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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
We have used different series and colors of TWP over the past 15 years. We had first used a mixture of 201/Cedartone & 203/Gold and then used just 205/California Cedar. We very much liked the colors. We now want to move to the 1500 Series and are trying to figure out which colors would match or come close to those used previously. Is 1511/California Redwood close to the 205/California Cedar and/or is 1503/Dark Oak close to the 203/Gold? In either case we are thinking that mixing with 1501/Cedartone would be similoar to the older 201/Cedartone.
We are in a high sun exposure area and the flat surface deck boards have not held their colors very well. They seem to fade much quicker than the railings. Just a note, the prep work has always been done properly.
We purchased 1530 natural for our house that was previously stained with 101 cedartone (the house has been stripped, powerwashed and brightened fyi). The 1530 was sold to us as the closest to 101. It is extremely red – or looks that way when I stained a test strip. HELP – I have 22 gallons of the stuff. What is the closest stain to 101? Please respond ASAP as I have a crew coming on Monday.
Thank you
Hi, I will be using TWP 1500, Clear, on redwood steps and decking which a professional painting company just used on my redwood siding house and garage. The steps are huge and heartwood no longer available, about 45 years old. The decking ranges from 25 to 2 years old. Two years ago, the steps and decking were treated with Cabot Clear Solution Oil-based, Heartwood, wood toned deck and siding stain, 9204, which is no longer available and has worn almost completely off. Live in northern California’s relatively mild climate.
What is the best way to prep the surface? If I can’t avoid stripping, how should that be done?
Thanks,
Have a 4 year old cedar deck, have stripped and brightened, now ready for TWP100 stain application – but rain forecasted within ~ 24 hours. Do I really need 48 hours of dry weather after stain application? If not, what’s the minimum?
Not sure whether to use TWP 100 or 1500. I have small cedar back deck/porch in Oregon. 1/3 gets beat with sun(southern exposure) all day and the other 2/3 is partial sun to full shade. Currently have Behr semi-trans on it which in the sunny horizontal areas Is now almost not existent. Vertical and shady areas still look great. Deck is about 10 years old and generally in good condition. No mold/mildew or moss issues.
 I have a brand new dock in the Miami area. It is treated pine that has never been stained. I would like to use the TWP 1500. Can I apply the 2 coats right now?
I have a cedar deck under two years old that was stained with an Olympic semi-transparent water-based stain. A perfect storm of weather conditions during application created a mess, with 50% of the stain having peeled away on all horizontal sanded surfaces. Does TWP have a solid stain product to re-stain my deck without having to completely strip the old stain? If not, will your standard product cover up any old stain that has been rough sanded but not been completely stripped off?
TWP does not come in a solid stain nor can you apply TWP over the Olympic without stripping it first. Best to use the Restore A Deck Stripper Kit and pressure washing for the prep.
Beveled, knotty, cedar siding. It’s technically new, never been stained, not yet installed on our house, BUT it is somewhat weathered as the person we bought it from had it stored outside during his siding project (we bought his leftovers). Most of the boards are still tied together in their original packaging, but have been exposed to the air and dirt and probably some moisture. They aren’t totally gray in color, but probably not what they would look like straight from the factory. I am sure the boards are over a year old, even though they are still “new”. We live in Minnesota, on a fairly wooded lake side property. I am leaning toward a traditional cedar tone stain. How should we clean the wood? And do we clean it before it’s installed? Do we stain it before or after installation? Thanks in advance!!!
Are the boards smooth like a deck board or more rough like a wood fence? Makes a difference as to when you can stain and how to prep. See this for more info: https://twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
Thank you so much for the reply! Sorry, forgot to note it is rough. Thank you for the link, I see I can stain it right away as long as it’s dry. Do you recommend I use the Gemini Restore on both sides of it before we install it since it’s somewhat weathered? Or Just Restore the one side of it after it’s installed? Also, 100 or 1500? Thank you again so much! It’s so hard to find solid advice on this topic. I’ll be ordering.
Just prep and stain the exposed side only. Use the TWP 1500 for this.
