Three finishes, three very different failure modes. Here’s the comparison that decides it, then the pick by deck age.
The three finishes compared
| Clear sealer | Stain | Paint | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost per gallon | $25 – $35 | $35 – $55 | $30 – $60 |
| Lasts | 1 – 2 yrs | 2 – 5 yrs | 5 – 10 yrs* |
| How it fails | Fades away | Wears thin | Peels |
| Recoat effort | Easy | Easy | Scrape + sand first |
| Hides flaws | No | Solid stain: yes | Completely |
*Paint’s lifespan looks great until you read its failure mode: on a horizontal surface that’s walked on, rained on, and sun-baked, paint eventually peels — and repainting requires scraping and sanding the failure first. Stain wears away gradually and recoats with a cleaner and a roller.
The rule pros follow
Horizontal walking surfaces: stain, never paint. Vertical surfaces (railings, skirting, pergola posts): paint is fine and lasts well there. The peeling problem is specific to foot traffic plus standing water — exactly what deck boards get and railings don’t.
Which stain opacity?
Clear sealer for new cedar/redwood you want to show off (accept yearly recoats). Semi-transparent — the default — shows grain, adds color, lasts 2–3 years. Solid stain hides gray, weathered, or mismatched boards and lasts 4–5 years; it’s the right answer for most decks past year 10, and it’s what people who “want to paint” the deck actually need — paint’s coverage without paint’s peeling.
What it costs
A 16×12 deck with railing takes about 2 gallons for two coats — $70–$110 in stain plus supplies, versus $450–$900 hired out. Get your exact gallons and cost from the deck stain calculator. If you’re staining every 2–3 years and hating it, that’s the signal to run the composite vs wood math before the next rebuild.
Can you switch between them?
Stain over old stain: yes, same-or-darker after cleaning. Solid stain over semi-transparent: yes. Stain over paint: no — stain needs to penetrate, and paint blocks it; you’d strip first. Paint over stain: possible with priming, but you’ve just signed up for the peeling cycle on a walking surface. When in doubt, do the water test: if the deck still beads water, nothing new sticks until it’s cleaned or stripped.