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Last Updated on January 30, 2023 by TWP Help
We are here to help you with your TWP exterior deck or wood restoration project for 2024!
TWP is an advanced wood preservative/protectant registered by the EPA. Performance and longevity can vary though depending on the wood type, how the wood is prepped, the age of wood, and how the TWP is applied. We want everyone who has decided to use TWP 100, 1500, or 200 Series to have the best possible results.
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 plan to restain our front porch. In the walking area, the stain is completely worn off. The pictures show the wear and also the full stain unworn out where the door mat is. We did not stain it so I am not sure what was used. Can you tell if this was a solid stain or a semi transparent? Since it has only worn off and not peeled at all, can I assume that it is oil based? I think I would like to replace it with more oil based. From your product chooser, it looks like the type of cleaning stuff that would be needed depends on whether it is semi transparent or solid. I think I would like to stain it with semi-transparent if that is what is currently on it and if that will work. I am able to see the wood grain through the stain though the stain does look dark. The porch is covered so doesn’t get a ton of sun or rain (we live in Minnesota so get the full range of weather and temperatures) except right where it goes to the concrete steps down off the porch. We haven’t had any issues with mildew or , anything else on it. The porch is very small, only about 80 ft.² Thanks for your help!
No matter what you have to remove the old coating before using TWP. Strip and brighten for prep, not clean:
https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit
When done, use the TWP 100 or 1500 Series.
I live in Ontario Canada. Are there any TWP dealers here? Also, I previously stained my deck with the 100 series cedartone when I was able to bring it from the US. What method should I use for restaining and what series am I able to use in Canada that would be the same color as the cedartone?
No dealers in Canada but we can ship to you. Look at the TWP 200 series for Canada. Make sure to prep with the Restore A Deck Kit.
I applied TWP 205 California Cedar to my deck. I cleaned and treated it. I also sanded is and followed your directions. The original stain was the same brand and color. Everything came out great. A year later everything still looks good but we noticed that the stain transfers to your feet or socks when walking on deck. Is this normal? We never noticed this issue before. Water beads on deck when it rains and there is no peeling.
No, that is not normal and nothing has changed with the products. Try washing it down with soapy water to see if it removes the issue. Use warm water and some dawn soap. Wash gently with a car wash brush and then rinse.
Thank you. I will get back to you with results. Appreciate that fast response.
Need help with what product to use, and can I apply TWP over previous applied TWP without removing the stain that is there?
The wood is western red cedar rough siding on the gable ends of a log cabin.
The wood is vertically installed.
The wood is 24-25 years old, but is not gray or rotted, but the color has faded quite a bit.
The wood has been stained 2 times over the 24-25 year period.
It has probably been 10 years since it was last stained.
I used TWP brand product on it both times…likely just stain, but I don’t remember.
I do not know if it was stain only or a product that contained stain and uv protection.
I would like to know if I can apply TWP over the previous TWP product WITHOUT stripping it?
What product should I use on the rough cedar if I want to include a uv protectant?
Does TWP make a product that does both, or do I need to add a top coat sealer after staining?
It gets full sun all day long in central Texas.
Thank you for your help!
You have to prep and being the stain is fairly old, some or all might come off. Use our Gemini Restore Kit and pressure washing for prep.
TWP is a stain and sealer. You cannot top coat over it. All tinted colors offer UV protection.
I have a new cedar deck installed. Love the rich tone and look of the cedar when wet. What’s the best course of action to prep and use a product to protect my new cedar deck?
See this first:
https://twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
As for stain color, try Honeytone in the 1500 Series.
Is the wait time the same? The decking contractor said I could use a product as soon as a couple weeks with the cedar decking.
No, he is wrong. You must wait and prep.
what happens to the stain if it rains before the 12 hour drying period
If not fully cured and dried before rain, then you could get water spots in the stain.
Hello,
I have a mature redwood deck that I refinished with the TWP 100 series Cedartone about two years ago. My state now requires the TWP 1500 series, and I wanted to switch to the Honeytone for a less orange tint. The Cedartone is worn but still visible.
Do I use the Restore-a-deck cleaner/brightener or the RAD stripper prior to staining with the 1500 series? Would the difference in results be more about aesthetics (consistency of color) or function of the sealant?