Thank you. I appreciate your help so much! You’ve saved us a lot of wasted time (and money) 🙂
I need your advise on restoring my deck. It’s been up for 3 years and is constructed
using Perennial Wood, cedar
finish. It needs to be cleaned as there
is mold showing and the wood has darkened in a few areas. It still has its original finish, what
products of yours do you recommend.
Hi Bill, I am not sure TWP or any other penetrating semi-transparent stain will work on this type of modified wood. TWP needs to soak into the wood grain and we are not sure this wood type will allow this. I would suggest that you contact the manufacturer of the Perennial Wood for advice on this.
I am cleaning and sanding cedar shingle siding and we would like to use a gray stain to get a wash effect. I have used TWP before with great success and I didn’t think any color tints were offered since TWP totally soaks into the wood. I see now that the 200 series offers a “Slate Gray” option which is just what were looking for. Does the slate gray have the same properties as other TWP stains, where it fully soaks in and can be recoated without stripping? Also can it be diluted at all if we are looking for more of a washed look?
The 200 Series is a penetrating stain and will soak into the wood grain as long as you prep correctly and do not over apply. It cannot be thinned.
I am planning on redoing a pergola in West Central Florida. I understand I should use a stain stripper to remove current stain, a brightener, and sand before application of the new stain. Is this the correct order? Is the 1500 the correct product to use, and does it work well with a sprayer? I am hoping to spray on the stain as it would be much less time consuming. I will also be repairing some cracks in the posts. Will these products stain the epoxy or construction adhesive used to repair posts? Thanks.
Correct but only sand if needed. The TWP stain can be sprayed but you will need to back brush to ensure the stain applies evenly. Deck stains will not darken or “stain” to blend wood filler or epoxies.
Getting ready to finish a new deck (8 months since install) with TWP 100 Series. In reading your literature re: application, you mention roller, brush and garden sprayer. Is there any reason the cleaner/brightener and stain can’t be applied with a Graco airless sprayer?
The cleaner and brightener should be applied with a pump sprayer and then pressure washed off. The Graco will not work for the prep. You can spray the TWP with the Graco but you will need to back brush to ensure an even application.
I have a Cedar shadow box fence in Altamonte Springs, Florida that is 2 years old and would like to stain. Recommendation?
Ken. prep first with the Gemini Restore Kit and then stain with two coats of the TWP 100 Series applied wet on wet.
I understand the necessity for new cedar to acclimate for 4 to 12 months before staining .. my questions is can/will new cedar acclimate during winter months in a cold climate (Chicago) ?? The deck has been down since May of 2016 .. so it is fine .. but I’ve been adding sections of railing over the past couple of months. Will the railings be ready to stain in June of this year??? Or will they require warmer temps to fully acclimate???
Yes, you will be ready to stain the railings by June.
I just completed a pressure treated pine deck located in Corpus Christi, TX (Padre Island) over salt water ( Intercoastal Waterway ). A few issues along the way so the deck has been in place 4 to 6 months. Should I use the 1500 or 100?
Use the TWP 100 Series. It will penetrate the newer wood better.
Hello, there is not any real benefit to staining all sides with TWP prior to install. Best to install the wood, wait, prep and stain the exposed wood only. To answer your other question, it is not possible to speed up the weathering process and the saturation method you spoke of, will not be sufficient. See this for more info:
http://www.twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
what is the best product to use on older, weathered mahagony decking?
Use the TWP 116 Rustic or 1516 Rustic.
Used TWP 100 Rustic Oak 2 days ago. Now that it is nearly cured, it appears the application on some of the boards was either too light with the product amount or the wood absorbed much of it. Part of the deck is 14 months old and the adjoining part is old wood in which the previous stain/paint was sanded off. All of the surface was prepped with deck cleaner and then rinsed. Should I apply another coat in the areas described above, or wait until next spring?
By the way, the Rustic Oak color is even more attractive than I anticipated! It looks really classy with the black aluminum spindles. Really happy that I chose this color.
We would suggest waiting until Spring. It is normal for new wood to be lighter in color than older wood as the newer wood is less absorbent. Glad you like the color!
Similar but not exact.
