Behr DeckOver Product Review
This post may contain affiliate links which won't change your price but will share some commission. Read more here.In this Behr DeckOver product review readers wanted to know if it lived up to claims of longterm coverage. One homeowner’s honest assessment of a controversial product.
Update on Behr Deckover Product
Eight years ago my now ex husband and I received Behr Deckover to use to restore our back deck since he was a painter. You can read the DIY tutorial and our thoughts that first year in this post.)
I have received no additional compensation and haven’t worked with Behr Paint in a few years. At the time my ex husband was a painting contractor and loved Behr’s products. Much of our 1950’s ranch home was painted with Behr Paint and we were extremely pleased with the paint.
Since we wrote about Behr Deckover I’ve gotten literally hundreds of comments from dissatisfied customers who had complaints with cracks, peeling and splinters. I think it’s time I give you my thoughts on this product a few years after using.
Lawsuit against Behr Paint
Because of the tremendous amount of dissatisfaction a lawsuit was brought against Behr. Here’s the gist of it:
“The class action lawsuit claims that Behr manufactures and sells a line of products under the name “DeckOver” that (a) does not live up to the promises made regarding the performance of DeckOver, (b) deteriorates quickly, (c) fails to protect the surfaces to which they are applied, (d) fails to adhere to the surfaces to which it was applied and (e) causes property damage to the surfaces to which they are applied.
If you used Behr Deckover between September 1, 2012 and June 27, 2018 you may be entitled to compensation and this class action settlement may affect your rights.“
I’m not telling you to pursue civil action but just letting you know what I found with a simple google search.
For a idea of the issues surrounding the Behr Deckover and desire for refund from customers head to the comments at the bottom of this post or on my original post.
My husband and I have since separated in this last year (2021) and sold the house we lived in for 30 years. The back decks would be between 25-30 years of age now. That’s a long time for deck surface of pressure treated lumber to withstand the elements and traffic.
However, when we sold our home we only replaced a couple of boards. Other than that we didn’t do any other repairs. From what I’ve seen the deck has the same color on it now so the new owner has used some kind of product on it.
Here are a couple of photos from the realtor listing. In one picture you can tell the boards we replaced but didn’t refinished. We hadn’t even pressure washed or done anything in these pictures.
These pictures were taken seven years after the initial application. I can’t explain why we fared better than others unless weather and usage played a bigger part.
In the following photo you can see how the edges and stairs of the deck have aged along with the product.
As a reminder at this point the deck was 25+ years old and definitely showing signs of wear. I can’t possibly say how long the Behr deck over extended the life of the deck or if it did. But in all honesty, we were pleased with the product.
Hear me when I say if this was not your experience I’m truly sorry. I can only validate what we experienced. Hopefully the points below will help guide you as you consider buying this product.
Product Review after One Year
***The remainder of this post was written after one year’s application of Behr Deckover.
You can see the dirt on the deck from last year but otherwise in good shape.
One of the biggest concerns when undertaking a deck project and protecting a hefty investment is the durability of any product that is designed and used to protect it.
This is my ex husband’s firsthand experience with Behr’s DeckOver product that has been on our rear deck for exactly a year, specifically how it has held up through a season cycle.
(our deck before using Behr DeckOver)
Tips from Tim: To fully appreciate this deckover coating and how well it has performed, it might be a good idea to go back to our original post on prep and application of the advanced Deckover.
It cannot be overstated how critical a fastidious approach is to the success of the DeckOver product on weathered wood. Allowing a full cure of the product is vitally important. Any deviation from following the steps can cause failure.
However, while this restoration product worked beautifully for us, it may not do the same for you.
There are plenty of negative reviews on the internet that are easy to find. However, 12 months down the road I have no regrets about how DeckOver performed!
There are a number of factors that will affect the longevity of any decking product, and the fact that this is a restoration product makes those factors come into play even more.
Here are a few of those factors in this Behr DeckOver product review and how it performed in those specific areas.
Materials used in the original application:
(This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.)
Gallon Behr DeckOver Wood Coating (found at Home Depot)
Jomax House Cleaner & Mildew Killer Spray
GAP® Premium Indoor/Outdoor Sealant
Industrial paint stirrer
Purdy Nap Roller Covers
Roller frame
Cordless Drill
Tip 1: Amount and type of traffic affects wear and tear
The amount and type of foot traffic affect the wear and tear on any wood boards.
