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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 a new redwood deck and pergola. We have your products in stain and cleaner. Is there a difference in prep between the deck and pergola.
Also, I know you’re adamant about waiting at least 4 months on new wood, but if we could only wait 3 months, what problems could occur?
Thanks!
Wait the 4 months or more, 3 is not enough. Same prep between the two. We did reply to you earlier as well. Thanks
My attached picture says it all. What am I doing wrong?? This is a treated pine deck, four years old (2016), mostly shade, allowed to “season” for six months before first stain of Cabot semi-redwood. Followed Cabot’s guidelines. Stain started peeling immediately; cleaned and re-applied Cabot Spring 2017. Again, immediate peel.
Did research and found TWP. Fall 2017 followed directions including cleaning, stripping, and brightening with Resore-a-Deck, using pressure washer at 1500psi, applied TWP redwood (not wet-on-wet) one coat; it lasted six months……repeated everything again in June 2018; looked good through summer but quickly deteriorated into winter.
In Spring 2019 cleaned/brightened and applied wet-on-wet……repeated again in Fall 2019. Looked fantastic and lasted until my clean/brighten and wet-on-wet application this past June (2020) due to heavy pollen/dirt. After three months this is what I have. We’ve had lots of rain in North Carolina this summer and exceptionally hot weather but I cannot seem to get an acceptable appearance.
FYI………I was first advised I’d need 7 gallons of stain for my 44×15 deck……I’ve stained it with TWP 4 times (2 of them wet-on-wet) and still have 2 gallons left. Am I not using enough stain?? Using too much, obviously, leaves puddles so I do not over-apply.
Thanks
Looks like you have a buildup of coatings that need to come off fully so the TWP can fully soak in and applies evenly. Otherwise, all looks correct.
New cedar deck, I used arbor coat that failed miserably in less than a year. Coating lifted from gutter run off the entire length. I removed that coating and used their brightner, and was ready for another product. I really liked the color , a warm light grey tone, trying not to fight the natural graying of colors. Which product do recommend ? We live in North Detroit burbs.
Try the TWP 100 Series: https://www.twpstain.com/twp-100-series
You can pick up at our store in Bloomfield Hills:
2388 Franklin Rd
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302
I have a new 6ft cedar privacy fence going in late September. It will be about 110ft and I need to stain both sides. I’m curious how much product I will need? I’d like to get it sealed sooner rather than later. I read somewhere that I shouldn’t do two coats if it’s a new fence. Is that true?
I prepared the deck with cleaner/brightener 6 weeks back. Missed the 2 week window so I prepared the deck a second time few days ago since staining is scheduled for this Monday. I wasn’t as aggressive with the pressure washer the 2nd round.
Now that the deck is dry, I notice white areas/fuzzy areas. I’m pretty sure I got the gray area off and that the white areas are just wood fuzzies.
Is it OK to still stain on Monday?
No, that is gray that still needs to come off with the cleaner and pressure washing.
Yikes. I’m considering staining anyway since not all boards are like this and I have a narrow window to get this done. What will happen if I go ahead and stain? Will I have blotchy areas or will the stain not adhere correctly?
It may be slightly blotchy.
Squirrels seem to be chewing on the deck more than they have before I applied TWP. I’m not saying it’s due the TWP. Two questions, please:
1. Have you had reports of TWP being attractive to squirrels?
2. Do you have any suggestions for keeping squirrels off the deck?
I really like the product and intend to use it again.
Thank you.
Ron
1. No, never.
2. Sorry but nothing we know of will prevent squirrels.
Thank you for your quick reply.
Not sure of my wood type. Deck is 17 yrs old. Used TWP at one time but different stain last time
Post some pictures for help.
Deck is mostly under covered porch except shot by steps
You will have to remove the previous coating and that will require sanding to remove it from the floors. The verticals look different as maybe they can be stripped but possibly sanded as well.
Does your stripping and brightener products come into the process at some point?
Well, you can certainly strip off as much as you can but you will most likely need to sand as well to get the rest off. The inside floor looks excessively thick so that will not strip: https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit-detail
Would I still use the stripping and brightening products, and at what point?
We already replied to this earlier. See above.
Hello..
I live in Georgia, and have a 8 year cedar deck that had Olympic elite semi oil stain. Black and green mold everywhere on deck. I have cleaned (30 second) (dep) and pressured washed, but black spots keep coming up when wet. Hubs want semi in a lighter stain, should I clean again and what series do you recommend?
