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Last Updated on January 30, 2023 by TWP Help
We are here to help you with your TWP exterior deck or wood restoration project for 2024!
TWP is an advanced wood preservative/protectant registered by the EPA. Performance and longevity can vary though depending on the wood type, how the wood is prepped, the age of wood, and how the TWP is applied. We want everyone who has decided to use TWP 100, 1500, or 200 Series to have the best possible results.
TWP Stain Tips and Help
When asking questions please give us some information about your wood restoration project:
- What structure is your wood? Examples would be: Deck, Wood Siding, Fence, etc
- What species is the wood? Examples: Treated Pine, Cedar, Redwood, Ipe, etc
- Is the wood new or older than 1 year?
- Has the wood been stained previously with a different brand? Please specify brand name and type of stain used: Examples: Solid stain, Semi-Transparent Stain, etc.
- Any additional info that would be useful
Once you supply us with the information, we will able to give you advice as to how to prep your wood and any needed instructions for the TWP application.
Please ask your questions in the comment area.
Thanks
I have black aluminum balusters. Will Gemini cleaner and brightener hurt the finish on these ? don’t know how avoid getting these wet w/cleaner and brightener.
Depends on the type and rband of spindles you have. 99% of the time there are no issues but best to test a spot first.
Hello I just cleaned my deck and I am ready to use brightener, however I noticed some lighter color strikes on the railing like I did not rinse the cleaner enough what can i do about it
Wash those areas again and then brighten.
i am cleaning my deck with restore a kit, and after did this I didn’t put on the brightner because I couldn’t remember if I was suppose to do it right away or not it has been a few hours and I am wondering how long after cleaning with restore am suppose to apply the brightening ? can I wait like a day or two
You are supposed to do it right after the cleaning. Best to do as soon as you can.
We paid a professional company to apply TWP 100 to a new deck (built Feb. 2017). They did not apply it evenly. It has been 6 days and there are areas that are glossy and much darker than other areas. There are also areas that are still sticky. What should we request they do?
Strip it off and start over would be the best course of action.
TWP Staff – I learned about your product through an article in National Historic Preservation magazine. I was not happy with the results of Pennofin as it has stained the walkways and turned a powdery black. To this point I have the deck posts, cap and stairs constructed using Douglas Fir and redwood. They have been in place for two years. I recently pressure washed them in preparation for a new finish of TWP. First question – Is the pressure washing sufficient to apply your finish? Second question – I am in the process of building the picket guards and am using kiln dried VG douglas fir. It is untreated and the moisture content ranges between 10 & 20% with most of the material (90%) being an average of 13%. Do I need to wait the 6+ months to put the finish on as suggested in your questions and answers? As the rail pattern is intricate and screwed together, I would like to at least treat the cut ends that will be covered and never accessible unless I take the whole thing apart during the assembly process. Thanks for your help.
See this about Kiln Dried/Kdat wood: https://twpstainhelp.com/kdat-and-twp-wait-period-for-new-wood/
More like a month and prep first for the Kiln Dried. If the ends cuts are rough cut, you can do them now.
As for the pressure washing on the 2-year-old wood, hard to say if more is needed or not. Feel free to post a picture.
TWP Staff – thanks for the quick response. I reviewed the link you referenced. Since my wood is not treated, I am planning on treating it with bora-care. How long after should I wait to apply TWP. Also, I am attaching photos of the posts, stair and cap that have been pressure washed. I will most likely do a final prep with 80 grit sanding. Your comments are welcome.
thanks,
Dave
Sanding reduces the stain’s ability to soak in properly. No need for this. Wait a few days after the Bora Care to dry.
Understood, but the water blasting removed wood in some places, so sanding is definitely a necessity. Any suggestions?
Hand sand with 60 grit.
OK, everything is stripped brightened and sanded. We applied one coat of the stain to the gate and it looks great. It seemed to soak in very well and even left some puddling, which got wiped off. How can you tell if it needs a second coat? It has been 48 hours since the first coat. If a second coat is needed, when can that be applied or is it too late? We are about to coat the posts,handrail and stairs, so this info will be helpful moving forward. Love this product!!