Thank you!
In this scenario, use the RAD Stripper and Brightener kit. It is about appearance and functionality. Stripping is just as easy as cleaning, just a “deeper” clean.
Awesome! Thank you!
And holy cow I’m so impressed with the customer service you provide in terms of quick responses and answering questions with great info. I learn so much just by sifting through everyone’s questions and your answers.
Much thanks!
Diane
You are welcome!
I recently prepped my deck for staining the same way I have for several years.
I used a cleaner and then revitalizer. Normally, once that’s done, I wait 24 hours and then add stain.
However, this year, there seems to be a large amount of mold or mildew that did not get removed.
I am reluctant to add stain until the black is removed.
Any advice on how to proceed?
Not sure that it is mold, but it should come off. Strip and brighten all is best. No harder than cleaning, just removes down to the bare wood: https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit-detail
Just to confirm – I’ve been using TWP Cedartone each year and just applying over old coat after cleaning and brightening (not stripping) so it’s time to use stripper and it should remove old TWP no problem?
And do you recommend using a power washer?
Thanks!
Yes, this time strip and use a pressure washer. Brighten all when done.
Iam looking to put a clear stain on my IPEdeck, can you recommend a product that does not get the deck too dark.
Clear with no tint means you will have zero UV protection from graying. It must be tinted and that means it will highlight the nautural wood grain of the IPE.
I just built a boat dock and would like to seal it to preserve the wood and help with mold growth. What product do you recommend? I do not want to add color.
Just so you know, no color/tint means no UV protection from graying. It will gray naturally. Are you okay with this? If so, look at the TWP 1500 Series in Clear. https://www.twpstain.com/twp-1500-series
Love your FAQ’s and Comments on your website and want to make sure we get this right. We’re restoring our decks and had to replace some deck boards due to rot/splitting. Is it OK to strip/brighten/stain the original deck boards now and then come back to prep and stain the new deck boards in 4-12 months? Using semi-Solid Charcoal color.
It is best and easier to prep and stain all at the same time after the new boards weather.
Does the Stripper have a pot life for using after mixing? And if I want to mix less than 5 gallons, what is the amount of stripper per gallon of water?
You can mix 6-8 oz powder per gallon of water. It does not go bad once mixed with water.
I purchased a home with a new deck installed. It looks like it has been stained and perhaps been treated with Thompson Water sealer although I am not sure (almost empty can left beind). I have purchased and used 1500 cedertone on our newly installed redwood fence and love the look. I want to use the same on this deck. I also previously purchased the stripper/brightener for this deck but before I do that I wanted to send photos for your advice. Additionally, we will be adding rails to this deck so my questions are: My climate is hot and dry, how long do I wait to stain new railings? Will the stripper work for this deck? Do I need to sand the deck after using the brightner?
Thank you for your help. You guys are awesome!
Need the pics added. See this about new wood:
https://twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
been having trouble with attachments so I hope this comes through
That is a semi-transparent stain. You will need to strip it, and the stripper may need the Booster and Gel additives to get it off, as it looks heavily applied.
https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stain-stripper-additives
Thank you. I have ordered those products. Can you point me in the direction to find the instructions on how to apply the stripper and the booster? I have never done anything like this before.
Thank you again for your help!
They are mixed together and then applied with a pump sprayer. Pressure wash off after. Full instructions are on the containers.
I applied Step1 Restore-A-Deck cleaner to 10 month old untreated cedar deck. Waited more than 15 minutes maintaining wet surface. Pressure washer wouldn’t remove most graying, but partially removed what looks like sludge. Vigorous hand scrub brushing required to remove all graying and sludge. Hard work. Am I doing something wrong? Thanks for “holding my hand.”
The “sludge” would be the gray oxidized wood cells. Post pics of your prep so far and have you brightened yet?
No brightener yet. Work resumes tomorrow morning on remaining two thirds of deck that still needs Step 1 and brushing. 95 degrees today and the deck is in direct afternoon sun. I’ll post pics tomorrow.
Some of your “gray” might be internal, caused by the cleaner’s raising the pH balance. The Brightener will light this when applied.
