Last Updated on January 30, 2023 by TWP Help
TWP Wood and Deck Stain Update for 2024
Welcome to the official help site for TWPStain.com.
TWP® 100 Pro-Series will keep your wood beautiful, fresh, and looking new longer! The ease of application and maintenance will allow you to enjoy your investment for years to come. Containing unique ingredients that protect the wood from damage, TWP 100 Series has been a leader and respected product for over 25 years.
TWP® 100 Pro-Series provides a broad spectrum of weather protection, is water repellent, and aids in color retention. TWP® 100 Pro-Series resists water absorption that causes warping, cracking, splitting, and prevents freeze damage in colder climates. Use TWP® 100 Pro-Series to Restore and Protect YOUR GREAT OUTDOORS!
TWP 1500 Total Wood Preservative is an EPA-registered wood preservative for decks, fences, gazebos, cedar siding, wood shakes, log homes, outdoor furniture, and other exterior wood surfaces. TWP wood preservative offers outstanding protection from UV fading, wood rot, water damage, and mildew for all types of wood species.
The TWPStainHelp.com site is designed for exterior wood and deck owners looking for solutions to their wood maintenance questions. We have gathered information based on years of experience. From TWP stain tips and wood maintenance advice to prepping new wood and how-to articles, we will guide you step by step to achieve professional-like results using any of the TWP wood preservative products.
Please read our articles and feel free to ask any questions that you may have about restoring your exterior wood or decking surfaces. The information you need regarding wood and deck restoration and TWP deck stains are all here. Please enjoy and remember that we are here to help.
We have new 8x8x10 rough Fir posts, and want to stain them a dark color. We are looking at the semi-solid charcoal.
Will the semi-solid stain block all of the wood grain.?
Semi-solid colors show some wood grain.
I used TWP 205 Cedar stain on my pressure treated deck. It is not wearing well after 6 months. Should I have used the 100 Cedar instead of the 205? Is the 100 the same color of the 205?
Most use the 100 or 1500 Series for decks. Colors are not the same between series
Thanks So I used the 205 cedar stain. I now want to use the 101 series as soon as possible. I last gemini washed , brightened and stained in April 2021. New deck was installed with pressure treated wood in January. It now has tannins and faded. It will bubble up when I put water on it. When and how should I prep and stain again? Thank you for any details and ideas you can provide.
Next Spring and use the Restore A Deck Striper and Brightener Kit for prep.
I stained the deck 2 years ago with TWP. Worked well! Last week I thoroughly prepped and cleaned the deck. The cleaning did not return the wood deck to bare wood although it removed a substantial amount. After brushing the deck with TWP1500 it remained shiny and did not dry for 3 days. I probably used to much as stated on your website. There are no blotches or overlaps. And it does look good!  😌  Can I leave this go until next year? Also is it always best to clean to bare wood when reapplying?
You are fine until Spring and probably longer. Strip and brighten next time you redo. Very easy.
I’m installing red cedar shakes around the bottom of my bay window. What kind of protection do I use to preserve the cedars beauty?
Look at the TWP 200 Series for the shakes.
Should deck be power washed before staining? It was stained with TWP 1501 about 3 or 4 years ago.There are some new boards. Do they need to be treated before staining. Also planning to stain the cedar siding on the house. Contractor is planning to power wash first. Is that necessary?
You always have to prep when recoating. Use the Gemini Restore Kit and pressure washing.
I have a second story deck. The underside is covered with screen because I am converting to a screened in porch. Is it okay to spray the prep cleaners on and use a pressure washer to rinse and then spray on the stain? Wondering how to manage both top and bottom.
Yes, that is okay.
I stripped and applied brightener to my deck (first photo) but it rained before I could apply the stain (second photo). I am concerned that the stain will look like the areas covered in rain – blotchy dark and light. Will this happen? Thank you!
The TWP will enhance the natural grain of the wood by tinting it with the color you choose. Your wood will have natural lighter and darker areas throughout the grain.
After staining yesterday I ended up with an a surplus of 1 unopened gallon of 1501 Cedartone stain. My question is: If I I leave it up here at our cottage and it freezes will that ruin it?