Suzy G
30 second cleaner is not effective enough for prep. You will need to strip and brighten this to remove the rest of the old coating and should remove any mildew as well: https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit-detail
Stain with the 100 Series: https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit-detail
I am near completing building a fence out of western rough sawed red cedar. The boards have a lot of knots and color variation and we would like to keep it looking as close to this original color for as long as possible, understanding that it will fade to grey over time. What would you recommend to keep the original look?
It must be tinted for UV protection and that will change the color. Check our colors here: https://www.twpstain.com/twp-1500-series-stain-colors-and-photo-albums/
About 6 weeks ago we stained our deck (1000 sq. ft.) with TWP101 and it looks great! We love it! But I just recently noticed where there are some white, milky areas. These seem t appear only on and around knots. What are these and how do I get rid of them? Our deck is an older treated pine deck. We stripped it, power washed it, bleached it, power washed it again and then sanded it. And then we let it dry totally. The wood looked to be in very good condition prior to staining. We stained it with 2 coats of TWP101 and it looked wonderful. Until these white areas appeared. What can I do?
Sap leaching from the wood. Cannot prevent it. You can try to spot sand lightly and then touch up.
will stainable exterior wood putty, such as Minwax, accept the series 100 stain
No, wood filler will not work wood exterior stains and will not blend.
We have a treated wood deck (we think it is pine) that is 2 years old and which is still in the “raw” form, no stain/preservative applied. We are planning to stain this year. The deck is heavily used. We live in NW Georgia – high humidity, can get to the 90’s in summer and as low as 0 in winter (although typically in the low teens). Much of the deck is covered although does get sun and some rain will penetrate and sprinklers hit some small sections. Some of the deck is uncovered and gets full sun all day and hot west sun and of course the full effect of rain. This part of the deck is quite weathered looking already – due to weather elements and being walked on all the time. It rarely snows and when it does, it is typically 2 inches and melts We have grills on the deck and some areas have been stained by grease etc. from the grills. We are considering either TWP 100 or 1500. We have about 1170 sq ft not including the railings. First question: which product would be best? Second question: what product would be best for pre-cleaning/prep of the deck and that can remove the grease (if any)? thank you
i am staining a log home and stained yesterday about 4:30 in the afternoon and it rained at 4 am how can i tell if there is damage and how do you correct it
It is most likely fine as you had 12 hours to dry and it is vertical wood.
i am staining new cedar posts as well as new pine. i am going to use a color on the cedar and clear on the pine. should i use the 100 series or the 1500?
See here about new wood: https://twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
Which series to use depends on where you live?
I live In Kansas
Use the 100 series.
I live in New Jersey and just had a deck built with new wood: treated pine and cedar. What series would you recommend? Also it is difficult to see what the colors would look like on those woods which I’m trying to match as much as possible. I would like something in a neutral brown that is not too light and not too dark, not too red or gold. What color can you suggest and any special preparations?
See here about new wood: https://twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
Which series to use depends on where you live? Also, best to try samples for colors: https://www.twpstain.com/stain-samples
I sent two pictures to your site yesterday as you requested. I am still waiting for your response as to why there is some light grey areas on our deck that was stained with Pecan 100 three months ago.
We responded to you yesterday: https://twpstainhelp.com/twp-stain-customer-photos/#comment-20818
I bought 5 5 gallon containers of twp 101 series a year ago to do my new pt deck. Came out beautifully. I only used two of the containers. Now I want to redo the deck. I have the three unopened containers. Will the stain still be usable? Thanks
Yes, the stain is still good.
I cleaned my cedar deck with a bleach mixture and there are some fibers left over as a result. I’d like lightly sand to knock some of the fibers down. What is the recommended process?
60-80 grit paper or sanding pads. We like floor buffers and pads the best.
I just built an open pavilion out of oak with large exposed trusses, beams and posts. The underside of the decking is all planed oak boards. I want to seal it with a good sealer, is your natural a clear sealer? I also want a little sheen to the sealer, does TWP provide a sheen when it dries?
See here about new wood: https://twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
TWP does not have a shine and a clear sealer with no color will not provide UV protection from graying. It must be tinted to do this.
We have a new redwood deck which is built between several oak trees. Is Gemini Restore-A-Deck and the deck brightener safe for the trees?
Yes, it is. See here about new wood: https://twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
My cedar deck is about 30 years old. I last treated it with Cabot Australian Timber Oil about 10 years ago. I recently discovered your products and plan to use TWP 100 Pro this time around. Thus far I have used a belt sander with 80 grit sandpaper and a palm sander with 50 grit sandpaper to remove the old finish (or what is left of it). Do I need to use the cleaner and/or brightener before applying the TWP? In retrospect, was the sanding even necessary?