I am installing a new composite deck but I want to change the color of my wood hand rail, that was stained 2 years ago, using TWP-99 Pro series tint base. I have cleaned the railing with Oxyclean and Dawn dish soap. Most of the original coat is still in tact. I noticed some protected areas beading of water as I rinsed it. Can I re-coat now with a different color semi-solid stain?
When switching colors, it is best to strip and brighten: https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit-detail
Should I use semi-solid again?
Sure. Works great!
I just had a cedar fence installed. The posts and rails are pressure treated. I would like to use your 100 series stain. Based on the cedar being rough and new it appears I can stain it right away however the pressure treated posts and rails it recommended that I wait. Can I go ahead and stain the cedar portions and come back next year to stain the pressure treated parts or would it be ok to do it all now? Do I need to clean this new wood prior to staining if it can all be done now?
Best to prep and stain all at once this Fall.
Thanks for the response. Living in Pacific Northwest I’ll have to wait until next July when things dry out again….😂
I have an unopened gallon of the max voc which is now illegal in NY. Can that be mixed in with the 1500 I just ordered? Same color.
Colors are not the same between series and we do not suggest mixing different series together.
have a 2 yr old treated pine deck, 4 ft off ground and screen porch part is tongue and groove. have done nothing to it but just sanded it the other day. looking to preserve it some. looking at semi-solid stain or restore product. want to keep splintering down for grand kids and am older so less maintenance. which would you suggest. stain or restore product. i live in central Mississippi. thanks
The TWP Semi-solid stain.
What is the cleanest/ easiest way to apply stain to wood spindles. I’m tempted to spray on but think the overspray and waste of material would be problematic.
Easiest is to spray and then back wipe but you will waste some stain and you need to take care to tarp or cover where you over spray.
I’ve managed to strip the old finish from the deck, and I have replaced a good deal of wood. wondering if the present deck is problematic and in need of replacement, or maybe turning the boards over for a smoother finish. With all the new wood, I’ll be waiting until September/October to apply stain, and from what I see the cleaner brightener will need to be reapplied before staining. based on pics attached, any suggestions would be appreciated.
Flipping does not work well as you will have permanent stains from the joists. You could probably get away with prep and stain in the Fall.
Need advise on re-staining a previously stained cabin with cedar lap siding. First coated with TWP 100 Dark Oak about 12 years ago (Mississippi). Bottom half is faded but top half is still showing stain. What is best way to clean and remove old stain so we get good even absorption? Is there a chemical kit I can use to avoid having to sand the whole building? Thanks Steve!
Yes, use this kit and the gel additive since it is vertical wood:
https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit
https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-thickening-gel-additive
We are building an ornamental fence in the back yard. Using all redwood, 4×6 posts and 2×8 cap boards. The wood is new, never been treated and would say less than six months old. The posts are installed and have turned a light brown color due to direct sun. When you squirt them with water, the color and grain variance returns, how do we capture that look without using a colored stain as we like the natural color? Thank you for your time?
You must have a tinted color to provide UV protection. For a stained color similar to as if wet with water, look at the TWP 1500 Series on Honeytone. Make sure to prep all wood first with our Gemini Restore Kit.
This is 3 yo cedar siding that was originally stained with water based. Was stripped and let dry thoroughly. Took quite a bit of TWP1500 on the first pass. Applied the second coat quite late (after about an hour and half) and failed to remove/ back brush the excess. Now 72 hours after I have a bunch of problem spots. See the picture. Please advice how to fix it. Main objective is to prevent it from failing prematurely. We are in the pacific northwest with substantial moisture exposure. Thanks.
To fix, you would have to remove all and start over. Or you can just leave it as is. It will not fail and will look more uniform after a few weeks.
Thanks. How long would you give it before it can take a maintenance coat and would it help restoring the uniform look then?
Adding more stain will not fix the over application “shiny” issues you have. It will make it worse.
Sorry, by how long I meant how many years/months?
4-6 years for vertical siding.
What is recommended for clear western red cedar , interior use on a screened in porch? Is there a clear stain that will not gray?
No, it is not possible for a clear sealer to prevent UV graying. It has to be a tinted color. Try the TWP 1500 Series in any color you like.
