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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 TWP 200 series. It indicates there is no UV protection added. Is there a recommended additive that would provide UV protection?
Only the Clear would not have UV protection. All the other colors do. There is not a way to add UV protection to the clear.
Using TWP 100 – We Sanded the old stain off with a deck sander rented. Then used the Restore a Deck Kit with stripper, additive and booster…scrubbed with deck brush then rinsed and rinsed with a garden hose with nozzle pressure…Followed up with Brightener …Rinsed very well….next day …looked great EXCEPT we got fuzz…we are palm sanding with 120 trying to get the fuzz…it is very tough…How important is it to get the fuzz?
Do not sand with 120. 60-80 grit at most for sanding.
You do not have to remove all the fuzz as it does not show when stained.
I used 1500 on my covered porch – it came out great – but the weather forecast changed and we got 100% humidity for 3 days straight right after I was done. Then it rained. It took about 2 1/2 weeks for the deck to dry – now it is dry but slippery when walking on it. Will this go away over time?
There are also a few spots where it is “bubbly white” where the rain must have sat on it – should I leave those areas for now and see what happens over time?
Sounds like you over-applied. Can you send a picture?
I have attached the photos- hopefully you get them. The deck is dry- just slippery in areas. Plus the raised bubbly areas were the rain must have hit it a few days Aguilera applied
Yes, this was excessively over-applied. TWP is a penetrating stain that is designed to fully soak into the wood. In your pictures, it shows it was applied to the point that it could not soak into the wood and that resulted in it filming or drying on top of the wood.
The only way to fix this is to power sand it all off down to the bare wood and then start over.
the area with the white raised bumps is very minimal and only in a few places on the outside railing of the deck – so hopefully that can be left as is until the deck needs to be done again. The deck itself is getting less slippery so I can only surmise that it is taking a while to cure given the weather that we have had her in the northeast lately. So I don’t think the next time the deck needs to be re stained it needs to be power sanded.
Yes, you will have to fully sand it all off the next time you redo it.
I used your TWP 1500 on my redwood deck (a couple of days after I used the Gemini cleaner/Brightener) yesterday using the Chapin heavy duty sprayer and I’m pretty sure I over-saturated the wood. 24 hours later it’s still really tacky. Any suggestions on how best to get rid of the tackiness? Someone suggested mineral solvent, but I wasn’t sure what that would to the stain.
See here: https://twpstainhelp.com/twp-stain-is-spotty-or-shiny/
Hello and thanks for this helpful and well maintained website! I intend to stain my Kansas City PT pine deck with TWP 100 Pecan in the spring. I am curious your specific advice on some prep questions.
The deck is mostly 5 year old PT pine (that I’ve flipped over) with a few new boards of the same type
The wood has factory coating from Menards “CedarTone” pressure treated pine (though the coating has mostly faded from the old boards I’m reusing)
I did use oil-based Penofin 4 years ago, but that was on the other side of the boards before I flipped them.
As you can see in my pics, I started sanding (and plan to then strip/brighten with gemini RAD) because I assumed that would be the best way to conceal/blend the new boards, but then I came across this site, and am questioning my approach.
I thought I would use 40 grit then 80 on the new boards, only 80 on the old, then the RAD, then stain.
Specific Questions:
1. How would you prep this exactly? Would you even sand?
2. Is it okay to sand now and then strip/brighten in the spring?
3. Is my sanding on the old board with the 80 grit sufficient? Or should I do it with 40 grit before the 80 to get more of the factory pigment off?
4. As for the splotches of penofin that seeped through the gaps before I flipped the boards over, do I need to sand to be sure they come out? Or will the stripper take care of that?
Thanks!
1. No need to sand.
2. Clean and brighten all in the Spring.
3. No need.
4. Stripper would remove it.
No matter what, your new wood will be lighter than the older wood the first time staining. There is not a way to blend them and sanding would be a waste of time and not needed.
Gotcha. Thanks so much!
A couple of follow-ups:
Will it matter that I’ve sanded some of the deck? As in, will it look strange when I put the TWP on it, with the sanded boards standing out from the rest?
I was thinking it might make sense to at least sand the other new boards like I have the one, just to be consistent. Would you advise against that?
If you wait until spring it will even out the sanding when you clean and brighten. You can finish the sanding and then weather and prep all in Spring.
Thanks again. So do you mean finish the sanding now? And do you mean sand the whole deck or just the new boards (or does it not matter)?
