Editorial Review
Stain and seal that deck in a single pass with this brush/pad applicator and telescoping pole setup. With its patented internal, gravity-feed system, separate hoppers for stain and sealer supply material to the unit's integrated brush and pad applicator head. With a flat pad in front and a brush in back, an even coat of stain colors the wood and a smooth coat of sealer from the angled brush follows right behind, quickly and effectively filling cracks and sealing the surface. Two birds, one stone, and no more wasting time with excessive back and forth to the paint can. The 1-gallon on-board container feeds latex, oil-based sealers, semi-transparent and solid stains directly to the applicators to cover 175 to 250 square feet per fill, depending on surface texture. and, variable flow- control ensures even coverage with a variety of materials from thin sealers to thick stains. Let's not forget the ergonomic handle and telescoping pole, which are easy on the back and arms, and reach 53 inches for uninterrupted, seamless passes across the deck.
--Brian D. OlsonWhat's in the Box
Brush/pad, pole, hopper.
Cached date: AWS Called=true
Customer Reviews
poor design, doesn't work well 
2008-06-18
I've used a similiar product called the stain stick with very good results. However I could not get a replacement pad for it at a home store. I was told they replaced the stain stick with the Wagner DeckMate.
This thing has several design flaws which made it take at least twice as long to do my deck. They paint vapor locks in the container. There is a small valve in the lid to prevent this, but the valve clogs after about 10 minutes of use. You can crack the lid to relive pressure. Even so, I found the flow to be erratic. Another problem is every time you change directions with the pad, it leaves 10 little dots of stain. I found the best thing to do was do one pass, shut the flow off, and go back and smooth out the drips. Also, the pad was half detatched by the end of my 400 sf deck, and it needs another coat. Two home stores I visited did not carry replacement pads, but the second one carried stain stick replacement pads, so I'm done using this thing. Going in the trash.
There is no shortcut to quality. 
2008-06-17
Hard to know how many stars to give here- I mean, if you want a cheap tool to apply a slapdash coat of inexpensive stain, then it's perfect. If you want a high-quality finish to complement all the hard prep work you have done, do not change your plans because of this toy. Tool. I meant "tool".
I completed the first quarter of a 1200 square foot deck project with brush and pad, using Sikkens stain. It is very viscous, somewhat tricky to apply, but done correctly gives excellent results. So on a whim, I picked up one of these Wagner things on sale. As soon as I got it home, I took a look and realized immediately that it was not going to work.
I wanted it to work. The next section of deck included a 30 foot run 5 feet wide and it would have made application a breeze. I was even reluctant to put any of the $40.00/gallon product in the tank, so I tried it first by dipping the head in the pan. It was about what I would expect, and not too bad an application- a little hard to control but I thought I would give it a go. The sectional aluminum handle feels flimsy, like it would break or bend if you pushed it too hard. The Sikkens tends to flow like syrup and needs a lot of manipulation, and this small head and the twisty handle, not to mention the reservoir in the middle, it more wallowed than was controlled.
After putting a quart or so in the reservoir and observing the flow, against my better judgment I gave it a run and soon saw the flow control device and supply holes proved incapable of managing such a viscous coating. I suspect it's made with a typical runny inexpensive stain. Not trying to be a paint snob, I am just trying to get the best finish for my deck.
It took me a little while to backbrush out the mistake with a pad, I drained it and tossed it in the trash. What a waste, but I had to find out. Even if it worked, it would have been nearly impossible to clean- another reason to dislike it, the obvious "disposable by design"= too cheap to clean; we have got to stop making things like this.
In conclusion, if you are using a fairly flow-able stain, and don't really care if the results are the best you could get, then give it a shot. Might be good for a weekend warrior type and I could understand the desire for convenience, but I wanted to approach this deck more as furniture than yard equipment, and the results reflect this. I can see it being used as a rough applicator only, and then maybe having a second person smooth it out, but basically there is no shortcut to quality.
