20 Best Exterior Stain For Cedar Siding (2023 Updated)

In the past I’ve used latex primers, alkyd primers and other recommended wood sealer/primers to prep for outdoor painting and have seen the effects of weather on my exterior home projects including porches and railings.

The last bunch of years i’ve been using Flood CWF-UV water based as either a sealer without paint and as a primer under exterior latex paint. One project was a raised boardwalk made of treated 2×6 lumber.

The Flood held up under traffic and the paint stayed on nicely. I just go with the Flood now. It seems to penetrate better than the primers. The natural dries slightly yellowish. If I get drips I can see the runs but it always dries perfectly.

I’m no expert but I much prefer the Flood for exterior wood projects now.

I enjoyed this deck stain. Yes, there is better quality out there but that comes with a hefty price tag so it’s really just about what you are looking for. Personally. I wanted something affordable that looks nice and protects my deck while also giving an all over coverage and even color to the wood.

This product did just that and looks absolutely beautiful on the wood. If your on a budget and looking for a good affordable stain for your deck, I think this product is great! Like I said previously, yes there is better out there but for the price, this product works just fine.

A little goes a long way. Great coverage. Each successive coat adds depth and richness. Highly durable finish, even stand up to direct sunlight without fading.

This stain covers tremendously and the natural color of the wood it pulls out is beautiful. Love this product, it is expensive but the first I shed product is beautiful

Great product for cedar wood siding. Would recommend it!

Excellent quality stain. Highly recommend. One gallon covered our 8×10 deck. Easy application, great color and coverage.

This is a good oil stain product that looks great . This was a semi transparent oil stain that went on evenly soaked into the wood and didn’t clump. I am extremely pleased with this product.

I started using TWP products several years ago based on the poor results I was getting from the widely advertised well known products. I have never been disappointed with how well this stain holds up to the weather and sunlight.

In my opinion its the best stuff out there.

Applied this to a brand new horizontal cedar fence. Tried using a Wagner Power sprayer (airless one) and it was a disaster. Although Wagner shows you staining a fence in their training video, it turns out that this stain is slightly too thick to use with the model of sprayer we have and it kept clogging and spitting (information I only got once calling the Wagner help line).

We had to quickly grab brushes and even out the color and switch to brush and rollers. You need to mix the can super well or you will get clumps of solids especially at the bottom of the can and your application will be splotchy or uneven with the end of the can being really dark as the solids sink to the bottom.

We mixed continuously, not just once. The color is ok, darker than we wanted but had to coordinate with our house color. When you apply, you need to roll or brush quickly and evenly to get an even application especially on bare wood as it will soak the color up quickly and unlike solid paint, it can’t just put another coat on to even it out as it is semi-transparent and the splotches will show through.

Having used other brands of stain, this one was no better or worse for that. Will see how well it holds up on a fence – it has only been 6 months. I hope not to have to do this job again for a while.

I applied this product to my fence iver 3 yrs sgo snd it still looks like it did from day one. BEHR Premium Semi-Transparent Waterproofing Wood Stain & Sealer is a penetrating oil-based stain that beautifies and protects your exterior wood surfaces.

This product is available in popular exterior premix colors and can also be tinted to a range of other exterior colors. This product is ideal for both horizontal and vertical surfaces. After application, this product will resist rain after 4 hours which provides project flexibility during unsure weather conditions.

I used this product, based upon recommendation of in-store personnel. The Transparent Waterproofing Wood Finish Penetrating Oil was an upgrade of the product used the prior year on newly-installed fence and was a great improvement over the previous version.

It covered the fence more evenly and resisted effects of direct sun exposure experienced with previous product. I am very happy with Behr product, as well as with in-store expertise with this project; it should provide on-going protection of the fence for the future!.

I applied this to an older deck that gets full sun all day long. The deck soaked up the finish readily. With the application of two coats using a brush, the deck looked great and still does 3 years later.

Prior to putting this product on the deck I had used traditional deck stains and they showed wear within two years. I hardily recommend this penetrating oil.

Less expensive than Ace Hardware plus free delivery vs 130 mile round trip to Ace. I have used this product for 20 years now on log home and redwood deck. Product quality is high and consistent. If you apply product thickly you will end up with longer cure times and some gummy surfaces.

This penofin product is really great. The results bring out the woods beauty. I put it over wood the had a water sealer. Even though I thoroughly sanded the fence, not all the seal was off. This causes the oil to be shinny when it covers the sealer.

Better to do it on bare wood.

This color in exterior gel stain is hard to find. (cedar). And I only wanted gel stain because I am staining over pressure treated wood and this was exactly what I was looking for. I’m thrilled with the results and ease of use! A tad pricey, but worth every penny.

