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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
Your stripper and brightener removed the old stain and turned 98% of our Western Red Cedar siding a light tan color. Another 2% of the siding still has a lot of gray, especially near the ground. Is there anything I can do to remove the gray without damaging the wood? What would happen if we increased the concentration to more than 1 cup of brightener per gallon of water, or left it on the wood for more than 15 minutes? Thanks.
You can brighten with a higher concentration and leave on the wood for 30 minutes.
We got the whole kit and prepped deck as instructed. The cohintractor who stained the deck just could not get wet on wet. We tried explaining it to him, gave your website and he said he’d been doing decks for years, the old saying you cant fix…The deck has been done about 2 weeks. It’s an older deck stained about 4-5 years before. Our question is do we wait until spring to put a maintenance coat on or can we do it this fall? Water beads on the railings and where he put the stain on heavier on the deck.
Wait until Spring. Lightly wash to remove any dirt first.
Thanks, from reading all the posts kind of what we thought, but better to ask. Love the color and the products!
We stripped (using your gemini stripper), then sanded the remaining old finish off our entire 25 year old deck. We then used your gemini cleaner and let everything dry for 3 days. We stained using 1500 and the wet on wet application. When we finished it looked fantastic for a week or so. In the few weeks since we finished the staining, the knots and center heart wood areas of some boards are starting to turn gray, as if the finish didn’t penetrate. There also appears to be a white residue appearing in these areas. Each day a few more knots appear to be turning gray. What did we do wrong and what can we do to correct this? I can take a photo if that would help. Thanks
Knots are typically lighter in color after staining due to the density (less absorbent) of the wood there. This is normal. If you have a white residue coming from the wood, it is most likley sap leeching out after the prep. Sap is always in certain wood types and when you prep, you remove a layer of oxidized wood cells from the exposed wood. In some cases this allows the sap to rise to the surface. There is not anything you can do to prevent this. Basically you did nothing wrong, it is more or less a result of your wood type.
I’ve read the 4-12 months for new wood article. The entire deck was replaced mid-March with the premium grade pressure treated decking pine. I’m in middle Tennessee, the deck is in the back of house that is exposed to direct sunlight 60-70% of the day. We’ve had a number of 90* plus days in July and continueing into August. In looking at the decking almost appears as if it has “bleached out”. From the article’s of the 100 vs 1500, I’m thinking that I’m wanting to order some color samples of the 1500 series this week so as to made the main order and stain by end of month or first of September.
Is my thinking flawed??
We would suggest the 100 Series. It penetrates a little better and is allowed in your state.
we stained our deck a week ago. The deck is 24 yrs. old we live in Mich. and have used various products over the yrs. to stain or paint it. we completely removed old stains and replaced old boards that were damaged, power washed and applied the recommended cleaner and brightner. It was a hot day when I applied stain with a paint applicator, it was difficult to go back over the deck until dry now I am wondering should I reapply since it is dry or wait until neck yr. It has soaked in well and is repelling water well. Looks great so far we are very pleased.
Leave as is for now and apply another coat next year if needed.
Did you apply the brightener to neutralize and lighten the wood evenly? If so, try again and leave the brightener on without rinsing.
Are you asking to blend new wood with old wood? That is not possible the first time you stain as the new wood is much less absorbent, resulting in a light color. Adding more stain probably will not darken it to blend. Did you weather the new wood for 4-12 months and prep first?
Yes it was weathered and dry. What do you recommend I do? It looks pretty bad. The color is not even close. It is almost a reddish next to the pecan of the other wood.
You cannot make the new and old wood blend the first time staining, The stain color is the same, but the wood takes it differently based on the age. The only thing you can do is leave as is and let the new wood age. The next time you prep and stain, it will blend much better.
How long should I wait before restaining?
Try next year.
You have to apply stripper to those areas and pressure wash off. If you remove the stain on the sides, then you remove the streaks. Brighten all when done.
I DID do that. That’s why I wrote—-the ‘runs’ are still there AFTER applying the stripper, scrubbing it in and powerwashing it off. The stain on the sides was removed but the ‘runs’ are still visible.
just had new cedar deck installed kiln dry boards how long to season before i staine
See here:
http://www.twpstainhelp.com/kdat-and-twp-wait-period-for-new-wood/
I just had a coat of TWP 1500 clear applied over a 6 month old cedartone, and the help got the clear 1500 on the top rail which is composite. Anything that seems to get the 1500 off is dissolving the composite top rail. Can I just put an thin even coat of clear on the composite deck rail to even out the appearance?
