DEFY Extreme Crystal Clear Outdoor Wood Stain and Sealer in One – Clear Waterproof Sealant for Wood Decks, Fences, & Siding, 1 Gal, Made in USA

So I bought this wood stain two years ago... I could not get myself to apply it because so many products I have used in other outside areas of my home have been a nightmare to apply, didn't look that great or didn't impress. Well if there is a miracle product, I believe I have found it. Since the product had sat at my house for a while, I didn't think shaking the bottle would mix it enough, so I poured it into a bucket and then cut the jug in half to scrape any remaining "pigment" into the bucket also. Thoroughly mixed I began the process thinking to myself, what is this stuff, it is not going to work, it looks like colored water. Wow...so easy. There was no dragging or tugging but instead spread like soft butter on bread. I loved the look immediately and I didn't think it was possible to love it even more with the second coat. My walkway is long and I was not dreading the remaining staining process. I did not have to wait 10 minutes between coats. My wood was very dry and it had been 90 degrees for a couple days. I made sure to stain sections out of direct sunlight, waiting until evening. AND of course the weather man did not report rain, which it did and I hurried to build a tent over the stained sections. The stained boards still held up given the unannounced shower and no damage was done. Can I possibly love this stain any more? Couple weeks later the rain is coming down and beading on the deck. Such a beautiful color and look. This stain has transformed my walkway in a way I could never have imagined. This stain is everything they say it is. I highly, highly recommend this product!

After tons of research using deckstainhelp.com which is a fantastic resource, we discovered that anything at Lowes and HD won't hold up over time. This is rated as one of the best stains out there and we found It was very easy to apply, and the color is awesome. The rain beads every time and it appears to be working as it should. We applied to 1 year old pressure treated pine. Just be aware of the following: - It will stain any surface FAST, to prevent this, just use a wet rag to wipe it off. If you're too late (which you will be) you can try mineral spirits (with a lot of scrubbing and risk damaging the surface). This worked pretty good on the painted Hardie Board, just don't scrub too hard, let the mineral spirits soak a little and then rub. For trim you can just have touch up paint for when you're done. I highly suggest having touchup paint for the surrounding trim surfaces. Way easier and faster to paint over the stain than to try scrubbing it off of trim - The color appeared reddish at first. It freaked us out. It wasn't too too bad, but just disappointing. But then after a few days, it settled into the beautiful brown that it should be - It's crucial to do the second coat within 20 minutes and not wait any longer. This is a wet-on-wet application. If you wait too long on the second coat, then it basically seals and prevents the second coat from soaking in. So if you accidentally get it get it somewhere, you're now committed to come back to that section in 20 minutes. This is really tough when you're doing railings over the floor you're planning to do (since you need to do the railings first), so I suggest putting plastic on the floor as you do the railings above them - Prep well and take your time. Clean the decks well, get the dirt/mold/mildew off a day before you apply. Make sure the wood is ready, flick some water when it's dry, and if the water is gone in a couple minutes, you're good. If not, you need to let the wood dry out. It's a lot of work, but you'll be really happy you took the extra time to do it right - Be hesitant on where you tape. We taped everywhere thinking that would help, and against the siding it did, since the siding is above the deck. But for surfaces below the deck, the stain actually seeped behind the tape and the tape made it worse. So I don't suggest using tape where gravity will work the stain against you. In these places it was just easier to apply the stain and have a wet rag ready

I waited 2 years after applying this to our pressure treated wood deck to write this review. The only prep I did was to give th deck a good, but not "wood splintering" pressure washing and 2 days of drying time in hot weather before applying with 4-inch brush. I applyied two coats. It goes on easy, is water-based so a drip on something you don't want stained (like a vinyl railing) wipes right off if you do it right away, and clean-up is easy. It's gone through 2 Wisconsin winters, and still looks like the day I applied it - beautiful! Read the coverage instructions! I didn't believe it would go so far, and I bought about 4 times as much as I needed.and have almost 5 gallons sealed up in the original container - maybe a lifetime supply left.