Hello, I prepped an area of pine fence (pressure wash, restore a deck cleaner and brightener), but I had to leave town for 3 weeks. How should I re-prep the area? Can I just used the RAD cleaner and brightener again?
Yes, that is correct. Lightly clean and brighten.
TWP 1500 vs semi solid. Is one more penetrating?
Our local lumberyard (zip 28717) not carrying TWP. Always bought product there before.
No, they both penetrate.
I have a PT deck that was stained with Defy semi-transparent stain a few times over the last 15 years. I cleaned, brightened and re-stained the vertical surfaces with a Behr solid color stain. I stripped the decking with restore-a-deck stripper and then applied a brightener and finally sanded with 80 grit paper. Some of the decking, including the stairs and , are new boards that have been “seasoned” for a couple months (see picture). I am now looking for a semi transparent stain that I can put on the decking that can be easily cleaned and reapplied every 1-2 years that will not require heavy chemicals or strippers that could damage the solid color stain of the vertical surfaces. Could I use the TWP 1500 Cedartone? Will it ever require heavy cleaning and stripping or can I get away with an annual easy cleaning? Would I apply 1 or 2 coats if I am only looking for yearly protection? We do not get a lot of sun on most of the deck since it is covered and is surrounded by a lot of tall trees.
The TWP stains can be cleaned and reapplied as needed. Every 2 years is normal for a deck. It does not need to be sanded or stripped. Just one coat when reapplying.
Hello to you!
Last summer I stained my deck with Rustic, TWP 1516. I am interested in refreshing the deck with a touch using that stain.
Before I stained the deck last year, I used Gemini Restore-A-Deck Kit which worked out very well for me.
Should I use the Gemini Restore-A-Deck Kit again?
How should I clean the deck before reapplying the stain?
Thanks,
Stephen
Yes use the Gemini Cleaner but at half strength. Goal is to remove dirt and then apply 1 coat of the same color.
I tried to order TWP 100 from this site and the order wouldn’t go through because it said TWP 100 couldn’t be sold in Michigan. Is this correct? I’ve bought it in Michigan for years up till now.
Yes, MI changed their VOC laws in 2023. You will now need to use the TWP 1500 Series.
My cedar fence was stained with TWP 1500 (1503 Dark Oak) many years ago. It needs restaining, particularly in some areas. Do I need to strip if re-applying TWP? Also is it possible to go with a darker color, like the walnut? The Dark Oak came out redder than my test when applied to the entire fence. Is it possible to go to a semi-solid without stripping?
Also, we now have a pergola over our deck from treated lumber, would TWP 1500 be appropriate to use — I understand it may not quite match due to the different types of lumber. Thanks for your help!!
If switching to semi-solid, then use the RAD Stripper and Brightener kit while pressure washing. If going from Dark Oak to Black Walnut, use the Gemini Restore Kit. Yes, you can use the 1500 for the pergola.
If we just stick with Dark Oak, do we need to do the Gemini Restore Kit? Or can we just re-apply?
You have to prep, you cannot just recoat without prep. Use the Gemini Restore Kit. FYI, stripping is no harder than cleaning. Same amount of work.
THANKS! Appreciate the time your company puts into managing these questions.
You are welcome!
I have an early Trex (2003) deck that was stained 2 years ago with TWP Semi-solid stain – the higher VOC version. Can I apply the new LOW VOC stain over the previous higher VOC stain? If not, can I re-apply the previous high VOC formulation? Any tips on restaining previously TWP-stained old Trex? THANK YOU!!!
Use the same version as prior. Prep with the Gemini Restore Kit and pressure washing.
I restained my cedar pergola/trellis with your 116 PRO SERIES Rustic after the initial stain application about 5 years ago. There was some cracking and splitting of the small trellis boards. My question is do you recommend putting any sort of poly over the dried stain or will the stain alone provide protection from the sun’s heat and UV? Since no one walks on a pergola I applied a heavy coat on all the upward facing surfaces in an attempt to provide additional protection from the elements.
No, you cannot top coat over a wood stain. It would peel if you did.
Can your clear stain be tinted a grey color, and what tint would you use? I don’t see any grey colors in your chart for transparent stains for CT. Used the clear in the past and I am looking for some UV protection.
No, our clears are not tint bases and cannot be tinted. We have semi-solid colors that are gray and can be shipped to CT.
