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 applied twp 1500 series stain six months ago on pressure treated deck and cedar railings. Now all of it has black mold on it even though it is in full sun. What is the cause and what to do about it?
Are you sure it is mold? If it is then something is feeding the mold growth. Pollen can feed mold growth. TWP has an EPA registered mildewcide that protects the stain itself from feeding the growth. Most likley it is on top of the stain and needs a light cleaning to remove.
Can I use left over TWP 1500 series in 2 years when I I need to re-stain our redwood deck?
See this article: http://www.twpstainhelp.com/shelf-life-of-twp/
Prep with the Gemini Restore Kit. This should remove it.
You should be good to prep with the Gemini Kit and stain with another coat now.
Contractor applied TWP100 to house siding about 6 months ago. Did not follow instructions and allowed some of 1st coat to dry before putting on second coat, resulting in some shiny areas. Agreed to fix the problem. Came back this week and pressure washed siding to try to remove shiny areas. No effect. Is there any fix other than stripping and starting over? The stained area is second level of house over stucco first level. Will stripper damage stucco, painted trim, and painted metal roof when it washes down? If the siding must be stripped, are there any special instructions for protecting the rest of the house (stucco, painted trim, and painted metal roof)? Thanks.
Yes it probably need to be stripped to fix. As for protecting stucco and paint, it typically does not remove paint or harm it. Best to test first. Sorry, but not 100% sure answer on the stucco either. You would have to test spot that as well.
Would it be best to sand the whole deck then use your stain?
That way its like new…
If you sand, you would need to remove the sand dust and open the wood grain for the TWP by using the Gemini Restore Kit.
Could I just stain it after I sand it well?
and remove all the dust?
It will not penetrate as well if you do not use the Gemini Restore Kit.
I have a 4 year old treated pine pool deck. After letting the deck season the 1st year I put Sherman Williams h20 based Deckscapes exterior deck stainclear-sealer, and used some type of spray on cleaner as prep. It didn’t look very good, especially on railings. I’m ready to make this thing look great as that 1st year. It has suffered a couple burn spots from a log that fell out of our portable pit…yea I know…We’re dummies. I’ll have to do some sanding on the spots that had burn damage. So, I want you to tell me what steps to take: do I have to sand the whole deck floor, stripper, Brightener, and, or if one stain suits my Central-Illinois pool deck better than the other. Ready to order; thanks for your help!!
You will need to remove the SW fully first. Sanding may be the best way to do this. After the sanding use the RAD Wood Brightener. Use the TWP 1500 Series for IL.
Thanks for the reply.
I cleaned a section of fencing with the Restore-A-Deck cleaner, powerwashed, applied the brightener, and then sprayed with a final rinse. Then, I let it dry for a few days. When I was able to get back to the project, everything was covered with pollen. Do I need to go back and clean/brighten again or is a good pressure washing sufficient to clean this off before staining?
A good pressure washing should remove the pollen. Make sure that additional pollen does not adhere to the stain after applying and before fully drying. This can create mold.
Our house is 2 years old. We had a stain put on 18 months ago and it is faded. Can we just have the porch sanded and pressure washed before applying the TWP 1500? Must the old stain be removed? The porch gets alot of sun since we live in SC.
When switching to TWP it is best to remove the old coatings so the TWP can properly soak into the wood grain.
I have a pretty beat up wood deck that I need to get a few more years out of. Assuming I can sand off the old chipped up stain, what is the best product for a deck restoration?
Use either the 100 or 1500 series, but you will need to remove the old stain first.
Carl, the TWP Clear is not intended to be applied over one of the “colored” TWP stains and act as a top coat sealer. It is intended to be used by itself. The TWP Clear will seal and preserve but allows the wood to gray naturally. If you want to try a test spot to see how it looks over the Prairie Gray then I would suggest getting a sample of the clear from us.
I stained my deck with the 1500 series this past summer and really like the results. I am planning on using it on our boat dock this Spring. I’m wondering if TWP 1500 can be used on outdoor furniture. I am making Adirondack chairs out of red cedar and would like a good wood protectant. My only concern is that TWP might get on clothing even after it dries. Has it been used in this way and will it be a problem?
You can use it on furniture but you do need to let the wood weather and prepped. See this: http://www.twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
I’ll be staining my sister’s fence and was wondering if I should use 100 or 1500. I live in Texas. The fence is rough sawn cedar, 7 years old, and has never been treated. Thanks
You could use either but we would suggest the 1500 since it is vertical and rough sawn. It will give a little better UV protection.
