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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
Jack, if shiny and sticky than the TWP did not soak into the wood. Most likely over applied or not prepped well. It will dry eventually but depends on the weather.
Cole, 100 as it will penetrate better. Prep the sanded deck with the Gemini Restore Kit so the stain absorbs better.
Deck, mostly shaded, about 250 sq. ft.
Vermont
Pressure treated wood
Age unknown, prior treatments unknown
I power washed the deck yesterday, in the process removed years of dirt, grim, and mildew. I would like to stain the deck, but do not know what prior stains or sealers have been used, as I just purchased the house. I did find some Thompson’s water seal in the garage, but do not know if it was used on the deck or on brick, etc. See pictures attached. Any recommendations welcome. Thank you
Joe, no picture attached. TWP should not be applied on top of a different stain brand. If you have any stain left on the wood than it needs to be removed by stripping and or sanding.
Carla, is the fence rough sawn or smooth wood. Rough wood can be stained right away, smooth cannot. You must have a color/tint in your stain if you want UV protection. The Honeytone is the lightest tint. use the 1500 Series.
Hi, I am going to stain some new pine lumber with twp101. Can I put a semi gloss sealer over this? And if so what do you recommend?
Mike.
Mike, you cannot add a sealer or any coating on top of the TWP.
dwe, it will not react with the spindles but it will leave a mess on them if you do not wipe them down at the very least.
I have read dry time varies between 4 – 24 hours. Also read that it needs 48+ hours before and AFTER stain. There is a 40% chance of thunderstorm overnight but sunny today. Need some advise/clarify on what is the minimum and ideal dry time needed.
Dan, it varies drastically with the wood type, age of wood, application method, series of the stains, etc. Not sure exactly but it usually will take a light rain in 6-8 hours.
Tim, hard to say. Maybe TWP 1530 natural or the 1520 Pecan. Best to get some samples from the site to test.
I have ~1700 SF of 11 year old cedar fencing to stain in Western Washington State 40 miles north of Seattle. Which product would be better TWP 100 or TWP 1500? Also, we want to start the project no later than August 9 (Vacation)…is there a local dealer in our area?
Becky, TWP 1500 Series for the fence. We are an online dealer for TWP.
We live in Massachusetts near Boston. We plan to use TWP 1500 on the untreated (and unstained) red cedar shingles of my house. We used stainless steel fasteners.The shingles were installed over a 5 year period and have weathered differently depending on exposure and the age of the shingles. The oldest and sunniest side is weathering beautifully with a rich mix of darks and reds. The north side is uniformly dark grey. The east side gets a lot of drip from a copper gutter and has weathered poorly with many blotchy patches. The west side has a lot of tree cover and looks almost like new except for some greenish mold on the bottom.
The “natural” experiment did not work very well.
So, now we want to clean it and stain it with TWP 1500 Clear. I have read that I will need 2 coats. Is that correct?
What should I do to prep the shingles? A Cleaner and a Brightener?
Thanks for any help you can give me. A professional painter will be doing the job.
Frances, prep the shingles with the Gemini Restore Kit. Two coats of the TWP 1500 “wet on wet”. The clear will not offer UV protection from graying. You must have a color/tint in the stain for this.
I have a year old deck of pressure treated pine that has not been stained yet. Live in Michigan. I know I have to prep deck prior to staining. Am wondering which of your stains would be better to use TWP100 or TWP 1500. Also am wondering if you could suggest a color. The siding of our hose is Canyon Clay. I am thinking something a little darker might look good?
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Angelo, maybe the dark oak color? The 100 Series for this.
Chuck, the TWP will not penetrate properly into brand new wood. Please read this: http://www.twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
what type of container should be used to store unused stain?
how best to store unused portion of stain?
tukilik, make sure to use a container where the lid can close 100% so the stain does not go bad. You can buy empty paint cans and lids from your local hardware store.
I have 660ft of 6′ fencing. 15 yrs. old. I recently power washed it and my deck. I live in central MO. Would you recommend TWP1500 or 100?
Stab, either would work well for you. We like the 1500 for fencing though as it has a little more solids for better UV from fading.
I did the last step, brightener, on my deck a week ago and because of rain I haven’t been able to stain it. How long can I wait to stain or will I need to do the brightener step again? Thanks, I will be using 1500 series.
Mitch, you can wait a week or two without needing to do any more prep.