As long as it soaks in and dries, then yes.
Can I use California redwood 1500 on outdoor teak furniture?
Yes but only 1 coat and remove any excess that does not dry within 30 minutes.
I stained 2 fir wood adirondack chairs yesterday w/ twp 100. 1 coat. bare wood.. it’s still a little wet to the touch and will rub off light stain on towel.. how long does this take to dry???? any tips??? (I have em out in the sun drying)…. tx
New wood or older wood?
i’m not prepping chairs. the chairs look great w the stain… as long as it’ll dry in 2/3 days i’m good. i just don’t wanna sit in them in 5 days and they bleed on clothes etc.
Skipping steps can create issues with longevity as you have to remove the mill glaze off the wood when new. It will dry, but it will just take longer.
how long to dry? 3 days? a week. 2 weeks???
There is no way to say for sure as you did not prep correctly and did not weather the full amount. Just stay off until fully dry and the stain does not rub off.
wood is about 3 months old
When using TWP stains you should weather for 4-12 months and prep with the Gemini Restore Kit before staining. Sounds like you may have not prepped correctly. In your case is could take a few days to fully dry, maybe longer.
Is it possible to mix the pecan with the cape cod grey? I ask because I see the cape cod grey is more of a semi solid. We are looking for a taupe with a grey undertone.
It is possible, but not sure how it would turn out. Might be better to add a little of the Dark Oak.
TWP 100 Series for this. Prep with the Gemini Restore Kit after and sanding.
I am building a new pergola with redwood reclaimed from an old one (except posts). Wood has been planed to reveal original color. Old pergola was up for about 20 years in Colorado, so wood is quite dry – no insects or mildew. It appears there was no prior staining. Do I need to use the Gemini prep kit before staining? Which staining product will retain the original color the longest given strong UV in Colorado? Thanks.
Yes you should prep first. Honeytone is the lightest tint with UV protection. Darker colors will provide UV protection longer. See here about colors: http://www.twpstainhelp.com/tips/need-help/twp-color-tips/
Help me a little here. Since the wood is seasoned (very!) and now clean, what will the cleaner/brightener do to improve the wood for staining? Thanks.
Opens the grain some so the stain is able to penetrate deeper.
I have a 1 year old PTP deck. I was doing reviews of several box store brands. After looking at reviews of Flood, Behr, and Cabot, I got frustrated and just went with what I thought was the best. So I ordered 2 gallons of TWP 1500 today.
My question is on prep. I sanded down my entire 12×14 deck with 60 grit belts and used the Olympic deck cleaner. Deck is uniform and clean. Do I need any further prep that TWP would recommend? Also, I will be waiting at least another week before staining. It will take that long for the stain to get here. I think there will be one or two days of t-showers in that time. Do I have to re-clean the deck? Thanks.
Your prep should be good. No need to recline unless is actually gets dirty.
With it being 1+ years old, do I apply 1 coat or 2 wet on wet?
Apply two light coats.
All done! I used TWP 1502 Redwood. I used the wet on wet method.
Looks Great!
Would you recommend one or two coats? Been reading different suggestions on this. Thanks.
2 Light coats.
I recently cleaned and stained a portion of my new dock at the lake. I purchased samples and ultimately picked the 1500 Natural tone. Unfortunately in turned more orange in color than I would like. If I would like to use Rustic 100 series as I did on my home deck would I need to strip the 1500 Natural or can I let it weather this season and go over with the 100 series Rustic.
It would be best to remove it. It is easy to remove after a season. Use the Restore A Deck Stripper Kit.
I’m in the middle of stripping off old peeling stain from my log home. I’m leaning towards the 1500 honeytone. How many coats do you think I will need?
Two coats applied wet on wet.
We have an 18 year old green treated pine deck. We have never done anything to it. This year we bought some deck cleaner from Menards (sorry – had never heard of TWP before!) which has done a relatively good job. I like the grey weathered look. Can I use TWP stain without using the stripper/brightener? What would you recommend?
You do not need a stripper if it has never been stained. Just make sure it is clean and you should be good.
I have a new fence that I plan to stain thie fall, it was installed Aug/Sept of last year (northern Illinois weather). It is made of of treated pine and is actually decking lumber. Other than power washing, do I need to treat it? And which should I use the 100 series or 1500??
Use the 1500 for IL. Prep with with the Gemini Restore Kit and the pressure washing.
