Last Updated on January 10, 2025 by TWP Help
We are here to help you with your TWP exterior deck or wood restoration project for 2025!
TWP is a cutting-edge wood preservative and protectant registered by the EPA, designed to provide exceptional protection for exterior wood surfaces. However, its performance and longevity can vary based on several factors, including the type and age of the wood, how well it is prepared, and the application technique used.
To ensure the best possible results with TWP 100, 1500, or 200 Series, proper preparation and application are key. Follow recommended guidelines to maximize the durability and beauty of your wood surface, no matter which TWP series you choose.
TWP Stain Tips and Help
When asking questions please give us some information about your wood restoration project:
- What structure is your wood? Examples would be: Deck, Wood Siding, Fence, etc
- What species is the wood? Examples: Treated Pine, Cedar, Redwood, Ipe, etc
- Is the wood new or older than 1 year?
- Has the wood been stained previously with a different brand? Please specify brand name and type of stain used: Examples: Solid stain, Semi-Transparent Stain, etc.
- Any additional info that would be useful
Once you supply us with the information, we will able to give you advice as to how to prep your wood and any needed instructions for the TWP application.
Please ask your questions in the comment area.
Thanks
I have to do my deck in stages as I’m a family man. Can I stain into stain drippings or do I have to re sand the area? I made sure they didn’t puddle and I feathered them out.
Since they will have already dried and cured by the time you do the floor, there is no guarantee it will all blend.
How long will a clearcoat last compared to a semi transparent coat of your TWP 100 Series Wood and Deck Stain 5 Gallon
Clear (no tint) will have no UV protection and will gray naturally in months.
I need to fully strip, brighten, and re-stain my pine deck. I applied TWP 100 series about 5 years ago and probably put 2 maintenance coats on over the interim period, so it is ready for a strip and re-stain. My question is should I stay with the oil-based TWP 100 or go with a water based stain or semi-solid? What about using the Natural Effects Impregnating stain? The deck is in shade and so is prone to mold/mildew and doesn’t get a lot of direct sun exposure.
The easiest would be to stick with the TWP 100 Series. If you want to switch to semi-solid colors, you should strip and brighten for preparation. Semi-solids are more opaque, which gives better UV protection, but you still have to redo every 2-3 years on average for a deck floor.
Thank you. I had planned to strip and brighten even with sticking with the same exact stain (TWP 120). Is that considered optional or does it depend on the deck’s condition?
You can do this. Stripping is just a deeper cleaning down to the bare wood. Makes recoating easier in some cases.
After stripping my deck railings & post, what product do I need to brighten it or condition it to prepair for staining
My deck railing, stairs & post are approx. 6 yrs old, treated pine & im assuming a solid stain thats a tan color on rails & post only. Nothing on steps that Im aware of. They have all been pressure washed. The rails & post still have remains of old tan colored stain? What product would be best to remove this to get down to bare wood that can be power washed off.
To remove a solid stain, you will need to sand and or use the RAD PaintStrip:
https://www.twpstain.com/rad-paintstrip-paint-solid-stain-stripping-gel
After I do this & then pressure wash off is there any other pretreatment I need to do before staining?
Only if it doesn’t entirely strip off, you may need to spot sand some. Otherwise, that should be all.
I just asked a question about what color stain you recommend to cover the deck that I power-washed, stripped, and brightened to the best of my ability. This is what the deck looks like. Is it possible at this stage to focus on sanding? Will that help the TWP stain penetrate the wood? Also, please let me know what color you recommend.
You will need to fully remove the opaque stain that you still have on the wood. Power sand it off.
I removed a very old dark-colored stain to the best of my ability with stripper and brightener, but there are many areas that are still dark. I don’t think any more of the dark color will come off. I want to put a light or lighter color on (because dark color fades so much faster with the sun). What do you recommend I could use that will cover the dark areas fully with a lighter color?
Hello, we have a deck that we would like to stain using TWP. Half the deck includes wood that is 4 years old that was never stained, and the other half is 12 months old ready to be stained. I already purchased and received the gemini restore kit that we will use to prep the entire deck. What stain would you recommend for the most coverage consistency over the deck since the wood has aged differently? Thanks
The semi-solid colors would blend the best:
https://www.twpstain.com/twp-semi-solid-pro-series
Hello. Recently installed a new pressure treated Dock on the Indian River in Florida. Which of your products do you recommend for UV\moisture control longevity after the wood has dried out. Thanks
See this first:
https://twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
The 100 Series after prep and weathering.
How long is TWP 100 good for?
Please clarify your question. After application? After being opened?
After being opened and after ordered but not opened.