Could I see examples of actual wood in the different stains? Photo gallery of actual work done? Also I read below a post about the 100 series better for mn weather, is this correct?
Gwen, we sell samples so you can test them on your deck. 100 Series for MN.
Just completed a large porch and deck (700+ sq ft) with what my contractor says is pre-dried PT lumber( Ecolife II) . Should I trust him and stain now or wait, let it weather, and then follow your instructions?
gr8g8r, I would wait at least a month or two, prep correctly and apply 1 coat of the stain.
New pressure treated lumber (southern pine?) deck around our above ground pool. Maybe 600 square feet. a 16 x 32 foot oval pool with 12 x 20 side deck, 4 foot wide wrap around deck. Finished about 3 weeks ago here in NJ. We like the the natural color of the wood but want the UV protection and longevity. Should we go with a semi-transparent stain? Your thoughts? Thanks,
Andy, please read this article: http://www.twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
1500 Series, 1 coat on newer wood.
Hi,
I have a question about how long the stain will last in the can. I am trying to decide whether to buy a 5 gallon pain or 2 single gallon cans. We are going to stain our cedar deck (13 X16) The previous stain was removed using a deck wash, power sprayer, and then sanding the wood bare.
I would also like to go with a stain that will bring out the beauty of the wood grain, not cover it up. Please advise. Thanks very much!
Stacey
Stacey, an opened pail will last less than a year. All TWP stains will enhance the natural grain of the wood without masking it.
How long after applying transparent color stain (we’re trying various shades of brown) will the color stabilize? We’re doing test spots on 23 year old wood, mostly pine, doors and windows. We want to put on various test spots, wait however long until the color stabilizes, then pick the color we do the project in. It’s our house so we can wait weeks or even months for color to stabilize so we can pick.
Ack, once it dries it is pretty much a stable color. Maybe a day or so at most.
I have cedar siding that has had a clear preservative applied in the past. It has darkened. How can I prep for TWP? I used you’re product on my cedar deck, and it looks better than ever. Thanks,Gerry
Gerry, what the brand you used before and how long ago?
Cuprinol clear. and about 8 years
Gerry, you need to remove what’s left with the Restore A Deck Stripper and the Restore A Deck Brightener for the prepping before you applying the TWP.
Originally stained my cedar fence with TWP1500 rustic. Can I change the color to black walnut by simply spraying the new color over the old one? Thanks, Mike
Mike, if you prep the wood first you can go over the Rustic with a darker color such as Black Walnut. The Gemin Restore Kit is the best way to prep.
Greg, only 1 coat for the new wood. 2 light coats “wet on wet” for the older wood.
Chris, 100 Series for you and only 1 coat the first time staining new wood.
I used the restore a deck system and long story short I think we pressure washed at too high of a pressure. When the deck dried there was wood fiber fuxx patches. I sanded the entire deck down with an 80 grit paper with palm sanders. It’s been about a week since sanding, this is the third summer for the wood, it was never stained prior (I know I’m a bit late). The question, can I go ahead an apply the stain now or should I use some other product to prep the wood furthur since I sanded (clogged pores?).
Thanks
Matt, try rinsing the wood extrmely well with a pressure washer to remove the sand dust and open the grain.
I have a 15 year old cedar deck that has been re-stained a couple times, most recently about 3 years ago with Behr stain. A few weeks ago, I had the handrails and posts rebuilt with new cedar wood, along with new cedar stairs. I have pressure washed the old stain as much as possible, but there are quite a lot of thick areas that did not wash off. What do I need to purchase to prep the deck, and would you recommend 100 or 1500 stain if I live in Kansas? My deck is on the south side of the house, with a lot of daytime sun. Thanks.
Greg, you need to remove the Behr 100%. This can be done with a stain stripper and sanding. You will need to brighten the wood when done. The Restore A Deck Stain Stripper is our strongest. Stain with the 100 Series when done.
How many coats of the TWP 100 would you suggest for both the new and old sections of the deck?
Question about what to do now with our deck, which is about five years old. A contractor recently stained it using TWP 1500 but it is now sticky and tacky. From reading some of the information on this site, I think the problem may be that they applied a second coat more than 48 hours after the first coat. Then, to try to address the sticky tackiness, they came back and re-sanded parts of the deck, restained, and attempted to “wipe off the excess” then, as they did it.
They are trying to fix the problem, which I appreciate, but I also want to have the deck right, which it is not now. I had some other advice — person told me that we’d have to strip the whole thing, sand it down, and start over to get it right. This time put on a second coat while the first coat is still wet. Is this true? Do we need to strip it at this point?