Sand all wood now so it is even. Weather over Winter, clean and brighten then.
I first used TWP 202 on my deck in Missouri and got 8 years before it needed another clean and re-stain. On my second stain, I used TWP 120 and got 5 years before again requiring a redo. Should I go back to the 202 product for a longer life or was it just luck of the weather during those years?
There is no difference in longevity between the two series.
What should I use to clean stain (200&1500) residue off windows after it has been on for a few days? Mineral spirits is not working
Try a water based graffiti remover cleaner.
That worked, thanks!
I have a 17 year old treated pine deck. Used TWP Pecan the last two times I stained, with the last in April 2020 and the previous about 2.5 years earlier using 100 series. Prepped deck with restore a deck products. Live in Atlanta. Needed to replace top rail which I recently did using kiln dried treated pine. As you can see from attached photo, using pecan color on new top rail does not match existing color of the deck. What do I do?
You cannot match new wood to old wood as it is less absorbent. You also can stain new wood right away. https://twpstainhelp.com/kdat-and-twp-wait-period-for-new-wood/
Thank you for your reply. The new wood is kiln dried and I began to use the stain when it was around one month old. I do not see any problem with absorption as the color is the same as in the can.
Concern is what do I do now? Two to three years ago I replaced some wood, applied pecan stain and had no concern with the color matching the existing color. What do I need to do to match the color of the existing pecan colored stain now?
If I wait a few more months will the color on the new wood be close to existing color? Does TWP have another color which is close to existing color on the deck to use now and if so, what is the color?
You still need to wait and prep for KDAT wood. It is not possible to make it match and another color would not blend it any better. Only time will allow this. In a couple of years when you redo, it will blend much better,
I purchased several gallons of TWP series 200 about 4 years ago and never used them. Is the product still good if I want to use it now?
Hard to say. See here: https://twpstainhelp.com/shelf-life-of-twp/
Open up a can and make sure it is not skinning or clumping and that you can mix it 100% smooth. If so, it should be okay.
Any recommendation on finding a local contractor used to using TWP product?
Sorry but no.
I would like to inquire what TWP stain is right for my project.
Project is Deck (1,500 sf), fence and house siding.
Wood is Red Mangaris.
Location is California Costal.
Fence and siding is all new untreated material.
Deck is 1 year old, (Decking had turned grey. Just pressure washed it and it looks the same as new)
Would like the least amount of maintance option.
Please let me know what product you recomend?
Thank you,
Monique
San Diego CA
See here about the new wood: https://twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
Once ready and all prepped, use the TWP 1500: https://www.twpstain.com/twp-1500-series
We have a 15 year old deck that was last pressure washed and stained with TWP 100 Series Honeytone in 2016. The deck, at that time, prior to pressure washing was very ‘weathered’ but came up amazingly well and looked wonderful and ‘nearly new’ with the Honeytone. However, it really should have been restained 18 months ago :-(. We are in Georgia and in a wooded area but with maybe 4 hours of direct sunlight on the deck each day. We hope to get it restained before it gets too cold. Is the 100 series the best for us to use again? Not really sure of the difference between the 100 and 1500. Thanks!
Yes, use the 100 Series. Prep with this: https://www.twpstain.com/gemini-s-restore-a-deck-cleaner-and-brightener-kit
Hello – I have a 8 month old boat dock and walk way that totals ~1,200 sq ft and made of marine grade lumber. Half of the dock gets constant sun and the other half is covered. Our goal (like most others) is to maintain the look of the wood finish as long as possible. After reviewing the products we believe the TWP 101 Cedartone will meet our needs and is the color we would like. While the calculator takes into consideration things we don’t have (hand rails, etc.) it stated we need 12 gals along with 2 kits of the cleaner / brightner. Would you be kind enough to confirm the amount of product is correct since that did seem like a lot. In addition, since this is all over water is there anything we need to worry about with the cleaner / brighter when applying it? If there is anything we might of forgotten we would definitely appreciate any guidance you might have. Take care . . .
Only one coat for new wood so you would need about 7-8 gallons and 2 of the prep kits. The prep will be fine over the water.
I’m slow going on my large 40 X 20, 7-yr old pine deck having to strip and sand (portions). I do not want to brighten until I can do the whole deck at once; it may be 2 weeks or longer depending upon weather…….will a delay in brightening cause any problems?