About 2 years after order and not opened. 6-12 months after being opened but no guarantee on that as it varies based on how it is stored.
MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET
Which product?
Online only from our website. Shipping takes 1-2 business days.
Hi, I had to remove most of my treated deck woods, now that I have finished prepping them. They have a couple of holes from screws and some cracking. Any advice (suggestion) on what I can use to fill them, before staining – twp-200-series, — Thank you
Wood fillers will not work for exterior decking and will not “stain” to blend. Best to just leave them as is as it is normal and not an issue.
We have cedar lap siding. Previously stained with oil based semi transparent I believe. The dining shows texture , but no grain. What twp product is recommended to last the longest?
You will need to remove the previous coating first before using a different stain brand like TWP. Add some pics in the comments for help with that. All TWP stains will last the same on siding.
My 2 yr old PT pine never-stained 400sf deck in OH has been cleaned, brightened & double-coated with 1500 Pecan & looking good. But I ran out & need more for the stairs, (vertical) sides/joists & railings. I had enough for one light coat on 2 of 3 sides, but its not matching exactly the dbl-coated deck. I’m ordering more, but wondering if I shouldn’t have used the last stain on the sides…
When can I add another coat on these sides so they match? Re-cleaning/brightening there necessary? Not stripping I hope…
After its done, I’m to add another coat in 1 year, then every few years as needed, right?
Lightly clean off any dirt and add a second coat to the stairs in the Spring.
Full prep with the Gemini Restore Kit and recoat is needed. Typically every 2-3 years.
is your Low VOC semi solid completely oil based?
Yes, it is oil-based.
My deck is 10 years old and I have used TWP semi-transparent “Mahogany” but it is time to go semi-solid. Are you able to do a custom stain with Mahogany? Also to prepare me, does the semi-solid show some wood grain or cover it 100%
No, we do not custom color. We do offer 30 different colors in the semi-solid:
https://www.twpstain.com/twp-semi-solid-pro-series
It does not mask the wood 100%, more like 70-80%. Prep well to remove the current coating first.
I am a HOA community board member, and we are in the process of obtaining quotes for a “wood stair” staining project. We have 28 sets of wooden steps with 20 steps on each set. Over the years, we have used TWP series 1500 stain – Honeytone stain. We also use the prescribed TWP cleaning kit before staining.
Here’s the question: a contractor replaced several steps at several locations. Without our knowledge, the contractor used Valspar – one coat exterior “solid” stain on the steps. Can TWP 1500 stain be applied over the Valspar solid stain and still preserve the wood?
Thanks for your time.
Michael
No, you would have to remove the solid stain fully first.
I used 1500 natural on deck what would he thebequivalent color in the 100 series is it available to ship to ohio?
The 100 Series is not allowed in Ohio.
Have pressure treated pine (Yellawood) deck that was built in April 2024. Last October I used cleaner/brightener kit then applied 1 coat of TWP 100 Pecan. I’m getting ready to clean again & apply 2 coats wet on wet. I applied the first coat with a 4” brush which looks good…but time consuming. Can you recommend a 4” roller I can apply the stain? I have some Purdy Jumbo White Dove 1/4” nap for smooth to semi smooth surfaces. Do you think these would work? Or what’s a better option?
No, do not use a roller as it splatters. Use a stain pad or a flooring brush like these:
https://www.twpstain.com/brushes-stain-pads
Twp-100 – applied 6 hrs ago. Now want 2nd coat – can I??
No, second coats need to be applied wet on wet, not wet on dry.
https://twpstainhelp.com/twp-stain-wet-on-wet-application/
We stained our new cedar shingled house 11 years ago with TWP 120. We need to restain it now. What should we use?
The TWP 200 Series:
https://www.twpstain.com/twp-200-series-5-gallon
I have a set of stairs with railing and a short deck to get to the stairs that are over 35 years old. I’m not sure of the wood. They feel very sturdy still but are greying and have some splits. I have previously used Thompson wood preservative on them but not for a few years now. I can’t afford to replace them so was researching wood preservatives to help them last a while longer and came across TWP 100 series. Do you think this will help protect them for ahile longer? They do not appear to have mildew or any green on them. Thank you for any advice.
TWP is an excellent stain and preservative, and more effective than the Thompsons. If you need prep help, add some pics in the comments.
Here’s a photo of a section of stairs and deck. Would appreciate your recommendations for prep and which product to use. Thanks!
Use this kit while pressure washing for prep:
https://www.twpstain.com/gemini-s-restore-a-deck-cleaner-and-brightener-kit
What state do you live in? It matters as to which TWP stain you can use.
We live in Michigan- west coast.