I also read somewhere online that mineral spirits might help? Rub a little on with a cloth and see if it mops up the stickiness?
The contractor is willing to strip it all and redo for me but thought I’d check here first. I’m sure he’s beyond making money on this job now. Is it worth it to try the mineral spirits? Any other suggestions?
Thank you.
Eliza, mineral spirits will not work. Strip and brighten it all. I would not sand. Two very light coats wet on wet making sure they do not leave any puddles.
Thank you! Also, what do you mean by brightening it? Power wash again after stripping?
Eliza, brightening means you apply a “wood brightener”. This is a common product used after a deck cleaner or stain stripper.
what color would u recommend for a purple heart deck. 1 yr old cleaning with Restore-a –
deck
gmc, try the Honeytone color.
Cedar Pergola – built 2 months ago – nothing on it (yet). Would like to keep it from going grey – not opposed to a stain, but do not want to go too dark. I am in Michigan.
Mike, use the 100 Series but read this article first: http://www.twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
Cedar fence, less than 9 months old, no previous stain. Advise or recommend stain for central Texas area. Approximately 800 sft total area.
Jack Cody, use the TWP 1500 for the vertical fence in Texas.
Structure: Playset – Skyfort II
Wood Species: Chinese Cedar
Age: Brand new, unassembled
Treatment history: Comes treated with an unknown waterborne stain. Requires sealing.
1. Is TWP 1500 a good product for this application?
2. Will the waterborne stain affect TWP penetration?
3. For the longest life and best results, should I stain/seal it unassembled or should I assemble it first?
4. The waterborne stain made the wood red. I’m assuming I should use TWP 1502 Redwood. Do anyone have any other recommendations?
Any help would be appreciated! Thanks.
DW,
You cannot apply the TWP on top of the waterborne stain. If you want to use TWP you would need to strip all of the stain that is on the wood off first.
Is the reason because it is waterborne and TWP is oil based? Would I have to use a water based sealer?
DW, TWP cannot be applied on top of any other stain. Does not matter if the other stain is water or oil based.
can you use twp on interior wood doors?
Tina, no you cannot.
Dan, the 100 penetrates wood better. Less wearing for MN weather.
Thank you
Welcome!
Can you mix different twp 1500 colors to create your own custom color? I mixed equal parts of samples of dark oak and california redwood 1500 and it produced a nice brown color, but I wanted to know if there are any known issues with that?
Chris, you can mix TWP color together.
Dan, please read this: http://www.twpstainhelp.com/switching-to-twp-stains/
We need a total s. footage for the gallons needed.
14 x 22 is ~ 310 sq ft. Need help estimate spindles and steps (3′ x 5 3/8″). sounds like 2 gal may be sufficient?
Also advise what stain is better for MN weather 100 vs 1500?
Dan, By the time you add in spindles you will gave 400+ sq. feet which means you need 4-5 gallons for two coats. 100 Series for MN.
Based on the comparison on your website, 1500 series seems to be better (lower VOC, and higher solid volumes, and solid weight). your recommendation for 100 series – was it due to MN weather?
Cathy, it needs to dry correctly and tarping may leave shiny spots as it cures incorrectly. You will not have issues if it has been 24 hours.
Alan, you can use TWP on furniture. You should wait. If you stained now then the TWP may not penetrate well and it may require a another coat sooner rather than later.
Thanks for the reply. One last question. While researching which product to use on this furniture I came across a TWP 300. Looks like the same packaging as the 100 and 1500 just a green label. It says its for a more furniture like finish. Have you seen this product and would it work better on my furniture?
Alan, the TWP 300 is not sold by us and has been all but discontinued.
Okay. Thanks so much for the help.
Welcome!
Once the Restore a Deck is mixed in a sprayer, how long can we keep,the solution? It has started to rain, so we will need to continue at another time.
Jax, the cleaner loses it’s effectiveness within an hour or two of mixing. The brightener will last forever.
Thanks
ricky, all TWP colors are semi-transparent. Prep with the Gemini Restore Kit and a light pressure washing. Stain with the TWP 100 Series.
which is the best stain for Colorado deck in direct sun?
Durango, either the 100 or 1500 series for Colorado.
Paul, please read this: https://www.twpstain.com/twp-stain-comparison
I would use the 100 Series for this.
