Need Some Help With TWP Stains?

by TWP Help

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 2023!

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

TWP Stain Help Staff

 

Related TWP Stain Help Tips

 

9.2K Comments
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Sheri Bailey
19 hours ago

Should I use cleaner and brightener on a deck stained with TPW three years ago?
Or do I only need to use the cleaner?

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Sheri Bailey
19 hours ago

Have Used TWP Stain on our San Antonio Tx deck 2 times. The Sun and severe heat was very hard on it this past summer .. Using past instructions from TWP we have hand sanded with a High power hand sander. Bought the Restore-A-Deck kit… Can we just use the Cleaner ? or would it be beneficial to do the Brightener as well.

joseph
6 days ago

how long does it take for stain to cure.

 
E.J. Remson
6 days ago

I need a wood preservative for outdoor furniture and would like to maintain the natural wood look (minimum color change from the preservative). What product do you suggest I use?

E.J. Remson
6 days ago
Reply to  TWP Help

Does 1515 have the same UV and other protections as 1530 Natural?
Thanks!

Scott Paul
7 days ago

testing comments

Pat Bittinger
13 days ago

I need to talk with a technical advisor on a clear coat to go over semi-solid TWP.
Please call 770-617-6093

 
Joel Needham
19 days ago

Hi, I live in Southern California pretty close to the beaches, installing a pergola with western red cedar. I’m looking for the best stain available with UV protection. Also, I’m going with a Spanish mission look and need a very dark brown stain.

Craig
20 days ago

If only one side of a cedar fence was stained w/ twp100 this summer will there be any issues or things to be aware of in the meantime or when the other side eventually gets stained probably early next summer? And will a previously opened and resealed 5gal pail of twp100 survive 10-12 months in storage?

Craig
18 days ago
Reply to  TWP Help

Unfortunately I can only control when my side of the shared fence gets done, not the neighbor’s. So I’m basically asking these questions for him. You said there’s no way to prevent the bleed through and discoloration, so is there a way to limit it? And will a previously opened and resealed 5gal pail of twp100 survive 10-12 months in storage??

Craig
16 days ago
Reply to  TWP Help

Not prevent, limit. Is there any way to limit (minimize, reduce, lessen, decrease) bleed through? Like don’t slop it on or being careful around edges and knots etc.?

Jim Sexton
21 days ago

What stain would recommend for use on a mahogany deck to enhance the mahogany natural color but also protect the deck from the environment.

 
Tim
26 days ago

What color would you recommend to match this original teak stain color? I stripped a section using RAD and tried rustic but it was way too red.

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Eugene
1 month ago

I have used the Restore cleaner and Brightener kit on my deck. The pictures show the brightener after 24 hrs of drying. I have enough product left for a second application of brightener. Do the pictures indicate a need for a second application of brightener?

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Eugene
1 month ago
Reply to  TWP Help

Good news. Thanks for the quick response

Burt
1 month ago

I have 15 year old vertical teak siding on my building that I want to stain using TWP 1500. We are going to strip the previous duck back stain using RAD and then brighten. When I apply the 1500 using a pump sprayer do I need to back roll using stain pads? If so do I do it after the first coat or the second wet on wet coat? Or both?

Burt
1 month ago
Reply to  TWP Help

Thank you. How long would you wait between the first coat and the second? 30 min?

 
Dan Martin
1 month ago

Can I apply a clear exterior coating over TWP when it dries??

Kim
1 month ago

Hello!

We live in Minnesota and used the TWP 1500 stain on the posts of a gazebo. I was wondering if you would recommend a sealant on top of it to allow it to last longer and survive the harsh weather, and if so, which product would you recommend? Thank you very much!

Cat R
1 month ago

We are having our redwood deck refinished and are choosing a stain. We love the bright and natural color of the wood.

We live in CA Bay Area. Lots of sun exposure.

