Home Depot sold my wife some oil based stain for our new redwood deck. They told her oil based would no longer be available so we should get one coat of oil based on before switching to water based. Does this make sense?
Pro's and Con's of Oil Based vs Water Based?
Oil will soak into the wood better and protect it. The stain won't last as long as latex, but it will be a better first coat.
Surprising, I find myself agreeing with HD.
Theoretically, the oil should penetrate better. That being said, the water or solvent is just the carrier for the resins and any pigment so the difference is minor at most. My personal preference is for solvent based decking stains as they level better when using a wet on wet application. Don't put too much store by what the HD clerks have to say. While the EPA may have put the kiss of death on interior oil paints for all intents and purposes, there appears to be nothing in the works to bugger up exterior stains.
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