Deck Stain and Sealer: What to Look For Before You Buy
Color, base, coverage, dry time, deck life and prep. Three stains read side by side from the makers' own pages.
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A deck stain is sold on a few numbers: how much color it adds, what it cleans up with, how far a gallon goes, how long it takes to dry and how many years the maker will stand behind it. The makers print some of these and skip others. We read the product pages of Thompson's WaterSeal, Olympic and Cabot on November 15, 2026, and where a page is silent we say "not published."
How much color
Stain comes in steps. Clear keeps the wood's own color. Thompson's clear sealer "maintains wood's natural color."3 Cabot sells Australian Timber Oil as a transparent stain in five colors.7 Semi-transparent adds color and lets the grain show: Thompson's says its semi-transparent adds "moderate color" and shows a medium amount of grain, and Olympic calls its version "a subtle color."1,5 Solid is the other end. Thompson's says solid "adds the most color and shows the least wood grain," and Olympic says its solid covers the woodgrain while the texture still shows.2,6 Semi-solid sits between semi-transparent and solid. We did not read a maker page for it, so we don't put numbers on it.
The trade-off is simple. The more color, the more the stain hides, and the more it can hide old boards. The less color, the more the wood's own look shows, and the less sun protection the pigment gives.
Oil or water
Most of these pages don't name the base. Thompson's semi-transparent and solid pages don't, and say cleanup is with water.1,2 Thompson's clear sealer lists mineral oil in its cautions.3 Cabot calls its stain a "3-oil formula" and cleans up with warm soapy water, but does not say oil-based or water-based.7 Olympic gives two cleanup routes on one page: mineral spirits for its version under 600 g/L of VOC, soap and water for the version under 100 g/L.5 The practical tip is to read the cleanup line on the can. Mineral spirits means a solvent base. Soap and water means a water-based one.
Coverage per gallon
Every maker gives a range, and every range depends on how thirsty the wood is. Thompson's: 150 to 400 square feet for semi-transparent and solid, 200 to 400 for clear.1,2,3 Olympic and Cabot: 250 to 350 square feet.5,7 A 12 by 16 foot deck is 192 square feet of surface, before rails and steps. At the low end of a range, you need more than one gallon.
Dry time and recoat
These vary the most. Thompson's semi-transparent is dry to the touch in about 2 hours, and the page lists 2 to 4 hours. It takes one coat, with an optional second coat applied within 4 hours of the first.1 Thompson's clear sealer lists 48 to 72 hours.3 Olympic says drying is normally about 24 hours at 50 to 85 degrees F, and asks you to wait 24 to 48 hours before light foot traffic or putting furniture back.5 Cabot lists 24 to 48 hours, says one coat only, and gives no recoat time ("N/A").7 Olympic does not publish a dry-to-touch or recoat time on the page we read.5
How long the maker says it lasts
Only one of the three puts a number on it. Thompson's guarantees its semi-transparent for 5 years on decks and its solid for 6 years on decks.1,2 We did not read the full warranty terms. Thompson's clear sealer gives no years figure and recommends a yearly splash test and yearly reapplication for maximum sun protection.3 Cabot says its stain "won't fade or scuff for years to come" and gives no figure.7 Olympic's pages for its semi-transparent and solid stains do not state a deck life.5,6 Thompson's FAQ gives a simple check you can do yourself: if water darkens the wood, it needs protection, and if it beads or runs off, it is protected.4
Prep and the weather window
New wood has to wait. Thompson's says to allow 30 days on new pressure-treated lumber, and to let damp wood dry at least 48 hours.1,4 Cabot asks for 3 to 5 days of drying in open air, then sanding with 80 to 100 grit paper.7 Olympic lists its stains for "new, dry, pressure-treated wood" and says to wash with its deck cleaner, tape off, avoid direct sun, work one board at a time and back-brush.5
Temperature matters too. Thompson's needs air and surface above 50 degrees F while you apply and for 48 hours after, with no rain forecast for 24 hours.1 Cabot gives 50 to 90 degrees F.7 Olympic's best range is 50 to 85 degrees F, and it says it can be applied down to 35.5
Three stains that show the numbers
| Stain | Opacity | Coverage per gallon | Dry time | Maker's deck life | Temperature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thompson's WaterSeal Semi-Transparent Wood Sealer | Semi-transparent | 150 to 400 sq ft | 2 to 4 hours | Guaranteed 5 years | Above 50°F, plus 48 hours after |
| Olympic Maximum Semi-Transparent, Low VOC | Semi-transparent | 250 to 350 sq ft | About 24 hours | Not published | 50 to 85°F best, down to 35°F |
| Cabot Australian Timber Oil, Low VOC | Transparent | 250 to 350 sq ft | 24 to 48 hours | Not published ("for years") | 50 to 90°F |
Maker figures, read November 15, 2026. "Not published" = not on the page read. The three maker pages do not list a price, so check the store.
Thompson's WaterSeal Semi-Transparent Wood Sealer
The only one of the three with a deck guarantee in years: 5 years on decks. It dries fastest, about 2 hours to the touch, and sells in six colors.1 What we don't like: the coverage range is the widest, 150 to 400 square feet, so planning a gallon count is a guess. It needs 30 days on new pressure-treated wood, and the page names no base, only water cleanup.1 The page lists a 1 gallon size only.1
Olympic Maximum Semi-Transparent, Low VOC
Comes in four sizes, from half pint to 5 gallons, so you can test a color before you buy a big can.5 What we don't like: the page does not publish a dry-to-touch time, a recoat time, a deck life or the base. It also sells two cleanup versions, mineral spirits or soap and water, so read the can.5
Cabot Australian Timber Oil, Low VOC
The page says it is "ideal for decks and outdoor furniture," and the can comes in 1 quart, 1 gallon and 5 gallon sizes.7 What we don't like: one coat only, with no recoat time. It has the longest prep list, with a 3 to 5 day dry-out, sanding and a cleaner. It gives no years figure and no warranty statement on the page, only "for years to come."7
See Thompson's WaterSeal Semi-Transparent See Olympic Maximum Semi-Transparent See Cabot Australian Timber Oil
The checklist
Questions
How long should new pressure-treated wood wait before staining?
How do I know if my deck needs sealing again?
Thompson's gives a splash test. If the water darkens the wood, it needs protection. If it beads or runs off, it is protected.4
How long does deck stain last?
- Thompson's WaterSeal, Semi-Transparent Wood Sealer, thompsonswaterseal.com/en/products/exterior-wood-sealers/semi-transparent-wood-sealer read November 15, 2026
- Thompson's WaterSeal, Solid Color Wood Sealer, thompsonswaterseal.com/en/products/exterior-wood-sealers/solid-color-wood-sealer read November 15, 2026
- Thompson's WaterSeal, Clear Wood Sealer, thompsonswaterseal.com/en/products/exterior-wood-sealers/clear-wood-sealer read November 15, 2026
- Thompson's WaterSeal, FAQs, thompsonswaterseal.com/en/how-to/faqs read November 15, 2026
- Olympic, Maximum Semi-Transparent Low VOC, olympic.com/products/exterior-stain/maximum-wood-stain-semi-transparent read November 15, 2026
- Olympic, Maximum Solid Low VOC, olympic.com/products/exterior-stain/maximum-wood-stain-solid read November 15, 2026
- Cabot, Australian Timber Oil Low VOC, cabotstain.com/en/products/exterior-stains/australian-timber-oil-low-voc read November 15, 2026
Why you can trust Awning Buyer Guide
We earn nothing on the links on this page. They go to the makers' own stores. Every spec on it is the maker's own published figure, with the source and the date we read it.
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