I need to replace a 1-2 foot section of the end of three boards. How do I handle this regarding treating the wood? Do I leave these small pieces to age for a few months before treating or can I treat them right away? I am aware that they will be a different color but I am willing to live with that.
Do you have a recommendation for a TWP color that would most closely match the railing?
Thanks in advance for the advice!
The old coating did need to come off first. Clean and brighten for prep and just one coat of the TWP since you sanded. See this for new wood tips: https://twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
Look at Cedatone 101 or Pecan 120.
I had various ages of wood on my deck when I used TWP a few months ago. The newer wood is lighter in color. How long do I need to wait to apply a second coat?
It is normal for new wood to be lighter in color as it is less absorbent. You can prep and reapply next year.
Dry time for 100
4-12 hours.
Getting ready to stain a 25 year old deck with 100 series in Dark Oak. The boards were previously stained, but it has been stripped, sanded with 60 grit paper, and cleaned with Gemini restore a deck. The boards are in remarkably good shape, but it is a north facing, covered deck. Do we only do one coat of stain and then a second coat in the next year? The railings were replaced 6 years ago but have never been stained, so planning on treating those as new wood.
Prep looks good. Just one coat this year and another in 1-2 years or as needed.
Thank you for the reassurance. Staining went great yesterday. It took 6 hours to complete, and almost the full 2 gallons. Today the deck boards still don’t feel 100% dry, 24 hours later. But the deck is fully covered and we live in a heavily shaded area. Hopefully it feels ready tomorrow for furniture.
As for the stain, it went on so well and absorbed quickly. Zero issues with puddling or unevenness. I will post pictures of the completed project when we get the deck put back together.
Following up in hopes it will help others. For a covered, fully shaded deck, it took almost 3 days after staining to feel totally dry to touch, and that was only applying one coat on 25 year old decking. Very happy with the finished look. The railings stained darker than the deck boards, but the color and coverage is still nice and we plan to follow up with a second coat next year anyways. This is twp100 in dark oak.
We didn’t stain the posts as I prefer to paint them dark brown to add a different element and character.
Very happy with the process. It’s “easy” work, just time consuming, in my opinion.
Have recently put on “rough’ pine half logs as siding for a camp. Like the honeytone in either the 1500 or 100 series but what is the difference between them? The 1500 and 100 that is? Does one last longer? Thanks!
Difference is VOC levels based on where you live? Most do use the TWP 1500 for vertical wood. https://www.twpstain.com/twp-1500-series
Thanks, we are in the northeast. Get plenty of snow in the winter and muggy and hot in the summer.
You can only use the TWP 1500 Series in your area.
Have stripped and brightened a Cedar Deck w/Restore A Deck Kit that had an oil base stain from a competitor
Looks great…Now the question is you instruct on your website to apply (2) coats of the TWP 100 wet on wet…Does this stand for application to Cedar Decking?
Yes.
Hello, I have stripped the last stain off my cedar deck. Cleaned, brightened, and spot sanded with an orbital sander. Still has some color left but I would prefer not to sand it all the way as the railings would be a nightmare. I am looking at the pecan stains thinking they are dark enough to blend in with the leftover stained spots (and railing). It seems that the 1500 has “more solids” than the 100. Does that mean more color? More likely to cover the uneven spots? Is pecan a good choice to “blend in” with the color left?? Thanks for any help. The more I read, the less I know.
You cannot apply the TWP over this current stain, it will not soak in or adhere. You have to remove it all.
I was afraid that’d be the reply. 😌
Thanks! I appreciate it.
I have cleaned and brightened my deck with another product line and I am ready to stain. Can I use the TWP 100 stain or do I need to clean again with the TWP product line before staining?
It should be fine to stain.
Does TWP 200 Clear protect recently bleached cedar shingles as well as 203 or 204? That is for protection from the sun.
I can imagine that the pigment blocks out some of the destructive rays of the sun. Our South facing wall in California takes a beating from the sun. Thanks!
No, the Clear will not prevent UV graying like the tined colors.
Looking to stain our lakeside Alaskan Yellow Cedar 5/4 decking, about 1.5 years old, and has never been stained before. High traffic area , fair amount of sun exposure, but also a lot of rain, and living on the lake in the Pacific Northwest.
Which stain should I go with 1500 or 100?
Does the stain perform well with Alaskan Yellow Cedar?
How to prep 1.5 yr old wood? and would this age of wood still require 2 coats?
Use the TWP 1500: https://www.twpstain.com/twp-1500-series
Prep with this: https://www.twpstain.com/gemini-s-restore-a-deck-cleaner-and-brightener-kit
Two coats wet on wet: https://twpstainhelp.com/twp-stain-wet-on-wet-application/
Thanks for the reply.