You will need the 1500 Series for MI: https://www.twpstain.com/twp-1500-series
Thanks for all your help. My wood is very grey from weathering. I want it to be a medium brown. Can you possible recommend which stain color might move it towards a medium brown color once stained?
Try the TWP 1503 Dark Oak.
Thanks for all your help! Is there a location in Michigan near me where I can buy these products or do I need to order online? I’m trying to avoid shipping costs.
We ship from Bloomfield Hills, MI. You can pick up there, but it’s probably a couple of hours drive.
So you don’t sell the products in any retail stores?
We sell online as a TWP dealer.
I so appreciate all your help and I’m ready to order but have one more question. Because of my age, I cannot physically do all my decks and tests of stairs at once. Can I do sections at a time? If so, should I clean and brighten one section then stain and move on to the next section to clean, brighten and stain OR should I clean and brighten a section at a time until all sections are done then move on to staining one section at a time? Thank you so much for all the help you’ve given me.
Also, when answering can you please tell me what type of brushes/applicators are best used- for the cleaner then brightener then for the actual stain? I do not have a power washer and will be working in sections as noted previously. I read that you need to wipe off excess stains if applied too thickly so some rags are needed as well? Thanks again!
You use a pump sprayer with the prep products, then lightly pressure wash them off. We suggest you borrow or rent a pressure washer, as “scrubbing” is much harder and not as effective.
For the stain, use brushes for applying:
https://www.twpstain.com/application-tools
Sorry not sure what you mean by pump pressure on the prep products?
Sorry, typo: You use a pump sprayer with the prep products, then lightly pressure wash them off.
Clean and brighten all until done.. When staining, you can break it into sections as long as you have a clean dividing line to separate them.
I know that after cleaning and brightening I need to wait 24 to 48 for the wood to dry and then if we get rain I presume I’ll need to wait again for the wood to dry when I’m working in sections. How long do I have after brightening to get all the stain applied?
Best to stain within 2 weeks of prep.
Thank you for your prompt response. Due to my age, I have to work in small sections. I also have handrails to do. I presume these should be done before I start staining but I had wondered if I could wait and do those next year as I feel like it’s most important to get the stairs and decking done before winter and cold temps. I wondered if I waited until next year to do the railings if the cleaner and brightener would damage the newly painted stain.
Yes, that is possible. The prep should only be used if recoating.
Not sure I understand what you mean. The railings (as well as stairs and decking) are over 35 years old treated lumber that’s only had Thompsons on them throughout the years.
Yes, it is very possible that the prep will harm the floors that were stained this year if you prep just the railings next year. Best to stain all at once.
Expiration date for 100 series stain
I have an unopened 1gallon can that I purchased 2 years ago when I thought I was going to have an ambitious summer. Will the color and quality match the can I bought this year?
The shelf life of TWP is 2 years, so it’s hard to say. If you use it, make sure to mix both gallons together before applying.
Looking to buy 1gal of #116 rustic oak. Web site is not great.
https://www.twpstain.com/twp100-1gallon
Not even sure where to start… New covered deck built last year in KY in the summer (May) and the builder used pressure treated pine wood and Valspar One Coat Clear (has a slight tint) water-based sealer in August. Long story short this stain/sealer failed miserably. It left black splotchy, I assume mold growing in it that won’t come off with any cleaner or low spray washing on horizontal boards (except mold didn’t grow where a rug was and the sealer looks as good as new under the rug. See pictures.) Will the restore a deck and brighter with the additives remove this or will I need to sand as I’m wanting to use the TMP 100 series on it. A contractor has suggested flipping the boards and sanding what can’t be flipped. I’m just trying to figure out what’s best. If they do flip boards to the underside unsealed wood and also having sanded wood, would it need one coat? Need a lot of advice…please help!
Strip off what you can using the RAD Stain Stripper:
https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit-detail
and both additives while pressure washing:
https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stain-stripper-additives
Sand if needed after to remove anything that could not be stripped with 60-80 grit paper. Brighten all when done.
Apply 2 light coats of TWP wet on wet:
https://twpstainhelp.com/twp-stain-wet-on-wet-application/
Thank you so much for all the help and for the quick response. My only other question is are all these products once stained and completely dried pet safe?
Yes, once completely dried and cured.
I’ve decided to completely sand it all instead of stripping, do I use the cleaner and brightener before or after sanding?
After.
We’ve had TWP on our cedar-sided home for years but it was time to reapply it. Our painter started with a light bleach rinse and it seems to have caused some spotting. Any ideas or suggestions here? Any ideas of why the bleach solution might have interacted negatively with the old TWP?
