Your wood deck is more than an extension of your home decor. Most of your summer memories – cookouts, family dinners, get-togethers, and even parties, happen on your deck. Of course, you wouldn’t want to use an inferior quality stain on your deck.
It is also why DIYers are investing in the best deck stain products and brands like Cabot Deck l. The Cabot Deck Correct Stain is a preferred option due to its thickness and different opacity selections.
This article will explore the features, pros and cons, and customer reviews/complaints on the product.
Is Cabot Deck Any Good?
So, is Cabot Deck Correct stain a good product, or is it all hype?
As a DIYer, hiring a contractor isn’t an option. So, I checked numerous reviews, noted the complaints, and made a checklist of preferred features (which I’ll share in the next section) before picking Cabot Correct.
Here’s what I think: Cabot Correct is a good product for DIYers and those without much experience in applying stains on decks. The stain is water-repellent, fade-resistant, and gives wood grains a richer color.
Also, it is relatively thicker than most stains, but it covers all flaws, including cracks as wide as ¼ inch. It’s also impressive that it does not hide the fine grains in my redwood deck.
Don’t forget that Cabot Correct has different colors for different opacity levels. I chose the semi-transparent stains to hide minor scratches without hiding those beautiful color grains and patterns.
Features I Considered When Selecting Cabot Deck Correct Stain
Durability
Deck stains are not cheap, and a gallon can go for a few tens. I wasn’t looking forward to applying stains every few months.
So, I reviewed comments from popular eCommerce stores alongside online forums to get the most durable stain out there.
Cabot Deck Correct had the highest positive review on these platforms. What stuck is the claim that Cabot Correct durability lasts for more than six years, which seemed like a stretch.
In the deck stain industry, opacity is the stain’s level of transparency. So, you will want a deck stain with low opacity if the wood has a lot of defects. However, a lower stain is better for woods with beautiful wood grains.
It’s often a tough choice between choosing a deck stain that will protect your wood or one that will show the wood grain. However, Cabot Deck Correct made my choice easier since it features stains with different opacity levels and guarantees your wood protection.
With Cabot Deck Correct, you can select different colors with the following opacity levels:
Clear
Translucent
Semi-transparent
Semi-Solid
Solid.
Coverage
Is a one-gallon deck stain enough to paint an average-sized deck surface? Do you need to buy more than one container?
The coverage matters, and it’s why Cabot was my preferred choice. You can easily use a Cabot Deck Correct Stain container to cover 250 to 350 square feet. That’s enough to apply more than two coats of the stain on a 12-by-12 deck.
Note: Cabot Deck Correct has a thick consistency. Therefore, applying one coat is often enough to cover your deck and side railings.
Color Selection
Most deck stains come in transparent, gray, red, brown, and blue colors. In addition, some stains don’t mix well with additional colorants.
However, the Cabot Deck Correct features more natural and relatable colors like chestnut brown, red ochre, oak brown, and Indian corn. You can also tint it with your desired color.
Cabot Deck Correct reviews also include claims that these colors never fade for the first three years.
Water-Resistance
This is an important feature when your deck is a softwood variety or treated lumber. Softwood varieties will warp and rot when exposed to external elements. Rotten wood often leaves tell-tale marks on stains.
Cabot Deck Correct is water-resistant. It adds a waterproof coat on all wood surfaces. Furthermore, it protects all wood varieties from mildew and loss of water during hot temperatures.
How Long Does the Cabot Deck Correct Last?
According to the brand guideline, Cabot Deck Correct typically lasts three to six years. However, the stain may last for five to ten years on your side railings and fences.
Note that stain durability depends on the type of wood. You should also check the finish every year to see if it’s still intact. Check the finish on the places with heavy traffic (the deck portion facing the house entrance).
Is Cabot Deck Correct Latex?
No, the Cabot Deck Correct is an oil-based paint. It is an aliphatic petroleum distillate that penetrates deeply into wood grains and enriches the natural wood color.
Note: oil-based deck stains have a slower drying time than latex paint. Sometimes, you may wait for 24 hours before the stain dries up. Oil-based stains are also messier and may emit nauseous odors during usage.
Does Cabot Deck Correct Peel?
After a few months of purchasing the product, there are customer complaints of peeling. There are also reviews from customers that the stain peels, despite following the manufacturer’s guidelines.
Cabot Deck Correct may peel and flake when you over-apply it on wood surfaces. Over-applying deck stains will cause it to crack and flake when the wood expands or shrinks.
Seems confusing, right? Wood expands or shrinks according to the moisture levels in it. The average moisture level in wood is 9 to 15 percent.
That said, it expands when the moisture level is higher than 15 percent. Moisture levels increase due to external factors like humidity, snow, water vapors, spilled liquids, and rain, seeping into the wood.
When the wood cells become saturated with over 15 percent moisture content, the wood expands.
Usually, oil-based stains should expand and shrink with the deck wood without cracking or flaking. However, stains that are too thick are not flexible and may crack when the wood expands or shrinks.
What to Buy Alongside Cabot Deck Correct
Cabot Deck Correct is only half of the equation in deck staining. You need to prep the wood surface by removing all splinters, loose wood fibers, water, mold, and other foreign matter.
After sanding or manual removal of foreign matters, apply a wood cleaner solution to remove additional debris on the wood surfaces. When purchasing a deck stain, most DIYers may buy a Cabot Deck Correct primer like Problem-Solver Wood Cleaner.
The primer removes and inhibits the growth of mildew on the coat.
Pros and Cons of Using Cabot Deck Correct
Pros
It is water-repellant and prevents the growth of mildew on decks
Deep penetrating oil-based paints
It is skid-resistant, even in poor weather conditions
Durable and long-lasting performance
A large color selection with different opacity levels
Fade-resistant, even in areas with high traffic
Cons
Some users complain of peeling within a few months to a year of applying the deck stain.
Conclusion
Most Cabot Deck Correct reviews often have the same tone: it’s an excellent stain for DIYers and professionals alike. However, you must follow the manufacturer’s instructions to get the best performance from this product.