It does not need another coat. If you ever do a second coat, apply wet on wet.
I have a wood porch that was replaced with new treated pine deck boards, balusters, tread, rails, and riser last year. The poles were not replaced since they are a few feet within the ground. The porch has never been stained. The entire porch has been cleaned with a wood cleaner and stripper and wood neutralizer and brightener. What stain would allow the porch to have an even color so it would not look two toned? Since there is new and old wood.
Try the TWP 1500 Series. Darker colors will blend the new and older wood a little better.
What about the semi-solids? I read online that they would also work for blending old and new wood.
TWP does not come in a semi-solid.
I have an older dock( about 500 square foot deck) on our small lake. Has three year old worn semi transparent stain. I would like to clean and treat with safe products for fish etc. please advise which products to use. No peeling.
The old coating needs to be removed first. Do you know the brand?
Sherwin Williams semi transparent stain
Looks like their older product called Deckscapes and this product has to be removed first and it can be a stubborn stain to remove. Strip and pressure wash off as much as you can. Sand off needed the rest. Brighten the wood after full removal. This would entail the Restore A Deck Stripper/Brightener kit. Once prepped, use the TWP 1500 Series.
Plan to apply a maintenance coat of TWP 103 to 5 year porch. I understand i should use the Gemini restoration kit. My porch is over acid stained patio. Will Gemini products harm my patio? Porch has faded slightly. Do i still need to use cleaner and brightener? Thanks
Will not harm the patio. Yes you need the prep kit.
I have a deck that is approximately a year old and has never been stained. I purchased TWP 1500 and deck stripper. I have stripped and pressure cleaned the deck and in the process of sanding. I failed to purchase the deck brighter. Is it necessary to use brightener before staining? Rain is in the forecast and I am not going to be able to stain for a week or so.
Yes, it would be best to still use the brightener.
Just ordered your stain and cleaner/brightener kit – looks like a good deal, and thanks for offering free shipping on those heavy items. Also tried to order pads, brushes, etc. and was amazed at the high shipping costs. Why $40 shipping to ship two applicators, two refills, and two brushes? Turned a $50 order into a $90 bill, which just makes me keep looking. Please advise.
We offer free shipping on certain itmes but cannot on small items as they ship separate, creating a new shipping charge. Please call the office forrates.
I have used TWP 1500 1515 Honeytone a couple of years ago and I’m thinking of using the 1516 Rustic this time. Will there be any problems if I do that? Thanks!
You sould prep with the Gemini Restore Kit and pressure washing first.
Thanks! I was planning on doing that. I wondered if the 1516 Rustic would work over what I used the last time (1515 Honeytone). It will be darker and I figured that it would work, but thought I should check first.
My cedar deck was last stained with twp101-5, 3 yrs ago. New planks were added this week. The remainder of the planks need stain and have a blotchy look from wear and weather. Should I strip then brighten those old planks now? And, would I need to clean after stripping step or just brighten? How long should I wait to do the new wood? Thank you.
Strip and brighten all. No need for a cleaner.
Previous owners of my house used TWP products, so I would like to stick with them. Question: what can I use to seal log ends? From things I have read, log ends need a specialized sealer.
Just use the TWP. No need for a “special” sealer.
How to clean up? water?
Mineral spirits.
what’s the best way to clean algae off in-between years of staining with TWP?
Try warm water and dish soap. Lightly rinse. Do not use too much pressure or too aggressive of cleaners, as it could remove the TWP.
I want to make a fence out of split bamboo. I would like to maintain the original yellowish color. Untreated bamboo turns grey after a year or two. Can TWP help?
TWP 100 and 1500 are not designed for Bamboo. The 300 Series is but we personally do not carry it.
