Deck stain?

[MnM]

Getting ready to replace railings on my deck so very interested in this thread. Deck boards will be composite. I have an HOA so the railings need to match the official color. The railings have previously been painted and look terrible. Probably not maintained well since late 80s. Anyway, I was leaning towards a solid stain, but after reading comments here seems it won't perform much better than paint. I was also considering oil, but can't find much here (Illinois) due to EPA restrictions. I also hear that if oil is used, it cannot be maintained with water based down the road, so might be a hassle if I can no longer get oil. So, I am going to try the BM Woodluxe Semi-solid water based to see how it covers and whether it will pass HOA scrutiny. Appreciate any comments on the Woodluxe, and your preferred type of wood (cedar, doug fir, PT).

 

[Notgrownup]

I used Valspar semi transparent and it lasted about 5 years. I’m on year 6 & it needs recover

 

[GTXbrain]

I’ve had good luck sticking with a solid oil-based semi‑transparent stain and giving the PT boards plenty of time to dry first. I used help of a fence contractor Tacoma during a deck project, and they pushed the same idea since those stains soak in better and don’t peel as fast. Prep is half the battle, so a slow scrub and a light sand go a long way.