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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
Using TWP 1500 on old wood deck. Applied first coat BUT let it dry too long and second coat didn’t absorb , left with shiny , slightly tacky surface ………
How can I fix this ?
Applied wet on wet to rest of deck and it looks great …..
You cannot just spot fix this to match the rest that turned out properly You can try to wipe off some of the excess stain with rags and mineral spirits but it still will not look the same. You can strip it all off and start over, but you cannot spot strip and it is can be difficult to remove a newly over applied stain that is shiny. There is not an easy fix for your scenario. Try the rags and minerals spirits first and see if that helps. Make sure that you soak all oily rags in water when done and lay flat to dry outside.
So the affected area is a separate level of the deck so no blending , would using the gemini cleaner /restorer work – strip enough of the top layer of stain off ?
That would not do much as it is a cleaner, not a stripper. It is not possible to just remove the excess stain without removing all. You could use the Restore A Deck Stain Stripper if you want to remove all. You may need to strip it more than once though to get it all off. Brighten after.
I just bought a log cabin/house, and the logs were stained with TWP 101 Cedar about 4 years ago. The stain still looks pretty decent in most places, since I have a covered patio all around the house. Think I need to strip and restart? Or can I just do a Maintenance stain? The walls are about 1800 sq ft in total. Do I do 2 full coats? Thanks for any help!
Prep with the Gemini Restore Kit and pressure washing. You do not need to strip. Apply two light coats of the TWP applied Wet on Wet.
Awesome. Thank you!
Welcome!
Contractor stained my deck with TWP-200 California Cedar (I don’t see the color listed so not sure if that is correct). I have cleaned/power washed and want to restain. I am in North Carolina, so 100 or 1500 will work. Which stain color will match the twp-200 and is it ok to use over the twp-200? It was applied 5 years ago and has been thoroughly cleaned and powerwashed.
You can get the 200 Series on this link. Best to stay with it: http://www.twpstain.com/twp-200-series-5-gallon
Have a two year old deck that was treated with TWP 200 when built. It’s time to treat again. Do I just pressure wash it and put more TWP 200 on it? Its pine
Prep with the Gemini Restore Kit and reapply the TWP.
My deck is exactly one year old, make of pressure treated pine, and has never been treated. It is mostly shaded. Should I use TWP 100 or 1500? I want to stain the floor brown and paint or stain the railings white.
Use the TWP 1503 Dark Oak for the flooring.
Need to stain an existing deck and boat pier…what is the difference between the TWP100 and the TWP1500?
VOC compliancy for certain states. Where do you live?
Probably a silly question but, how long do I need to wait between steps 1 and 2 of the Restore a kit? Does the deck need to dry well before applying step 2?
Apply the Step 2 as soon as you are done with the Step 1, while wood is still wet.
Contractor just sent these pics from the job today. We are using TWP Rustic to stain our house and treated pine deck, but it is coming out purplish and blotchy. Advice on what is going wrong? Both are several years old. The house has been stained previously the deck has not.
Did he mix it? Looks like he did not and all the pigment was settled to the bottom.
Last spring 2015 I had used your TWP 1501 Cedartone Stain on my Cedar Deck. Prior to installation I went thru the Multi Step process of the Restore – A – KIt along with Sanding every square inch of my Deck to remove ALL the old stain. Once I applied the TWP 1501 it turned out amazing!! So my question is that this spring 2016 the Stain on the FLAT DECK sections seems to have faded back by about 50% and the beautiful Cedartone color is not apparent as last year. I am located in Illinois and my deck gets 50% direct sun exposure thru a day. So my question is what steps can I take to simply re-apply a coat of the same TWP Cedartone to the Flat Deck surface to bring back the vibrant color?
Look forward to your direction!!!
Yes just do the floors this year and leave the verticals alone. You want to lightly clean to remove any dirt, but not the stain. Try a soft bristle car wash brush and lightly wash the flooring with soapy water. You can use dish soap. Try to just remove the dirt, etc. Apply one coat only of the same TWP color you used.
I have the same question, however the TWP stain was applied 2 years ago. The rails are still beautiful, however the flat portions which get the sun and rain are quite faded. Can I lightly clean and apply one coat of the TWP stain color I used before, or do I need to do more than that?
If it is two years, then we normally suggest a prep with the Gemini Restore Kit.
Prep with the Gemini Restore Kit and use the TWP 1500 Series for Ohio. You always have to clean and prep when reapplying down the road.
OK – going with the suggested Kit and stain. Another question: We also have two “cabins” on the property. One starts life as a manufactured home with wood siding. The siding is in good shape, has been stained, and does have some greying mostly on the southerly-facing side/s. Would the same restore and stain work on it?