I’ve used other brands in exterior gel stain, and like them as well, but not all colors are readily available and Old Masters seems to cover it all. The ease of having it delivered was also a plus. It was well packaged and quick delivery.

I will definitely buy this again!.

I have used multiple quarts of this stuff in the American Walnut color. It does an amazing job to change up golden oak to a beautiful rich walnut color in cabinets, mantels, stair rails and the bar stools I just applied it to.

Thanks Max Warehouse for carrying this!!!.

This thick stain makes a quality wipe on effect, truly white. Coated it with a water based clear matte polyurethane.

Recently had a small porch built off our 100 year old cottage. The wood used was treated having lots of wood knots, which are very difficult to cover up. My wife wanted painted but I knew that just regular paint wouldn’t cover up the knots.

I took a chance-so I bought KILZ® Waterproofing Semi-Transparent Stain. I thought nothing ventured nothing gained. To my wife’s surprise and joy the KILZ Waterproofing actually worked. The knots were gone! Now KILZ is my go to stain!.

So I picked this up in store because I needed a quick deck stain and sealer. There were three “colors” (tan, brown, dark brown) but all were the same type, tint base deck stain and sealer. I figured it would be colored already.

Think again. It’s just a semi-transparent sealer. There was not an employee anywhere around the paint department to mix in the stain color (why it’s not already mixed I don’t know, considering they advertise colors on the can).

Even if someone WERE available to mix in the stain color, you would not find out that you need that done unless you pop the can open, come here to read reviews, or scroll down pages of instructions to the *caution* section on the manufacturers site.

It says nowhere on the can that you must have the color added. Very misleading. I prepped my deck, was ready to start, popped the can open and was sorely disappointed. Now I have to make another trip back to the store to have color added or buy something else.

Such a waste of time and energy when all they needed was a little text on the can that says “make sure to get the color added before you leave the store” etc. I have yet to find out if the product is any good as I’ll have to wait until tomorrow to even go back and get it colored.

So frustrating.

Such a big difference in our deck. It was looking old but this product brought it to life again. Get so many compliments. A must have

Our pergola was installed a few months ago and in need of being stained. Traditionally, stain is applied after the wood has been weathered for a year, but with this stain, it allows you to either apply to new wood or weathered wood.

I like that this is self-priming and that it has stain and sealant in one, cutting down on the workload. Since our pergola requires a ladder, I was also looking for a product that would not have to be applied every year or two.

This solid stain protects up to 5 years on decks and 15 years on fencing and siding, so I am optimistic. Due to temperatures and rain, I have been unable to prep and stain my pergola properly, but I did a test on one of the pieces of board remaining from our project.

Since our patio is in the sun nearly all day, the UV protection is a must and should help the stain last longer, thereby protecting the wood. The mildew resistant coating is also an added benefit I like since I live in the humid south and it can be easy for surfaces to mildew if not properly treated.

I applied one coat and two coats on my sample board. The one coat shows quite a bit more of the grain, whereas the required two coats provides a more solid, protected surface. I found it helpful to back brush to get the stain in the dents and crevices and to leave a wet edge while working.

I only did 1 board, but I used a 1″ brush and the wet edge is a must to encourage uniformity. Although I only did a small sample, I am satisfied with this solid stain. It provides even coverage and I can’t wait to get it applied to my pergola.

Olympic Exterior Wood Protector Water Base Semi Transparent Redwood Stain made our deck and fence look so professional, Our fence looked so old and needed something, and this was the ticket to bringing it back to life.

Olympic Wood Protector Semi-Transparent, COLOR: Redwood Semi-Transparent. Is a durable semi-transparent stain that provides a subtle natural redwood stain color and allows the natural wood grain and texture to show.

Exclusive Scuff Guarf stain formula gives the wood a tough finish and an enhanced level of protection. 100% acrylic latex wood stain formula is self-priming and cleans up easily with soap and water. It does take time putting this stain on but its worth it in the end.

I recommend Olympic Exterior Wood Protector it looks and smells like cedar. Everything ive used it on looks great. For all exterior wood. Bare wood,Finished wood , Old reclaimed wood , Stained or unfinished wood This stain is great for wooden decks and fencing and thats what I used it for.

I wanted to keep my fencing looking good and preserve the wood which was our deck. Olympic Exterior Wood Protector, protects for 3 years its mildew resistant, UV protection, waterproof sealer, you can also use a roller or a sprayer.

You will love this product.

I got the Olympic Wood Protector Solid in Deep Redwood Solid to update my shed, which was several years overdue for some protective coating. I like that this is solid so it helps hide flaws better, but the color was not what I was expecting.

I know it is called deep redwood but the picture examples on the Olympic website show this to be closer to brown. I was shocked at the bright red color in the can so I started with a swatch test before going all in.

It applies just as bright but when I checked it the next day after it dried it did deepen, though it still has more red to it than what is shown on the website (see my attached pictures for swatches).