Also, I finished staining about 20 hours ago and still have shiny spots in some areas. I realize this isn’t enough dry time but my question is: How long should I wait for these to go away before trying to wipe up these areas with mineral spirits? And, will it hurt to walk on the deck while doing so? Thanks in advance for your help!
Tim
It cannot freeze. You can remove with mineral spirits now.
I just received some 5 gallon pails of stain and want to get started sometime this week (everything has been prepped).
What is the best way to open up and also transfer the 5 gallon pails to smaller containers?
Pry the tabs up from the lid with a flat head screwdriver.
I’m going to have a few gallons of stain left at the end of my project. For storing TWP 100, is it best to get a certain type of container or can I store it in polyethylene plastic containers purchased from the local hardware store?
Plastic containers are fine.
I’m up here in the Michigan UP trying to stain a treated lumber deck that we built last summer (2020). Last week I prepared the deck using the Gemini 2-step process and now have been waiting for 2 consecutive dry days so I can apply the stain (1500). My hope was to put the stain on tomorrow (Tuesday) but it rained again last night (Sunday). My question is, assuming it doesn’t rain today (Monday), can I satin the deck tomorrow (Tuesday) afternoon? Unfortunately I can’t do it on Wednesday or Thursday due to other commitments. Daytime highs will be in the low to mid 60’s and overnight lows in the high 40’s. I’m afraid that if I don’t get it done this week the weather won’t let me get it done before winter. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
48 hours after rain or prep is what is suggested.
Thanks–Will the night time temperatures (45-50) be a problem?
It will be fine.
We just added a deck addition using pressure treated pine. The builder recommended using a semi solid stain. The older area of deck has been treated for many years with TWP 1500 Cedartone.
Which TWP semi solid stain color most closely matches 1500 Cedartone?
is it possible to go over the older section of the deck with semi solid stain to match the new section? If so, what do I need to do to prep it?
Thank you.
Remove the 1501 Cedartone first with this if switching: https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit-detail
The colors do not match exactly. You can test samples here:
https://www.twpstain.com/stain-samples
Buenas una pregunta puedo usar twp101 cedartone natural en una superficie teñida de otro color
No, you will have to remove the old coating first.
Just finished sanding entire deck to remove all stain do I need to put one or two coats of stain ? My deck is PT pine and around six years old
I am getting ready to order the stain and the cleaner / brightener
Just one coat since you sanded.
I am using TWP on my chainsaw carvings. What type of paint do you recommend I use on top of TWP to add detail?
That would be more of a question for the paint manufacture and if it can be applied over an oil-based stain. In most cases, I would say that it cannot be done as the TWP could repel the paint.
I plan on using TWP 100 series in MI on my two year old never stained pine treated deck. I plan on applying one coat in a week. 1) If I am unable to do a second coat this year-can I apply second coat next summer, and if so what would be the preparation? Ligh cleaning with garden house and some kind of solution (if so what kind?)? Critical I have two coats? LASTLY, when time comes in a few years to REAPPLY THE stain, again would a simple cleaning with the approved solution work? Or would I have to strip and stand the deck again? Thanks.
You can apply another coat next year but you always have to prep first with the Gemini Restore Kit.
Should I apply two wet on wet coats now if the weather cooperates? Or wait to do another?
Yes.
I have 2 questions. I thoroughly power-washed the deck and then did it again with Restore-A-Deck Cleaner followed by Brightener to ensure it was ready for stain. I waited 24 hours for drying and then used TWP 1502 Redwood stain. 3 years ago I used the 1500 Redwood stain. So basically I used the same stain as before.
I did Wet on Wet application this time, just as before, and it has been 48 hours since complete. Thought it would have been dry by now, but, the deck is under shade trees mostly. I am seeing glossy/shinny areas and some slight puddles, indicating the stain may have been over applied (or maybe not fully dried). I saw one TWP comment to use Mineral Spirits to wipe up the puddled area to help solve the over applied problem. It sounded like the instructions were to dampen rags with mineral spirits to wipe up the excess stain. Is that correct?
Second question is that an unexpected light shower appears to be coming in the next hour, before I get a chance to wipe up excess stain. Will the rain cause major streaking problems, etc if the excess stain is not removed? Also, I will need to walk on the deck to get to the glossy areas, etc. Is that going to cause a problem?