Yes that is correct.
I used TWP Cedar Tone 101 on new cedar shake I bought to redo the outside of my house. The stain is shinny on some shingles and not others. The shingles were professionally coated and came on 8 ft boards (shakertown). I even did a few boards myself and got the same results. Temps where 70 degrees when I coated them and no rain. The others were done inside in perfect conditions. What causes this? How do you fix? Some flashing took place after I hung the boards months later after being exposed to the sun for just a few days.
Hello, did you let the new wood weather and did you prep first?:
http://www.twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
We stained our cedar deck last year with TWP 1501 and we loved the results. Yesterday we power washed the deck and applied a very thin coat of the same stain. Color looks great but the deck is very shiny and tacky. Weather has been sunny and in the 70’s with a nice breeze. What did we do wrong and how do we fix the issue? Thank you-
Over applied the TWP to the point where it could not soak in anymore. Try to wipe the deck down with rags and mineral spirits to remove the excess and speed up the drying process. Make sure that you saturate all oil rags with water as soon as possible! Lay them flat to dry in the sun. you do not want to have accidental spontaneous combustion.
Our neighbor was told to add something called Emulsa Bond to her deck stain (not TWP) so that it would adhere to the wood better. Would you recommend that we add to our TWP stain?
You cannot do that with TWP.
If it still looks good and has not started to fail by wearing, then clean with the soapy water and apply the one coat.
Is dawn dish liquid OK to use for the soapy water?
Yes that will work.
I stained my cedar deck 2 yrs ago with twp dark walnut. I,m reapplying another coat this spring, same stain. Can I just apply with a pad/roller or do I have prep work to do?
You need to prep with the Gemini Restore Kit since it has been two years.
Hello, I used cedartone 1500 on a new cedar deck 36 hours ago. An unexpected 5 min. shower hit soon afterward and the rainwater beaded and stayed on the wood for a good 12 hours before drying off. I now have a blotchy stain that is still a little tacky. I tested an area with a mineral spirits wet rag and it will smooth the stain out. Can I scale this procedure up with a 24″ lambswool applicator and a misting of mineral spirits and wipe the deck down to even out the blotches? Any other suggestions would be welcome, Thanks
Applying minerals spirits and wiping off will not even out the deck stain completely. It will still be blotchy. You can try, but make sure to saturate all oily rags in water when done! Make sure to lay rags flat to dry. More than likely you will need to start over by removing and reapplying the TWP. Good luck!
We just bought this house, the exterior trim is in need of treatment, not sure what was originally used, presuming it is 7 years old. We live in Western Colorado, so plenty of sun, freezing temperatures, rain, snow, etc. the trim is rough sawn 2×8’s primarily. What would you recommend for prep and stain ?
Thank you.
Prep by removing the current stain. Try the Restore A Deck Stain Stripper and a pressure washer to remove. After removal, neutralize with the Restore A Deck Wood brightener. Stain with TWP 1500 Series.
I have been using twp 100 honeytone ( used it twice on deck), my state no longer allows it. What will I have to do to use twp 1500 to maintain color?
Prep with the Gemini Restore Kit first. You can use the 1515 Honeytone after.
If the temperature at night will be around 34 degrees. Is it ok to stain the deck that day if it will be around 60 degrees? We live in GA.
Samantha, it cannot freeze overnight while the stain is still wet and not dry. You are close to freezing at 34 degrees. I would not suggest it.
Either would be fine and no difference with salt, sand etc. The 100 Series does penetrate a little better and may make a difference based on your other question.
I live in GA. My husband and put one coat of stain on our front deck last weekend. We want to go back and put another coat on the deck and the stairs. Is that ok? We really need to do it because we see drip stains.
Hard to say if it will penetrate and dry properly. TWP is supposed to be applied wet on wet, not wet on dry. You may run the risk of it drying tacky or shiny if you apply too much. This can lead to premature product failure if it is over applied.
last spring i stripped and cleaned my deck (it has previously been stained with water-based stain) and stained it with TWP 100 Cedar color. the stain looked great but after the winter, it is now faded in some places so i’m wondering if it would be beneficial to do a second coat this spring. if so, would it be best to stay with the TWP 100 or change to the TWP 1500?
Stay with the 100 Series. Lightly wash to remove any dirt and apply just one coat to the horizontal surfaces. Any verticals will be fine for now.
Does TWP 1500 have a shelf life, or can it be used more than one year after opening the can, using some of it and then re-sealing it?