I have a new PT deck that is being built. I have had multiple contractors and a dealer tell me that the 200 series has had great feedback on local decks (NC). The 200 series is a shake and shingle stain. Is there any reason that the 200 series would be better than the 1500 series?
Terry, the 200 series is designed for older and porous wood. Not newer wood. It can be applied to decking but it may take a week or two to fully dry.
Sue, we would suggest the 1500 series for this.
Greg, it covered it can take up to 24 hours or so to completely dry.
Cox Lumber co. based in S.C. states their KDAT SYP t&g porch flooring is to be kept dry and to cover all six sides with an oil based paint or stain before installation, then another coat afterwards. I plan to follow the manufacturers’ instructions and would like to use TWP 1500 semi-transparent stain. Pervious requests for help with this application has gotten me poor replies from this forum. Please let me know if TWP 1500 can be used like I want, if not, WHY? Thanks, Joe
Poor replies? We reply to everyone with the proper answers when using TWP. TWP will not work applied to this wood right away and you do not need to stain all sides of the wood prior to application with TWP. If you want to follow their advice then you will run the risk of the TWP prematurely failing.
The Cox lumber is kiln dried to a moisture content of 19% or less, has no Mill Glaze, and the water preventive will be omitted on my order, so why can’t it be stained prior to installation after 2 weeks of acclimation at the job site? I had planned to do all staining with TWP 1500 semi-transparent. If TWP won’t do the job, can you recommend another stain? How about Armstrong Clark? My order has been placed with Cox so I’d like to get settled on a good stain. Thanks, Joe
Joe crow, TWP does not want you to apply to new wood as it needs to season and weather so the stain will absorb better. It is not just moisture content and mill glaze that impedes the stain’s ability to penetrate but the wood cells themselves.
Cedar deck over 15 years old. Has been stained 2 or 3 times with TWP 101. Recently converted some of it to a porch and used salvaged deck boards to replace some with rotted ends. Stain has worn unevenly over the years and now I have “splotchy” conditions.
Want to stain a bit darker to better match screened porch colors. Can I just clean and coat or should I strip and sand before coating?
amrauch, strip and brighten for uniformity with the Restore A Deck Stripper and Brightener. This way the new stain will absorb well and dry evenly.
I am having a new cedar deck installed in the next month. It will be south east facing in the state of Washington. Which stain TWP 100 or TWP 1500 do you recommend? Since it’s a new deck, I have read that I will need to wait ~4 months before applying the stain. This will leave my new deck unprotected from the elements (winter approaching). Won’t this harm the wood? Someone at the hardware store had recommended using a “cleaner” to remove the mill glaze so that I can stain it. Is this appropriate or should I just wait the ~4 months?
Thanks
Please read this article: http://www.twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
i have a new redwood deck constructed with deck heartwood grade that was stained after nearly 1 months. Lumber yard indicated the wood was “dry” and ready for staining. however, we did wait an additional month. My painter used TWP1511 at my request. The railing and baluster looks fine.. however, the deck floor is a mess. Tacky, puddling/gummy areas – assuming from overapplication – but also a few pieces of wood that have splintered/cracked and knots turned black with a few falling out. Question is twofold: 1. can splintering/cracking of wood and black knots be result of overapplication (1 week ago now) and 2. What is the best way to cleanup overapplication on fairly new wood – step by step? I’ve read posts above — but advice says strip (product recommendation?), brighten (product?) then sometimes lightly sand and wash then dry and start over. My contractor says he is going to strip and powerwash (? bad idea?)?? HELP pLEASE!!!
veebee, you will need to strip, brighten, and lightly sand. You will need to let the wood weather properly for 4+ months and prep again. Use the Restore a deck products for the stripping and prepping: http://www.twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
Which of your products do you recommend for vertical rough cedar tongue and groove newly installed as siding on the interior of a screened porch in lower Michigan? Porch gets only some sun and weather; it is mostly protected. Am I right that since it is rough, we can stain right away? Thx.
Richard, yes you can stain right away. Use the 100 Series.
I have a log home in the GA mountains that is ready to be restained. I have only used Sikkens products in the past. At the contractor’s suggestion I am researching other products. Which TWP stain is appropriate for log homes in north GA? Assuming the prep is done correctly, what is the longevity of TWP stain on a log home?
Jay, we would suggest the 1500 series. It would last 4-8 years on verticals depending on the UV exposure.
Thanks!