We have had high traffic from our dogs all over this deck throughout every season. Our new boxer pup drags everything and anything up onto the old deck to shred it to pieces.
There is almost always some kind of debris and even icky doggie presents at times, but everything blows or washes right away.
(before using a pressure washer this year)
I have pressure washed, without chemicals, once and not one chip was released from the surface.
All types of deck furniture seem to be fine on this product, too; metal, wood, plastic, heavy, light. Anything I’ve thrown at it has been fine.
Tip 2: Severity of weather factors in
The severity of the weather in your area may affect the success of the Deckover product.
We are located in central North Carolina and have a gentle to moderate turn of four seasons, with direct sunlight and highs in the summer in the mid 90s to lows in the winter below freezing with snow every now and then.
Lots of pollen in the spring and tons of leaves in the fall. While it is far from harsh, it is a big enough swing to say this product performs well in a variety of conditions.
Tip 3: Success or failure of adhesion and durability
Protecting your deck from water erosion is a necessity.
Remembering that two light coats are better than globbing the first coat on and flying through a light second coat just to be done, adhesion has not been an issue…with one small exception that is not the fault of the product.
The huge silver maple that the deck is built around will drop branches in a good storm, some very large ones. One such branch came down, ripped the gutter off the house, and actually punched a hole in the deck board!
I have yet to repair the gutter and I noticed that the constantly repeated waterfall where the rain pours over has caused the DeckOver to release right at that spot.
I would say that any prolonged exposure to a steady stream of water could cause a problem. This might also occur under a hose, a water feature, a pet bowl, or potted plants with heavy drainage.
There is a saying in the painting business that is so true. “Water always wins!”
Tip 4: Surface condition requires consideration
Evaluating the age and condition of the surface is critical. This may be the biggest variable that is most difficult to address. New wood can be almost as big a problem as old wood aged 20 years or more.
Old school thinking, that I still adhere to, is that new wood should age six months before ANY wood stain is applied. So applying any earlier can cause problems.
Conversely, there does come a point in the life of a deck that the only prudent action is to simply replace it, or at least the deck boards.
Outside of your own judgment, the manufacturer’s suggestion is no cracks more than ¼”. I found that to be true, and anything that was more damaged than that was filled with caulk (see original post) or replaced.
Tip 5: Ways to clean and maintain
You really have two choices for deck cleaners once any product is applied: deck cleaners or pressure washing.
I really like the Jomax cleaner to remove mildew and algae. Ideally, you don’t want anything with bleach that may alter the color.
If you just pressure wash, back off the nozzle setting from the yellow 20° tip to something a bit less concentrated. Play with your distance from the surface and you should get good, safe results. Obviously the psi of the washer makes a difference as well.
You can also use some chemicals and brush the surface if you don’t have a huge surface to do. I chose to just pressure wash and got great results that brought the deck to new life condition.
I want to close by saying that I just noticed Behr has come out with a DeckOver Textured product that looks like it doubles the “footprint” left on the surface, that is, a heavier texture.
For those with more substantial wear, this might be an option. Good luck!
***The Deckover color we used was Woodbridge.
More Outdoor Living Projects:
- How to stain your wood deck
- How to decorate your deck for summer
- How to build a sunburst deck railing
- Deck decorating ideas on a budget
- How to spray paint plastic chairs
Behr Deckover Product Review
Ingredients
- 1 Behr Deckover Product
- 1 Jomax House Cleaner
- 1 DAP Sealant
- 1 Industrial Paint Stirrer
- 1 Purdy Roller Covers
- 1 Roller Frame
- 1 Cordless Drill
Instructions
- Update on Behr Deckover Product
- Lawsuit against Behr Paint
- Product review after one year
- Materials used in original application
- TIp 1. Amount and type of traffic affects wear and tear
- Tip 2. Severity of weather factors in
- Tip 3. Success or failure of adhesion and durability
- Tip 4. Surface condition requires consideration
- Tip 5. Ways to clean and maintain
- More outdoor living projects
Used this miserable, damaging product on our large deck a few years ago. Deck was built new and sat for a year before trying this product. The half of the deck in the full sun, bubbled up and large portions peeled off by hand because if we didn’t, the water underneath it would have rotted out wood. The other half that was shaded most of the day, looks as good as the day it was done. We live in Michigan, so pretty mild summers, live by the lake so the snow does not pile up high in the winter. Had I seen a class action lawsuit for this product, I would never have ruined our deck. We are not paying to have it sanded off, rather pulling the floor off and replacing with composite. Pretty nice of Behr to continue to sell when a majority of unsuspecting buyers have had issues. No worries though, I heard they are developing something that counteracts/helps to better remove this product because they know it simply is horrible!