We have a new section of rough cedar fencing, installed 2 months ago. I was planning to stain with TWP 100 (I’m in Houston TX). I noticed, however, that some of the fence has already lightened where our sprinkler system hits it. Should I do some prep prior to staining because of this? Also, we like the transparent / natural look, but should we pick a tint with some UV protection? Finally, do you recommend not letting the sprinkler hit the fence? (duh)
Next to this section is a 2 year old section, same material, with a previous coating of Olympic Max clear. It had grayed a lot, but we pressure washed and it nearly matches the new section. Should I use stripper/brightener on this section prior to the TWP 100?
Thanks!
Use the Gemini Restore Kit for the prep of the new fence. You will need color/tint for UV protection. Try to direct the sprinklers away from the wood.
Strip and brighten the older wood for the prep.
We purchased a house with decks that are treated pine, 8 years old and had never been maintained. We power washed and applied Thompsons water seal May of 2016. Do we need to power wash again or just use the cleaner/brightener before applying TWP? Which product do you recommend? Located in Western Tennessee-very hot & humid
Use the Stripper Kit: https://twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
and pressure wash off. Stain with the TWP 100 Series.
Howdy!I finished applying twp 100 cedartone to my 13% moisture pressure treated pine deck on Sunday. I applied with an airless paint sprayer with one heavy coat, then back brushed, let sit for 20-25 minutes, and then mopped up any excess. I think there were places where i might’ve been able to get the boards to accept more stain, but i erred on the side of “less is more” and didn’t want to over-apply. 2 questions, firstly, how does it look? Does it appear as it should to you? Secondly, i have two 5-gallon pails leftover that are unopened. How long will these last? Can i expect them to be ready in a year or two for a maintenance coat?
Thanks!
Looks good!
You can store those pails in a temperature controlled room and you will be good when you need them.
Will TWP 100 work well on an older pressure treated wood deck which has had exterior wood filler applied to repair imperfections? I’m concerned that the semi-transparent color will not evenly cover and the repaired areas will be obvious. Please share your suggestions. Thxs!
The TWP will not “stain” the wood filler so it blends. It will stand out.
While using TWP 1500 I spilled some stain on my cement driveway. I tried Savogran wood bleach, 12 oz. per gallon of water, let it sit about 15 to 30 minutes then washed it off with water. but the stain remains. Any suggestions?
Thanks.
Try a graffiti remover from a local hardware store.
Can I apply TWP 100 series (clear 100) on cedar boards,(rough sawn) that have recently had Tung oil applied to them? These cedar boards are fairly new & part of an outdoor fence. The Tung oil was applied to help darken the wood.
No, you should not do this.
I am in the process of sanding our dock. It is redwood with Behr semi-transparent stain on it. The deck
is 15 years old. I bought 5 gal. of TWP 101 from you. We pressure washed the dock before I started sanding. I am taking it down to bare wood. Should I do anything like wash or pressure wash again after
sanding to open the pores of the wood. Thank you for any advice.
After the sanding, use the Gemini Restore Kit and pressure washing for the final prep.
What is recommended maintenance going forward once you have put initial coatings of twp on deck
Prep with the Gemini Restore Kit and reapply every 2-3 years.
My deck was built 12 months ago and Stained with TWP 103. However, the Cedar was not fully dry and the stain basically rubbed off. Pressure Washed the deck 2 days ago, temps in the 80’s and 90’s. Today we reapplied TWP 103, and we have tiny bubbles poping up. What do we do to remove the bubbles?
Sounds like you did not follow the directions when it was new and has never been prepped correctly?: https://twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
Did you use the Gemini Restore Kit when you prepped this year? Pressure washing alone is not going to prepare the surface correctly resulting in the TWP having issues soaking in. Please send a picture today if the bubbles have not gone away yet.
Is it possible for you to send me a color chart for semi transparent stain. There are no dealers near me and want to match colors as close as possible.
Please send to:
Moe Turrentine
398 Snowbird Lane
Swanton, MD. 21561
Thanks for all
Hello,
You can see the colors here: https://twpstainhelp.com/twp-1500-colors-explained/
We also have small samples bottles here:
https://www.twpstain.com/stain-samples
We have a deck that is 16 years old. It was treated about 8 yrs. ago with a defective product. We have pressure washed just to determine the condition. It isn’t terrible but very dry looking in places. One area is a deck that is in the sun for 6-8 hrs. a day. The rest is a covered porch. We live in northeastern South Carolina. We want as natural a look as possible. What would you recommend and what is the difference between the 100 and 1500? Thank you for your help.