What’s the main advantage in this situation, of 1500 vs 100?
I was leaning towards 100 after reading some Q and A but now I’m not confused.
You can use the 100 as well. One is not better than the other, just different VOC levels.
Does the 5 gal can top have a threaded hole for a spout? I’ve had trouble pouring from a 5 gal can in the past.
It does not have a spout.
Can you use TWP on a knotty pine tongue and groove ceiling for a screened porch and if so has anyone done this?
Yes, you can use it.
Thanks. It looks like you don’t have clear. Any pictures of how natural looks on new knotty pine?
TWP does come in clear. We do not have any pictures.
Thanks again
Not sure if this is how the deck should look – in one spot it looks like the old stain was not removed completely, in another it rained right after they applied and I don’t believe it was applied wet on wet anywhere on the deck. Thoughts? Suggestions?
It was applied correctly in the pictures but the darker area looks to be older stain showing through. Overall the stain is fine, just a little uneven.
I currently have the TWP cedar tone on my screened porch (Cedar wood) and would like to convert to the dark oak. Please provide the simplest approach to preparing the existing surface and then apply as I’m selling my home? Thank you.
Prep with this and pressure washing: https://www.twpstain.com/gemini-s-restore-a-deck-cleaner-and-brightener-kit
Thank you. The instructions say that the restore a deck may not remove old stain which is okay. If I’m using dark oak to stain over cedar tone that is faded, will that still be your recommendation?
It should work well for prep and go darker in color.
Hi TWP,
I’m looking to re-stain my deck using your TWP200 product. I live in southern Ontario, Canada.
Not sure of the type of wood used but I did find a tag that says MPB for above ground use – treated with Micro Pro Micronized Copper Azole.
The wood is about 1.5 years old. I had stained it around the 6 month old mark. I’m guessing this is the reason why the origin stain is fading.
I used Behr premium quick dry transparent oil based cedar natural tone stain.
Right now, I’m sanding my deck and rails with 80 grit and most of the stain is coming off. Once that’s done, I plan to use your Gemini restore a deck kit and stain with TWP 200 California cedar. Question, should I pressure wash after sanding?
Looking for guidance on prepping and staining procedure. Or anything that will help.
Thanks in advance.
You pressure wash while using the Gemini Kit. See here for staining: https://twpstainhelp.com/twp-stain-wet-on-wet-application/
After sanding (deck needed it, used 60 grit), washing and brightening with Gemini I now have fuzzies on my cedar deck. How should I proceed?
It is most liley okay to stain but if you want, sand again lightly with a floor buffer and sanding pad.
Will I need to wash or brighten after that?
Leaf blower for any sanding dust?
If I do nothing, will they wear off with use?
THANK YOU!
Just blow off after buffing the surface. If you do nothing, nothing will happen.
Now there is a true statement. Ha!
Thank you very much
Hello again,
I’ve applied TWP 101 to our deck. Hats off to the manufacturer. Thank the Lord, the deck looks good. We are in Minnesota (a suburb of St. Paul).
– About how long should the product last on the deck?
– What will be the signs of it failing due to normal aging (flaking? peeling? fading? etc.)
– Is it advisable to shovel the snow off the deck in the winter?
– If so, how can I minimize the wear and tear on the deck due to shoveling?
Thank you very much.
–Ron
-About 2-3 years.
-Fading mostly. Some dirt, grime, etc.
-No need to shovel.
Thank you for your quick reply!
Iam making exterior shutters from ruff sawed 1″ live edge cedar. Going to clean wood and then If I put linseed oil on wood and then when would i need to put TWP? Would linseed oil impede penetration of TWP?
You cannot apply a stain like TWP over the linseed oil. In addition, the straight inseed oil would have no benefits and attracts mildew.
I’m planning to apply TWP 100 series Dark Oak to my exterior wood door. Can you use Tung Oil over the stain to improve the finish?
No, you cannot topcoat a stain like TWP.
I have 2 things: First, I think it would be great customer service on your part if you shook up the 5 gallon pails before they were shipped out. I don’t want to have to take it somewhere for this — and when I did it by hand yesterday it took 45 minutes! (see pics). Seems these were make in March 2020 and things had time to settle.
Secondly, what is happening in the wood shingles that some do not accept the same amount of stain as surrounding wood (see pic)? It is very intermittent as most shingles are fine (they are 35 years old…were cleaned and pressure washed).
Drill mixers on a drill work great to mix the stain thoroughly. Very easy to do and only cost about $5. As for the wood, that is the grain of your wood shingles not accepting the stain. Looks to be that when prepped, those areas removed the wood cells down to the virgin raw wood that is so dense that the stain cannot soak in as the wood is repelling it.