Best to brighten as soon as possible to neutralize. Delaying while better than not brightening at all can lead to issues of furring, etc.
Won’t a light sanding remove the furring so that brightening can be done later?
It will.
BTW……..I failed to give you the whole story………I’m stripping, will then light sand, brighten (this will take approx 7-14 days on 800sf plus verticles) AND plan to let the south facing deck sit raw over the winter in hopes the moisture in the wood will dry out as it gets some sun after leaves have fallen (deck’s in shade all summer with humid and rainy conditions for last three years). After pollen season I will RAD clean and brighten (again) and stain in late Spring 2021. Have used TWP in past but will likely use RAD water-based since it’s especially made for damp wood. Am also considering a two-tone with darker floor and lighter verticals.
Will there be a problem using water-based over prior oil-based if the deck has been totally stripped and lightly sanded?
As long as the TWP is stripped, you will be okay.
I stained my porch with a clear oil based stain that supposely had if protection. I now want to switch to twp in the color honey tone. Can it be applied over the clear stain with just a washing of wood before applying.
Thank you for your guidance
No, you will need to remove the current coating first.
Hello , we applied stain over our deck. After one month looks like need another coats. Your opinion please …
It does not need another coat.
Thank you for answered . My dad concer abiut the white spots but is under a gutters with white paint and the other thing is he wants a even finished, but our deck its very old , we applied two coats of TWP. Please we need you opinion .
Best regards
Bill
Do not add more as it will not cure and dry correctly.
Hello, just we need to know if you guys know about whats the white spots ? Please if you know give to us your opinion . Thank you
The white is sap leaching from the wood. Cannot be prevented. Mineral spirits may help to clean it off.
I have and old deck. 10 years ish. Pine wood. I have stripped off the old stain and brightened. Trying to decide on a color from your company. A few boards are newer needed to replace. How does your stain colors take to old vs newer boards? Do they come out lighter or darker then the sample colors you show? We are trying do decide between Dark oak and Pecan.
New wood will always be light in color since they are less absorbent.
I have a deck in a shaded area and the moisture content remains high even during the driest summer months. Since it will never come close to 15% mc, what issues can I expect to encounter at higher mc levels. After 2 weeks of drying it was at 40%-50% mc. The deck is about 10 years old and had begun to rot, even though I had kept it finished with a solid deck stain (it was peeling off) I have sanded off all the boards and reinstalled them.
Any advice is appreciated.
I don’t get a reply of any sort?
Sorry but never saw your question. We get a lot. Your MC is too wet for TWP as it will not be able to soak in.
in the series 1500 stain instructions it mentions that the temperature must be 50 degrees or higher. is that during application and for how long of duration must that be for? if i apply the stain during the day while it is plus 50 degrees and then the temperature drops below 50 degrees at night is that a problem?
It can drop below 50 but not below freezing.
Hi I bought the twp103 pro series dark oak to apply to my pine outdoor ceiling .. it’s been 6 months since installed and I would like to apply . The direction state to us Clorox and water to clean the surface . Is there another option to this as I will not be able to clean with Clorox . If the wood has been under roof would light sanding serve the same purpose ?
See here for new wood https://twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
Sanding will not prep.
We just completed a project using TWP 1500 stain on our deck, preceded by stripper and brightener, and the products worked very well. We will be working on a sauna interior with cedar boards and benches that have some dark staining and which were originally treated with Thompsons Water Seal. Do you have a product that is suitable for interior use on cedar?
Thank you.
Sorry but we do not.
I live in California and have a deck that is subject to both sun and wet. Which TWP series will offer the best UV protection?
You will need the TWP 1500 for CA: https://www.twpstain.com/twp-1500-series
1. Can TWP be used on a log home with full round Ponderosa Pine logs? The 17-year old logs were most recently stained with Sikens CETOL SRD in cedartone color (semi-transparent penetrating oil), but it gets very dark after about 6 months, even with a mildewcide additive.
2. If so, should the stripper/brightener package suffice for pretreatment?
3. We would like a light color, and see that Honeytone simulates a wet look. Would you see any problem with using TWP 115 on our home, and what would be the expected life?
Thanks!
1. TWP can be sued for logs but you must remove the Sikkens fully first.
2. Hard to say if it can be stripped as it depends on how thick the Sikkens is. Send pictures.
3. You would need the Honeytoen in the 1500 or 100 series but such to use depends on what state you live in.
My deck is a mixture of weathered and recently replaced pressure treated pine in North Carolina. I am looking for a semitransparent stain. Do you recommend TWP 100 or 1500 stain?