Improper use of bleach when applying can create spotting. It looks like he misted it on instead of fully saturating the siding with the bleach.
To fix it, you would need to strip it all down to the bare wood.
Thanks. I watched him put it on and he did not mist it. He had a sprayer drawing from a diluted bleach solution and sprayed it on rather heavily and then rinsed it. Could there be another cause? Some sort of specific chemical reaction that can occur with older stain material?
No, it clearly misted over where the dots are and caused the reaction. This could have happend while working on another area first and the wind took the mist over to these areas.
I ordered 3 stains to test color. The one I like best is Chestnut. However, chestnut does not appear to be available anymore? I ordered my samples on 04/23/2025.
You ordered the TWP Natural Effect samples:
https://www.twpstain.com/twp-natural-effect-impregnating-stain-1-gallon
I have used TWP 100 cedartone for several years. However, Michigan recently changed the laws and requires lower VOC, so I switched to the 1500 natural.
I have always been happy with the results before, but this stain doesn’t appear to ever dry. Even after 30 hours of good weather (70-80 degrees with ~55% humidity) it is wet, not just damp. I am applying it in the same manner I always have. Is this a bad batch of stain?
No, not a bad batch, but bad prep and or over application. You need to strip off the old coatings first.
I followed the same process I have for a decade on this deck. Not a bad prep and not an over application. What else may be the issue?
Hi, your pictures clearly show that it was not prepped corectly and over-applied. It has thick shiny spots. TWP needs to fully penetrate the wood, and in your case, you had over-application areas that are shiny and sitting on top of the wood, and this is due mainly to not prepping corectly.
To fix it, you strip it down to the bare wood.
Is it ok to lightly sand my stained clean deck before applying a coat of 100 stain
No finer than 60-80 grit.
I’ll be using 1500 series on my deck, floor boards and railings…in that I’ll have plants on the top handrails id like to extra protect them from water…can I appy a Polyurethane or other sealer on top of the 1500 stain? Thx Jim
No, you cannot top coat the TWP stains. It will peel if you try this.
Deck in Iowa. Pressure treated lumber, my guess is the deck was installed in early 2000’s. We have striped the failing stain off with RAD and sanded with 60g to remove last traces of stain. There is still some old stain stuck in cracks, will that be a problem? I don’t see how to possibly remove it. Is 1500 correct for our application?
You are good to stain.
I’m in south Georgia and have a large new barn with cypress board and batten on it. Should I use semi solid or 1550/100 for beat and longest lasting results?
Semi-solids colors offer the best UV protection.
We had shed row barns in VA and used the semi transparent 1500 series. It worked great!!!! I would hesitate using a semi solid. We stained our barns every few years. They looked beautiful with zero mold, mildew or rot.
Hey everyone! What is the darkest grey semi solid that’s not charcoal ? ( Too dark) Would like to have a darker contrast to my light grey siding.
Boulder, Thunderstorm, or Charcoal.
We applied twp 1500 to our (then) new fence 8 years ago. Can I just reapply twp 1500 to touch-up our fence? Or would I have to strip everything to reapply?
Add some pics in the comments of the fence condition so we can help with the prep.
I have a 10 year old IPE deck in San Diego, that is in great shape. It has been refinished with a Sikkens Cetol product every year. I am considering switching to TWP 1500.
Can you please help walk me through what I need to do to move to TWP 1500? and what color?
I have attached a few pictures.
Hello,
Use this kit for prep:
https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit-detail
Many people use the Rustic color for a reddish brown tone on their IPE wood.
I did not power wash my fence (cedar wood about 2 years old) then stained it with Cedartone 1501. There are a few sections of fence that I did power wash and stain with the same stain. The un-power washed fence is a little darker. Is it now possible to go back and power wash the darker part and re-stain with Cedartone 1501? Will it look like the lighter portion?
You would have to strip and brighten that section:
https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit-detail
We have had a local contractor stain our deck and shed doors, ramps, etc. at least 3 times with TWP 200, Butternut. It appears to last well on vertical surfaces but less than stellar on horizontal surfaces. Would TWP 100, 1500 or semi solid be a better fit? If so, which one would be ideal on treated pine in a semi shaded area? We do have issues with mold and algae in certain areas. Would we need to strip and brighten the deck to transition or could we just clean and brighten? Thanks!
You would need to strip and brighten for prep. The semi-solid colors give the most extended UV protection.
What semi solid color is closest to TWP200, Butternut?
Sorry there is no matching color and since colors vary based on wood type, age of wood, and prep, there is no way to say what color(s) would be close. Best to test some samples.
Do I need to apply any form of sealant or clear coat after i apply twp1500 series?
