Choosing a stain for your cedar deck
· 6 min read · By GK Painting & Remodeling
For most cedar decks, the best stain is a penetrating, semi-transparent one with a little pigment and a mildewcide, put on clean, dry wood. It soaks in instead of forming a film, so it doesn't peel, and it's easy to renew when it wears.
Here is why cedar behaves differently from other deck woods, how the stain types compare, and what to do before you open the can. We leave brand names out on purpose. What the label says it is matters more than the logo on it.
What makes cedar different
Cedar is one of the easier woods to finish. The U.S. Forest Service rates western redcedar and redwood in the easiest group to finish and maintain, because they're low in density and have narrow bands of latewood. Real Cedar, the industry website for western red cedar, adds that the wood is free of pitch and resin and accepts a wide range of stains.
Cedar also has quirks. The extractives that give it its color and natural decay resistance are water-soluble, and the Forest Service warns that they can bleed through and discolor paint. Tannins in cedar react with iron, so a steel wool pad or a wire brush can leave dark blue-black stains that get sealed in under the new finish, according to Purdue Extension.
And cedar left bare turns gray. In most climates, Real Cedar says, it doesn't weather evenly and tends to go dark and blotchy. The weathering is only skin deep, less than 1 to 2 millimeters, but bringing that wood back to a state where it takes stain means significantly more preparation.
The finish options, side by side
| Finish | What it does | Typical life | Catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nothing | Weathers to gray | Long, with cleaning | Often blotchy; needs good design and drainage |
| Clear water repellent | Repels water, no color | 1 to 2 years | Shortest-lived option |
| Semi-transparent stain | Soaks in, grain shows | Longer than clear | Needs periodic renewal |
| Solid stain or paint | Opaque film | Likely to peel | Heavy scraping to refinish |
The one-to-two-year figure for clear finishes comes from Real Cedar. It describes semi-transparent stains as lightly tinted with a longer service life, and says film-forming finishes are not recommended for cedar decks. If you're also staining a pergola or railing, our posts on staining a pergola and solid versus semi-transparent deck stain cover those cases.
Why film-forming finishes struggle on a deck
A deck is flat, so it collects water and takes direct sun. The Forest Service says the wetting and drying enlarge checks into cracks, and any film-forming finish is put under heavy stress because the wood keeps swelling and shrinking. Foot traffic wears the finish on top of that.
Paint and solid-color stains are therefore likely to peel on a deck, and the Forest Service says they take laborious scraping and sanding before you can refinish. Its guidance, written in 1991, calls them not appropriate for fully exposed decks. Purdue Extension adds that a penetrating stain doesn't work well over an old solid stain or paint, so a deck that was ever painted is a harder job than a deck that never was.
Oil-based or water-based
The industry advice favors oil-based stain on cedar decks. Real Cedar prefers solvent-borne, oil-based products because the wood absorbs them well, and notes that latex versions have a tendency to form a film that can flake over time. The Forest Service's older guidance says the same of latex semi-transparent stains: they don't penetrate the surface, and they behave much like very thin paint.
Products keep changing, though. The same Forest Service report noted that new formulations were being developed with some penetrating characteristics, and Real Cedar points out that oil-based products aren't available in every market. So read the label for the word penetrating, and for a statement that the product is made for decks. If it says it forms a protective film, it's not the product you're after.
- Penetrating: it should say so on the label.
- Semi-transparent: tinted, with the grain still visible.
- Mildewcide or fungicide: Real Cedar says the better products contain them.
- Made for decks: formulated for horizontal wood, not siding or fences.
Picking a color
Pigment does a job as well as a style. Real Cedar says the pigments in tinted stains protect better against ultraviolet light than the filters in clear ones, so a tint is better for the wood than none. Brown tones are the popular choice, and Purdue Extension says they give a natural or rustic look.
One caution from the Forest Service is that light-colored penetrating stains last longer than dark ones on flat surfaces that get walked on, because they show less contrast as the finish wears. A deck is the textbook case. A deep brown looks rich the day it goes on and shows every worn path later, so choose a mid-tone if you don't want to touch it up often. Our cedar pergola project shows what a dark brown looks like on cedar that no one walks on.