We have 1500 stain for our deck around our pool and have a couple questions. We have stripped old stain and brightened.
1. there are a few stubborn spots where the old stain won’t come off. Some small spots, some bigger. Do we need to get it all off?
2. I believe we need to stay out of the pool 2 days prior and 2 days after staining as even some moisture will affect the application. Is this correct? I hate to wait until fall to make our deck look nice but if that’s what it takes…
Best to get all off or at least 95%. Stay our for two days and apply the stain. Let stain dry fully before use of pool.
Behr is difficult to strip as it sits on top like a paint. More will be better as you should mix the stripper a little stronger and you may need to stripper more than once to fully remove. 3-4 Jars of the Stripper. 2 of the Brightener. Brighten all after the stripping is done.
Thank you!
No you should not add more right now. It may not penetrate correctly.
Step 1 is not a stripper. Sounds like he was not doing it correctly. Best to use our Restore A deck Stripper and brightener kit for the prep so all the uneven stain is removed first.
Hello, I am putting up a new deck around a pool in the suburbs of Chicago, IL. What stain do you recommend for around a pool deck?
TWP 1500 Series.
I have a deck I stain with TWP 1500 redwood 2 years ago that is fading and some mildew. I would like to go darker and use the dark oak color. Can I just clean the deck and put the dark oak over the existing redwood or do I really need to strip it all off? I have heard you can put darker stain over lighter with out stripping.
You can use the Gemini Restore Kit for prep and go darker in color without stripping.
Great thank you, I was concerned the redwood color being redish that putting the dark oak over top may not be possible or look right.
I have a two year old deck that I stained with TWP Rustic. I need to clean and recoat. Do I use just the cleaner or also the brightner as I did before? Also I cannot remember if I used TWP 100 or 1500. Would it matter since the entire surface is being recoated? Thanks
You used the TWP 100 Series in 2014. Prep with both the cleaner and wood brightener. You should be able to use either series as long as you prep correctly.
I have a 3 year old cedar deck in Seattle. It’s in very good shape, the old stain has been completely stripped then neutralized/brightened… it is on the north side of the home and doesn’t get full sun. I am trying to choose between TWP 100 and 1500, cedar tone, and it’s not clear to me which is a better choice. I’m not concerned about cost or ease of application. I just want the best solution for long term performance and protection for my situation (north faced deck in wet Seattle, 3year old Cedar, good condition). Please explain the reason I should use one over the other. Thank you for your help and look forward to placing my order next!
Either would work well and about the same for your deck. There is not one that will be better for this.
What is the minimum length of time after staining my deck with TWP 1500 that it can get wet? What is the optimum length of time to allow it to dry before getting wet for best results?
12 Hours to be safe. Sometimes less, but really depends on your weather and wood. 24 hours would be better.
What structure is your wood? Deck
What species is the wood? Cedar
Is the wood new or older then 1 year? The majority of the deck is 10 years old. We added on, using old 10 year boards with new boards. There is about 10 x 13 area with new and old combined.
Has the wood been stained previously with a different brand? Yes, We stained it several times with SuperDeck brand semi-transparent. This would last about 2 years, so used at least 4 times. Last time we stained the deck (2 years ago) we used Behr Semi Transparent Weather Proofing All in One Wood Stain and Sealer. It peeled up so bad after the first summer. Stripped it all last year with Jomax Stain and finish Deck Stripper, then cleaned it with Olympic Premium Deck Cleaner. Since we didn’t want the old wood to be bare for a year, we put Olympic water guard on it last summer while the new wood added on could cure. Since it has been sitting over last winter, it is grey. There are also some small knot areas where the old Behr stain is still there. Not sure if I should try to strip those again, clean all and then what type of stain to use since it is a combination of old and new. 100 or 1500 or ? Any advice will be helpful–thank you.
If I continue to use TWP in the future will I ever have to strip the old? Or just clean and with what product?
Prep by stripping and brightening with the Restore A Deck Stripper kits. You need to remove the rest of the Behr and the Olympic water guard. Once removed use the TWP 1500. Reapply every 2 years or so by cleaning to remove dirt. You do not have to strip.
I want to apply TWP stain to cedar siding that has been stripped. Can a TWP 1500 stain be mixed with TWP clear to make it lighter? If it was mixed 25% clear and 75% stain, does that mean it would lose 25% of it’s ultraviolet screening ability?
You can mix the TWP 1500 clear into a color of the TWP 1500. It will lighten the color and will lessen the UV protection some.