See this please: http://www.twpstainhelp.com/shelf-life-of-twp/
I live in Georgia and we bought the natural wood color stain, TWP 1500. It is raining Thursday and Friday of this week and we wanted to start staining this weekend. How long do we have to wait after it rains to start staining the deck?
48 hours after a heavy rain.
I’ll be sanding layers of paint off an exterior garage wall, yellow pine, built in 1940. After I get all the paint off with 36 grit sandpaper and use a tack cloth, do I still condition and brighten before applying 100? Thanx, Jean.
It would help to use the Gemini Kit to remove and sand dust prior to staining.
I have an Englemann Spruce log home with cedar boards over the porches. Can I use one TWP stain for both woods, and which one would you recommend?
Yes you can use one TWP Series. Use the 1500.
I live in Lansing MI and have a 10 year old pine, pressure treated, deck that I stained a few years ago with TWP 1500 Honey Tone. I was wanting to freshen up the stain. How best to I prepare the deck and do I need just one light coat or two.
Since it has been two years it is best to prep with the Gemini Restore Kit and apply 2 very light coats of the TWP to the floors. Apply with wet on wet technique. Just one coat on the verticals.
I have a cedar fence about 10 years old. It was originally coated with In-Wood Exterior Wood Stain (Inwood stn cedar, 17-2299). I plan to pressure wash and then restain. I live in the northwest (lots of rain). Please suggest best product to use. Is there a low VOC option? The fence is around 100 feet long, 6 feet high. How many gallons do I need? Will one coat be enough?
Low VOC would be the TWP 1500 Series. Best to apply two costs wet on wet. Coverage is about 100-125 sq. feet for both coats. You have about 1200 sq. feet for both sides so you will need 10-12 gallons for the two coats.
I need to prep and re-stain a deck that already has TWP on it. Wood is yellow pine, probably ACQ, about 6 years old, but I don’t have the tags to know for sure. Problem is, there are some severe black spots of rot on this deck that I have never seen on such a young deck that has been covered with TWP! I thought this stain should prevent this type of mold. It’s worse on the ground level deck, but it even appears on the 2nd floor level deck.
The 2 pictures I attached show a bad board on the 2nd floor, followed by a section of bad boards on the ground level. This is TWP redwood and has been stained every 2 to 3 years. Some of the worst boards must be replaced due to thorough rot, but some of the black ones may be salvaged if the mildew is just on the surface.
Is this reason for a TWP warranty claim? I feel like it is. I am looking at about 40 spots that need something. I have seen unstained decks in better condition.
I am looking at about 3,000 square feet and would like advice on the stuff I need to buy for prep. We will go back with TWP redwood, 100 series, which is available locally. I want to buy the prep materials online here.
I live in Phoenix AZ and experience very harsh UV sunlight. I am restoring a 7+ year old exterior, construction grade, redwood deck. I have used “Cabot” and “Defy” clear wood stains in the past. The deck is partially covered so that half has a glossy finish and the exposed area has a heavily weathered dull finish. I recently applied your Gemini Restore-a-Deck and TWP 100, 102 Redwood stain. The surface remains half glossy/half dull.
I would like to have a consistent glossy finish on the entire deck. I am going to apply a second coat of sealant and would like to know if any of your products (or perhaps another manufacturer ‘s product) will provide the consistent, even, glossy surface that I am looking for?
Thanks,
Bob
Sorry but TWP does not achieve a “gloss” finish. It is a penetrating stain that will dry without a sheen.
Barn timbers
I have some 10×10 old barn beams I am going to use on my front porch for post. I want to keep natural but of course protect well. Is the 1500 series honey my best bet to use or is there something better for this application.
Thanks
Dave
David, the lightest tint that offers UV protection is the Honeytone. That would work well for the vertical posts.
We applied the Cape Cod Gray 100 stain in November on our 6 month old deck after using the restore kit. Turned ot well, but we don’t like the color. We want to change to something more neutral. I understand we will need to use the Stripper, Brightener and then completely restain the deck. But, will the stripper work on the Cape Cod Gray which is a semi-solid?
Assuming it will work, we used 10 gallons on our decks of the cape cod gray for the initial application. How much of each product do you think we’ll need to re-do the stain? And, how time-consuming/difficult will the stripping process be on a newer wood, pretty newly stained
deck?
If the stripper won’t work on cape code grey, what do you recommend?
Thanks,
Jessica
The Restore a Deck Stripper and pressure washing should remove the majority of the stain. I would do 2 applications of the Stripper and pressure washing. Sand any stubborn areas after it dries, and brighten all when done.
3-4 of the RAD strippers and 1-2 of the brighteners should work. I would do this in the Spring or after at least 6 months of weathering for the Cape Cod.