100 Series. See here about the new wood: https://twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
New pressure treated pine fence. Live in Ches Bay Area of VA. Looks like TWP 100 is still allowed in this part of VA. If I applied TWP 100 for the 1st coat next spring, can TWP 1500 be used in subsequent applications if our laws change? Is there any performance advantage to using TWP 100 vs 1500.
See here about new wood: https://twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
As for changing to the TWP 1500 if ever needed, you would need to prep correctly then you can.
Hi there! Really needing advice on staining our deck. We had new cedar floor and railings put on our 18-year-old deck 10 days ago. We chose not to replace posts and slats as they are still in good shape. However, we are now concerned we made a mistake because getting a stain to match the new and old cedar is a challenge. All surfaces have been power washed and are ready for stain. Question for you is 1) can we proceed with staining the entire deck now with TWP and 2) do you think TWP dark oak will be a good match to use everywhere? Thanks so much for your help!
You cannot stain your new wood yet: https://twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/ Best to wait until Spring to prep and stain all. The color will not matter as the new wood will stain lighter no matter what is it will be less absorbent.
Interesting. Why do we have to wait until spring if we have power washed it and removed the waxy layer from milling? Also isn’t that bad for the wood to not be protected over the winter?
Thank you!
It is about porosity, not removing the mill glaze. You have to wait and prep. One Winter will not harm the wood.
Got it. Thank you for your help!
Our project is a new deck which was completed in mid-August, 2020. Your recommendations for new wood is to wait up to a year. Our builder told us to stain it about three months after it was finished. The problem is that we have some deepening cracks in our vertical posts which he instructed us to seal about two weeks after he finished. How are we going to seal these without a negative result in the appearance of our deck when we do stain it? The stain won’t cover any kind of filler will it? What should we do?
Secondly, we used a sample of prairie grey (106) on left-over deck wood, and the color was no where near the sample as shown. We need a stain with grey tones to match our home. Our wood is pine with a naturally yellow appearance, can we expect prairie grey to give a grey tone?
Hello
Cracks are normal in exterior decking and will happen no matter what and a deck stain will not prevent them. Wood filler will not work on exterior wood and will not “stain” to blend when TWP is applied.
The color of the Prarie Gray you tested is correct and is how it will look on your wood once applied.
Could I put a clean coat over the stain? In a house.
No, you cannot apply a clear coat over the TWP.
I use twp stain on my railing in my house . Is there anything that will harm my family after it drys?
No.
I have a deck that has sikkens stain on it that is 4+ years old. What do I need to do to stain with TWP100?
You will need to remove it first. Strip and sand to remove. Brighten after.
When we stained our deck with twp 100 they dripped it on the vinyl siding. Is there any way to safely remove it?
Use a graffiti remover cleaner.
Two-part question – Which 100 series is closest to a clear coat?
And – is there a reason that I shouldn’t mix a quart of 105 Cape Cod Gray with 5 gal of clear stain to get a light pickled finish?
Clear will not give UV protection. Must be tinted. The lightest tint is Honeytone.
You will not get a pickled look if you did this and your UV protection would be nil.
I stained my patio deck with oil based semi-transparent red stain 5 years ago and it’s turned black. I’m not sure why that happened. Help?
Strip it off then brighten the wood for prep and then you can use the TWP: https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit-detail
All the pigment has coagulated into gummy chunks at the bottom of the 5 gallon containers. Can these be mixed in and what is the best method for doing so?
Thank you
David
Use a paint drill mixer for a 5-gallon pail. You can get them at most paint stores.
My deck is 20 years old. Built with pressure treated wood. I was tired of grey wood thus I had the deck painted twice in 6 years. Paint did not last and looked terrible. I am removing the paint and wish to stain. I am half way there and the wood looks like new. I ground the wood level and smooth. What should be time and sequence of steps to take now. Which darker stain is best for my application. Your products were recommended to me by a friend.
After full removal, use this kit for final prep: https://www.twpstain.com/gemini-s-restore-a-deck-cleaner-and-brightener-kit
use the TWP 1500 Series in Dark Oak or Black Walnut.
Do you have to sand for prepping then applying two 100?
Depends on the current condition and what if any other stain is on the wood? Pictures would help.
Do you recommend wiping off excess stain with a rag as you’re brushing it on?
