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.
I am looking for a wood preservative to go on top of latex based children’s paintings done on exterior plywood.
Sorry but this will not work on top of a paint.
My deck is 6 years old and had a previous stain on it that failed, which I stripped/power washed off earlier this summer. I put a coat of the TWP 1500 Rustic on the deck last weekend after using a deck wash a few days prior. I was unable to put a second coat on using the “wet on wet” method due to running out of daylight. Would I be better off putting a second light coat on now? Or should I wait until spring to put a second coat on? I want to make sure the stain holds up through the winter. Thanks
Spring would be the way to go with this. Lightly wash to remove dirt and apply a light coat then.
I have a 20 yr. old redwood deck that I power washed and ran through a planer. Is this considered new wood? Should I wait for it to turn gray to apply TWP? Does it require 2 coats?
Wait a few months and prep first before staining with the Gemini Kit. Put one coat on initially then another light maintenance coat a year after.
Try cleaning off the mold with a light mixture of soapy water and a soft brush so you do not remove the stain coating. Once the mold is removed from the surface, try a product called Wet and Forget to prevent it from coming back.
I recently stained a new pine T&G ceiling in our screened porch with TWP 1500 (dark walnut). Since it’s covered and generally protected from heavy wear, can I apply a spar urethane to achieve a glossier finish?
No you cannot do that with TWP.
Is there a reason my replies are being filtered out? I am just trying to determine if there’s anything I can do to achieve a better look for a ceiling. Wanted to have the ceiling and floor match, but it looks exceptionally dull on the ceiling.
Replies are not filtered, they need to be approved as the site says when posted. TWP does not have a gloss. Putting a gloss based product on outside wood is not a good idea. It will peel, blister and mold. A ceiling would not have as much as an issue though since it is not as exposed. If you wanted to still do a gloss type product then yes you need to remove the TWP.
Is the mold on top of the stain or under the stain? Try wiping off with a wet rag and see if it comes off and the rag turns black. Did you have trees pollinating in the area during application and prep?
The mold seems to be on top as a wet wipe turns black when I wipe it. It was June in Michigan when I did the prep and application so there could have been pollen in the air but nothing was visible.
Have an older pressure treated deck in wyoming.I pressure washed it 2 days ago.It does have some cracking and the surface is fuzzy with wood fibers.What would you recommend?
If you have the fuzzies then a quick buffing with a sanding pad would remove this easily. You can rent buffing machines at HD or rental yards.
New wood needs to weather 4-12 months before TWP can be applied. Best to leave it until next Spring. Prep firs with the Gemini Restore Kit and stain with the TWP 1500 Series.
1. Yes use the cleaner and brightener on same day.
2. Just rinse brightener with hose or pressure washer. No heavy washing needed for brightener.
3. Two light coats applied wet on wet is nromal. Do not over apply.y ou could do one light coat now and another coat in the Spring as a maintenance coat.
4. You should be fine with the penetration.
Better UV protection for the vertical fence wood with the 1500.
Fence
Pine
Pressure Treated
Never stained
4 months old
Pictured is a loose picket leaning up against our new fence. The leaning picket has 3 stain samples on it. The 130 Natural is a bit too red and dark. The 1515 Honeytone looks a lot like turmeric or school bus yellow in other lighting, not here so much in this photo. We like the Benjamin Moore Natural but would prefer the TWP brand. What happens with the TWP stains after a year or two? Do they fade/lighten or do they get more saturated? We’d love to have the Ben Moore Natural look but from TWP. Any suggestions?
TWP fades through the years. The BM looks to have almost no tint or color. That means it also very little or no UV protection from graying. TWP makes a clear that is similar but it also will not protect from graying.
Thank you!
As long as you cleaned the wood you will be good to proceed with the way you prepped. Stain with the 1500 Series.
Yes wait 3-4 months and prep first. Yes on the 100 Series.
Rustic 1516
Is it true twp 100 can not be shipped to ma
Yes TWP is not allowed in MA.