What is the difference between the Safe Stripper and the RAD Stripper? Do you have an estimate of how long it takes to apply 1 application of Stripper to a deck/walkways that required 10gallons of Cape Cod Stain? Trying to plan how much time we need to dedicate tot his task… and how about time to apply the 1 application of brightener? Thanks!
The Safe Strip will not take it off as easily. Applying the stripper and brightener with a pump sprayer is easy. Pressure washing the deck after applying the stripper will take the most time. Not sure how fast you work and it greatly depends on your pressure washer GPM and PSI. A contractor could do it all in half a day. Homeowner could take a day or two?
Also, can I apply the brightener with the pressure washer or should we use a pump sprayer? Is scrubbing necessary?
Will the cape cod gray stain dissolve and disappear or will we be left with a big mess of peeled up paint that we need to clean up?
Thanks!
Jessica
Best to use a pump sprayer to apply. Do not need to scrub the brightener. Apply and lightly rinse after 15 minutes. No the Cape Code does not disappear after applying the stripper. The stripper softens the coating and you have to pressure wash it off. Rinse when done into grass or area around the deck. It does not come off in sheets but very small parts that is not visible after a good rinse. Make sure any plants are covered if near deck.
We have a new untreated redwood deck and bench. How long should the wood be left untreated and what other prep work is recommended prior to applying TWP 1500? We are in Southern California and the deck gets direct sunlight most of the day.
See this article please: http://www.twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
I have a ipe deck that is 10 months old. Ipe oil was used applied 6 months ago. What prep work is needed before I apply TWP 100? Do I have to strip the deck first?
Yes you will have to strip the deck first for the prep.
What color is best for Ipe wood to bring out the natural beauty?
Many use the Rustic color.
I have a 3 year old Ipe deck that get a lot of direct sunlight. Which TWP would be best?
Where do you live?
I am installing TG cedar siding and would like to stain before installation of the siding. Am considering TWM 100 or 1500. Prestainer would like to apply two coats without any pretreatment of the wood. Is this acceptable? Should we use two coats. THanks
You should not pre stain nor should you apply two coats on new wood. Need wood needs to season and prepped before staining. See here for more info: http://www.twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
What product and color do you suggest for new cumaru decking (1×6) being installed near the gulf on the panhandle of Florida? House is a very light gray color with white trim. What steps are needed before applying product to the new wood? How often should product be reapplied? Thanks very much!
See here about new wood: http://www.twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
Use the 100 Series. Any color that you want to enhance with will work. Your wood type needs reapplication annually since it is an exotic hardwood.
My deck in Texas is 1400 sq ft of two year old treated pine. The 1500 series has about twice the solids per volume or weight than the 100 series. Does that imply that one gallon of the 1500 series will cover more area than one gallon of the 100 series? I intend to use the rustic stain. What quantity of each series would I need for my deck? Also any suggestions on which series to use and why?
No coverage is the same. We would suggest the 100 Series. You will need about 12-14 gallons for two coats of the TWP.
Thanks for your prompt reply.
Why do you suggest the 100 series rather than the 1500 series.
It is allowed in your area, dries a little faster, and penetrates a little better.
My front doors were stained with TWP-100 in March but they did not put a second coat. Cant I put the second coat on now or is it too late?
Best to wait until next Spring. Lightly prep first.
what is the difference between the 100 and 1500 products, and would a gallon be enough for a 16 x 1 pergula
Hello, what state do you live in? Please give us a sq. footage of the amount of wood being stained.
I’ve been using stain from a one gallon container all summer and now have about 16 ounces left in the can. Has the remaining stain become concentrated and can it still be used as is?
Depends if you stirred properly at first and continued to stir every time you used it os it was every mixed at all times.
Yes I’ve made sure there were no solids on the bottom of the can By mixing thoroughly and stirred occasionally while in use ( solids tend to stays in suspension after initial mixing ) but I was concerned that some of the solvent may have evaporated and the pigments would be more concentrated.
It should be fine as long as it still looks like the same consistency as when you first started.
Forgot to include a photo that shows the new fence with water staining (right of house) as well as our neighbors fence (left of house).
In June 2015, we moved into a new house we had built. We have a picture-frame 5′ tall fence that covers 473′ (doubled the actual length since we have to stain both sides). We have a corner lot, but share a side fence with our neighbor and they already stained the side of the fence that is in our yard a dark brown color. We are hoping to use TWP 1500 series stain, but need color recommendations as well as advice on if the cedar fence should be cleaned first. It currently has water marks from where our sprinkler system sprays on it. I attached a photo of our neighbors fence which we share.