Yes you can apply a light coat now. Pump sprayer with back brushing. TWP is over 100 F.
We stained our deck and I’m wondering how long does it have to dry before we put furniture and a small propane gas grill back on it? Thanks!
Usually 24 hours is enough, but make sure it is fully dry.
Lightly sand, and then use the Gemini Restore Kit for final prep. It is not possible to add grip into the TWP. Apply the two coats wet on wet. All instructions for prep and application are on out twpstainhelp.com site.
So I do a small section one coat, then recoat, then move onto another section? Because again, no way to do everything in half an hour much less twice….
Do about 200-300 sq. feet and then reapply. Time window is 20-60 minutes for second coat.
Hello, I have +5 year old pressure treated pine or cedar deck that had a solid tone stain on it. I have sanded it all off, cleaned, and brightened it. It has been drying for a week and I was getting ready to start staining and read the outside of the TWP 100 label and it says to treat sanded would like new wood which means I need to wait 4-12 months it says. Do I really need to wait that long? I will if I need too but I would really like to finish it. I only sanded it with 60 grit so it is not supper smooth but good enough for a deck. I’m tired of sanding. Lol!
Thanks in advance.
Ross, just apply one light coat this year and another light coat in 12 months after a light wash to remove any dirt.
hello,
i have 15 year old pine deck and cedar log siding that i have prepared for staining. the deck was powerwashed, sanded, and then stripped brightened with restore-a-deck two stage product. the siding was simply stripped and brightened with restore-a-deck. the stripping and brightening was performed yesterday. the next opportunity i will have to apply the series 100 stain is in 12 days, and this assumes i will have two days of dry weather before application. the instructions for restore a deck stripper indicate that staining must be performed within two weeks of stripping. if wet weather postpones the application of stain, will i need to re-prep, and if so, what are my options? location is bastrop, texas.
thank you
The siding will be fine. The deck if gets dirty, might need a light wash and rinse. It really becomes more of an issue after the two weeks.
thanks!
one more question: assuming i stain the verticals and decide to re-wash the deck, what is the expected cure time for the 100 series on the siding and railings. i.e., how long should i wait before using gemini restore-a-deck kit on the deck to avoid damaging the newly stained vertical surfaces? this is in bastrop, texas. expected temps during the day around 90. usually dry but not this year!
The Gemini will not damage newly applied stain on the vertical walls.
The Stripper and Brightener should not harm the composite, but best to test first to be 100% certain.
We live in Massachusetts and have a deck(Pressure treated pine) that is 16 yrs old and has a solid deck stain by Sherwin Williams. What do you recommend for a stripper and a gray or red stain.
Deck stain strippers will not remove a solid deck stain and TWP cannot be applied over a solid deck stain. You will need to sand the deck to remove the solid deck stain. Oncer removed you can use the TWP 1500 Series.
We live in Rhode Island. Want to restain our 15 year old deck which has been stripped of previous stain and sanded. We wanted to do a gray color. What are our TWP options as I didn’t see any grays in the 1500 line and am not sure if we can use the others in our area
George, I am sorry but the 1500 Series does not come in a gray and the 100 Series is not allowed there. The 200 Series is allowed there and does come in a Slat Gray:
http://www.twpstain.com/twp-200-series-5-gallon
Ok.. Here’s my project. In East Texas and have about 130′ of retainer wall that ranges from about 1ft up to about 4ft tall and about 60 to 70 ft of frontage horizontal corral type fencing all built from treated yellow pine. Also have 6- 8×8 porch post, railing and some decorative shutters all made of cedar.
Cedar was stained when new about 5-1/2yrs ago while the pine wall and fence was built a few months later and given a few months to dry making it about 4-1/2yrs old.
It was all stained with Sherwin Williams oil based Deckscapes in a solid (or semi-solid?) darkish brown. It’s all starting to fade quite a bit and looking like it needs refinishing with the top caps on the wall and some of the fence looking pretty raw and bare as they’re horizontal and get more sun and weather.
What’s the plan of attack with TWP products? Open to oil or water base and/or semi or solid finish… long as it’s a brown color.
-Sorry so long. Thanks for any help.
Hi, TWP only comes in a semi-tranasparent and also cannot applied of a stain of a different brand, especially when a semi-solid or solid stain. It will not work for you unless you remove the SW fully and that most likely would take sanding.