Is the 100 series the right stain for western red cedar siding? Have pressure washed entire house & am ready to stain. Measurments are 75′ x 25 x 12’H. How much will I need?
What state do you live in? What is the total sq. footage of the siding?
Southeast Tennessee. 1850 square feet.
Thank You!
Hello, use the TWP 100 series. You will need 15-20 gallons for the two coats and 1850 sq. feet.
I would wait until Spring, lightly was to just remove dirt with a soapy water and pressure rinse (not wash). Apply just one coat then.
Hi, I used TWP 100 series on our cabin and love it but I want a different color…BLACK. Is there anyway to do this? it doesn’t sound like they do custom colors but any thoughts? Thanks!
Sorry but possible to make it black in color. Dark Oak is the darkest color.
Thanks, I was hoping you would not say that. Will the 5 gal stain (100 series) be ok stored inside unopened until spring if I don’t get good weather this year? Also since my deck is prepped already if I do have to wait for spring would a good washing be enough prep then before staining?
Thanks again.
You can store inside and it will be fine next Spring. You will need to rewash as well next year. Use a deck cleaner and light pressure washing.
We stained our new (8 months) cedar porch almost 48 hours ago and it is not dry yet. The temps are not falling below 50 at night and it has been 70s in the day. Will it dry eventually?
Yes it will dry.
What is the typical drying time? It is still a little sticky. If we over stained it will it be ok in time?
You probably did over apply but based on your weather, it may take a few days to dry. You can try wiping off the excess stain with rags and mineral spirits. If you do this, make sure to saturate rags in water when done and lay flat out in the sun to dry.
Similar to a question below, we are in KY and this is the first opportunity to stain our deck. The highs will be in the 60’s and the low overnight may dip to 40’s or just below. (They have mentioned a chance of frost overnight) Are we going to be ok?
I would imagine it may effect drying time, however will any other issues arise do to the temps?
Thanks!
Do not do it if it freezes or frosts over night. Otherwise the temps you currently have are good for staining.
I just cleaned, power washed, and brightened a 10 year-old cedar deck. Rain showers tonight (Friday night, ending around midnight). Can I apply TWP 100 cedar tone 36 hours after this rain (Sunday morning or afternoon?)? That will give it a 36 hours drying time before staining and 24-36 hours before the next batch of showers. If I wait 48 hours, then less time for deck to dry before next batch of showers. In Greater Boston and it’s breezy and fairly mild 60s and 70s with some sun.
48 Hours is suggested. You may be pushing it with less but hard to say. Needs to be less then 12% moisture content.
Do you recommend this product more for untreated wood, or for pressure treated wood? Would untreated wood, treated with your product, last longer than pressure treated wood, on average?
Works on both types and last the same on both.
Is TWP 100 series safe to put on patio furniture or swings or is it safe for people to sit on wood that has it applied to and basically come in contact with?
As long as it is fully dried and cured then it is safe.
I’ve been waiting to stain my deck for awhile now because we haven’t been getting the dry weather needed, but the forecast is good for dry weather but now it’s getting cool. The highs will be in the low sixties and lows in the low 40’s. Is this too cool? This is my last chance to get it done before winter. I live in Minnesota.
Thanks!
No that is fine for the temps.
I used TWP 1500 on my deck in Indiana on a day with ZERO percent chance of rain so of course there was a shower that fell that evening. How do I handle the water spots?
It may not be hindered. Let the rain dry off and see how it looks. Leave alone if good. If spotted then you may need to lightly reapply if it will take into the wood grain. Do a test spots first to see if it absorbs and dries well. If it does not then you may need to strip off and redo the project in the Spring.
I had a new deck installed in Nov 2013. I used your cleaner/brightener and then your stain in May 2014.
When should I clean/brighten again and/or stain? Some of the stain has faded a bit (vertical boards look great, anything facing the sun a bit faded).
We would suggest at this point to wait until next year and do all then.
How much time can elapse between prepping a cedar deck with Restore-A-Deck kit and staining with TWP 1500? I prepped my year-old cedar deck a couple of days ago with the idea in mind of staining after 48-72 h. When I did the RAD they predicted a dry week and now when I am ready to stain there is a 30-40% chance of rain almost every day this week. How long can I wait before needing to redo the RAD? Does the stain really need 48h to dry before any rain on it? thank you.
You can wait up to two weeks after the prep before staining.
can you apply the stain with a airless sprayer (I have a Graco X5)?