Orlando, FL – We have a pergola that was previously stained with a reddish brown oil based stain 8 years ago. We have done a few repairs to the top pieces with new PT pine. I would like to stain with the longest lasting dark stain. I don’t care much about seeing the grain. What would you recommend?
You will need to remove the old stain first before using the TWP. Once removed, look at the TWP 1500 Series.
We have sanded most of the stain off. Does it have to be sanded completely down to bare wood?
Yes you should remove all when switching to TWP stains.
Live in GA, new deck and fences all PT Pine and cedar. Planning to use the 100 series (Pecan). If VOC regulations in my state change, can I use 1500 on top of 100 with a cleaning, or will I need to strip and reapply? Thinking of worst case scenario… and we’re talking about a lot of wood here 🙂 Thanks!
You can switch to the 1520 later on if needed if you start with the 120. Just clean and brighten with the Gemini Restore Kit for the prep.
And the Pecan between both 120 and 1520 are similar enough in color then? I ordered a 1520, but thinking I should get the 120 as well, just to ease my fears 🙂
We have a large ptp deck around an above ground pool. It was finished in mid June so has had about 4 months of drying time in full sun. Should we stain now or wait until spring? Located in NE Texas. 100 or 1500?
Use the 100 Series. Waiting until Spring will be fine.
Yes weather until Spring. Clean and brighten for prep before applying.
Power washed completely & stained my boathouse (treated pine about 5 years old in East Texas) with 2 coats1500 last fall-this was the second time it was treated-it looked really great but this winter we had a 40 year flood & the boathouse deck went under water for about a week. The stain still held up good & is still slightly beading up. I would like to add an additional top coat before winter-can I lightly clean it & add another coat without stripping it all the way back down & having to do 2 coats? Also the remaining product I have has a lot of large clumps in it-does all that need to be remixed well or is a light mixing & straining out the remaining globs work best
Yes, you can prep with the Gemini Restore Kit and apply just one coat. If the old stain has clumped, then it has gone bad and should not be used.
Minimum is 50 degrees.
I have a 12 year old deck made of CCA here in Missouri. It has am-noonish sun, then is sheltered by the house. It has had Behr semi and transparent stains on previously, transparent being the last- I have stripped sanded and brightened it, and it does tend to get mold. Which TWP stain is right for my deck> I want to see the grain- I intend to use two colors for a more dramatic effect ( honey and rustic possibly) If I buy 5 gallons total (4=1) is it still free shipping? Is there a place I can get it local? If I order today- what day would it arrive in MO? Thank you!
Only 5 gallon pails ship free, not single gallons. Use the TWP 100 Series. We are an online dealer. Shipping to MO takes 2-3 days.
Live in Indiana and bought a house with a cedar deck that had a lot of stuff on it so I power washed it and it really looks good for an 8 years old deck. My question is, since it looks so good now, what clear stain do you recommend I use before winter gets here?
Clear with not pigment will not provide UV protection. Use the TWP 1500 in one of the stock colors for protection from graying.
Hi I am in upstate New York and would like to preserve my deck. The deck is made of local larch and 3 years old. It has never been treated and I recently pressure washed it so it is very clean. It is in part shade and part sun. Do I have to do any aditional prep or use any other prepping products. Thanks Nick
As long as it is clean you will be okay to apply the TWP 1500.
You can try the blasting. Does not matter the type. Sand those areas only if grain is raised with 60 grit. After sanding, it would be best to let it sit for a month and then final prep with the Gemini Restore Kit. No need for a moisture meter, just let dry for 48 hours after final prep or any rain before staining.
We just stain our deck with TWP 100 in pecan. I would like our new, unfinished wood exterior doors to match. Can I use the leftover deck stain to stain the doors and follow with a spar urethane as recommended by the manufacturer? Is the TWP 100 series compatible with a spar urethane?
Thanks!
TWP is not suggested to be top coated with a urethane.
There is nothing in the stain that would cause it to dry with a gray haze. I would wait for it to dry and cure.
Which stain would you use on “new” treated pine outdoor furniture. Furniture has been exposed to outdoor elements since June.
