10 Best Fence Stains of 2023 – Reviews & Top Picks

As wood weathers and ages, the finish of your fence will start to degrade. Staining is one of the best ways to give a wooden fence a whole new look without spending a lot of money or hiring someone to do it for you. If you have looked at the different wood stains available today, chances are that you felt overwhelmed. With the number of products on the market, which would be the one you should choose?

When choosing a stain to refinish your wooden fence, durability, ease of application, and color selection are all things to consider. Does the stain come with a sealer? Some do, some don’t. if you choose one without a sealer, it will be necessary to apply one prior to starting your staining process. Even though there are many things that you should remember, we have simplified this process by reviewing the best products for staining your fence.

A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2023

Rating	Image	Product	Details
Best Overall		Ready Seal 112 Exterior Wood Stain & Sealer	Biodegradable Comes in 8 colors 2-in-1 stain & sealer	CHECK PRICE
Best Value		SaverSystems Deck Premium Wood Stain	Will resist peeling graying and fading Stain & sealer in one Is water-based	CHECK PRICE
Premium Choice		Sashco Transformation Deck & Fence Stain	Rich deep look Hybrid formula with oil-in-water A pleasure to apply	CHECK PRICE
		Woodrich Brand Timber Oil Deep Penetrating Stain	Doesn’t run You can apply it to your new wood	CHECK PRICE
		DEFY Extreme Semi-Transparent Wood Stain	Comes in 7 finishes UV-resistant to protect the wood Water-based	CHECK PRICE

The 10 Best Fence Stains

1. Ready Seal 112 Exterior Wood Stain & Sealer – Best Overall

With more than 8 shades from which to choose, we love the selection that Ready Seal 112 exterior wood stain and sealer gives us. However, even better than its selection is the performance. It saves you a lot of money and time because it’s a combination of stain and sealant. In addition, it doesn’t require any thinning or diluting, and you can use it with your paint sprayer. We found it very easy to use with our sprayer. That being said, there weren’t any runs or drips when we applied it with a brush.

In spite of all of the positive qualities, it’s a very affordable product. It also is biodegradable, so there’s no worry when you are washing off your paintbrushes and other tools. Even though it’s fine to add another coat after just 45 minutes, for a complete cure you’ll need to wait between 48 and 72 hours. Otherwise, we think this is the best exterior wood stain and sealer this year. Overall, this is the best stain for fence we have reviewed this year.

2. SaverSystems Deck Premium Wood Stain – Best Value

This high-quality wood stain from SaverSystems comes in 1-gallon or 2.5-gallon containers with 4 options for finishes from which to choose. It is water-based, so it’s easily cleaned up and VOC-compliant. Because it’s a combination sealer and stain, it resists mildew and mold. However, we didn’t believe that it’s quite as good at sealing when compared with the Ready Seal that’s in the top spot, so that is why it’s in our second spot.

This durable formula resists fading, peeling, and graying for years when you use it on the softwoods. It isn’t recommended to be used on hardwoods. The 4 color finishes are easy to apply and look great. It has a nice consistency and isn’t very runny. We had success both with spraying and brushing it on. All in all, we believe this stain and sealer system is very high quality and we think it’s the best fence stain for the money this year.

3. Sashco Transformation Deck & Fence Stain – Premium Choice

If you are searching for a luxurious and deep finish on your fence, Sashco Transformation Deck & Fence Stain is one of the most gorgeous finishes of the stains that we tried. This stain is semi-transparent, so the grain of your wood shows through, and it’s available in 6 different color options.

This stain is a bit more expensive, so you are going to be paying the premium price for this quality. We should mention, however, it was so easy to apply the stain. It’s not runny, but not overly thick. We tried brushing, spraying, and rolling it, and all three got great results.

In spite of being among the most expensive stains, it doesn’t come with a built-in sealer. Of course, this is going to cost you more money and time, but when you see the rich finish the stain offers, we’re certain you’ll agree that it will be worth the additional expense. If you’re willing to spend a bit more for the results you want, we recommend this stain. If you are looking for something that’s more budget-friendly, Ready Seal 112 is the one to choose.

4. Woodrich Brand Timber Oil Deep Penetrating Stain

This stain gives you a natural, rich finish that helps with accentuating the wood’s natural beauty. We really liked how easy it was to apply, with hardly any dripping or running at all. Brushes and sprayers both provided finishes that looked great. Not only that, but the stain can also be used on new lumber. A lot of other stains can only be used on aged wood, so this is a huge advantage.

It’s great overall stain, but far from perfect. To begin with, it is very expensive, and it falls somewhere between our number one choice and the premium choice. Even though it’s more expensive, it doesn’t come with a sealer, so you will be spending extra money and time. We prefer using products that have the sealer already built in because they offer so many benefits. We really like this stain, but in our opinion the value isn’t good for the price you pay.

5. DEFY Extreme Semi-Transparent Wood Stain

DEFY Extreme semi-transparent exterior wood stain is fortified using zinc nanoparticle technology. What does this mean? It means that sun’s UV rays, which can be very harmful to your paint and wood, will reflected. This should improve your fence’s weather resistance. Not only that, but probably helps with preventing mold and mildew, too. This formula’s a stain and sealer together, so there’s no need to apply a separate sealer. It’s water-based, so it’s easy to clean up and comes in 7 different colors. This makes it easy to find the color that works best for you style and taste.