If so, any tips?
Yes you can spray it with an airless. Make sure to apply evenly and at the correct coverage rate. Back wipe any drips.
Just built an outdoor dining table using white oak. Considering your product as a finish but I haven’t seen any information specific to furniture applications or white oak for that matter. Can you advise if the 1500 would be good for this application? Any experience using this on white oak, how does it take the stain?
You can use TWP on all types of exterior wood as long as it is unfinished and prepped well. Just one coat for new wood.
recently purchased 1980’s house. Exterior is vertical cedar that is stained in solid dark brown. considering TWP 1500, most likely similar colour. so far exterior was power washed with TSP and rinsed with clean water to remove mildew. is this surface now ready for staining with TWP?
No you cannot apply TWP over a solid stain or any other stain of a different brand.
Most likely you had a pollen issue. Pollen dust from trees is a mold feeder. If the pollen dust was on the wood prior to staining or the pollen fell on the stain while wet, could create the issue you described. The pollen will be trapped in or under the stain and will feed mold growth when it rains. You most likely need to strip off and start over.
Do not use steel wool! It will leave metal in your wood that will rust and leave black spots all over your deck! Try to wipe the entire deck down with rags and paint thinner to remove some of the excess stain that did not absorb. Once done it is very important to saturate all oily rags in water then lay flat to dry. You do not want to have an accidental spontaneous combustion!
The Behr may show through if darker in color then the new stain. Shoot for 95% removal or more.
12-24 hours. Make sure it is fully dry and not sticky.
Applied Twp 1500 last year. Can I simply just reapply this year. Can I do this basically once a year ?
Yes as long as you prep with a deck cleaner and apply one light coat only.
I’m confused on 1500 coverage. Three different rates. What should I expect?
100-200 sq ft per gallon http://www.twpstain.com/twp-1500-series
200-400 sq ft per gallon on slide 7 http://www.twpstain.com/pdf/TWP1500SeriesPresentationG%282010%29.pdf
150-300 sq. ft. http://www.twpstainhelp.com/
150-200 sq feet for the first coat and 200-300 sq. feet for the second coat if applied. Age of wood and application method will vary the sq. footage as well.
I live in a state where TWP 100 is allowed (Georgia). I noted in your responses that you recommend 100 over 1500 where 100 is allowed. However, on your page explaining the difference between 100 and 1500 is the following: “The 1500 series wood stain is formulated to penetrate wood better, to dry faster, and outperform previous versions of TWP stains.” If this is the case, why would you ever recommend 100 over 1500? I don’t understand. Is 1500 always better? Is 100 better in some respects and not others?
I just want to know which product will give the best protection for my deck.
TWP 100 penetrates better then the 1500. The 1500 penetrates better then the old formula it replaced which was the 500 Series. Use the 100 Series.
I have just applied the Restore-a-deck kit to my 9 month old deck (both steps). As its drying, I am noticing some areas that appear fuzzy (for lack of a better word). Any idea what would have caused this raised effect or what I should do about it? I’m assuming that I shouldn’t stain (TWP 1500) over these raised areas?
This happens when you are removing a heavy layer of oxidized (gray) wood cells from the wood. The best way to treat this is to remove this by lightly buffing the deck with a buffing machine and a sanding pad. Easy to do and usually can rent this at a local rental place.
I’m assuming that one can stain immediately after this buffing/sanding? I have the same problem as Daniel S.
Yes but it would help to lightly rinse the deck to remove any sand dust. At least use a leaf blower to blow off the dust.
My 15 year old deck is a cedar floor with pressure treated rails. It had sikkons applied about 5 years ago. I live in Rhode Island. I applied tsp and oxi clean then power washed the entire deck. The sikkons remained in a small 2foot area on the cedar that was protected and I plan on sanding it off. The cedar floor looks good. But do I need to strip the railings? And do i need a brightener or can i eliminate that step? I plan on applying TWP1500 cedartone.
You will need to remove all of the Sikkens where you plan on applying the 1500 Series. Yes the brightener is needed and very important.
I have an unopened 5 gallon bucket of 1520 Pecan. I used it once before and thought it turned out a little reddish. I would like to add a color to darken it up towards brown. Can you suggest a color to darken it up and about how much should I add to the 5 gallons?
Look at the Dark Oak color. One or two gallons should be enough.
I would suggest getting some samples from us. Maybe Honeytone and Dark Oak.
we have a pressure treated wood deck, live in wisconsin, and wonder what TWP product we should use.