Picture please.
Here are pics
You will need to remove all of the old stain before using the TWP. Use the Restore A Deck Stripper and possibly sanding to get it off.
https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit-detail
Once removed, you can use the TWP 100 series for this.
Thanks
Hi TWP Staff,
I live in Montreal, my deck is treated pine, as best as I can tell, and at least 6 years old. It was stained with a Behr semi-transparent oil stain and it’s in bad shape. The deck has sun for about 8 hours. I came across your products and noted that you now have TWP 200 for the Canada market.
Clearly, I would need to strip and clean and was planning to purchase your recommended RAD to strip and clean. Next I was planning to sand the deck, with a floor sander given its condition, and then stain it. However, I’m wondering if I should sand first and then use RAD to remove any remaining stain and clean and brighten? If not, do I need to clean the deck again, with just a cleaner after sanding before staining?
Also, just to confirm, only TWP 200 is available to ship to Canada?
Thank you,
Amos
Hello,
Yes, only the TWP 200 is compliant about your country. If you want to sand do in order:
1. Strip and pressure wash.
2. Sand when dry.
3. Lightly clean with a pressure washer to rinse well. Apply the wood brightener, let dwell for 10 minutes and rinse.
4. Dry for two days and stain.
Thank you
Attempting to stain my rough cedar siding on my garage. Previously had water based semitransparent. I stripped and brightened and now have apply stain to most of 2 sides (2 coats wet on wet). I think it looks pretty good from afar but up close appears splotchy or speckled as if the stain is not being adequately absorded. Is this the look I should be expecting because of the nature of the rough cedar wood or have I applied incorrectly?
It is fine and appears this way based on your wood grain being rough sawn cut.
Trying to figure out if I need to get TWP 1501 or 101 for my deck. I live in florida and deck receives full sun all day. It is over a year old now and this will be first stain applied.
How many coats of 1500 should be applied to rough sawn beams?
2 coats applied wet on wet.
I have an old deck that i just replaced the decking on, but the stairs and railings are salvagable. They have not had any stain/paint/sealant/etc. on them for many years. We plan to purchase the gemni cleaner kit and clean the stairs and railings per instructions. We then plan to coat the stairs and railings with the rustic 100 series TWP this year and then coat the decking AND stairs & railings next year after the decking has had a chance to dry. My question is if i order seperate 1 Gal cans now, will the unused, unopened cans still be good next year? Will the unused portion of the gemni cleaning kit? Thank you for your time!
The stain will be okay as long is it is unopened and stored wher it cannot freeze. The Kit will also be okay as long as it stored in powder form and closed so no moisture can get in.
We built a new deck, let it weather for 8 mo. and then used the cleaner and brightener and followed that with the dark oak TWP. My problem is that within two days after applying the stain pine sap began rising to the surface of the deck boards, most notably around any knots. Where the sap is minimal it seems to dry and turn white. In other areas it is thick and sticky mess. Any helpful info would be appreciated.
Sap has a mind of its own and there is no way to prevent it from leaching when it wants to. Use Murphy’s oil soap to remove the sap residue. Apply the oil soap with a soft brush, undiluted, and scrub the surface well. Rinse the area with warm water to complete the removal process. Use acetone to remove any remaining residue from the wood. Touch up the stain after.
After letting a new pressure treated deck cure for 7+ months last year, I followed TWP suggested process for a new deck. I used cleaner, then brightener, then applied the TWP 1500. The deck still forms nice water beads when it rains and the stain seems to be performing very well 10 months after initial application. A little fading is starting to occur, which is completely expected.
My question is: do you recommend a follow-up application of TWP 1500 in the near future? If so, should I again use both the cleaner and brightener prior to application?