It is not possible or needed to apply a sealer over an exterior stain like TWP, it would peel if you did this.
Can TWP 100 the LOW VOC solids be mixed?
Sorry, but understanding your question.
I should say, “Can the TWP 100 and the Low VOC solids be mixed?”
There is no Low VOC solid stain, but there are Low VOC Semi-solids. Not sure why you would want to mix them, but in theory, you could.
Want to restain deck after 3 years with the same 1500 series stain prep info needed
Prep with this kit: https://www.twpstain.com/gemini-s-restore-a-deck-cleaner-and-brightener-kit
I have a 6 foot eagle that I previously used TWP Protectorent on. I have had to do repairs on the base with wood bondo. I now need to stain the base so it will match (as close as possible) the rest of the eagle. What Twp product should I use?
TWP stains will not “stain” wood bondo to blend. No exterior semi-transparent stain will work to do that.
We want a semi transparent look in gray. don’t want to ever have to strip or sand again. We sampled the cape cod gray and it is to light in color. Is there a darker gray in semi transparent? And will the clear stain cause the wood to gray naturally? The wood is treated lumber and has weathered 2 years now, but it is still a brown/tan color. Not gray. What do you recommend?
The darker grays would be in the semi-solid colors: https://www.twpstain.com/twp-semi-solid-pro-series
The clear will gray naturally over time, but it can take months or years.
How long do I have to wait to stain new KDAT boards?
https://twpstainhelp.com/kdat-and-twp-wait-period-for-new-wood/
We hired a professional to apply TWP 100 to our deck. We told them how to apply it according to the instructions on the can and the website. However, they didn’t follow the instructions. They sprayed it and didn’t remove the excess stain. There were spots of sticky stain residue in places and therefore the color was not uniform. Some of the stain dishes in and some was left on to of the wood. We them they would need to strip the deck and start over. They wouldn’t do this. Instead they painted a coat of stain on top of the deck and left it to dry. What do they need to do to fix this problem? Will stripping the deck and cleaning and brightening it allow them to properly stain the deck. We had this happen at another house one time and the deck molded and in a year or two the stain started peeling off. Can they fix this now or do they need to wait a while before they can strip the deck and redo the stain? Will stripping and starting over fix the problem? I don’t know at this point even if the stain will cut out remain sticky.
Add some pictures in the comments. Thanks
Here are some pictures in the attachment.
It is severely over-applied. When this happens, it becomes more difficult to remove and strip. You may need to strip it a few times to get it down to the bare wood in order to fix it. You can do this now or next Spring if you want to wait.
You will need this kit:
https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit
With both stripper additives:
https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stain-stripper-additives
And pressure washing.
How do I get rid of some shiny spots? Noticed it after the second coat. Didn’t see it with the first coat.
https://twpstainhelp.com/twp-stain-is-spotty-or-shiny/
We have a sea wall down by the lake. Want the top board which is treated pine to gray. But it is not. It’s been 2 years already. Your clear says it will gray naturally, but will it keep the wood the color it is now? We feel it needs a little color. We ordered the cape cod gray sample but it is to light in color. Is there a darker shade gray that is semi transparent?
No, but we have other gray semi-solid colors:
https://www.twpstain.com/twp-semi-solid-pro-series
resawed cedar deck 25 years old stained many times using TWP cedar tone. Need to stain new boards but need to achieve much darker color to get close to a more brown color. Need advise.
It is not possible to get new wood to match older wood with a stain. No matter what, the new wood will stain lighter since it is less absorbent. In addition, you cannot stain the new wood right away:
https://twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
We suggest installing the new wood now and letting it weather until springtime. Strip and brighten all the wood then, and then stain. It will not match exactly, but it will be close. Over time, it will blend.
I’m looking for a stain that doesn’t look too reddish for my new Douglas fir timbers for my timber frame porch. What would you advise?
Final colors will vary significantly based on the type of wood, its age, preparation, and application. There is no way to say for sure how it will look on your wood outside of testing samples.
https://www.twpstain.com/stain-samples
Look more towards the brown colors.
What series is best for Cedar Bevel Shiplap siding? It needs to be stained again because the last stain did not hold up.
The TWP 1500 Series. Make sure to prep well first:
https://www.twpstain.com/twp-1500-series
What is the difference between the 200 series and 1500? My cedar is 20 years old and we have stained it 3 times before. We live in Louisiana so the moisture content is high.
The 200 Series is more for Shakes and Shingles, but yes, you can use it on your siding. The 200 and 1500 will last the same on your siding.
Ensure that all prior coatings are removed before using the TWP stains.