The 6 Most Popular Deck Finishes, and When and Where to Use Them

Decks require a lot of care. Restoring, weather proofing, stripping, cleaning, staining and sealing – there’s a specific product engineered for every step of the process. To help you determine the right product for your job, here’s a look at some of today’s most popular sealing and staining options.

The SuperDeck® difference

The SuperDeck Deck Finishing System is the pro painter’s premium choice for complete deck care solutions. Featuring premium Duckback® Technology, SuperDeck stains and sealers create the impressive results your customers are looking for and the easy application and fast drying time that helps you be more productive.

The six most popular deck finishes:

Waterborne Clear Sealer

Protects wood from sun and moisture while allowing the wood to gray naturally. Water repellants protect wood against cracking, splitting and warping.

Oil-Based Transparent Stain

A penetrating, oil-based formula that enriches and protects the beauty of wood with a rich transparent stain.

Waterborne Semi-Transparent Stain

Provides rich pigmented appearance, allows wood grain texture to show through. Repels water on new or weathered wood.

Oil-Based Semi-Transparent Stain

Provides rich transparent appearance that highlights wood grain. Three-oil formula contains deep penetrating tung oil for lasting protection.

Waterborne Semi-Solid Color Stain

Provides rich pigmented appearance, allows some natural wood grain to show through. Available with IR Reflective Technology in three colors.

Waterborne Solid Color Stain

Provides durable, opaque protection for many exterior horizontal wood surfaces. It is recommended that you consult the manufacturer of your composite deck for staining procedures. Featuring Cool Feel™ Color Technology helps reduce the surface temperature by up to 20°F when compared to conventional color technology.

Everything else you need to get the job done

SuperDeck’s full line of deck care products is perfect for restoring, weather proofing, stripping, cleaning, staining and sealing your customers’ decks.


For a complete catalog of deck care products and supplies, visit the Sherwin-Williams contractor website.