I stained a new, pressure treated (2x6 material) pine deck last year... I was not happy with the results (poor adherence, peeling and flaking), but to be fair to Defy, I don't think I waited long enough for the ACQ to dry from the wood. I stained after 3 months, when I should have waited longer. Also, tried to stain in sections, instead of the recommended complete length of board, and ended up with distinct, visible areas of overlap (stopping and starting). Don't do this! Complete a length of board(s) before you stop. This is a penetrating stain; if you don't follow the instructions to a T, you will have poor results. This year I rented a random, orbit floor sander and using 36 grit paper, stripped the entire deck (500 square feet). Last year I used the recommended large brush to apply but found that to be very messy, although pretty quick and easy. This year I donned my knee pads and used a 3 1/2 inch staining paint brush. Much slower but I felt I had really good control of the application. Because I had such poor results last year, this year I only put on one coat, in hopes of minimizing any chances of flaking, plus I felt like trying to get the second coat down in a timely manner was going to be too difficult since I have such a large deck - if you put it down after the first coat dries, you won't be happy. This year I observed the stain penetrating nicely into the wood, and my application was much more uniform. I could also basically apply a "second coat" by simply back-brushing, as I progressed onto untreated surfaces. I believe the recommended wait of 20 minutes before applying a second coat, could be too long depending on your climate. Where I live should be "within 20 minutes." This year the staining turned out really well, and the color is awesome (light walnut). My plan is to apply a second coat in late fall/early winter before a threat of freezing. After consulting Defy, I learned that applying additional coats is dependent on the "water test." If you put drops of water on the deck, and they absorb right into the wood, then you can apply another coat. If the water doesn't absorb, then an additional coat will not penetrate and you'll have poor results (flaking, poor adherence). This water test should be done on several areas of the deck; not just one spot. If my test results with the water not absorbing right away, then I will wait till next year to apply the second coat (I guess I did a good job of staining, if that happens). My intent of applying a second coat, is to have the deck in a condition, where I won't have to stain it for a couple of years. My color turned out great this year, so I have trouble understanding some of the reviews that speak of poor color. Last year, I ordered some sample stains from Defy's web site, and stained scrap wood, in order to choose the best color. This is a good method to use, if you are unsure about how your type of wood will look with stain. Another good hint is to be careful of the sun. This stain will dry too fast if you apply it in direct sunlight; you want it to penetrate into the wood, not dry on top of it. I have two boards that I'm worried about, because the clouds went away as I was staining, and it seemed they dried a little too fast. Not much I could have done; once you start don't stop until you complete the entire length of board. The only thing that remains to be seen, is how durable and long it will last before I have to re-stain.

I have a treated pine wood fence and deck that are both over 10 years old. The deck flooring itself is original Trex, but the handrails and trim and support structure are wood. About 4 years ago, I hired someone to clean and treat the fence and deck with #1 Deck Stain semi-transparent cedar. I liked that it was water-based, and the price was good on Amazon. I was happy with the results at that time, but the color has worn off in areas under direct sunlight and the wood has cracked in several places. It was carefully applied with a brush according to the instructions. The entire job took 8 x 2.5 gallons, so 20 gallons. When I decided to treat it all again this spring before all the finish was gone, I figured I’d use the same thing, but the original #1 Deck Stain was on backorder so I looked into other options. The Defy product was readily available and reviews looked good. It is also water-based and claimed to have a zinc protectant. It was more expensive, but it said it covered twice as much area per gallon. I figured I’d give it a try in the same color, semi-transparent cedar. I did not have very high expectations with how aged and uneven the wood finish had become. I ordered 10 gallons based on calculations, and it came two days later in great shape. The same guy as before cleaned the wood well, let it dry a few days, and applied the Defy carefully and thoroughly using a brush and following all directions. The weather was perfect, but I can say the results are amazing. The finish is surprisingly even and beautiful. The wood looks new. I had two gallons left over, so instead of 20 gallons like before, it only took eight. The finish has a very slight gloss, not shiny but clean and deep looking. I definitely recommend Defy, and you can believe them when they say it will cover 300 sq ft per gallon. That is what I got using a brush over a clean but old finish. Great stuff! I’ll try to update this in a year or two after some time to see how it holds up.

