Last Updated on December 1, 2022 by chuckm
Choosing a deck stain for an exterior wood project can be a daunting task. There is a lot of information out there on many types of wood stains. Some of the best stains for wood projects will be those that enhance the beauty of the wood while providing long lasting protection against natural elements like moisture, sun, and freeze/thaw damage. Another factor to consider when determining the best stain for a wood surface would be how long the stain might last.
One of the best protecting and longest lasting stains is the Defy Extreme line of wood stains. With that said there are many different situations that will determine how long a stain will last. From climate and weather to sun exposure and foot traffic there are many reasons a stain will eventually fade and wear away before needing a recoat. Every situation is unique. To help fight these natural and manmade elements and to help the stain last longer, Defy Stains are specially formulated to dive deep into the wood fibers to help restore natural oils and preserve the natural look of wood types from pine and cedar to mahogany and redwood.
How long does Defy last? Well as mentioned there are many factors to take into consideration, but in general Defy Stain will last approximately 2-3 years on most horizontal wood surfaces and 3-5 years on vertical surfaces. After Defy is weathered and worn simply reapply a light maintenance coat of stain to protect the surface for another few years. Defy will outlast most other stain brands in the same class. The synthetic semi-transparent formula of one of Defy’s stains such as Defy Hardwood will penetrate dense woods like cedar and redwood, which can be difficult.
Other Defy Stains like Defy Extreme is for rough cut woods like pine and cedar log siding or rough sawn wood. Defy makes a stain for most any wood type and application. It will outlast other brands providing beauty and protection of varies exterior wood surfaces. Another important factor in determining the answer to the question how long does defy last is regular maintenance.
I am cleaning my deck with the Defy wood cleaner and it seems to be removing the stain. I do follow it with the Brightener. This has happened 2 times now and I’m having to restain the entire deck. What’s happening? I do not use a pressure washer but regular hose.
The cleaner will remove old stain if deteriorated and this is normal. The cleaner is designed to prep the wood for recoating, not as a general cleaner to remove dirt.
Last fall, I rushed the final staining of the horizontal section of our west facing ipe deck. Darkness and a sudden shower left it really splotchy and you suggested waiting until spring to determine whether stripping would be necessary. It is Oregon so have a light green showing in several areas and think I will not skip the stripping. The railing and horizontal boards directly under the railing look good and would be in line for just a cleaning and maintenance coat. (Pix) Would like to protect this area from the stripper–is tape the best way? Also, the north and east facing decks got their cleaning and maintenance coat last fall and still look great. They do not “bead” like they did initially so think I will give them another coat in the fall. If I get the west deck done in May, will it be ready for a maintenance coat in September? Does the Defy stain eventually build up so maintenance can be done every other year. Here it is not sun that causes the problems but rain and moss and mildew. The Defy product has been terrific compared to the Penofin oil.
You cannot “tape” to protect areas that you do not want to strip as the stripper will get through. Best to just strip all. You can do a maintenance coat in the Fall. Clean and brighten the wood annually for maintenance coats if that is what you need.
Last October (2017), we applied the “Defy Extreme Water Based Exterior Semi-Transparent wood stain after we prepped our new redwood deck (cleaner & brightener). The stain still looks great except the areas that receive high traffic from people and our dog, (the stairs and door area). To apply another coat of stain on these areas, do I just wash the area with water, let dry and then reapply? Would we need to re-apply the entire horizontal portion of the deck so the stain matches. After 8 months, the rest of the deck still looks great. Thank you.
You would need to do all the horizontal areas. Use the Defy Wood Cleaner of the prep.
The first time I applied Extreme Stain on my cedar deck it was successful. The second time I sanded the deck and and I applied Extreme Stain it lasted only lasted four months. What went wrong?
Probably the sanding. That is not the correct way to prep and can create issues with the stain being unable to soak into the wood grain.