Not even with an oil based tint? I have had very bad experiences with ” Semi Solids” in the past peeling, and I don’t want to deal with that again.
No, you cannot tint the clear. Our semi-solids are penetrating so they do not peel.
I have 2 coats of clear on my deck from summer 2021 will it still penetrate and bond?
When changing colors, you must remove the clear first, no matter what. Easy to do with this and pressure washing:
https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit-detail
New redwood deck built fall of 2023 and now prepping for first stain using Gemini Restore-A-Deck. After one wash in which i sprayed on, and hosed off both part 1 and 2, I see that there is plenty of gray. In the pics, I had planed a bit of the edge that was splitting that also serves as a good comparison of color.
To do it again, what kind of brush should be used to scrub on second wash? I do not have high pressure option.
Easiest is to apply and pressure wash off. If not an option, then apply the cleaner, use a heavy duty scrub brush, rinse, and then Brightener.
https://www.twpstain.com/deck-scrub-brush
I believe that I may have gotten a mislabeled batch of stain. I ordered the 1501 (1500 series Cedar Tone), which I had also used about 10-12 years ago, and this version is much much darker then the previous version – it actually looks more like 1503 Dark Oak, 1504 Black Walnut or maybe 1516 Rustic. I don’t necessarily dislike the darker look. However, I think I am going to need more, and if what I have is in fact mislabeled, then I don’t know what I should order for the additional stain. I could send pictures, if that would help. I really do need to resolve this since, as I said, I will likely need more. Thanks in advance for any help…
Steve, that rarely if ever happens. The pigment does settle to the bottom. Did you use a drill mixer attachment to stir prior to applying? If not, it would look darker. Feel free to reply to your ORDER EMAIL with some pictures of the color and on the can, there is a product batch code. We can check that to see if corrrect. Send a picture of that as well.
So, as I thought, I do need more stain, and I’m going to go ahead and order another 5 gallons. As I mentioned, what we have really looks great, it’s just not what I was expecting based upon what I had used about 10-12 years ago (1501 cedartone, then as now). This is quite a bit darker, and much more red than the previous iteration (which was somewhat more yellowish, but not in a bad way). If there wasn’t a mixup on my current batch (which as you mentioned, is very unlikely), then I’m guessing that either you’ve changed your formulation in the last 10-12 years for 1501, or for some reason my now 20+ year old cedar deck is just showing the stain much darker than it used to (I have power-washed it back to pretty much a light natural look before applying the stain). Again, as I said, it looks great. If there actually is an issue with my next batch somehow looking different, I’ll upload pictures, but I going to just assume that this next batch will be identical to the current batch and proceed. Thanks for your help!
P.S. I did make sure to very thoroughly mix before using.
I have a 3-story deck. On the top deck my inexperienced painter put down Armstrong-Clark semi-solid stain mistakenly thinking the can was mixed by the paint supplier. It was not. He discovered his mistake and put down a second coat. Problem is the first coat is preventing the second coat and pigment to penetrate and cure. Armstrong-Clark thought I will probably have to use TWP stripper to remove all the stain and start over!
If I do this, what happens with the solution with the removed stain? I don’t want it to damage the stain on the deck below? Does one just hose it off after scrubbing?
You will need this stripper to remove this and yes, it will damage all stained decking below that the stripper or residue gets on.
https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit-detail
You may need to strip a couple of times as he made it worse by adding more.
OK. I can put plastic sheet on the decks below.
This is semi-Solid A-C stain. I don’t really want to remove the color, just the oil so the wood will absorb a new top coat. Can I use the regular Restore-a-deck stripper or must I use the Solid stain and paint stripper?
If I pump spray stripper, can residue be sponged up after stain is dissolved to limit dripping to the deck below or must it be hosed off and flushed with a lot of water?
It is not possible to just remove the oil and not the color. You have to remove all down to the bare wood with this kit:
https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit-detail
It cannot be sponged up. Needs to be a full strip with pressure washing, etc. Hose only with water will not get it off. This is a difficult fix and no “easy” way to do it.
Oh well, thanks for the sobering advice. Jake Clark felt there is a chance the stain might cure in a week but I may have to wear paper booties the next few years.