Thanks much for your expert guidance.
Ron
Yes, you overapplied. Use teh mineral spirits and rags to remove the excess. Soak all oily rags in water when done wiping down the deck. Hard to say about the rain as it depends on how much it was over-applied and how much it has dried.
Left over 1500 stain jellied in the pail(heat?) since used last fall. Stirring has mostly liquified it. Is there a thinner I can use or should I use it as is?
No, it has gone bad.
We are getting ready to stain our deck. We did the cleaner the finished the whitener on friday! It said we need to let the whitener dry 48 hours! On saturday it rained all day but Sunday it was warm and dry. Can we stain on monday, it will be 72 hours since whitener but will only be 24-36 hours since rain! Or do we need to wait till tuesday?
Thank you
48 hours after and rain to let the wood dry.
I have a spruce log home, cedar posts on the porch and T111 siding as the porch ceiling. What would be the best choice or series for these three different types of wood?
TWP 1500 Series.
I have just finished my new garage. The exterior is rough sawed pine. The wood was milled just before construction so it is still damp. Should I stain it now before winter or wait until sometime in the spring. I also want to do my rough sawn cedar home in the spring after I wash and prep it, Will the cedar transparent color be a close match or should I go darker on the lighter color pine. Thanks for the help,Rick
Do it all in the Spring since the wood is still damp. You should test colors.
https://www.twpstain.com/stain-samples
Our deck was previously stained with a semi transparent Baer stain. The deck and railing top are both in need of full prep. The spindles look like new. My question is… do we need to also fully strip all the spindles as part of the prep process? If so, what’s the best way to strip the spindles?
Thank you
Post some pictures.
Hi. I spilled some of the TWP 100 Pro Series Cedartone stain on a garage concrete (smooth) floor. Is there any way to remove it?
Try a water-based graffiti remover and pressure washing.
after using the stain all of the deck looks great except for one area of about 2 boards that looks wet and is tacky after almost 24 hrs. What can be done and what caused this?
Over application. Try wipe off excess stain with rags and mineral spirits. Soak all oily rags in water when done.
Just installed a solid mahogany exterior door sill/threshold and looking for something to protect it with. I’ve coated all sides of the threshold with a paintable/stainable copper naphthenate wood preservative which has dried for several weeks. Is there a TWP suitable for use on mahogany and if so which product do you recommend?
Thank you
Sorry but TWP will not work for a Mahogany door.
It’s not a door, it’s an exterior door threshold. The wood sill that you step on/over to enter a house
Still will not work in this case. Sorry.
I applied one coat of 1500 to my new redwood deck which was cleaned and brightened with Restor-A-Deck products 2 days before staining. Two days later, there are many sticky areas where I apparently didn’t wipe off sufficiently. I read that mineral spirits would knock it down, but didn’t work. Also, tried sanding those areas but am concerned that it’ll take the stain off unevenly. I didn’t do second coat when first was wet, so that might be a problem as well. Any suggestions? Will the thicker areas eventually dry? Thanks
It should dull done in a month or so.
thanks for the quick reply!
Sorry – one additional question: I only applied one coat of the stain and see that the second one should be applied while the first one is wet. Can I still apply a second coat at sometime? How long do I have to apply it?
You can apply another coat in 9-12 months after prepping with the Gemini Restore Kit.
I have a 6yr old deck with old coatings of olympic elite semi transparent tinted stain. I have pressure washed the peeling areas but the covered part of the deck has stain that is pretty much intact still, can I use the TWP 100 directly over whats left?
No, it must be fully removed first.
My employee spilled a can of TWP on my clients concrete driveway. How can I remove the product from concrete?
Try a graffiti remover stripper and pressure washing.
100, 200, 1500, Semi-Solid Pro……do you have four different series of stains, or is 200 the same as the Semi-Solid Pro? It’s very confusing on this site/help site.
Also, can you mix say 100 and Semi-Solid 1/2 and 1/2? If so, what’s the advantage?
The 200 Series and the Semi-Solids are not the same or close at all in appearance. You cannot mix between series.