Hi, Jen. Usually I don’t respond to these types of comments but I want to make sure my readers have all sides of the story. I can only share how the product worked for me. I have no connection to Behr but I am sorry your experience was so disappointing.
yours turned out fine because it was smooth, I’m a professional union painter and did the texture on my 3000sqf deck and had the same nightmare everyone else had! ended up with a floor sander for 3 days… i think it’s too thick and not the best adhesion which leads to moisture build up under the coating!? I’m also sure climate plays a role, i live just north of Boston
Hi, Bobby. This product definitely has had its problems. And because it’s so expensive it hurts even more! I’m sure climate does play a role and I’m thankful we live in a somewhat moderate climate! Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Live in Vegas and I have a wooden deck that has peeled due to the hot weather. Hoping that advanced Deck Over will help. Is the textured paint work better than the smooth paint. Our outside patio is concrete. The deck is a step up and at the end of the concrete patio.
Hi, Daisy. The Deckover product we wrote about is the only one we’ve tried. I can’t say whether the textured would work better. Just do your research because there are customers that are unhappy with the product. Good luck!
It just seems so strange reading my and others comments being so negative….but yours was so positive…makes it seem that there was incentive to make such a different positive result….when we all know what the result was going to be….Thanks!! Look forward to your update!!
Hi, Dave. The updated post is up. Hopefully it will show the results we had. Not getting paid by Behr to respond or share anything. I want to make sure my readers have the best information that will help them!
I would be interested in seeing pics of your project that is covered with the Behr Deckover…just to see that it has apparently worked for you but never for anybody else….Will look forward to your post…Thanks…
Hi, Dave. I’m in the middle of updating the two Behr Deckover posts with my thoughts on how it held up. I don’t actually live in that house today but I completely understand Behr hasn’t handled things in a way that their customers get satisfaction. I’m sorry that was your experience.
Behr’s DeckOver is a horrible product! It rotted our deck! Currently handscraping our deck to try to salvage some of it! The company won’t return our emails or calls.
Hi, Karen. I’m so sorry for your experience. I think lots of people have had this experience but it wasn’t the same for us. I’m in the process of updating that post and mentioning the things my readers have commented on. I’m sorry Behr hasn’t been more reliable.
I am deeply disappointed in Behr’s Advanced Deck Over paint. It looks wonderful IF you never walk on it!!!!! I used the smooth finish but every single footprints shows! I followed the directions precisely and waited 86 hours to walk on it but it doesn’t matter at all. I would never recommend this product and will never use it again but in the meantime, I am “stuck” with a very “ugly” look. I am very dissatisfied with this product!
I too bought this product up here in Canada about 5 years ago….what a mistake!! Followed the instructions to a T…double coated it…looked great..
The next spring..there were cracks and it was lifting off…you could grab an edge of the peeling Deckover and peel it off in strips….
In some areas it would stick but overall it looked awful…Behr offered to pay for a time bound sander rental if you sent them a piece of their peeling product…
We just finished replacing the deck boards and have stained them with a non Behr product…
I also joined a class action lawsuit to hopefully get some money back on this very poor product…
Home Depot sold it but when there was a problem…they said it was a Behr problem…not theirs!!
It ruined our deck too! I’m literally in the process of handscaping ours off after pressure washing just damages the wood more. The company won’t respond back to our messages. Did they compensate you for your damage? If so what route did you take?
omg….trying to figure out where to go…it is a lot of work to get that shit off…in spots it will peel right off and then you have to play tug of war and not try to ruin what freaking wood you have left…so angry. Do not know where you got yours from but I found out there was a lawsuit with Home Depot and Behr…so angry that I was not notified about this and I think it expired in 2021….let me know if you find out anything and I will as well
We used Deckover about 5 years ago and it started cracking and the wood underneath was starting to rot. We removed those areas and it is now happening in numerous spots. We decided it is time to restain. It has been an absolute nightmare to remove. The solution they make to remove does nothing! We pressure washed it and ended up buying a tip for concrete. This helped a little, but it is also damaging the deck boards. I have been using a hand scraper and even a heat gun for the last 2 years to try to remove this product. I would NEVER buy this product again!