If you want a uniform gray, Real Cedar notes that a bleaching oil or gray weathering stain can do it and may need reapplying from time to time. A semi-transparent stain isn't available in white.
Prep matters more than the stain
New, dry cedar that hasn't been exposed to the weather may be finished immediately, according to Real Cedar. Everything else needs cleaning first, with a brush and soapy water and a diluted oxygen bleach solution if there's mildew. Real Cedar says to never power wash, then let the deck dry thoroughly.
- Sweep and clear the gaps between the boards.
- Scrub with a soft brush and soapy water, with no steel wool or wire brushes.
- Rinse and let the wood dry thoroughly. Stain needs dry wood to soak in.
- Check for anything old: a stain doesn't bond to a failing film, so scrape and sand flaking areas first.
- Choose a dry day with temperatures in the range printed on the can.
Our guide to preparing a deck for staining goes through this in more detail.
Putting it on
Brushing gives the best penetration, and spraying followed by back brushing along the grain is also a good method, according to the Forest Service. Put extra stain on the end grain and into any cracks, since that's where water enters first. Apply it along the full length of each board so no lap marks appear. Working in the shade helps, because the stain dries more slowly.
On rough or weathered boards, Purdue Extension and the Forest Service describe a two-coat wet-on-wet method: apply the first coat, let it soak in for 20 to 60 minutes, apply the second before the first has dried, then wipe off what hasn't soaked in about an hour later. Rags wet with oil-based stain can catch fire, so bury them, soak them in water or seal them in an airtight container right away.
How long a cedar deck stain lasts
Plan on checking the finish every year. For fully exposed decks, the Forest Service says penetrating finishes need to be refinished every 1 to 2 years, and it adds that one coat on new, smooth wood is expected to last 2 to 4 years, with less expected on woods like western redcedar. Local sun, shade and snow cover all move that number, so our post on how long deck stain lasts is worth a read.
You'll know it's time when water soaks into the boards instead of beading, as Purdue Extension describes. A penetrating stain is renewed with a brush-down and a fresh coat, with no stripping, which is a strong argument for it.
Having us stain it
Deck staining and refinishing is part of our exterior painting work. George can talk through finish options when you call, and visits if he needs to see the deck. You get a written quote with a start date. Smaller exterior projects usually take one to three days and are scheduled around dry weather. We're based in Waunakee and work across Madison and Dane County, and you can ask for a free estimate whenever you're ready.
Common questions
Should you stain a cedar deck?
You don't have to. Real Cedar says cedar can be left to weather naturally, but it will turn gray and, in most climates, tends to look dark and blotchy. A semi-transparent stain keeps the color and adds protection.
Is oil-based or water-based stain better for cedar?
Real Cedar prefers solvent-borne, oil-based products because the wood absorbs them well, and says latex versions tend to form a film that can flake. The label matters most. Look for penetrating, semi-transparent and made for decks.
Can I use a solid stain or paint on a cedar deck?
It isn't recommended. Real Cedar says film-forming finishes are not recommended for cedar decks, and the Forest Service says paint and solid-color stains are likely to peel on a deck and need heavy scraping and sanding to refinish.
When can I stain a new cedar deck?
New, dry cedar that hasn't been exposed to the weather may be finished immediately, according to Real Cedar. Wood that has weathered needs cleaning and more preparation first.
How often does a cedar deck need to be restained?
For fully exposed decks, the Forest Service says penetrating finishes need refinishing every 1 to 2 years. Check yours each year by splashing water on the boards. If it soaks in, it's time.
Sources
- Finishing Western Red Cedar Decking, Real Cedar (Western Red Cedar Lumber Association)
- How to Finish and Maintain Your Cedar Deck, Real Cedar (Western Red Cedar Lumber Association)
- Exterior Wood in the South: Selection, Applications, and Finishes (FPL-GTR-69), U.S. Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory
- Selection and Application of Exterior Finishes for Wood (NCR-135), Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service and USDA Forest Products Laboratory
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