The samples in the photo just went on:

On left is 50-50 mix of 1530 natural + 205 california cedar (our guy said this will last longer between applications than 1500 series by itself)

On right is 1530 natural

It’s hard to tell how dark the stains will be. We don’t want the stain to be too dark and cover up the natural wood tones too much. He said these will dry much lighter and look great. Any suggestions?

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Mark
1 month ago

I have a treated wood privacy fence/screen on my Trex deck in place of a standard railing. The wood has been up for the summer and is now seasoned. I want to prep it for stain. If I use the Restore-A-Deck Wood Brightener on the treated wood privacy screen it is going to drip onto the Trex deck and will wash over it when I rense it off the treated privacy screen. Will the Restore-A-Deck Wood Brightener damage the finish of my Trex composite decking?

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Mark
1 month ago
Reply to  TWP Help

Meaning the cleaner and brightener should not harm the deck?

Roy
1 month ago

I over-applied in some areas. Now, when I walk on those surfaces, the stain will lift off and stick to my shoes. What’s the best way to clean those areas?

Jennifer
1 month ago

Stain dripped down back of neighbors cement retaining wall. How can I fix

 
Duane Dykema
1 month ago

In the summer of 2021 I installed a new redwood deck on the north side of my house. The following summer (2022) I stained the deck with TWP stain. After a wet winter, this spring I noticed black streaks and blotches on some of the redwood boards (see attached photo) which persisted through the summer and into fall. Is this mold or mildew? If so, how should I remove it? My guess would be to use RAD Guard, but I wanted to be sure. Thanks for your help.

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Justin Morris
1 month ago

The companies “Cali Bamboo” and “Forever Bamboo” sell a TWP product that is listed as the TWP 300 series which costs about twice as much as the TWP 1500. As you don’t seem to have a TWP 300 on your website I’m wondering what, if anything, makes the TWP 300 a better choice for a bamboo fence.

Denise LeGrand
1 month ago

We have used twp cedar on our cedar sided cabin. But that was at least 8 years ago. I just bought 5 gallons of twp 100 clear. Do you have an additive to change the color to cedar for some sun protection or will clear work ok?

Last edited 1 month ago by Denise LeGrand
Denise LeGrand
1 month ago
Reply to  TWP Help

Can you mix a can of cedar tint with the clear Twp 100 ?

Our cedar has a cedar tint now on it so it has turned dark brown.
Will that color fade with only a clear coat?

 
Brian
1 month ago

What is the best way to maintain your deck in the spring after winter. Do you use a cleaner and power wash it? And what’s the best cleaner to use.

Anne Erikson
1 month ago

Hi, I bought a shed last year in March. I had the builder use TWP total wood preservative to stain the doors. (Rough plywood) in Dark Oak. I’m thinking the doors need another coat or 2. I can see bare wood showing through in places. How do I apply another coat? Thanks.

Last edited 1 month ago by Anne Erikson
Anne Erikson
1 month ago
Reply to  TWP Help

Do you mean the Gemini deck restore product?

David
1 month ago

Hello TWP. I’m adding steps to my existing deck (which has been stained with your 1500 series Dark Walnut). The stair stringers will be custom cut from a fresh pressure treated 2×12 lumber. Such lumber is quite “wet” as stocked by Lowes in our area in Maryland. I’m told that the fresh cut (open face) of the stair stringers should be treated before installing the treads. Obviously I won’t be able to allow the stringers to season (dry) before installing the treads. Should I just go ahead and apply the 1500 series stain to the fresh cut stringers anyway? I figure this is better than not treating them at all. Do you recommend any prep before I do this? Any comments or advice? Thanks

 
Erik
1 month ago

I need to resurface a 20 year old clear cedar siding house withTWP stain in CA. It was last coated 3 years ago and areas are absorbing water. The house has had 1 coat of Cabot and lately 2 coats of TWP in its life. Do you recommend TWP 1500 or 200? I am getting conflicting advice.

Barbara
1 month ago

We just stained our new Pine wood deck with Natural 1530 and it has come out too orange. Can we put another coat of a browner stain like Pecan or Rustic to make it more brown without making it too dark?