omg ….I have been going thru the same thing…I have 2 huge decks and spent an arm and leg doing it. Then just noticed they had a freaking lawsuit against Home Depot and Behr…why was I notified about this lawsuit…trying to reach out and not getting anywhere…..wanna scream and I feel for you
Just read some of the negative comments on this other review site. This product is a total nightmare! Do NOT use it unless you want years of headaches.
https://www.deckstainhelp.com/behr-deckover-review-2015/
I was pretty happy with the Deckover product when I first applied it last fall. NOT happy at all this spring when I went to hose off the deck with a simple garden hose and my entire job started to lift and peel off the deck boards. I had fastidiously cleaned and prepped the deck for this application and followed all directions. I’m not a novice at this, having refinished my deck every few years for the past 30. In fact I had tested this and other products on some scrap deck lumber before settling on the Behr product- even though I was aware of the lawsuits about this products failure. It appears I’m going to have to strip the entire deck and start over with a different product. NOT Happy!
Hi, Marco. Thank you for commenting. Our experience with this product has been different and as my husband outlines, there are many factors in play, such as the shape of the wood, prepping the boards and application. Even after a few years with the product we’re still pleased with it. There is no product that will stay intact forever and weather often plays into it. We live in a state that doesn’t usually get weather extremes. Sorry the product didn’t work for you.
I have used Olympus and Behr semi-transparent stains on my 800 square foot deck for 29 years and did apply every 4 years. Then I switched to Behr Deck Over in the year of 2013 and it did not take long for the acrylic pigment to develop pre-mature cracking or peeling. I believe only 1 1/2 years. As result of that, water creeped in all cracks and caused wood rot due to its inability to breathe or evaporate the trapped water inside the porous 2 x 6 deck planks and 5/4 top railing. I only applied Deck Over stain only on the top surface of deck floor and top rail and used Behr semi-transparent stain on the balusters , joists, and under surface deck. There is no damage at all on semi-transparent pressure treated woods and significant damages on Deck Over pressure treated woods. If you are using recent Deck Over product, the manufacturer might have made some changes recently, but I would like to know how it will hold up at least 4 years or more compared to what I have used with other products. Hopefully, Behr chemists will find resolution to improve their product. It is going to cost a lot of money to sand all off or replace some damaged planks. I am still waiting on the reimbursement for the repair on my deck, so I can finish the work sometimes in Spring. I would not advise anybody to use it on wood, but concrete or any other materials that do not contrast or expand.
We just used deck over on one of our porches we love the coverage and the feel but ours was way to thick. Mind you we bought it last year but never opened it. When my husband opened it and went to stir it it had large lumps in the bottom than would not mix in. Is there anything we can do to help this? Also the color is to orangy red is there anything we can do to lighten it up? As you know deck over is not cheap and we have to use it but I can’t stand the color now that it’s on the porch
Hi, Debbie. Sorry for the last response. Here’s what my husband recommends: Not sure how you mixed the product, but the best way is with a paddle on a power drill. It will aggressively mix all that sediment off the bottom. Stirring with a stir stick will not work . You can also mix in a thinning agent but not too much. As for the color, you can put another product of your choice and color on top of the DeckOver. It just needs to be compatible; water based on water based, oil over oil. If you’re brave, ask the folks at Home Depot to give you some pigment in a container that you bring with you and stir that in a little at a time. You could get black (umber) to knock that red down a bit, or shift it to a different color with different pigment. Warning, pigment will not clean from a spill, so use a covered container and treat it like glass on the way home! Good luck!
How often does this product need to be reapplied for maintenance?
Hi, Stacey. It’s hard to tell because much would depend on the climate you live in. In our situation we have fairly mild winters and summers (we’re in NC). You can always touch up as needed in between a full application but my husband said possibly 4-5 years depending on the harshness of the wear and tear on the deck.
I have a couple of questions: what is the color you used in the picture above that is the light tan? in the Behr folder, it states that after pressure washing, you have to clean the deck before painting but I noticed that you stated that you could pressure wash only (which is also what the guy at Home Depot said). My last question is this – the Behr folder said “covers p to 75 sq. feet in 2 coats” but doesn’t mention how much paint that is. That could make a huge difference!