My 20 yr old deck and screened porch in MAssachusetts need re-staining. They were last sanded and stained 5 years ago successfully with Cabots Australian Timber Oil in their Natural tone. I want to switch to your brand , and I want to try to come close to the same color tone and depth because we are not re-staining the roof of the porch, only the floor and walls. I would like to order some samples of your product, but need some direction first. Can you advise me abt which colors to try? Also, which product- the 100 or 1500?
For MA you will need to use the TWP 1500 Series. Look at Natural, Honeytone, or Cedartone.
My new red cedar deck & pergola was finished in July. It is a southern-facing structure exposed to plenty of intense sunlight during the summer. I live in MN and the colder months begin around late Oct. I’m wondering if I should stain my deck after 3 months prior to the winter cold & snow or leave it untreated all winter, wait and stain next spring? thoughts?
I would suggest waiting until Spring. Prep in Spring with the Gemini Restore Kit.
For Northern VA you will need the 1500 Series.
I have a 10 yo treated pine deck that has never been stained. One can imagine it looks like a tired old deck. I power washed a portion of it and let it dry for 2 weeks. I got some samples of Pecan and Cedartone and applied in a couple of places. The wood now looks like a “sorta brown” tired old deck. My wife and I can’t tell the difference in the 2 colors. Is there a TWP product that would brighten the wood prior to staining? Thanks
Did you use a wood brightener to lighten the color first? Look at the Natural and the Honeytone colors.
No, I wasn’t aware that I needed to. Just the power wash. Do I need the Restore A Deck kit that is advertised?
Might want to try and see if it helps: http://www.twpstain.com/wood-brighteners
deck is treated pine about 3-4 yrs old now just pressure washed looks brand new,want to put on a brightner yet, Big question do I have to sand deck first to prevent any unevenness or blotchiness?
No you should not have to sand this.
Yes you can use this on cedar wood.
We purchased the 1500 cedar tone stain over a year ago. We just opened it up to begin use yesterday. When we were applying it the fumes were very strong and burning our eyes. Is this normal or do the fumes get stronger when sitting. The stain was stored in a closet in the house.
It should be normal and does not get stronger while sitting. This is an oil based stain so it is normal to have some fumes.
After you apply 101 Cedartone Natural how long do you have to wait before sitting on chairs and foot traffic?
Usually 24-48 hours.
thanks.
what is an example of a graffiti remover?
Goof off, Motsenbockers, etc.
Try a graffiti remover and pressure washing.
Sand first then use the cleaner and brightener.
I have just brush applied two coats of Honey tone TWP 100 stain to a new rough sawed cedar shed. It truly looks spectacular. I need to apply some caulking at the seams between the trim boards and the siding. I presume I need to use an oil based caulking but am having a hard time finding some. Can you give a recommendation of a couple manufacturers of caulk compatible with TWP 100, preferably caulk that can be closely color matched Thanks!?
Caulking technically should have gone on first then stain after. We do not have a list of compatible brands/colors. At this point I would try to match to the closest color you can find and apply a very light bead as you can. Water based will be fine.
On a new deck just stained with TWP, how long do I need to wait to walk on it?
24 hours to be safe.
Can I apply with airless?
TWP can be applied with an airless sprayer.
I have a 20 year old western red cedar deck, and live in Michigan. Last stain applied about 4 years ago was TWP 101 Cedartone Natural. Just had deck carefully pressure washed after applying a deck cleaner. A few boards need replacing, but not many. So 2 questions. What would be the better series of stain for Michigan, 100 or 1500, and what current color most closely matches my previous color. Also, would it be a good idea to apply a cleaner then pressure wash the new kiln dried boards before staining; I know the stain will not take up the same on the new boards initially, but I would hope all would probably even out with the next cleaning and staining in 2 – 3 years. What do you think?