I’ve been using this stain to cover a large area of bamboo. A bamboo company says to use Total Wood Protectant (TWP) – Black Walnut – 250 UV. How come I can’t find it on your site if it’s recommended? What I’ve used so far is 1504 black walnut twp. Is there a difference?
I need to order more and I would like your help with what I can do?
Thank you in advance for any help.
Susan
https://www.twpstain.com/twp-1500-series
I finished my one coat of Rustic Oak on a fully stripped, clean and brightened deck last evening. Color is much darker than when I sampled it and is blotchy in areas. I see a 2nd coat is not recommended when not wet on wet. 1. When can I 2nd coat it?
2. Could I use Pecan stain over it to get a lighter look or would it get more blotchy and uneven in 2 different colors? I do not want to restrict it!
1. 6-12 months later.
2. No, you cannot lighten the color outside of stripping it all off and starting over.
I just built a new wooden swing. I used Douglas fir 4×4 and a combo of pretreated pine and redwood for the rest. I read that I am not supposed to stain it for at least 4 months but am afraid that it will have water/sun damage if I leave the wood exposed. Do I really need to wait the 4 months? I live in Utah so we can have pretty harsh winters…
Yes and prep after.
I have used about 1.5g from 5g container.
Is there a specific best way to ensure that the 5gallon drum is sealed properly?
Is it better to transfer to different containers to ensure that the contents will be good for next use
See here: https://twpstainhelp.com/shelf-life-of-twp/
I am bidding on a deck re-stain job. As best as the customer can remember and based on saved paperwork, the previous contractor used the TWP 200 Series in the Cedar color. It looks like it was semi-transparent oil-based stain. There is a lot of mildew in some areas, and algae. All this will be have to be cleaned off. The areas that have received the most sun have left little stain remaining. There is a porch where the sun doesn’t hit it much but lots of mildew has formed but more of the stain is remaining. I don’t see the 200 series on your site. What are your recommendations. We want to keep the same color. Should it all be stripped, neutralized and re-stained. I think that the customer said it had been stained about 4 years ago. Which product should I use now, the 1500? The wood is pressure-treated southern yellow pine.
Strip and brighten the wood with this kit: https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit-detail
Stain with the same color in the 200 Series: https://www.twpstain.com/twp-200-series-5-gallon
I’M GETTING READY TO STAIN OUR TREATED DECK. I FORGOT WHAT I’M SUPPOSE TO DO TO PREP? THE LAST TIME I USED OXICLEAN BUT I DON’T RE MEMBER HOW MUCH I USED. ALSO, THE OTHER DECK HAS TO BE REDONE IN SPOTS. WE WERE TOLD BY A CONTRACTOR THAT WE COULD SPOT SAND BUT OTHERS SAY THE WHOLE THING NEEDS TO BE SANDED. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE. YOU DO A FANTASIC JOB HELPING OTHERS.
What stain is on there currently and it would help if you uploaded some pictures.
Can we apply this in the summer in Texas (temperature range 76-97 degrees)? We are doing two decks, one under cover (porch) and one in the direct sun.
We do not suggest applying when temps are above 90.
We had a new deck built and stained with TWP 101 Cedartone over a year ago. The new wood absorbed the stain inconsistently in areas so we are planning to prep & re-stain this fall. Is there any issues or problems changing to a darker color like 116 Rustic? Should we continue to use 101 Cedartone for best result?
You can switch but prep with this kit: https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit-detail
I have some eastern cedar post that I want to seal clear and not stain because I like the way they look natural. Do you have a clear sealant you recommend that will leave a clear stain finish.
TWP comes in a clear but a clear will not provide any UV protection from graying. For UV protection, you will need one of the tinted TWP colors. No shine with the TWP products as they are penetrating.
What stain do you recommend to keep it as natural as possible?
Honeytone color is the lightest in the 100 or 1500 Series.
Which series do you recommend for this application.
Depends on where you live?
I have cleaned and powerwashed our deck in preparation for staining with TWP. However, weather has been so rainy that the application of TWP has been delayed by weeks or perhaps over a month due to not having dry weather two days before and two predicted after staining. By now wood has turned gray in some places and appears to be turning gray in others. Will there be negative consequences to applying TWP on this cleaned but grayed wood? Should I clean and powerwash again?
Thank you.
Prep again.
Thank you for your quick reply. What will be the consequences if I don’t prep again, and stain the prepped but now grayed wood?
The gray will probably show through the TWP stain and look darker or blotchy in appearance.
Thanks for your reply.