Thanks!
Hi, Molly. Here’s my hubby’s response: I almost always use a combination of chemicals and pressure when preparing a deck to receive any product. Less chemical means more pressure and can make the deck more porous by opening up the grain. That can mean more product. More chemical can produce a less effective result, as well as being much more harsh around vegetation. That’s why I prefer a mix of the two.
As for coverage, I found that the DeckOver went a bit farther than the instructions state. And you are quite right! Under estimating can make a huge difference for the price you pay. I can tell you that two coats was fine, and I’m pretty confident that would be the case for any color over any color. So, I would suggest estimating high but under-buy. We had a huge area to cover and received a total of 15 gallons but also did a swing-set picnic, table, etc and still had some left. I would just ask for help at Home Depot if you have any questions. Hope this helps!
Thanks Marty!
I need to do my deck – bad. It was peviously “stained” but it is more like a paint and is chipped and peeling. I have used a pressure washer and scrapper the last 2 years to get it ready to stain and something has always come up so I am going to try again this year – my question is with the Deckover does ALL the paint have to be off? Just the loose stuff? My brother used this and it looks great but I’m just wondering with the previous “paint-stain” what will happen… Thanks
Hi, Jacquie. Here’s what my husband suggests: Good question. Preparation is always the key to a successful paint project, whether inside or out. It will be critical that you remove anything that wants to come off, either pressure washing, chemical strip, sanding or scraping. You want to remove everything that is loose until it bumps into everything that is not loose. You can lightly apply the DeckOver to spots here and there, feathering out past the edges, or just apply a light first coat over the entire surface. The build up will hide most of the imperfections, especially with the second coat. Down the road, I was told by the Behr folks that another coat could be applied. As for what you covering, it really doesn’t matter. These restoration products are designed with elastomeric enhancements designed to cover anything.
Good Luck!
We just used Deckover and are impressed with the results. We built our deck about a year ago and expanded about 6 months ago.We initially stained our deck with Behr semi transparent stain but between us and our dogs, it just didn’t hold up. When we started to add on to the deck we decided to give Deckover a try. I started by cleaning our muddy paw stained deck with just a brush and behr deck cleaner. This did absolute wonders and made the wood look insanely clean. We seriously thought those paw stains wouldn’t come out. We then used Deckover..using 3 coats to get the real deep color of Cordovan Brown. Best decision we’ve made. We are now using it on our new wood fence. The solid color really has given a high end look to our backyard. I
Hi, Lena. I’m glad you had a good result with the Behr product. I think if you put the work in prepping and application then you will be pleased with the final product. Thanks for commenting!
Hi, I just used this product. Finished our deck project about a week ago. We had a party for my daughter yesterday and the kids tracked mud all over it!! It seems to have stained it!! I have used a sponge and dawn and got down and scrubbed it…it won’t come off!! Any help would be great!! So far I can say it covered the deck wonderfully…but we are very disappointed at how t seems to grab dirt and not let go of it! I hope you can help. ?
Hi, Kris. Here’s my husband’s response: Since we applied DeckOver to our decks, Behr has added two more products that each increase in texture. With restoration mediums, the more texture the more “grab”. Not sure what you used, but if the texture is heavy, you may need a gentle pressure wash to get into the surface. You don’t want to be too aggressive, nor do you want to use any cleaner with bleach. Please feel free to write again with more info, or talk to the folks at Home Depot.
The Jomax which your husband recommended is mixed with bleach, although it results in a relatively low concentration. I have used it for literally 4 decades and find it to be a great product
Thanks so much for sharing your experience!
Thanks for sharing your advice and review of this paint on Snickerdoodle Sunday. I’ve got a deck makeover on my to do list, so it’s great to find first hand information.
I’m so glad you posted this. I’m not sure if you’ve seen it, but a pin that I shared of this project last year has dozens of comments (and still more coming) about how it holds up. It’s also a hugely popular pin, so I guess it’s on peoples’ minds. Love that it’s still holding up well after a year! It looks great.
I am stopping by via the blog hop. It looks like we tied for “most clicks” last week(: I love your puppy and your have an amazing outdoor space!! I am excited to get to know you better(: Susan