Is the brightener needed if I plan to use semi-solid stain? The color of the wood below is not really visible.
Sorry, just stating the truth. You always have to brighten after stripping to neutralize.
I recently ordered 4 stain samples and tried them on some old scrap cedar – I sanded the scraps and applied the stains. 3 colors penetrates well and came out as I’d expect from past use of TWP products, but the 4th did not. The problem sample is “Charcoal”, from the Semi-Solid pro series. It is much lighter than the pictures appear online. I am wondering if my results are typical for this product, or perhaps I recieved a bad sample that didn’t have enough pigment. Your feedback is appreciated – I expected this to be much blacker than 1500 series black walnut, but it is instead much lighter.
(Sanded to remove surface imperfections and weathering, then applied 2 heavy coats, allowed 1 hour to penetrate)
Sanding is an issue as it reduces the penetration, resulting in an incorrect color representation. In general, the charcoal is a dark color. It should look similar to this but will be lighter if you sanded the wood.
I applied 4 twp stain samples to a scrap piece of decking and a piece of rough-sawn cedar – 2 1500 series colors, 1 200 series, and 1 Semi-solid series (the charcoal). I sanded the decking, I did not sand the rough-sawn samples. Please see attached pic. The other 3 samples penetrated just fine. The charcoal sample (left) seemed excessively light, watery. If that result is typical, I will avoid the Semi-solid product line.
It is the correct color on the edges of the smooth board and in the grain of the rough cut. Where it is smooth, it is not penetrating correctly to show a proper color.
We can send you another sample, but most likely, you will get the same results.
The homeowner did like that catalog color the best, so I would appreciate another sample. I’ll try it with and without sanding and will post my results here.
Ask for another sample with comments about why, from your email order confirmation.
The replacement semi-solid charcoal sample arrived in the mail 2 days ago. I applied it to 3 pieces of cedar – one unsanded piece of decking, one sanded piece of decking, and one sanded piece of roughsawn cedar. See attached pic for results. The first sample was either defective or did not have enough pigment, sanding was not the issue.
Great.
I currently have water based TWP stain on deck now, needs new staining and I want to switch to TWP oil base: please advise for wood cleaning and prep, do I need to pressure wash and/or sand?. In addition, the stain is being applied to cedar railing and my floor boards are an Azek brand composite material and I need all the wood cleaner prep products to be safe for the Azek floorboards as it will be very difficult to mask off the floor boards. Also, the pickets of the railing are metal and not wood, do I need to worry about keeping product off that too?Thank you, Mari Morgan
You will need to strip and brighten with this product:
https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit-detail
Proabbly should keep it away from the metal but it should be okay for the Azek. Test spot both to see if a reaction.
I have new pressure treated deck boards on my deck and wrap-around porch. The installer did not bother to lay the boards with mill/manufacturer stamps down. So there are many of these showing, and from the start he said he would sand off the stamps. After a minimum amount of research, I’ve found that such spot sanding is really not a good idea. I also don’t think using a drum sander on the entire surface is a good idea either. So my question is …. is the semi-solid stain likely to cover the stamps? I sure hope so.
No, it will not cover the stamps. In addition, you need to let the new wood weather.
https://twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
Sand stamps now, let weather until Fall. Prep and stain then.
I’m building a 3’ x 5’ x 3’ doghouse using dried, tongue and groove redwood fencing. If I use TWP 1500 Natural stain (EXTERIOR ONLY), how long should I allow it to cure before allowing the dogs to sleep in it?
The floor boards are 5/8” cedar planks that have been dried. If I stained the floor, when would it be safe to allow the dogs to sleep in it?
New wood tips:
https://twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
After wait, prep, and staininig, allow 3-7 days for full cure.
My deck has been weathering for 9 months but I recently covered some spots with with pressure treated sienna treatment on some raw spots. Should I wait again before staining since I put on new pressure treated treatment?
Yes, the new wood needs to weather. Do it in the Fall:
https://www.twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
Hi there,
I’ve got a treated pine deck, looks like it was built in the last couple of years. It was previously treated with Cabot siding stain, which was already peeling. I hired folks to strip it, they used a pressure washer and sander (80 grit I think). Even though I thought they were going to use a paint stripper. In some places, the wood looks damaged. They might plan to sand it further to smooth out the fibers. Either way, what do I do? Will the stain adhere properly? I was thinking 100 series Cape Cod Gray or or perhaps 1502 Redwood. Recommendations? I’m in NC.