Been using Defy Deck Stain for over 16 years now. I’ve had to stain my deck entirely 4 times because of its protection. If you get a colored stain, also buy the clear to preserve the color so whatever color or shade you’re currently happy with, keep it preserved and adding the clear in the fall (if you stained it in the spring) will help protect the wood when going into the winter. I have followed that (step) since after a few months the wood tends to absorb the water repellant in the “exposed sun and weather” areas. Usually the under part doesn’t need it since it’s protected. When I add the clear layer, it takes me usually about a 1/2 of a day, and I do it in September right before the leaves fall. My deck is Redwood color, and as of now, with treated lumber, this year is the FIRST year I had to replace 3 boards due to rotting. They were mainly on the stairs, and it started at the knots…. All the rest of the boards are hoilding up solid, and they are still very smooth so again: durability, off the charts. As with the stain: mix for about 3- 5 minutes, stir, and apply. I usually do three coats with color within 10 min while the board is still wet with the first coat of stain. Dont do it in the heat, this will dry quick, then once you go over, it will bead off and then you’ll have drain spots. Constant in 70 or 60! Degree weather. When applying, put a hand crank kitchen timer on, so you don’t get sidetracked…that’s what I do. This stain, has a very faint smell, and it isn’t overpowering…it’s almost like water, and the appearance after when it’s done looks amazing. It adheres to the board beautifully, but also make sure you have about 2 days of good weather for it to really fully cure. It will dry fast within 4-6 hours, but you really don’t want to be walking on it till the following day. Comes perfectly packed, easy to use, and so much better than Benjamin Moore, Sherwin Williams, Cabot, Behr or Zinzer (combined: YES ive used them all and within 4 months, they’ve stopped beading up the raindrops) So do spend the extra money. Get Defy. I’ve been using them for 16 years, so I’m NOT a new comer poster after the first trial then rant and rave about it… I just applied my 5th coat in 16 years. So I’ll be going on ton18 or 20 when I post about this stain again. Get Defy. It’s the best stuff out there. Without question. Good Luck!

Save your money and buy your choice of alcohol! I am so disappointed with this there are no words but I will try. I necessarily refinish my deck with oil every year and am qualified to do so but was disappointed with the life of the oil stain that I used. After looking at extensive reviews and assessments I fount that this was some of the highest rated sealant on the internet and hoped for the longevity that it promised. I prepped the deck with a deck wash and pressure washer then I used oxalic acid and pressure washed it, at this point it was looking great I let the deck dry and followed all of the instructions as I have avoided this new acrylic technology. I put the sealant on in two coats, the second coat was flooded on and then brushed back, in optimal weather as recommended. I used more sealant than the advertised rate which is expected as the deck is porous and aged (8 years) I did not have over applied areas except one small area that built up on the surface. AT THE SAME TIME, I also used the same old OIL stain on another part of the deck that needs color these were used side by side. The deck has started to grey after about two months and there is no apparent water repentant left after about 2 weeks. - - - The old oil stain next to this product still looks as good as the day I put it on because of course! it has only been 3 months! In conclusion, this has been an utter waste of my time, intellect, labor and money.

I applied this product less than a week ago but it looks great. I highly recommend: Color: I used natural pine. It is more red than what I envisioned but it looks great. I like the look better than I envisioned. I returned a week later and it had gotten a little lighter but looks even better than I expected. Does not appear to be a heavy color or coat but looks almost natural. Repellent: Having returned one week after application, it rained here on the eastern shore of Md for the first time in about 3 weeks to a month. The water on the deck beaded up nicely. This deck never did that even after the bad sealer was applied years ago. Application: Smooth and easy to apply. The wet on wet application seemed odd to me but I trusted the process and it went very well. Coverage: The company estimated that I needed 4 gallons for two coats on my deck and that is what I used. my deck is 6 years old. I had to clean a lot because I used what turned out to be a common sealer from a big box store and it was horrible. It seemed to collect dirt from day 1. After cleaning via the cleaner and power washer 2 times and brightened, I had to sand the entire deck and apply brightener again, so the wood was very clean and I was afraid of how the product would apply and whether it would look patchy. It went on great and looks great. Durability: Way too early to tell. I do not expect any issues, however. The application is smooth and tight and absorbed. I plan to brighten and reapply in horizontal surfaces annually or bi-annually anyway.