Cabot Stain vs Olympic Stain
Hello. So I visited my local Lowes store today to get a Cabot semi transparent stain in a color of choice. So the paint clerk decides to mix the paint using an Oil Based base Semi Solid. I explained to him that I did not want Semi Solid but Semi Transparent. So the guy goes of telling me that it is the same thing, just the naming. I explained to him that I did not feel comfortable buying something where it says on the can Semi Solid. So he then showed me the Olympic Maxium Stain Brand they carry where they have both gallon cans, Semi Transparent and Semi Solid. Two questions here: 1. Is the Semi Solid base the same as Semi Transparent as explained? 2. How good is the Olympic brand when compared to Cabot? I am mainly looking for a stain/sealer for my outdoor furniture which is under a covered roof but with direct sunlight during the morning and part of the early afternoon. Any info appreciated. Thanks I recently did 2 decks. I used semi solid on one and a clear sealer on the other. Both were Benjamin Moore. I also was told that the semi sold and semi transparent were pretty much the same but if it were my deck or furniture, I would use the clear, if anything at all. I don't know anything about Olympic but Benjamin Moore and Sikkens are two more to consider. Generally all coatings for sale at a big box are on the shelf because of pricing. Lowest price usually indicates lower quality I don't know that I've ever heard of any stain labeled semi-solid [but I don't shop the big box for coatings] I'd suggest going to your local paint store. They will have better coatings and advice You might pay more but does it actually cost more if it applies better and wears longer That is just the thing... I did my deck originally using Semi Transparent from Sherwin Williams and it was more like Solid instead of Semi Transparent even though the label said semi transparent... I also visited my local paint store O-Gee Paint and they were not sure between Semi Solid and Semi Transparent. It is not the $$$ thing since they are all in range, $29 - $33 a gallon for either of the two. I have not looked at Benjamin Moore stains, but will consider. Any further info if anyone has experience with these two stains appreciated. Thanks All the SWP semi-transparent stain [and other brands] I've used has been a color coat that you could see the grain and different colors of the wood thru the stain. Was the previous SWP stain applied to very dry wood? or over multiple coats of semi-transparent stain? I applied two coats of the SW Stain... As for the wood, it was installed and cured for one month. I just stained the furniture using Olympic and results are not bad. You can see the grain very nicely. Thanks again for all help/info. I have used Cabot for years, but really can't say anything about the Olympic. I have over 1200 square feet of Cedar decking, both in the front and rear of my home. The front receives morning sun, the rear afternoon sun (with a covered shaded area of about 300 square feet). I have used the natural and cedar solutions, but much prefer the natural, as it brings out the lighter color of the Cedar. The Cedar is pro-deck sold through the local lumber yard. I live in a suburban area of Portland that tends to be warmer than most of Portland, and the exposed rear deck significant sun during our hot summer fall periods. The Cabot stain wears quite well. Do as marksr says, and if concerned, visit your local paint store that caters to professionals. Talk to them, the price difference may not be very much, and if closer the bonus is gas savings. You can find knowledgeable employees at a big box, but can also find less than knowledgeable more often, paint stores have to have several. Paint and stain companies use some of the same names for products and colors but they are not the same. Olympic's semi-transparent is not the same as Cabot's. A paint store or a big box store should have a display so you can see the color and the appearance [or coverage] of a stain. As I recall, Olympic's semi-transparent lets through more of the grain and color of the underlying wood than Cabot's. The more solid the stain, the more and longer the protection. The tradeoff is you see less of the wood color and texture come through. Bottom line is you have to compare the appearance and the protection, not just the names. Cabot and Olympic are both high quality products. Choose the color and appearance you desire from the display and remember the more solid, the longer the protection but the less you will see of the wood. Just comparing what each company calls their stain is comparing apples to oranges. Four and a half year old question....
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