Make sure to prep first with the Gemini Restore Kit. What state are you in?
How long should I wait before replacing furniture on a freshly stained deck with TWP 100?
24-48 hours. Make sure that the stain is completely dry.
I replaced two semi-rotted decking boards on my large deck. They are prominent in my view out of the door to the deck. The wood is cypress and the new boards are light blonde in color (the deck is 3 years old and has TWP 100 pecan on it–so it is a lot darker than the new wood). I just re stained the deck with pecan and the new boards didn’t absorb any stain and have remained very light blonde. I guess I should have installed them a few months ago to allow them to gray out (I did the gemini prep stuff prior to this new stain job–but it apparently didn’t remove any of the mill glaze from the new boards).
Is there a way to re stain the two new boards to tone them down and get them close to the rest of the deck? (maybe sand them and re apply the pecan stain–or perhaps something even darker?) OR will I need to wait for the new boards to gray out first and then try re staining them? For one of the boards I did apply twp 100 stain—but left the other board raw (since I could tell the board I stained didn’t take it hardly at all)
What do you think?
Sorry but there is not a way to have brand new boards match older wood the first time staining. Adding more stain to try and darken them will not work either. The new boards are much less absorbent and that will result in a lighter color when using the TWP. It will be like this for at least 1-2 years before they will blend.
ouch. Maybe I should get some paint and paint them? But then I guess I’ll never get them to gray out so they can be stained along with the rest of the decking?
They really are obnoxious looking.
Any other ideas?
Maybe my best approach would be to cut out the same size old boards from a less conspicuous part of the deck–and swap those with the new blonde boards?
Painting them would make them look worse. Nothing you can do. It is the nature of the wood when using a penetrating semi-transparent stain like TWP. Final color is always dependent on how absorbent the wood is.
Approximately 2 hours after completing a 2nd year maintenance coat on my deck, it down poured for about 15 minutes followed by another 15 minutes of light rain. That was two days ago and there is a lot of standing water remaining on the freshly stained deck. Is there anything I can do at this point besides waiting for it to dry? I’m reluctant to try and squeegee the water off, because the stain is still wet and I’m sure to leave footprints.
Just leave alone until dry and then assess the stain to see if it was affected by the rain or not.
I will be staining a new pool deck early spring of 2017. Deck was built in August 2016 of treated wolmanized. What would be the best stain? Most of the deck is above ground level but there are a few sections where the framing hits the ground. I will be staining the entire deck, floor, railing, support posts, benches, etc.
See this about new wood: http://www.twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
100 or 1500 Series depending on your state’s VOC laws.
Hi all , just used 1500 honey tone on my 5 month old pt decking . It looks little to orange for the misses . After this winter in ct can I restain with 100 Cap cod grey and if so what prep do u recommend
To change to a gray color it would be best to remove the Honeytone. Use the Restore A Deck Stripper and Brightener kit with pressure washing.
Went to a national paint chain to get your product to stain a new deck. Not knowing any better, we were given TWP 200 and have applied it. 5 days later, it still isn’t dry, and some research is showing that we should have used 100 or 1500, and that 200 isn’t recommended for decks. Am I seeing all of this right? If so, what is my next step?
Your best option is to let it fully dry. It will, but may take a week or two.
We are about to have a contractor stain our new deck, and he recommended TWP 200. Is it true that this shouldn’t be used for a new deck?
It is designed for shakes and shingles. It can be sued on decks but the downside is it will take several days or even weeks to fully cure and dry. TWP also wants new decks to weather for 4-12 months and prepped first before staining.
Our deck staining contractor incorrectly used TWP 200, as well. How long did your deck take to full dry out, before you could actually use it? The application instructions say that TWP 200 is very dark upon application, did yours lighten up to the final color after a few weeks?
It does lighten after a few weeks. It can take 1-2 weeks to completely dry. It will dry so do not worry that it will be like this forever.
