Need Some Help With TWP Stains?

by TWP Help

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

TWP Stain Help Staff

 

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DREW
1 hour ago

MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET

selene
5 days ago

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

 
Barb
5 days ago

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?

Art
6 days ago

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?

Bruce
6 days ago

is your Low VOC semi solid completely oil based?

 
Tony laney
8 days ago

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%

michael utsey
8 days ago

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

Lis
9 days ago

I used 1500 natural on deck what would he thebequivalent color in the 100 series is it available to ship to ohio?

 
Rose Lutz
10 days ago

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?

Pam
10 days ago

Twp-100 – applied 6 hrs ago. Now want 2nd coat – can I??

Chuck LaMay
10 days ago

We stained our new cedar shingled house 11 years ago with TWP 120. We need to restain it now. What should we use?

 
Kathy Shea
10 days ago

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.

Kathy Shea
10 days ago
Reply to  TWP Help

Here’s a photo of a section of stairs and deck. Would appreciate your recommendations for prep and which product to use. Thanks!

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Kathryn Shea
10 days ago
Reply to  TWP Help

We live in Michigan- west coast.

Kathryn Shea
10 days ago
Reply to  TWP Help

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?

Kathryn Shea
9 days ago
Reply to  TWP Help

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.

Kathryn Shea
8 days ago
Reply to  TWP Help

So you don’t sell the products in any retail stores?

Last edited 8 days ago by Kathryn Shea
Kathryn Shea
2 days ago
Reply to  TWP Help

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.

Kathryn Shea
3 hours ago
Reply to  Kathryn Shea

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!

Kate Dugas
11 days ago

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?

Glen Nelson
11 days ago

Looking to buy 1gal of #116 rustic oak. Web site is not great.

 
Lori B
12 days ago

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!

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Lori B
12 days ago
Reply to  TWP Help

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?

Lori B
8 days ago
Reply to  TWP Help

I’ve decided to completely sand it all instead of stripping, do I use the cleaner and brightener before or after sanding?

Jeffery Reid
13 days ago

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?

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Jeffery Reid
13 days ago
Reply to  TWP Help

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?

Rachel
13 days ago

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.

 
Irishmaz
14 days ago

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?

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Irishmaz
14 days ago
Reply to  TWP Help

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?

Jane
14 days ago

Is it ok to lightly sand my stained clean deck before applying a coat of 100 stain

James Lynch
17 days ago

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

 
Lauren
17 days ago

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?

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Tim
18 days ago

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?

Mary
15 days ago
Reply to  Tim

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.

Matthew stullich
18 days ago

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.

 
Dylan
24 days ago

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?

Raul
26 days ago

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.

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Steve
28 days ago

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?

 
Rod
29 days ago

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!

Rod
29 days ago
Reply to  TWP Help

What semi solid color is closest to TWP200, Butternut?

Brett
29 days ago

Do I need to apply any form of sealant or clear coat after i apply twp1500 series?

Chris
1 month ago

Can TWP 100 the LOW VOC solids be mixed?

Chris Maltby
30 days ago
Reply to  TWP Help

I should say, “Can the TWP 100 and the Low VOC solids be mixed?”

 
Vinny
1 month ago

Want to restain deck after 3 years with the same 1500 series stain prep info needed

Glenny
1 month ago

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?

Connie Root
1 month ago

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?

 
Coleton
1 month ago

How long do I have to wait to stain new KDAT boards?

Mary Paul
1 month ago

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.

Mary Paul
1 month ago
Reply to  TWP Help

Here are some pictures in the attachment.

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Darren
1 month ago

How do I get rid of some shiny spots? Noticed it after the second coat. Didn’t see it with the first coat.

 
Connie Root
1 month ago

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?

Ron
1 month ago

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.

Cindy
1 month ago

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?

 
Kayla
1 month ago

What series is best for Cedar Bevel Shiplap siding? It needs to be stained again because the last stain did not hold up.

Kayla
1 month ago
Reply to  TWP Help

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.

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