Even though it’s a nice overall finish, it’s our opinion that DEFY’s a bit costly. The price is among the highest of the tested stains, even though there isn’t anything about the stain that makes it more special than the rest. We weren’t really impressed with the sealer the product has, either. When we tested it, it only lasted around 6 months and then our wood started to absorb water. However, our biggest gripe was a somewhat patchy finish. For this price, we expected better.

6. Olympic Stain Maximum Wood Stain

When you are looking for something affordable, we recommend Olympic Stain Maximum Wood Stain. This 2-in-1 stain and sealer comes in 8 beautiful finishes. However, the eye-catching finish didn’t last very long. In just a year, the fence we’d stained was beginning to show major signs of weathering. Its color had drastically faded, so we had to put a brand-new coat on. We weren’t impressed with how the second coat covered the original look – it appeared kind of tacky.

7. Restore-A-Deck Wood Stain

Are you looking for a fence stain to get the job done in a hurry and forget about it? We recommend Restore-A-Deck Wood Stain. This stain has same-day sealing and staining, and UV protection for weathering the sun. That’s the good news.

Unfortunately, it can’t be used on new wood. The fence needs to be weathered for at least a year before you can apply this product.

The stain comes in 4 finishes, although we wish it came with more. The biggest drawback with this stain is the very high price. You’ll pay for the convenience of same-day sealing and staining, and other products on this list have a better reputation.

8. Wood Defender Transparent Fence Stain

Wood Defender Transparent Fence Stain gives you a good product at an affordable price, but it’s not among our favorites. It comes in just 4 colors, which is a very mediocre selection. Even though the majority of similarly-priced stains come with a built-in sealant, this one doesn’t. The best things about the stain are its even, deep finish, and it can be used in extreme climates. It also comes with a 2-year guarantee, which gives us some breathing room. However, we would prefer if it lasted longer than 2 years.

Even though a lot of the other formulas are run-free and drip-free, we noticed a lot of drips when using this stain. We had no trouble cleaning them up to create a beautiful finished coat. However, we’d prefer if it didn’t run in the first place.

9. SEAL-ONCE Penetrating Wood Sealer & Stain

We love the 11 color sections offered by SEAL-ONCE nano-penetrating Wood sealer and stain. However, those options come at a price, because this stain is very expensive. The wood sealing properties of the product are excellent, and it helps to stop moisture from seeping into your wood. That being said, it lacks important UV. But we really didn’t like this product’s runny and thin consistency. We had so many runs and drips that we had to pay close attention and make sure we smoothed it out before it became tacky. We recommend choosing one of the top 3 stains before choosing this one.

10. Rust-Oleum 321637 Fence Stain Redwood

Redwood is one of the most durable and decay-resistant types of wood, but its Achilles’ Heel is moisture. If you live in a wet climate, a redwood fence needs to be cleaned and stained once a year. Fortunately, most major brands make a reliable stain for redwood. Rust-Oleum could have been one of them.

The best thing we can say is the Rust-Oleum 321637 Fence Stain has a unique application process. Rather than using a sprayer or brush, you simply hook a hose to its bottle and spray it. Even though this is a unique idea, we didn’t really think it worked well. Although it applied the stain quickly, it also left a huge mess that we had to clean. There was a lot of overspray and we didn’t have a lot of control over the spray pattern. it’s also pretty expensive for a singular fence stain for redwood only. If your fence is made of different wood, you won’t be interested in this product.

Buyer’s Guide – Choosing the Best Fence Stain

Now that you have seen the stains that we recommend, you might be wondering how you can choose the right one for you. Well, wonder no more because we’re going to give you some tips on choosing a fence stain.

Match or Compliment the Colors on Your Property

Think about the colors of other features around your home. You want to compliment the other colors rather than clash with them. Also consider your garden’s patio stone, pergola, or shed. The color you choose should fit in with their design theme.

Consider Your Fence Type

If you’re considering the stain colors for your privacy fence, it’s a good idea to choose a color that’s commonly used such as rich redwood, dark brown, or warm cedar.

If you’re staining a rail fence on a ranch, you might want to choose a bright color like white.

For a fence that is modern looking, a color pattern that is staggered with two colors of stain or a grey might be a good choice.

Think About Your Neighborhood

Sometimes, it’s possible you’ll want to make a bolder statement using your fence. However, if you live in an HOA, you might be limited. So, know what the rules are before you make your choice.

Complement Your Property or Home: 3 Tips & Tricks

Don’t Allow the Fence to Compete

If you’re showcasing your landscaping or you have a pool that’s your property’s focal point, your fence shouldn’t compete. It should complement your property’s best parts and not draw attention away from those things.

• See Also: 19 Cheap Fencing Ideas for Your Yard In 2021

Conclusion

Now that you have read the reviews of our best stain for fences this year, we hope you are ready to choose the stain for refinishing your fence. To recap what we have already said, our choice for the best fence stain is Ready Seal 112 exterior wood stain and sealer. We like that it came in 8 colors, it’s biodegradable and has a built-in sealer. We really thought that its overall finish was gorgeous and that it was great at withstanding the elements.

When you are looking for the best fence stain on a budget, our recommendation is SaverSystems #1 Deck premium wood stain. This stain comes with a sealer built-in and is water based, but the thing we love is the beautiful finish. When you are looking for a stain with a premium price, our suggestion is Sashco Transformation deck and fence stain. This stain has a rich, deep look that is going to rejuvenate your fence. It also has a luxurious finish that you will love applying. We are confident in recommending any of those options to help you give your fence a whole new look and life.

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