What’s 5 he difference between TWP 100 and TWP 1500 Ws
http://www.twpstain.com/difference-between-twp-100-and-1500-series
See this about new wood: http://www.twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
We stripped and stained our house 3 years ago with TWP 1500 with Honeycomb,. House was greying after initial staining when built 3 years prior to that. We live in Upstate NY with some harsh hot summers. The log stain is fading and needs a recoat. We cleaned, however, there are gray areas on the logs. Before we stain what would be the best process. Should we use a whitener? will that help remove the greying?
Best to prep with the Gemini Restore Kit. This is a cleaner and a wood brightener. Apply the Cleaner and then pressure wash off. Repeat until all gray is removed. Brighten all after.
We stained our 15 year old deck with TWP 1500 late Spring and it looked great initially. Now, 4 months later, it looks kind of uneven and looks like it needs another coat. Can we just simply add another coat of the same stain without any prep? Also, certain areas (the steps especially) already have what looks like black mold on them. The steps don’t get much sunlight. What can I use to get the black mold off? Once I get it off, can I restain?
Lightly wash/rinse to remove any dirt or mold first. Apply a very light coat.
Thanks
I just stained some outdoor furniture, chairs and a table, with 1500 Cedartone and was wondering how long I should wait before using it. I know it says 12 hours to dry but want to make sure no clothes pick up the stain. Thanks.
Wait a few days and test first by wiping the wood with paper towel to ensure the stain is fully cured.
Hi…wondering what is the best way to apply TWP to a 6′ cedar fence? It’s been cleaned and prepped. We have over 300′ of it so the idea of a brush application seems daunting but not sure a sprayer will get us the coverage we need. Would we have to back brush over a sprayer application and would we need to rent an air sprayer? Thanks!
You can use a good quality pump sprayer. Spray on a good coat and back brush/pad to ensure it is evenly applied and to catch any drips or runs.
Hi guys , can u use 1500 deck stain when full sun is on the deck ? What are the guide rules for stain in direct sun ? Thanks for your time. Jeff
Are you asking about applying in full sun? You should try to avoid this if possible. It really depends on how fast you move. It can be done, but you have to be quick about applying. If you take your time or even have a break, you could have issues with it drying “splotchy”.
I stained my deck using TWP 1500 2yrs ago for the first time . The builder used a clear sealer I think so I had to strip. Now I want to restain.The deck floor of course due to more exposure than the railings needs it bad. Should I strip first
If the TWP has worn evenly and you are using the same color, then use the Gemini Restore Kit for the prep. If you need a deeper clean to remove the coating down to the bare wood, then use the Restore A Deck Stripper Kit.
If you cannot see the fuzzies when wet with water, then you should not see them when stained.
I have use TWP cedar tone natural for many years on our log siding. My husband and I have this disagreement about how to apply the stain. The sides of the house that hit by the sun are super dry and they need a good recoating of stain but the other sides still have a nice sheen on them and water beads up nicely on them. I say we should put a fresh coat of stain on the dry sides and leave the sides with the sheen on them alone because the sheen sides wouldn’t absorb the stain anyway and would get sticky. Who’s right???
Another thing is I am noticing is black mold on the shady sides of the house this year due to all the rain and humidity we have had this summer. I used a little bleach in hot water and used a soft brush to clean it off and then rinsed it with the hose. Those sides look great!
TWP is not supposed to be shiny so do not add anymore on the side that has a sheen as it will not penetrate into the wood.
I built an outdoor bench out of oak and stained it with 2 (light) coats of TWP101 Cedartone Natural that I had around the house. Should I add a few coats of polycrylic or polyurethene to help protect it?
No and you cannot add a poly on top of the TWP.
Haven’t seen this addressed–maybe it’s on the can? I evidently overbought–650 or so sq ft of white pine, 2 years old. So, using 100 sq ft/gallon as a guide, I figured 7 gal. But I’m a rookie at this, so bought 8 gal of 1500 Redwood. Cleaned then stripped then brightened using RAD. After 2 full hot days of drying, stained it and used maybe 4 gal. of the 5 gal. bucket. Probably not quite 4. So my question is, how long is the shelf life? I’ll presumably need to re-stain in 2 or at most 3 years. Would be very nice to use what I have left.
See this about storage and shelf life: http://www.twpstainhelp.com/shelf-life-of-twp/