Cabot Stain
Cabot Stain is a 140+ year Sherwin-Williams-owned exterior wood care brand that develops and distributes stains, protective finishes, and surface prep products across all opacity tiers to DIY homeowners and professional contractors via major US hardware and home improvement retailers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1880
- HeadquartersCleveland, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Cabot Stain does
Cabot Stain is a premium exterior wood care brand that develops, manufactures, and distributes stains, protective finishes, and surface preparation products for residential and commercial exterior wood applications. Founded in 1877 and headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio (101 Prospect Avenue), the brand operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary within Sherwin-Williams Company's Consumer Brands Group alongside Valspar, Minwax, Thompson's Water Seal, Krylon, Dutch Boy, and Purdy. The product portfolio is organized across four opacity tiers — Transparent, Semi-Transparent, Semi-Solid, and Solid — with flagship sub-brands Australian Timber Oil (penetrating triple-oil finish), Cabot Gold (dual-UV premium satin finish), and DeckCorrect (roller-applied resurfacer), plus dedicated surface prep products (Wood Cleaner, Wood Brightener, Wood Stripper) and clear sealers/waterproofers. Proprietary technologies include COOL FEEL (reduces surface temperature by up to 20°F), Rainwash (self-cleaning under rainfall), Dual-UV Protection, and Advanced Waterproofing, with 313+ stocked color options. The brand is distributed through Lowe's, Menards, Ace Hardware, True Value, Do It Best, Walmart, Amazon, and additional specialty paint retailers in the US and Canada.
Cabot runs a one-time-purchase revenue model selling branded SKUs in 1/2 pint through 5-gallon containers through retail distribution; pricing is set per unit at retailer discretion, with coverage ranging from 150–500 ft²/gal depending on product and surface. Go-to-market is a hybrid DIY-plus-Pro consumer brand motion: primary customer segment is residential DIY homeowners tackling decks, fences, siding, and outdoor structures, with a secondary professional contractor segment supported by a dedicated Pro Resources portal, Technical Bulletins, Safety Data Sheets, and Sherwin-Williams dealer access via Widen Collective. Marketing centers on an annual Color of the Year (Acorn 2026, Burnt Hickory 2025) and Outdoor Trend of the Year (Retreat 2024, Gathering Spaces 2023, Outdoor Workspaces 2022) content engine, supplemented by digital project tools (Stain Calculator, Color Visualizer, Project Helper), social channels (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest), and retailer co-marketing at point of sale.
Cabot Stain firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cabot Stain
- Legal name
- Cabot Products Group
- Website
- https://cabotstain.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1880
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Cabot Stain is a 140+ year Sherwin-Williams-owned exterior wood care brand that develops and distributes stains, protective finishes, and surface prep products across all opacity tiers to DIY homeowners and professional contractors via major US hardware and home improvement retailers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Cabot Stain is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cleveland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Cabot Stain business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
Revenue model
- Exterior Wood Stain Products: One-time product sales of exterior wood stains, sealers, and wood preparation products sold through retail distribution channels to DIY homeowners and professional contractors.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Solid Color Acrylic Stain + Sealer - 1/2 Pint to 5 Gallon options |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Semi-Solid Stain + Sealer - Multiple size options |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | O.V.T. Solid Color Oil Stain - 1 Gallon |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels6 records
Cabot Stain product offering
Product offeringCore offering
No substantive source material was provided to describe Cabot Stain's core offering.
Product overview
Cabot Stain is a premium exterior wood care brand that develops, manufactures, and distributes a comprehensive portfolio of wood stains, protective finishes, and surface preparation products for both residential and commercial applications. The product line centers on four main opacity tiers (Transparent, Semi-Transparent, Semi-Solid, and Solid) across multiple product families including Australian Timber Oil, Cabot Gold, DeckCorrect, and various acrylic and oil-based stains. The portfolio includes dedicated surface preparation products (Wood Cleaner, Wood Brightener, Wood Stripper), clear sealers and waterproofers, and innovative technologies like Heat-Reducing Cool Feel Technology and Rainwash Technology. Products are designed to protect and beautify exterior wood surfaces including decks, fences, siding, pergolas, and outdoor furniture while preserving natural wood beauty.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Australian Timber Oil: Premium timber oil product line for deck protection with triple-oil protection.
- Cabot Gold
- DeckCorrect
Quantifiable outcome
- Up to 20°F surface temperature reduction with COOL FEEL Technology
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Cabot Stain
Customer profileSegments2 records
Cabot Stain technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Cabot Stain partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Sherwin-Williams CompanycoreCabot is a brand owned and operated by Sherwin-Williams Company, a global leader in paints and coatings founded in 1866. Sherwin-Williams Consumer Brands Group manages the Cabot brand among other well-known brands including Valspar, HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams, Dutch Boy, Purdy, Krylon, Minwax, Thompson's Water Seal, and Dupli-Color.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Cabot Stain competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Behr: Behr Premium exterior stains and wood finishes, sold primarily through The Home Depot. Closest direct competitor to Cabot in wood and deck stains, targeting the same DIY homeowner and contractor segments.
- Olympic: Olympic Stain is one of the longest-standing exterior wood stain brands, sold through Lowe's and independent dealers. Direct product-level competitor to Cabot across solid, semi-transparent and clear stains.
- Thompson's Water Seal: Sherwin-Williams sister brand focused on waterproofers and clear sealers for exterior wood. Competes directly with Cabot's clear sealer/waterproofer line in the same retail channels.
- Rust-Oleum: Rust-Oleum sells exterior wood stains and deck coatings through hardware and home improvement stores. Overlaps Cabot in solid color deck coatings and DIY protective finishes.
Emerging players
- Ready Seal: Niche exterior wood stain/sealer brand popular with contractors for easy, no-streak application. Competes with Cabot's semi-transparent and semi-solid stain lines in the pro channel.
- Penofin: Specialty penetrating oil-based exterior wood finishes sold through pro dealers and online. Competes with Cabot Australian Timber Oil in the premium decking oil segment.
Broad incumbents
- PPG Paints: PPG's portfolio includes wood stain products (e.g., Olympic in some markets, Sikkens) sold through independent dealers and home centers. A broad incumbent competing across multiple coatings categories with Cabot.
- Minwax: Sherwin-Williams sister brand dominant in interior wood finishes, but also competes with Cabot for wood care mindshare among DIY consumers and shared retail shelf space.
- Valspar: Sherwin-Williams sister brand with exterior stain lines sold through Lowe's. Competes with Cabot on shelf within the same parent company's portfolio.
- Benjamin Moore: Premium coatings incumbent with exterior stain offerings sold through independent retailers. While strongest in paint, it competes with Cabot on premium solid-color exterior wood finishes.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Cabot Stain social profiles
Digital presenceCabot Stain financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cabot Stain leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Cabot Stain funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cabot Stain M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cabot Stain
What does Cabot Stain do?
No substantive source material was provided to describe Cabot Stain's core offering.
Is Cabot Stain a public or private company?
Cabot Stain is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Cabot Stain founded?
Cabot Stain was founded in 1880.
Where is Cabot Stain based?
Cabot Stain is headquartered in Cleveland, United States, in the North America region.
How does Cabot Stain make money?
One revenue line is on record: exterior Wood Stain Products.
Who are Cabot Stain's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Behr, Olympic, Thompson's Water Seal and Rust-Oleum. Emerging players are Ready Seal and Penofin. Broad incumbents are PPG Paints, Minwax, Valspar and Benjamin Moore.
Does Cabot Stain have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cabot Stain.