Choosing a deck stain or paint is as important as any other housework decision. A lot depends on your decision—money, longevity, appearance. Many discussion forums debate whether Cabot Deck Correct or Behr Deckover is better.
For your decking, will you choose the Deck Correct—a deck stain—or will you go for the Behr Deckover, an acrylic paint?
No one wants the stress of changing deck stains or paints every spring or summer. It is not only costly but time-consuming. Therefore, you want to choose the right brand for your needs.
To help you navigate these differences, we will test these products based on durability, cost, composition, and efficiency.
Cabot Deck Correct vs. Behr Deckover: What Are the Main Differences?
The Cabot Deck Correct vs. Behr Deckover is a major point of discussion in most forums and reviews. It’s often a confusing decision since both brands enjoy massive reviews from DIYers.
The Cabot Deck Correct is a deck stain with a consistency similar to paint. Behr Deckover is an acrylic paint that forms a thick coat on a wood deck. Behr Deckover has more color options than Cabot, featuring more than 54 color selections.
Cabot Deck Correct vs. Behr Deckover: Which Is More Durable?
For this review, we decided to set the durability benchmark at two years, lower than the average three-year durability limit. So, we explored six first-person accounts of those using these products for more than two years.
After trying both options extensively, we discovered that all Behr Deckover peels, especially after a winter in cold regions. On the other hand, Cabot Deck Correct often lasts for more than a year, provided you prepped the deck wood before applying it.
Behr even flakes off in high foot traffic areas after less than a year. By contrast, Cabot will flake off only if the wood is not properly dry or if you apply more than one coat.
Conclusion: Cabot Deck Correct lasts longer than Behr Deck Correct.
Cabot Correct Deck vs. Behr Deckover: Which Is Easier to Apply?
Despite using the recommended ½” inch roller cover, many users complained of difficulty applying Behr Deckover.
You may need to brush back many times to fill in the wood gaps and other defects. However, those using Cabot Deck Correct can quickly and easily fill up wood cracks in one coat. Cabot recommends a ⅜ inch nap roller for this process.
Cabot Correct Decker is more manageable to apply than Behr Deckover, doing the job in just one coat.
Behr Advanced Deckover vs. Cabot Deck Correct: Which Is Better for UV Protection?
Behr Advanced Deckover seals the wood surfaces and protects them from UV rays. Although it flakes easily, it doesn’t fade quickly and preserves the color in areas with light foot traffic.
Like all deck stains, Cabot Deck Correct will fade gradually. The stain fades away and exposes the wood to UV rays with time. We’d advise you to check the deck stain every year to know when to re-apply it.
Overall, Behr Advanced Deckover provides better protection against UV rays. Despite harsh weather conditions, color fading wasn’t an issue—the paint retained its original color within the two-year benchmark.
A user in Georgia noted that the paint remained intact and clean despite the frequent direct sunlight in the state.
Behr Advanced Deckover vs. Cabot Deck Correct: Which Has Better Coverage?
This is another point of concern for most DIYers. Painting or staining is quite expensive. You may spend hundreds of dollars applying a coat on an average-sized deck.
Many users complained that a gallon of Behr Advanced Deckover was not enough to cover an average of 70 square feet of deck wood. Overall, an average of eight gallons can cover a 400-square-foot deck, an average-sized deck.
Note that the coverage is just for one coat of paint. This coverage is a far cry from the manufacturer’s specification.
Overall, Cabot Deck Correct gets better coverage for the price than Behr does. A gallon of Cabot Deck 17400 series covered 250 to 350 square feet of smooth deck surfaces. You can only get this coverage with a single coat.
A double coat will cover 75 to 100 square feet of deck wood.
Cabot Deck Correct vs. Behr Deckover: Which Is More Expensive to Use?
The price of a gallon of deck stain may differ in different regions. So, we cross-checked prices at Lowe’s and Home Depot to get an average price.
On Lowe’s website, a gallon of Cabot Deck Correct costs an average of $50, while a five-gallon container costs $199. In comparison, a one-gallon Behr Premium Advanced Deckover costs $42.88 at Home Depot, and five gallons cost $202.
Although both products fall in the same price range, it’s more costly painting with Behr than Cabot products. Let’s look at the coverage section; Behr Advanced Deckover consumes more paint per square foot. So, you will spend approx. $336 to paint a 400-square-foot deck.
Behr Advanced Deckover vs. Cabot Deck Correct: Cleaning and Maintenance
Here’s another feature to consider. As a DIYer, the best staining product should be easy to maintain. Furthermore, it must not require purchasing some extra gizmos to clean and maintain it.
All you need is a mild laundry detergent or liquid soap and a warm bucket of water to clean Cabot-stained decks. Cabot Deck Correct deeply infiltrates the wood grains and will not fade with an occasional wash with soap and water.
There’s no danger of peeling away paint from the deck surface.
On the other hand, you can maintain Behr painted decks with a pressure washer. Do not attempt to scrub with soap and water, as you may peel off paint.
Note: To pressure wash a Behr-painted deck, remove the nozzle settings from the 20° tip to get a less-concentrated flow.
Conclusion: Cabot Deck Correct vs. Behr Deckover
Finally! We’ve solved the dilemma. Based on this review and feedback from numerous users on deck resurfacing products, Cabot Deck performs better in terms of longevity and cost-effectiveness. So, take note of this review when selecting a deck coating.