My contractor just finished staining our deck with the 1500 black walnut. He told me that he recommends not wiping off the excess stain so it can penetrate over time. He said in 3 months it will look even and the shinny areas will go away. Is this the case? What do you recommend?
It should all even out, yes. The only exception is if it was excessively over-applied.
Stained a deck and porch floor with TWP 1500. It has been more than 1 week. The deck is dry and isn’t tacky, but it still has a strong smell of stain. The temperature was around 90 when it was applied.
That will go way after full cure and a few rains.
how to you use to clean the paint brush
Mineral spirits.
use on teak wood?
Yes. One coat only.
Does TWP stain, 1500 series, expire?
Opened, about 12 months. Unopened, about 36 months.
My house is 7 years old with a wide board tongue and groove board softwood board on it. The original stain used is thin and scuff of easily. The house looks weathered and the wood needs to be sealed with a quality product, I am interested in maximum protection , I like the semi solid 1500 series idea ? My house is to nice to let the wood deteriorate any further, can i get your opinion.
What state do you live in? Will you be doing the decks as well?
I live in Brantford on. Canada we have harsh winters, I am only doing the house for know. The decks are pressure treated and look gray, I am afraid to pressure wash them as I always find they become porous after pressure washing and absorb contaminants twice as fast,
You can only use the TWP 200 Series for Canada. Works great and it will also dramatically increase the life of your decks as well.
https://www.twpstain.com/twp-200-series-5-gallon
Why only the 200 series
That is the only series allowed in Canada due to your VOC laws.
No thanks i only want a oil stain that penetrates the wood
The TWP 200 Series is oil-based and fully penetrates into the wood grain with semi-transparent colors.
Amazon sells tpw1500 in canada
We just checked and it does not have the TWP 1500 on the Amazon Canada website. This would also be highly illegal to ship the TWP 1500 to Canada as it is not VOC compliant there and would create large fines for any importer or shipper. In addition, Amazon and any of the dealers are not Authorized TWP dealers so the potential of getting a counterfeit stain is highly likley.
Hi
I am working with twp stain is beautiful
Doing exterior restoration red wood
Brooklyn NY
Now my client want to re-stain his interior red wood in flat finish
Do you have a product for interior red wood re-finish ?
Thank you
We do not.
Hi ,
Does it have some orange/red tone on the TWP 200 Cedartone?!
Thanks
Yes, but colors will vary based on your wood type and the age of the wood.
Hi,
Thank you!
The Cleaner needs to be used within 4 hours of mixing for best results. The brightener does not matter if used a day or week later.
Thank you. I live in a dry climate. Do I need to use cleaner solution to keep my fence panels moist or can I mist with water. I’ve seen both options in instructions I’ve read.
Mist with water.
My deck is pressure treated pine, it was built in 2017 but never stained or sealed. I just had it powerwashed. Do I need to do any other prep before staining?
Use this prep kit for best results: https://www.twpstain.com/gemini-s-restore-a-deck-cleaner-and-brightener-kit
Why can’t I find your stain color chart???? It should be the first place potential users are directed….
You are on our help site. For product info, see our retail site: https://www.twpstain.com/twp-wood-stains
This was the first time using stain on deck that was built 2019. Have a few spots of overlap and it kind of stands out. Any suggestions to lighten or blend in.
You would have to recoat all as it is not possible to spot fix.
Last summer I stripped and sanded my 900sq. foot cedar deck and applied TWP 100 Series in Honeytone…looks nice but starting to look a little faded. I still have some stain leftover, probably least for the majority of the deck. So what do I have to do to prep the deck for restaining???….would pressure washing simply be enough???
You should use the prep kit and then recoat: https://www.twpstain.com/gemini-s-restore-a-deck-cleaner-and-brightener-kit
Ok thanks!
I know the regular stripper/brightener is very toxic and fatal to animals that may live around the deck.
Is the eco-friendly stripper/brightener harmful to animals? Wild animals that live under and around the deck (squirrels, rabbits, birds, raccoons).?
How can you restain a deck that has TWP on it without hurting the wildlife and surrounding plants? My deck overhangs a steep slope of vegetation? I can water it all day and not ensure the plants are thoroughly wet for 20 minutes as the water just runs down the hill?
