choose an option that fares well in our tests and to apply it correctly. And, of course, if you’re tired of staining and restaining your deck, you can look into composite decks. They offer years of maintenance-free good looks, without you ever needing to apply a coat of stain.

Solid wood stains: Just like regular paint, solid stains hide the grain of the wood, and the best should last three to five years on a deck, with the longest life of the three types of stains. But the paintlike qualities of solid stains have a drawback: They might build up a film, especially after several coats, which can peel, chip, and crack just like paint. The 10 stains in this category included in our comprehensive ratings chart earn Overall Scores of 33 to 82 (out of 100).

Semi-transparent wood stains: These color the wood but let the grain peek through, making them a good choice for wood that you want to show off, such as western red cedar. But even the best semi-transparent stains in our tests aren’t as tough as the top solid stains, and our data suggest that this type of stain will probably last only two to three years on a deck. The 12 stains in this category also vary widely in performance, garnering Overall Scores of 8 to 41 (out of 100).

Clear sealer: This type of stain contains water repellents but little or no pigment. It’s ideal for accentuating the beauty of the natural grain of the wood. But without anything to deflect UV rays, the wood will turn gray over time, like a weathered cedar-shingled house. You’ll probably need to reapply annually. The eight clear sealers in our tests earn the lowest scores, with Overall Scores from 4 to 27 (out of 100).

To test wood stains, CR’s engineers apply two coats to pine boards, then place them on the roof of our headquarters in Yonkers, N.Y. They face the boards south and angled down, as on a roof, to intensify the effects of the sun and weather for up to three years.

One year of testing tells you how a stain will do after a year on your deck or about three years of weathering on vertical surfaces (siding or fences).

For more information on the best ways to assess and apply wood stains, see our wood stain buying guide.