Only if needed 60 minutes after applying.
The previous owner cleaned our cedar siding house and pressure treated pine decking with bleach 2 weeks Prior to our move. My question is this; should we Re-clean the deck and house with the Cleaner/Brightener or now that it’s done, can we move forward with staining with the TWP-100 series semi-transparent stain? We want good results but time is especially valuable right now, with pending surgery soon.
Thank you for such a Wonderful website !
Looking forward to a beautifully stained new home !
Yes, redo the prep with the Gemini Restore Kit.
I am using TWP 100 series to stain a covered cedar porch. Because of the railing in the porch I was only able to stain the inside boards of the porch floors yesterday…I was going to finish the other side today but now rain in forecast for this afternoon. I live in MN so temperatures are dropping weekly. Next week overnight lows fall into the 30s. Should I rake a chance and apply stain on the other side of the flooring or wait and hope for a couple nice days in the coming weeks( which is not unheard of for Oct)? I’m afraid I won’t get it completed before the snow starts to fall…
It is sunny 55 degrees with a slight breeze currently ; rain is predicted around 5-6 pm
Thank you
Either should be okay.
I live in a very dry climate in West Texas and wanted to know if we need to seal after the semi transparent stain is applied. We are going to use TWP100 Oil base Pecan. If so, what is your recommendation?
You cannot apply a sealer over the TWP.
I successfully applied TWP cleaner, brightener, and TWP100 clear treatment last year on new cedar deck after aging 6 months, and we really like existing gray patina now. Do you suggest applying another TWP100 clear treatment to maintain nice gray patina, we really do not want stain color?
Leave as it for another year and then lightly wash and apply again.
I’m staining 4 shed doors made from pressure treated pine. They’ve been sitting for 7 months. Wood was from Home Depot and new at the time (Feb-March). I’m interested in staining with TWP 100. First question – can I sand spots in the wood beforehand (there are some minor paint drips from another project), and if so what grit? Second – should I clean the wood with a bleach/water mixture (the TWP sales rep recommended that). Third – what should the wood moisture level be before I apply? I live in Georgia, so high humidity in the summer.
Do not spot sand as it will lead to uneven application. Prep with this kit is correct: https://www.twpstain.com/gemini-s-restore-a-deck-cleaner-and-brightener-kit
15%
I want to use cypress as a wood header on exterior windows. We bought cypress from a lumber yard and sanded. I’m not sure exactly how old the wood is but I know that it was at the lumber yard for at least 5 months. We’ve decided to use the 1500 Cedartone but now I’m not sure how to prep the wood as I don’t know if it’s considered new or ready to go?
Treat like new wood: https://twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
I bought 10 gallons of 100 pecan on 7/10/19 and ran out of stain is this years formula any different in color
Same exact color.
I just had a contractor stain my deck with the 1500 series, and there are shiny sots all over. Is this due to excess stain being left on the deck? If so, how do I fix this?
See this: https://twpstainhelp.com/twp-stain-is-spotty-or-shiny/
Using twp100 on cedar. When is it safe for rain after application?
12-24 hours.
I had a treated pine wooden fence put in a couple of years ago.
What twp stain do you recommend?
How long does it last?
And do your stains come in colors
Use the TWP 1500. You can see colors here: https://www.twpstain.com/twp-1500-series
About 3-5 years for a fence.
My husband will finish the sanding off our 30 yr old Red Cedar gazebo of Flood Semi Opaque stain tomorrow. It looks like new cedar wood. We have received the Restore-A-Deck stripper, brightner, the two additives and the bug prevention solution. Should he dilute the stripper on the low side 2/3 cup to a gallon of water? Do you need a special tool to get the 5 gallon can opened?
Can we just do one coat this time of TWP 100?
Thank you!
Yes.
If you sanded it all off, do not use the stripper at full strength and no need for the additives. Use it about 1/2 strengthen or less. Apply and rinse. Apply brightener and rinse. Use a screwdriver to open pails by prying up the tabs.
We restained our home with 200 series (205 California Cedar). We have a few areas where some stain dripped on our concrete front stoop. What is the best way to clean these spots off the concrete?
A graffiti remover cleaner from local paint store and pressure washing.
My deck was not stained for a long time and the wood (treated pine) was very dry. I used TWP 203 about 3 years ago and its time to do it again. I want to use the 1500 series, so do I use cleaner or stripper for prep work?
Strip and then brightener: https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit-detail