Please let me know:
1) What color you recommend based on our neighbors fence that we share
2) How to prep the fence based on it being 4 month old cedar with water stains
3) How much stain we will need (plan on using a Wagner power sprayer)
4) Anything else we might need to know for this project 🙂
Thanks so much!
Adam
1. Most likely Dark Oak.
2. Use the Gemini Restore Kit and a pressure washer for the prep. Water stains if deep into grain may not come out completely.
3. Need a total sq. footage please.
2,365 ft2 is what i came up with. Which TWP series would you recommend for a fence that will get sprayed by a sprinkler system?
Either the 1500 or 100 Series will work. For two coats applied “wet on wet” you will need roughly 20 gallons.
I have a recently power washed cedar fence and my contractor can now stain it. Not sure of the weather here in Ohio. They are projecting highs of 53-69; lows of 33-45 with rain in mid week. Does a brightener have to be used? What do I watch for if condition aren’t meant due to the weather? In your answers I have seen the term “lightly washed”. Please describe this for me. I am really nervous about this project but the contractor is not worried however most of his work is for the power washing which did a good job on. Please advise.
As long as he prepped well then you do not have to use the brightener. Make sure the daytime temps are 50-60 degrees and that is does not drop below 40 at night for the first night after staining. Lightly washed means to not damage the wood with too high of pressure. You would see this damage if the contractor had done this after his prep.
Thank you so much for the fast reply. After your reply regarding “lightly washed” I now know what is wrong with the last 15 eight foot sections.. Is this what the damage would look like on the too high pressured power wash: Cracks in the fencing, a furry look to the surface, parts of the top knoched sections of the upright posts missing on 2 posts and a lot of gunk on the items a few feet from the fence? None of this was there before the power wash. I don’t know how to upload pictures or send them to you. I am an electronically challenged trusting 74 year old.woman. Don’t worry I will not be using the info from you to complain to the contractor; I simply won’t allow him to stain the fence for which we have no contract yet.
Thanks again,
Dianna
Without seeing any pics it is hard to say if they damaged or not. Cracks and furry can happen just from regular cleaning and is not related to pressure.
Yes you will have color disparity no matter what. After a few years it will blend much better.
We’re in Southern Montana; would TWP 100 or 1500 work better? And are the timelines I mentioned appropriate…earlier application next spring okay on older deck but wait 8-12 months on new decking?
Sorry, use the 100 Series. I would do all next Spring.
What’s the 200 series? Just more “solid tone” to them? The 1500 series is solid tone as well, correct?
No none of our stains are solid stains. All are semi-semi-transparents.
I have used TWP stain on my deck for years. Very easy to use and good results. My question: will deck stripper remove algae off the deck or do I need another product in addition to the stripper? Thanks.
The Restore A Deck stripper will remove the algae and old coatings of the TWP.
I just applied a second coat of TWP1500 to my deck. The first was one was a year ago. I used the restore kit as instructed and then about 36 hours later applied the coat. I got an unexpected set of showers another 36 hours later. It has now been 3 days and I still have some areas that have not dried and are still tacky. Should I wait it out? Some one told me to apply another coat on top to even it out.
No do not add more stain. Let is dry.
I had a similar issue….cedar deck in Michigan’s UP. After letting age 1 year I used Restore a Deck and applied TWP 1500 after waiting per instructions. Covered deck about 40 hours after applying TWP to shield from heavy rains. Did not apply a second coat of the stain.
I would like to clean and brighten the deck again before applying a second coat of the TWP 1500 next spring. Can I use the Restore a Deck cleaner/brightener again before applying the second coat.
Yes you can do this.
I have a gorgeous cedar deck that we have been using austrailian timber oil for about 9 years now. It has a really nice patena that we would like to keep. Unfortunately we’ve been told that the timber oil has been reformulated so instead a cleaning and reapplying the project every 2-3 years, we now need to sand and strip. Which we are in NO mood to do. My question is can we clean this deck and apply the twp 1500, and wipe off any stuff that doesnt absorb? And what is TWP’s maintenance typical plan?
You cannot apply the TWP over the Cabot ATO. You have to strip and remove it. Once the wood is prepped properly then you can apply the TWP. In the future you can clean and reapply the TWP as needed.
I just applied 1500 clear 4 hours ago on my decks. Weather forecast was for 2 days of clear. Unexspected 5 minute thundestorm just left water beads on the fresh stain. Is there anything I shoud do at this point? And what can I expect it to look like later when it dries?
Just leave alone and see how it dries. If it dies and looks good then no issues. If claotchyj and uneven looking, then you may need to apply a very light coat again.