Trevarrow Ace Hardware

CETOL® SRD

Sikkens Cetol SRD is a one-coat, translucent exterior wood finish created for use on a wide variety of surfaces.  The easy-to-use finish has excellent UV protection and allows beautiful wood clarity.

Type: Translucent

Sheen: Matte

Usage: Siding, Railings, Decks, Siding Shakes and Shingles, Fences, Boat Docks, Outdoor Furniture, Logs

Features: One Coat Application, Easy Maintenance, UV Protection, Water Repellent

Technology: Alkyd Oil

Other Uses: Exterior house and deck stain including log homes.

Pros

Top pick of professionals.

Penetrates wood to protect it.

Won’t flake or peel.

Beats paint on horizontal or rough wood.

More durable than other penetrating stains.

Sikkens Cetol SRD Semi-Transparent Stain not only excels in simulated durability testing, but also earns praise from professionals who stain houses, decks and other exterior surfaces for a living. Sikkens Cetol SRD biggest advantage: Unlike solid stains and paints, which form a water-tight film on top of wood, experts say semi-transparent stains penetrate the wood itself, so they won’t flake or peel the way paint or solid stain can after being exposed to the elements. This makes semi-transparent stains the experts’ choice for horizontal surfaces like decks — which suffer harsher abuse from the sun and moisture than do vertical surfaces such as siding — and for rough surfaces such as cedar shakes. 

Sikkens Cetol SRD Semi-Transparent Stain is pricier than our other  exterior finishes  but the pros say it’s worth it. 

We found the best review of Sikkens Cetol SRD Semi-Transparent Stain at ConsumerReports.org which tests and ranks 14 exterior stains. Tim Carter, who writes the syndicated column AskTheBuilder.com, cites Sikkens Cetol as a top-five finisher in a college laboratory’s exterior stain test. Professional contractors who post at DIYChatroom.com and PaintTalk.com also recommend Sikkens stains, including the Cetol SRD Semi-Transparent formula. The U.S. Forest Service recommends penetrating, oil-based wood stains (such as Sikkens Cetol SRD, although no brands are mentioned) for rough wood surfaces.