100 Series for Michigan. Use the Cedartone Natural 101 again. Yes on prepping the new wood.
Planning on applying cleaner and brightener this weekend, and staining 4-5 days later – any issues with not staining on the 2nd day after applying the brightener?
You will be fine with this.
It may not penetrate and would film on top of the wood. This could create premature failure of the stain if it does not penetrate. It is not suggested to put clear on top of the stain color either.
Just finished a horizontal louvered western red cedar fence constructed out of kiln dried heartwood cedar. Do I need to wait 4-12 months before applying 1500 series stain?
For a vertical wood fence and kiln dried wood you do not need to wait the full 4+ months. Try a few weeks to a month then lightly clean and brighten to remove the mill glaze.
When using a semi-transparent stain like TWP it is not possible to get new wood to match old wood exactly. The new wood will always be a little lighter.
I would let the water spots dry out as they should go away. Adding more stain may spot water penetrating for now but it could create more of an issue down the road so I would not suggest that.
Hello! I have a 15 year old deck that I have always used Behr Premium stain and waterproofing products on. It is full sun, has high traffic, and is exposed to North Carolina weather(no covering). It has always needed to be redone each year. I am looking a product that will last longer, hold, up better. What do you suggest? Also do I need to remove all of the previous product first?
Yes you must remove the behr first. Once removed you should use the TWP 100 Series for NC.
The seal on my 5 gallon can of TWP 100 stain is deformed and I’m concerned the remaining 4 gallons of product may lose solvent. Can the stain be stored in a plastic container that was used to hold hydraulic fluid?
Yes it can.
We have about a 15 year old red cedar deck. It has had a few different products on it. I have decided to sand it all off and start over which I just finished. Now the job to find a good natural wood treatment for it. We have replaced a few boards on the deck as well. I live in east central WI and have seen your product in Fleet Farm. Have read good things about it so I am looking at your product. What would you recommend?
Use the TWP 100 Series after prepping first with the Gemini Restore Kit after the sanding.
From what I have read when deck needs to be refinished all I would need to do is clean it as stated in these threads.
After sanding you should clean and brighten for best results so the TWP will absorb deeper into the wood.
You cannot use any filler on outside decking when using a semi-transparent stain like TWP. Since the wood is older and neglected it would be best to use the 1500 Series for this. Use the 1503 Dark Oak.
I must be doing something wrong, because the stripper is not working well at all. I have used half a can of stripper and I can’t get the stain stripped on a “four foot” section of railing. I have not gotten past this point; so, I have not even started the decking. I have over 500 square feet to strip. At this rate, I will be using 10 cans of stripper and a month to get the job done. So, I “must” be doing something wrong.
What brand of stain and type is the stain that you are trying to remove?
Dish soap and water.
After applying twp the deck remained sticky for several days. Why?
It was over applied and or not prepped correctly.
No it does not.
You would need to remove it first with the Restore A Deck Stripper and pressure washing. You may need a few applications as it can be difficult to remove a freshly applied stain.
Yes you should remove the other stain first with a stripper and pressure washing. Brighten the wood when done. You need to remove it either now or if you wait.
Ryan, it it dries fine and looks good than no issues. If it is all spotty and patchy, you will need to strip it all off and start over.
does twp have any application for painted and sealed surfaces, like tiki masks?
No TWP will not work on painted surfaces.
As long as it penetrates 100% than you can.
Debbie, lightly clean and reapply to the horizontal parts only. Thanks
Thanks. I hadn’t figured out yet how to navigate your boards when I asked the question and I was afraid I was going to have to strip it and start all over again! I’ve ordered the stain and the cleaning/brightening kit. Can I apply two coats if the wood seems to need it? Thanks again!
Thanks for your help with my first question I understand completely. Now a second question, I’m going to use the RESTORE-A-DECK products step 1 and step 2 and then TWP116-1 stain, do I need to wait 24-48 hours after applying the RESTORE-A-DECK before I apply the stain so that the wood is completely dry?
Yes it is best to wait 48 hours after the prep before applying the stain.