Barbara
1 month ago
Reply to  TWP Help

Thank you for the response. Are we able to apply a darker color when we have to re-stain the deck in the future?

Ben
1 month ago

Hello I have 1501 Cedartone and was only able to apply 1 coat to a little more then half of the deck boards before having to stop due to an unrelated emergency. My plan was to apply 2 coats as these are 10 year old pressure treated pine. Can I simply sand the boards that having the single coat using 220 and apply a second coat on top?

Ben
1 month ago
Reply to  TWP Help

Thanks. Is it necessary to wait 1 year? Can I just clean/brighten and reapply today? Or do I need to start over completely by stripping + clean/brighten again?

 
Lyle Hatten
1 month ago

I used TWP 1520 stain last year (2022) on a woodbench. I would like to give it another coat. How would I prepare the wood?

Lola Vollen
1 month ago

On your advice, I am purchasing and stripper and all additives to tackle the stain that I have yet to succeed in removing. HOwever, it is OCtober in Wisconsin and I doubt that the time will permit me to restain with the 1500 before the temp falls below 40 at night. Is leaving the cedar siding clean but un stained until spring bad for the cedar siding?

Brandon
1 month ago

I have a customer who has this cedar deck that was originally stained with TWP. I am cleaning and restaining the deck for them, but they do not have the old stain bucket for reference. Does it have to be the same series for it to match? Also, can you advise on what color this may be and what series should be used to for restaining?

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Leah
1 month ago

I’m planning on staining my new (~6 months old) treated pine deck with a TWP 1500 series stain, hoping to get it done before winter sets in, but may or may not get a good weather window. How many dry, warm days do I really need to make sure the stain doesn’t get ruined while drying? How soon after coating can it be rained on?

Anthony O. Strickland
1 month ago

How can I change my recent order? I have ordered many times in the past and usually it is a little cheaper to buy the five gallon bucket versus five one gallon buckets but this time it works out to be the same price. I ordered a five (5) gallon bucket of the twp series 100 cedar-tone and would rather order five separate one (1) gallon buckets of the twp series 100 cedar-tone for storage purposes. Please advise how to make this change ASAP.

Anthony O. Strickland

Last edited 1 month ago by Anthony O. Strickland
Lola Vollen
1 month ago

Following up – is it safe to leave stripper on until spring? I doubt it, but thought I would ask.

 
Lola Vollen
1 month ago

In preparation for TWP 1500, this cedar siding has been stripped three times. While a lot of the old stain has been removed, as you can see, some remains. I can get the names of the products used by the company (probably sherwin Williams) but they claim it is their strongest stuff. What do I need to do to get it in shape to apply your product?

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Ken Aughenbaugh
1 month ago

Whick TWP stain would you recommend for refinishing a teak table and chair outdoor dining set? Previously used a product designed for marine use, but still get mildew over winter & spring and thinking of trying something new & hopefully better.

Brian S
2 months ago

I live in Illinois and had a new cedar deck installed a few weeks ago. The decking company recommended using your product and said they can stain the deck now without waiting. But from what I’ve read the deck needs at least 4 months before using your product. I’m nervous going through a Chicago winter without the protection staining provides but also don’t want it to be ineffective if applied too early. I’d appreciate your advice.

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Brian S
2 months ago
Reply to  TWP Help

Spring it is. Thanks so much for the quick reply.

 
Lisa Cleeve
2 months ago

What is the difference between TWP Wood Preservative and TWP Wood Protectant? We used the wood preservative 103 Dark Oak a few years ago. We need to restain and I can only find the wood protectant locally in zip code 63069.

Sandra reece
2 months ago

I have prepared the screened in porch and deck with the products you recommend and am ready to stain. I am wondering about the white sealant the contractor used in joints. What will happen when I apply the 1500 stain?

Marilynn Nelson
2 months ago

Hello, I have a newly installed redwood fence and I would like to have it treated with TWP 200 series semi transparent stain in the color Russet. I live in Los Altos, California. Can you tell me where I can find this product near me?