Yes on this and the prep. See our article on new wood for some tips: https://twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
Hi, i have a red cedar dock in new hampshire on lake winnipesaukee at my summer cottage that we had previously applied a horrible ben moore deck “stain”, really more of a surface coating which has since almost pealed off after a couple years (good!), anyway, i’d like to apply one of your stains as i’m very happy with your product as i’ve used it on my deck at home, so question is which stain would be preferable – bear in mind the dock really cooks in the sun. i’d probably go with a cedartone color. i believe i used the 1500 on my home deck, but just want to know which would be best for this situation, i may only have time to get one coat on this year as we have to brush it on, but we’ll see.
thanks – Hans
Make sure that you prep to fully remove the BM coating as the TWP cannot be applied over this. Any color will work but UV protection is directly related to the color. More pigment = better Uv protection.
Good morning. I have a four year old, previously coated white cedar deck. I intend to sand the entire surface to remove the old coating, then apply twp 1500. After sanding I will pressure wash to remove any dust. Should I take any other steps after sanding before applying twp?
Thanks,
B.A. Lambie
You should be good to stain.
From Olympia, WA: My deck was stained with BEHR Base 5077, Prem S/T Wood Stain/Stain-Semi Transparent (ADJ) (ST-123) Valise, CLRNT 0Z 384th, BL 0 78, CL 0 24, FL 0 31, KXL 0 45, & LL 0 90. Late 2016 summer. Peeling began within day three to bare wood. The peeled off stain looks & feels like thin plastic. It did not penetrate the wood surface at all. I am interested in the 1500 series of TWP. What steps do I need to take to properly preserve my deck?
Sand off the Behr first. Once removed completely, prep with the Gemini Restore Kit before applying the TWP.
I’m concerned we have a problem. Our treated pine deck just got its 2nd TWP 100 staining 24 hrs after powerwash, ligbt hand-sand on top rails. 1st staining also done with TWP 100 3 months after construction, 2 years ago, no problems, looked great, some wood splitting since. Original contractor disappeared, new one not as familiar with TWP but highly recommended. Showed him application instructions (he applies then back-brushes while wet) & discussed heat (95º with breeze, mostly covered/shaded). He assured me no problems. 24 hrs later, about 50% is glossy/tacky especially right on the grain of the wood. How long should I wait to see if stain will continue to soak in? How do I know if it needs to be redone? If redone, what is the process for this situation? How do I find a reputable TWP contractor in my area? Thanks!!
You can remove some of the excess stain now with rags and paint thinner. If you do this though, saturate any oil rags in water and lay flat (outdoors) to dry. After doing this, wait a few days to see if it cures correctly by not being shiny and tacky. If it does not go away, you would have to strip it all off and start over.
We are in Ontario, Canada. We have a 12 year old cedar deck which has undergone many staining and restainings, sanding etc., We have now planed 1/16 ” and want to use your 100 series. a) can you ship to Canada, Is it simple re customs, etc? do we need to prep the planed 12 year old cedar?
Thanx, Gerry
The TWP 100 Series is not allowed in Canada. We can ship you the TWP 200 Series:
https://www.twpstain.com/twp-200-series-5-gallon
Prep with this:
https://www.twpstain.com/gemini-s-restore-a-deck-cleaner-and-brightener-kit
For how long after I apply TWP does the temperature need to be below 90 degrees?
I will be applying TWP to an old treated pine deck that has only been stained with TWP in the past. For the next few weeks, it will be mid 70s t0 80s in the mornings, reaching 90 by 1:00 with afternoon highs in mid 90s. Do I need to wait to apply TWP until fall when temperatures will be lower? Humidity levels will probably be between 60-90%
It can go into the 90s later after you are done applying.
Best TWP stain for IPE deck?
Thanks
Rustic color in the 100 or 1500 Series. Just one very light coat.
It is beautiful on Ipe! 🙂
I was staining the joints on a pergola and had some drips form down the joist edge. Thought these would blend in once stained, but they’re rather unsightly 🙁 What is the recommendation to blend these drips? Joists are rough sawed timber.
You would have to sand them and try to blend.