There is a color dot on the sticker label on the can, though I am not sure that it came from the color in my can as it too is more brown than what is in the can. So once I was over the color shock, I decided I was going to roll with it and have a pop of color in my yard for the shed.

I still give this 5 stars because I like that it is a solid stain and sealant in one with waterproofing protection and UV defense. It is nice that it can last up to 5 years for decks and 15 years for fences and siding so I won’t have to apply more for a long while.

My shed is exposed to plenty of sunlight so I haven’t had mildew issues, but it is nice that this has a mildew resistant coating for additional protection if needed.

I have LOVED using this product! I do a lot of wood projects and it has come in handy for them! I love the fact that it goes on so easily. It does take a bit of time to dry completely, so if you are wanting to do a project, make sure you give yourself time to let it dry.

I also love that you get up to 350 square feet per gallon to use! This is awesome because big projects take up a lot of this. Another thing I love is that it can protect a deck for up to 4 years or a fence for up to 6 years! It also covers up old stain too when you apply it, which is nice.

But you should make sure to prepare the area you are wanting to stain, so that it is a smooth process. It can look a little off if you don’t. So make sure the surface is clean and dry. Then you just add the stain and let it dry! It is amazing what a world of difference this product makes to a project.

It makes it look so much nicer, and keeps it protected! I honestly love this product. I talk highly about it. I think everyone should give this a shot, especially if you have a nice deck or fence you want to keep protected for a long time! You will not regret it.

Pros: Quality, Durability, Ease of Use Cons: Haven’t found any yet.

We had our older large deck and big privacy fence prepped and painted in early May 2022. We got lucky and it was optimum painting weather the entire time. The team that did the work was phenomenal. They washed, power washed, replaced a few boards, and sanded before painting.

We picked the Arborcoat in seagull Gray on the deck, and it looks spectacular. 4 Weeks later, the cleanability of the paint is not great. I have to use the pressure wash setting on the hose to get dirt and mud out.

Dried flower petals and their colors almost need to be scrubbed out. I’m pretty sure the rust marks from and old half barrel flower pot are permanent, even though the drips were seen after the first rain and the barrel was moved.

It’s really disappointing after spending so much money on paint to have it be so high maintenance after only a month, makes me worry that it will start peeling or chipping within a year. Again, the color itself is beautiful.

This Paint is probably better suited for a covered patio with no flowers.

Have used these Benjamin Moore, ARBORCOAT solid, exterior (more like a thick paint/then, a stain). Covers well, & last approx. 2 to 3 years, with most parts of deck in full sun. [My deck is getting older/but, in relatively GOOD condition.

I power wash it, & re-coat it using approx. 6 to 8 gallons. Every other ‘time’, I only paint the top surfaces/NOT the side rails. WISHING THAT: it would last LONGER – but there’s NOT A(NY) product out there that will do this over a wood deck.

I would have to REPLACE the entire deck with ‘Trex’ – which would VERY COSTLY, so I continue to re-paint it.

I am a mother of a 1. 5 year old and was primarily concerned about paint odor and toxicity, and wanted to invest in a high quality paint that would make my job easy since painting with a toddler is not for the faint hearted.

Let me just note that I have painted with 2 other zero VOC paints in the past: Mythic and Colorhouse. Mythic to my knowledge is no longer available to the general consumer, so I won’t waste time on Mythic, but Colorhouse paints like a DREAM compared to BM’s Natura line.

Natura was exceedingly drippy, had poor coverage, and was very unforgiving of my starts and stops that inevitably happen when caring for a toddler. I had to paint extra coats to even out mistakes, and take extra time when applying to avoid drips or uneven painted areas.

This paint is not for the beginner painter. If all you care about is no VOC and no odor, you can learn to use it (use a high quality roller, use a spotlight, go slow, double check your work frequently), but if you also value an easy to work with paint, go with another paint!! My paint job took twice as long due in part to this terrible paint, but you can work with it if you are in the unfortunate group like me who bought the paint and had to stick with it.

When I switched back to Colorhouse paint at the end of my project, it felt like magic since it was so much easier to work with! Colorhouse is a brand that has staked its reputation on producing a non-toxic paint that is also high quality, and at about the same price point I would say throw Natura in the trash and go with Colorhouse if you have the option.

Unfortunately for me, I have to have Colorhouse shipped as it is not locally available, but looking ahead that is what I will be doing for all my future paint projects. Benjamin Moore, if you are reading this, the only thing that will make me rescind my review is if you send someone to finish painting my house and send my family on a tropical vacation since I lost my summer due to this terrible product.

I had the stain color matched to my Tree decking. It is a perfect match. I wish it was available in a quart size as I had to purchase 3 of the smaller containers. It is easy to use. I highly recommend this product.