1. One on verticals and two on horizontals applied wet on wet.
2. You can spray, but back wipe any drips.
3. Yes
4. Lightly spray first coat. Stain pad the second coat.
5. Dark Oak color.
Mark,
See this article: http://www.twpstainhelp.com/twp-stain-is-spotty-or-shiny/
Planning to use Gemini Restore A Deck. Instructions say “do not allow to dry on glass or metal.” We have black metal spindles. Do I need to cover these somehow or just rinse thoroughly?
Hard to say if there will be a reaction or not as all spindles are made differently. Typically a good rinse it fine, but always test first.
I have a deck that was installed last year and it will be sanded and stained in a month or so. My contractor is recommending TWP100 series blonde to provide the most natural look to the deck. I have three pretty large hound dogs that hang out on the deck and scramble off whenever they hear anything. My question is whether there is perhaps a surfacing coat that could be put on top of the TWP100 which would be resistant to the dog scratches. In a different house I had wood flooring that was factory treated with a finish containing aluminum oxide and the dogs never scratched it at all. Anyone have any ideas on how I can keep my deck scratch-free? (other than booties on the dogs – LOL
You cannot add a voting on top of the TWP nor is that a good idea for outside wood to have a filming clear coat. It will peel and blister in the sun. TWP is a penetrating stain that will fade lightly through the years.
The structure is a tilt deck car trailer
Wood species is: treated yellow pine decking
Newer than 1 year trailer was built in 10/2015 (weathered 10/2015-5/2016 in Wisconsin)
Wood has not been stained yet
When it rains the “yellow” in the yellow pine really shows up otherwise it’s starting to look weathered (whitish).
Approx. 140 sq.ft. of deck
Trying to decide between Honeytone 115 and Pecan 120 and I don’t want the yellow in the wood to make it turn orange but the Honeytone may be too light to offer good protection.
Trailer is now and will be for the forseeable future in Northern Alabama.
Any recommendations?
Thanks in advance.
Either color would work, but the Honeytone is more yellow and the Pecan is a cedar/brown color.
Thanks. That doesn’t answer the question about whether or not the Pecan 120 has any red in it which would result in it turning orange (red + yellow = orange). I guess I should have made that question more clear.
The TWP Pecan is more orangish/brown. Does not have a red hue to it.
Ok, thanks
I am staining a new cedar fence that hasn’t been stained before. I want to apply a clear transparent stain that will preserve the natural color of the cedar. Which TWP product will work best?
Bonus Question: Fence is 278 feet long and 6 feet high. How many gallons do I need?
Are you doing both sides? Is the wood rough cut or smooth like a deck board? What state are you in?
The wood is rough cut. I am in western (wet) Washington. I am doing both sides. Thanks very much.
You have about 3300 sq. feet when doing both sides. For 2 coats applied wet on wet you will need about 20-30 gallons of the TWP. Use the TWP 1500 Series.
So for a clear product, would that be TWP 1530 Natural?
Clear as in no pigment means it will not have any UV protection. You must have a color to achieve protection from graying. All the TWP colors show the natural grain of the wood but enhance. Natural is tinted. See this for a better idea on the colors: http://www.twpstainhelp.com/twp-1500-colors-explained/
It would be best to strip it all down so it blends. Use there Restore A Deck Stripper and pressure washing. Brighten all the wood after. It is easily stripped and will give a much more uniform appearance. See this about new wood as well: http://www.twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
do multiple cans of twp 1500 need mixed like paint before applications in order to have uniform color variations
You will need to mix each container thoroughly first, but you do not have to mix them altogether since your order is of the same batch.
What is the shelf life of a can of opened TWP 1500?
See this article please: http://www.twpstainhelp.com/shelf-life-of-twp/
Deck was built 4 years ago. Builder told me to use TWP 200 to stain my deck. I’ve stained it twice over the past 4 years and would like to stain it again. However, I was told that 200 series is for shake roofs. And the last time I stained my deck the stain took forever to soak into the wood. So much so, that I couldn’t walk on the deck for over a month. I’d like to switch to the TWP 100 or 1500 series but I’m not sure if I can do that? Also, I’d like to match the color of my deck. The stain on there now is TWP 207- Butternut Brown. Am I able to switch to the 100 or 1500 series? Is there a color that matches Butternut Brown? Thanks.
You would have to strip off the TWP 200 Series with the Restore A Deck Stain Stripper. Apply the Restore a Deck Brightener after. There is not a match for the 207 Butternut. Closest would be the 120 Pecan.
Ok. Thank you.