I applied TWP 1500 stain with a sprayer to rough-cut wood. I’d like to do another coat, as the color looks a bit light. Is it alright to do another coat with the sprayer, and sponge off excess stain?
Probably but make sure it fully soaks in. If you use rags, saturate the rags in water when you are done.
I’m in Minnesota and ready to replace my existing WRC deck and railing boards. The new wood is all WRC 5/4 x 6″ x 12 to 16 feet. This deck is on the north side of the house and it receives full sun during the summer and very little sun in the fall/winter/spring. It is a simple 14′ x 16′ foot deck off of sliding doors on the main level of a walkout rambler. There are no stairs to ground. I want to go with either a clear wood preservative or semi-transparent. What product to you reccommend for my application?
Use the TWP 100 series. See this about new wood: https://twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
I have a west facing garage door with vertical 1×6 rough-sawn T&G cedar siding attached to a Masonite garage door substrate. The door receives direct sunlight from about 1 PM until about an hour before sunset. The garage door and siding were installed in 2008 when the house was built and it has some kind of semi-solid type stain on it but I don’t know the brand. All garage doors in this neighborhood were required to have the cedar siding installed as part of HOA requirements. I am the 2nd owner and assume the existing stain is original, ie: roughly 9 years old, as my neighbors all seem to have similar age and wear on their garage doors. The existing finish has held up pretty well, if it is indeed 9 years old, but is now degrading and showing age, fading and some slight wood degradation. What is your recommendation for prep and final coating? Removing the existing stain is not an option as the wood is rough-sawn cedar and I don’t want to sand or pressure wash this material. I would prefer a semi-solid type oil-based stain instead of solid color. This project is located just north of Houston, TX and weather gets very hot and brutal in the summer especially but winters are fairly mild with only a few below freezing days.
Thanks
Hello, unfortuantely you cannot use TWP over this so removal is your only option if you want to use the TWP here.
Disappointing news, but thanks for the quick reply.
Dear Sir/Mad
Our deck is pretty much old (built in 1991). It’s been stained multiple times using water-based solid stains, and we’ve pressure-washed it and planned to sand it off but as i read the information online it appears we should use a product like RAD or similar kit to strip and brighten (clean) before we re-stain. One area, under the place we had a hot tub is still completely covered with grey stain. If the cleaning products don’t completely remove the stain, what do you recommend besides power sanding to remove the rest? We can purchase this from local distributors which helps since we are hoping to begin project this week.
thanks
Hello, stain strippers will not remove this. Sanding is your only option to remove before applying the TWP.
We have a White Pine Log Home built 15 years ago. We used Perma-Chink products to cover siding and solid log. Stain was Lifeline Ultra-1 Transparent. Top Coat was Lifeline Advance breathable. Would not last more than 2 years without breaking down. Would like to try something more durable. Wonder about prep for the logs and siding for TWP Stain. We also have 6 foot treated lumber deck. Would like recommendation on what to use there. Some of it is covered but exposed, some fully exposed to sun and rain South side.
Before using the TWP, the old coatings will need to be removed. You with have to sand and or strip to remove. Once removed, use TWP 1500 Series stain.
I stained my new pressure treated deck which I let weathered for 9 months before I applied twp1500 three weeks ago. I’m seeing a white powdery film build up at a few spots. Do you know why is it happening and what do I need to do to fix it ?
It is not the TWP doing this. Most likely sap leaching from the wood.
How Do u remove the sap from spots?,gave same problem on my deck and my dads.
Try to sand it off.
We used TWP 1500 Clear on new cedar siding 2 years ago, and it is not “graying” very evenly. Applied per instructions prior to installing, and I think it was two coats. We also have some stain/mildew areas where there is splash back. We are in upstate NY, and I now understand that it will not gray evenly like coastal areas. So considering using a light stain TWP. Would you recommend the 100, 200, or stay with the 1500? Which is most compatible, most durable?
For NY you will want the TWP 1500 Series.
I have some mixed stripper and brightener leftover.
Will these keep for awhile or do they have a short shelf life?
Thank you!
They should keep.