There are not two different versions and the RAD products are eco-safe. The only issue would be ingestion while wet and working with the products and that goes with all cleaning products as you cannot drink them or swallow them. For the vegetation, prewet prior to applying and rinse well when done after and you should be okay.
No where on the packaging I received does it say eco-safe or biodegradable… the packaging is not the same as what you advertise on the website.
In fact, the product packaging says the opposite. Please tell me where I can see any information from the product/manufacturer that these items are eco-friendly, biodegradable, and safe to animals once dry.
Thank you.
Hello Julie,
You ordered this on the link below and the packaging is exactly the same as what you ordered and yes, it does state eco-safe for the kit on the brightener:
https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit-detail
In addition, the point of the Step 2 brighter is to neutralize the stripper, canceling it out it and leaving the pH balance in a non-corriseve or caustic state.
As we mentioned, all products that are chemicals in liquid form have issues if ingested or swallowed and this would also go with the TWP stain. This is why you have warnings in case this accidentally happens. It would not matter if a fertilizer for your plants, household cleaner, deck stain, or a paint on the house. Once the products cure or dry, there are not any issues.
Just to confirm, you did receive the Restore A Deck Stripper and Brighener and not something else? They should look exactly like the bags on the link we sent in the above response. If something different, please post a picture here in the comment area.
I have unused cleaner and brightener chemicals that are 1 year old. Can I still use them or do I need to buy a new kit?
They are good if in the powdered form.
This is a small job, but right in front of the house, very visible. We are staining only the railing and vertical posts on our small front porch (and not the floor, which is old wood and painted). The railing and posts are pressure-treated pine, all new smooth wood, carpenter-built last September (2020). We were going to use the Cedartone color of the TWP 100 series, and wanted to prepare the wood properly. We were thinking to use the Restore-A-Deck Cleaner and Brightener kit … but according to the Fleet Farm image, the instructions on the back of the TWP Cedartone say to use a bleach solution. Won’t we get a better-looking project by using the Restore-A-Deck Cleaner and Brightener? I am a complete novice at this — so thanks for your great website and advice!
You want the RAD Cleaner and Brightener kit.
This is a follow-up novice question. Using the Cleaner and Brightener highlighted some printing on our boards, which now seemed quite unsightly. So we sanded that out lightly with 60-grit sandpaper. I understand that we should now use the Cleaner and Brightener again to raise the grain. Here’s where laziness comes in. Can we get by with just cleaning and brightening the newly sanded areas, or would this create a contrast with the already-treated areas we didn’t have to sand? Thank you so much!
Need to do all.
Can Cape Cod Gray be applied after Dark Oak? We did a new deck (treated pine) in dark oak and it is way too red for my taste. Is there any possible way to change to the gray now or later!
No, you can strip it off with this: https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit-detail
I have a 16 year old cedar deck in Texas. I’m planning to use the new TWP semi-solid pro series stain in one of your dark gray colors. What prep do I need to do besides power washing? The previous stain was TWP semi-transparent Natural Cedar color which was applied 4 years ago. Thanks! Also, what is your favorite dark gray color in this stain? Note: Some of the cedar deck boards are new as I’ve just finished replacing the rotted ones.
Strip and brighten the wood for prep using this kit:
https://www.twpstain.com/stain-samples
Best to try some samples for the stain: https://www.twpstain.com/stain-samples
I have a 15 year old deck that I made the mistake of applying Behr deck plus solid color waterproofing deep base to last year, it is now pealing. Total area 580 sq ft. Please how and what to use to prepare the deck to use your TWP 100 pro series semi transparent deck stain and sealer.. Will probably get a pro to do the work. Deck is mostly shaded in the summer months, live in southern Ohio, semi mild winters, not much snow but lots of rain all year. Thank You for your advice.
You will have to power sand this off to fix this and use the TWP stains.
There is black mold areas on my cedar shingles, can I add a mold inhibitor too TWP 1500 when I refinish my shingles after cleanng!
There is already an EPA registered mildewcide in the TWP 1500 Series. You do not need more.
We have a cedar deck it was brand new I did everything I needed before applying Behr stain by winter it was peeling…help please
Post some pictures.