Cuts staining time in half 
2008-06-11
I purchased the DeckMate to stain a new deck and am so glad I did. It cut my work time in half. You have to treat this 'tool' carefully, almost like one of those Swiffer wet mops you use inside, if you manhandle it, it will break. The flow adjustment took some getting used to, either too much stain came out, or too little. I bought an extra pad just in case but didn't have to use it. The deck is 16 x 16 and 6 x 8. Will definately be using it again in the fall.
Great product 
2008-05-23
I love this product. Made short and easy work of my large deck. Easy to use and operate and it sure didn't take me long to figure out how to control the flow and get great coverage. First time I stained my deck I used a roller and that was a giant pain and didn't look very good. The DeckMate finished my deck very well. I strongly recommend it.
re did my deck 2007-07-12
i used it and it did a very good job and i was well please
BACK SAVING PRODUCT 2007-05-16
Stain and seal that deck in a single pass with this brush/pad applicator and telescoping pole setup. With its patented internal, gravity-feed system, separate hoppers for stain and sealer supply material to the unit's integrated brush and pad applicator head. With a flat pad in front and a brush in back, an even coat of stain colors the wood and a smooth coat of sealer from the angled brush follows right behind, quickly and effectively filling cracks and sealing the surface. Two birds, one stone, and no more wasting time with excessive back and forth to the paint can. The 1-gallon on-board container feeds latex, oil-based sealers, semi-transparent and solid stains directly to the applicators to cover 175 to 250 square feet per fill, depending on surface texture. and, variable flow- control ensures even coverage with a variety of materials from thin sealers to thick stains. Let's not forget the ergonomic handle and telescoping pole, which are easy on the back and arms, and reach 53 inches for uninterrupted, seamless passes across the deck.
--Brian D. OlsonWhat's in the Box
Brush/pad, pole, hopper.
Tricky assembly, but worth the effort. 2006-11-10
Handle parts are NOT a snap to snap together. Those little tabs don't exactly line up with the holes they need to snap into. They need to fit right and tight, or tool will leak. Had to file off a very slight amount of handle to get the clearance needed for tabs to snap in. However, once assembled correctly, this thing is a Godsend!! I was able to finish a 30' by 20' deck floor in minutes instead of hours. Didn't even wear out the pad, and clean-up was a cinch.
Completes task but not worth price. 2006-06-14
I recently used this item to do a small deck area 20x12.[...]
You can generally achieve the same results, with one exception, with a short nap roller. The problem with the roller is that it does not get between the boards like this product.
Even after you get the hang of this product (there is a definite learning curve), you will still have to go back and over brush heavy spots and fill in between the deck boards where it missed areas.
I found the product easy to assemble, as long as you read and follow the simple instructions, and durable enough for the task at hand. That said, if you have a very large area, check to make sure you can get replacement pads. The store where I bought it DID NOT have them. That could present a problem.
In response to the comments about the product being flimsy, I found the to be much stronger than a swiffer. Mine does not leak, and that can be caused by improper assembly. There is a certian way to put it together, and if this is not followed it says it may leak.
Lastly, the flow control; takes some getting used to, and it usually needs to be adjusted in small increments DURING the aplication stroke. It takes some coordination and attention to detail.
Wagner website is worthless for suggestions or support.
Most of the advice above is for those who decide to purchase. But, my overall opinion is that a roller acomplishes the same result for less cost.
Varied results 2006-05-25
My experience makes it 2 and 2. I had very good results, even with no instruction booklet. Yes, it took some practice to produce the proper flow, and a brush was still needed in a few tricky areas, but all in all this made the job go rather quickly. This is a light duty tool, but with care it will serve the average homeowner. The area I did so far was only 250 square feet, and I will need a replacement pad to continue - I may have been a bit rough with it. If the surface isn't very smooth, you may want to go with a roller.
Don't waste your money 2006-05-07
This is one of the worst products I have ever tried to use. Semi-transparent stain clogged the feed tube within 2 minutes of the first filling. And it leaks. Save yourself the aggrivation and just plan to use a brush.