Use the TWP 100 Series. Prep first with the Gemini Restore Kit.
I am installing a new deck. Is there any benefit to coating the UNDERSIDE of the boards with the TWP preservative? If so, which one?
No need to stain the undersides. Please read this about new wood: http://www.twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
I have a new deck (5 months old) treated pine exposed to full sun. Which TWP product TWP 100 or TWP 1500 would best? Are two coats required on new wood.
What state are you located in? Please read this about new wood: Prepping New Wood For TWP Stains
I have a bamboo fence which used TWP 300 when installed, it has lasted a few years but needs to be reapplied. TWP 300 is no longer on the website tho available from other retailers? I like to know which current version replaced the 300 series? My home is in NJ with every kind of weather possible. The 100 series can not ship to NJ so its the 1500 or 200?
Thanks
I am sorry but we do not sell the 300 and the 300 is the only product that would work on the Bamboo.
I live in the midwest and have a deck which I stained 2 years ago with TWP cedar tone product using the wet on wet process. The deck turned out great. However, two years later, It looks like it could use a top coat to darken and freshen it up. The deck is on the southwest side and gets a lot of sun so things have faded out a bit and I’m wondering if I could just put another coat of stain over it to darken or do I really need to go through the stripping process again. Ideally, I’d like to just brush on another coat of product on the spindles and handrails vertical pieces and bench. Would this work? I do think I need to clean, power wash, and brighten the decking, but I’d like to save some effort on the horizontal bars if I could. . . .any thoughts?
Also, I have to have several boards replaced on the deck on our third tier. . . likely 2/3 of the cedar deck boards. Should I just stain the old boards and leave the new boards alone or could I lightly stain the new boards so they blend in. What is the best way to handle the decking where both new replacement cedar boards and old decking share the same space?
For the prep you would want to use the Gemini Restore Kit on all the wood and still all the wood when done. No need to strip. Go ahead and stain the new wood after the prep but they will be lighter in color and the new boards will need to be recoated next Spring.
For the deck you would need the Restore A Deck Stripper and the RAD brightener for prep. Two of each should do the prep. Use the TWP 100 or the 1500 based on your state’s VOC regulations. About 10-12 gallons for the 1200 sq. feet. For the fence, use the the Gemini Restore Kit for the prep if no previous stain on the wood. Stain with the same as deck.
I have sealed new cypress siding with TWP 1500. Contractor used stainless nails in the application. How should we putty these holes? Will an oil based putty leave an oil ring around the site?
Wood filler and putty does not work on outside wood. In addition the TWP will not “stain” it so it blends. It will stand out and look like white spots. Highly suggest you do not do this. Just leave the holes alone.
When our arbor was first built, the contractor used water to protect the concrete below while it was being stained with oil based stain. Last summer we re-stained 2 sides of it with twp 100 cedartone applied with rollers and brushes and tried to protect the concrete below with plastic. This did not work very well since the stain pooled up on top of the plastic. We are ready to re-stain the rest of the arbor with twp 100 cedartone. I am thinking about trying the method used originally by the contractor where he kept a hose running on the concrete to keep it soaked while the stain was applied with an airless sprayer. Have you ever heard of this technique? Is there a better way to protect the concrete below the arbor?
Yes it actually works. If the concrete is wet with water then the TWP will not penetrate into the concrete. The key is to keep it wet and rinse well when done.
I’d like to apply TWP 1500 to my 4 month old garapa deck and have a question about temperature. Can I apply now, when daytime temp is 60s–70s, and nighttime drops down to 40s–upper 30s?
Yes but only one very light coat and you will need to prep first with the Gemini Restore Kit.
In July we stained our 12 month old new 1000Sq Ft. cedar deck with 1500 series rustic stain after using the gemini cleaner and brightener kit as per instructions. It was power washed and we got all of the gray off. We did one coat because it had never been stained before and it dried well with minimal stickiness in a few areas only. Well, 1 month into the rainy season here in OR we have mold on the deck everywhere except where the deck has a roof over it. The rain water beads up on the boards so it seems that the stain penetrated well. I thought this was supposed to be mold resistant. The deck was very dry when we stained it.
TWP is mold resistant from growth “in” the stain. I suspect that the mold is on top of the stain and no stain on the market can prevent mold growth on top. Another possible reason is that you may have had a tree pollinating in the area during the application of the stain. Pollen if trapped on the stain while drying can feed mold growth.