Deck Stain
We just re-built our deck and need to stain it. Any opinions on the best stain brands? Looking to do solid color as opposed to semi-transparent.
Calico696 
jay waldstein I have use ReadySeal https://www.readyseal.com/ very easy to use, no lap marks. It is oil based so deck needs to be dry to apply it. It is semi transparent though. I am not a fan of solid stains, they have a tendency to peel of wear out in spots on decks.
Peter
3wbdwnj I’ve been using Benjamin Moore Arbor Coat for years. It seems to hold up the best. I use a semi-solid it looks like a solid when applied but doesn’t peel like a solid. It holds up well and I have sun most of the day with the exception of early morning. I re-coat the decking every three years and the railings every six.
GreatMeadows I have no idea what kind of wood. Regular wood from Blue Ridge Lumber? LMAO
It's not anything fancy, that I know for sure.
We like Wolman Raincoat but it’s semi transparent. Very easy to apply oil-based product. They have solid colors in their Durastain line.
https://www.rustoleum.com/product-catalog/consumer-brands/wolman/durastain-solid-color-stain
If you have a subscription to Consumer Reports, they do extensive testing and rating of deck stains.
If you used Pressure Treated, you may need to let the wood age a bit to let the pores open up before you put anything on it. At least that’s what a contractor told us years ago. Double check on that too.
Paintpourri might be able to give additional recos too.
I was a big fan of Ready Seal for about 15 years. Not as satisfied recently since the stain fades quickly in 2 years on horizontal surfaces. IMO the formula has changed since Ready Seal is now sold at Home Depot. After much research, I applied Armstrong-Clark Semi-solid stain. Only comes in six colors. Easy to work with and clean-up. https://www.deckstainhelp.com/tag/armstrong-clark-deck-stains/
dan l go to Paintpourri and ask the experts bring a few pic so they see the size and condition
LibertyThinker 
only one truth 
AJMS Thanks all. I actually ran into a contractor friend and asked him. Interestingly he said that they are all crap, over the years he has not found any one to be better than another so we should just pick whatever.
Really? All of them?
I find that hard to believe, especially since I've had both positive and negative experiences with a variety of products. But hey, whatever floats your boat, good luck.
I will say this...PREPARATION is everything. Even the best products won't last long unless you do the required preliminary work.
You have to first decide whether you’re going to use latex or oil based.
I HIGHLY recommend using oil based stain. Latex such as the Ben Moore arbor coat mentioned above, is really just a thin paint. It lays on top of the wood and when it fails in a few years it will start to chip and peel off. Once you use latex you can never use oil unless you sand the latex completely off.
Conversely, if you use oil, when it fails it will just fade. Oil seeps into the wood and a simple power wash and restain will make it look new again. The best oil stain money can buy is Sikkens. The best bang for the buck oil is Cabot (available at lowes or panitpourri.
I could easily write another 10 paragraphs but those are the bullet points. If the wood is new I’d wait at MINIMUM of 6 months before applying an oil based stain but I’d use oil 100%. The Cabot semi solid oil is a great stain for roughly $50/gallon and available locally. The Sikkens oil is around $80/gallon and last I checked (a few years ago) you have to travel to buy it. I would never recommend latex stain unless your deck is in very bad condition OR latex was already used on it.
The Ben Moore Arborcoat I have used 3 times. Twice before they reformulated it about 7 years ago and once after- the after was very disappointing. As Consigliere above mentioned is all true. My prep was top notch/ the product was not up to the task after just a year was already looking worn.
I will opt for an oil based stain next time.
The Rhyme Animal Calico, the advice you got about them being all crap is kind of true. If a product says it lasts five years it’s bogus. Nothing lasts more than 3 years for us. If you have shade, you will have mildew. Nothing we tried that had mildew resistance actually worked. Oil based is really the way to go.
Josh 
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