They need to remove the rest of the old stain fully and then sand the damaged wood from the pressure washing with 60 grit paper. Sand all the wood to ensure an even application. Once done, you can use the TWP stains.
Thank you. Do I need to use the Gemini restore a deck kit? Or just one of those components? If I do need the Gemini restore a deck or either component, where do I find detailed directions? Thank you!
Use the Gemini Kit after the sanding. Easy to do, and directions are on the product page or the containers.
Also, what happens if wet on wet application is not done? Or done correctly? The folks I had working for me do not speak english well, do not have a lot of experience, and have not really followed directions very well. So I’m wondering what the risks are if they don’t do this correctly.
If you are doing two coats, they must be wet on wet, or you may have drying and curing issues. Typically, when you power sand, you only apply one coat of stain.
For the Gemini restore a deck, can we apply the brightener while the deck is still wet after rinsing part 1? Or does it need to dry in between the 2 applications?
Apply when wet is best.
What level of wood dryness should the wood be at prior to apply the TWP 100? I have a moisture reader.
15% or less but 2 days drying after rain or prep is fine.
Good Morning!
We have completed a Yellawood band pressure treated yellow pine fence. We were going to use 100 series, wait 4 months, clean and brighten, stain, then stain again around 12 months later.
We are looking at switching to the semi sold stain. A few questions as follows.
Are there any pros or cons regarding durability with semi solid versus 100 series?
Is application the same? Wait 4 months, clean/brighten, single coat stain. Stain again in 12 months.
Is coverage amount different or the same?
Is it possible to get a few different samples without having to pay multiple shipping fees?
Thank You!
Semi-solid will give better UV protection over the 100 Series. No cons. Application is the same. Coverage is about the same. Samples are on the website. They are $10 each. Not any less.
Our home was built in the 70’s and is sided with t&g vertical red cedar siding, rough side exposed. about ten boards were replace twenty years ago where water splash on the deck wicked up on the bottom, and about twenty boards on the other will be replaced this year. The rest is sound and mold and mildew free. We originally used Cuprinol oil based stains every few years until they were banned. All we could purchased here in upstate New York, off eastern Lk Ontario was acrylic stains and switched to a Cabot then Ace Wood Royal brand acrylic in Nutmeg Brown, solid stains. Several sites have said not to apply oil based semi transparent stain over acrylic. We have recently tried some samples of your TWP 1500 on a coupe boards, but am hesitant to order if applying it to the whole house will caused future bonding problems and poor long term results. Turning to the experts on this for guidance and advice. Thank you
TWP cannot be applied over any other brand of stain, especially solid stains. You would have to remove the prior coatings fully.
My stain has dried with some spots that are shiny. Perhaps the painter over applied it? What can be done to make the finish more even.
Tips: https://twpstainhelp.com/twp-stain-is-spotty-or-shiny/
Good Morning. We recently installed a post and rail fence using Stella wood pressure treated yellow pine which is MCA treated. We are looking at eventually prepping and staining with TWP 100 (is allowed in our state of Missouri). The TWP guide recommends waiting 4-12 months before applying a single coat. However, Yellawood states their products (since MCA treated) are able to be stained in 4-6 weeks and recommend a water test. Our question is what is the best path forward? We want to ensure that the stain adequately adheres but also do not want the boards to weather too much (warping, splitting, etc.). Thank You!
Follow the directions of the stain manufacturer, not the wood. You will need to wait the 4 months and then prep.
does 4 year old TWP 1500 stain need to be removed before applying new 1500 stain on a redwood gazebo. If not, will the new stain appear darker than a new section that is freshly stained
Which prep kit to use varies based on the condition it is in. Reply back with pics in the comments for help.
the left side is old. the right side is new. all redwood.
To get it all even as possible it would be best to strip and brighten all wood for prep.
Hi, I spilled some on my pavers, is there a good remover to get rid of it?
Try a graffiti remover or stripper from your local paint store.