 
Eric M
2 months ago

Hi, is your stain available anywhere retail? We live in zip 92024. Also is there a guideline for how much a 1 gallon will cover? We have a third party that does our deck so am just buying for a sit wall and a couple of chairs and touch up. Thank you!

SusieK
2 months ago

I had someone strip and restain my deck. They pressure washed and used TWP Total Wood Protectant, but did not do any other prep. They used dark oak and it is the wrong color, wanted black walnut. How do I fix this and how long do I need to wait?

Dave Moline
2 months ago

We have a cedar deck and use TWP. love it. But cedar railing has Sikkens on it. Can I stain over the Sikkens?

 
Alexis
2 months ago

I have a new deck that I need to stain for the first time. Our previous deck had a lot of damage due to carpenter bees and I want to do everything to protect this new deck from my pollinating friends.
Is it safe to use an additive like NBS-30 in TWP 1500 stain?

Randy
2 months ago

I have an older redwood deck that we have maintained fairly well over the years but with a different product that required annual treatment. We let it weather for the pasts 2+ years and have now power washed, treated with the TWP prep product, sanded and now have applied 2 coats of TWP 116 wet on wet per instructions. It has cured for almost 2 weeks and looks great. But I am considering applying a third coat (wet on dry) to darken the deck a bit more and to add to the protection going into winter. I tested a third application on a very small portion of the deck and soaked in with no puddling or shiny spots. Would it be OK to apply a third coat of TWP 116 at this point (wet on dry)? Is there any benefit (other than adding to the color richness)? Or would this 3rd coat harm the effectiveness of the first 2 coats in any way?

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Randy
2 months ago
Reply to  TWP Help

OK. Thank you for a quick and definitive response! Awesome customer service. I’ll leave it as is, which looks really good actually, and will re-evaluate in the spring.

Adam
2 months ago

I use series 100 rustic on my deck. Was thinking of semi solid on siding. Was wondering what color best matches the rustic?

 
Todd
2 months ago

Just bought a 5-gallon pail of 1502. Found an unopened 1-gallon of 1502 that is 5+ years old.

Could I mix the old and new if I find that the 5-gallon comes up a bit short for what I need to stain?
That is to say, can I mix them without causing a problem with color consistency and overall protection?

Spencer
2 months ago

The restore cleaner and brightener advises that the product should not dry on metal or glass. The balusters on the deck I am staining are black aluminum. The posts and rails are cedar. Do I need to cover the balusters or can any solutions that gets on the balusters simply be rinsed off when rinsing the deck after the brightener?

Jack
2 months ago

I have been using Superdeck every 3 years on my deck for years. As you probably know Superdeck was acquired by Sheman Williams and the formula changed into something inferior. Can I use TWP on top of Superdeck that is 3 years old?

 
Joe
2 months ago

My redwood deck/porch in California is about 18 months old and has never been stained/sealed. I’d like to do that. It definitely needs to be cleaned prior.. I dont know that it’d need to be brightened (?) before staining, not sure what warrants that. Sap and such was bleeding out of some parts. Note the almost “black” looking handrails as those probably get the most sun. Lots of afternoon sun on this porch. Also not sure about 100 series vs 1500 series. Any advice? Thanks!

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Joe
2 months ago
Reply to  TWP Help

Thank you. and I assume probably no need to sand being so new with no prior stain?
Also, can you confirm that using a pump sprayer is preferred method to do the cleaner and stain? From what I gather, spray cleaner then use power washer. Havent read brigthener instructions yet but will follow. Then stain with sprayer followed by a brush? and apply another coat shortly after?
Hope I have that right 🙂

Don Fairbanks
2 months ago

Sirs,
I would like to mix a couple or several of your 1500 series stains. Trying to achieve a more rustic lighter walnut/oak tone. Would a mix of pecan and black walnut work. Or cedar tone with dark and rustic oak. The deck is 8 months old and I’d treated 2×6 pine. Pictures would be great. Thanks

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