Last Updated on January 30, 2023 by TWP Help
TWP Stain Tips for New wood Decks in 2024
When applying TWP Wood Stains for the first time to new wood there will need to be proper steps taken. New smooth wood or decking is not ready to be pre-stained prior to installation or stained right after installation. It is best to follow the directions of the TWP Wood Stain when it comes to applying a coating to new wood for the first time, not the lumber yard or the paint store’s as they do not understand the proper prep needed.
TWP and New Smooth Decking or Exterior Wood
It is important to understand that new smooth wood is not absorbent enough for the TWP Stains. New wood contains a higher moisture content and a “mill glaze”. Mill Glaze is a waxy film that results from the fast turning blades that cut the profile on a manufactured log. The high speed of the turning blades produces heat that draws sap and moisture out of the log. As it cools and dries, it creates a film or coating on the logs. This will hinder the TWP’s ability to penetrate into the wood grain.
Note: New Rough Sawn vertical wood/fencing can be stained right away with no wait and with no prep as it does not have mill glaze and is very absorbent. Just make sure the wood is fully dry. If Rough sawn wood has aged or oxidized (grayed) then it will need to be prepped with Gemini Restore Kit. One coat for most instances of newly installed Rough Sawn wood.
Tips for TWP and New Wood
Let the Wood Weather First
TWP wants the wood to weather and dry out for 4-12 months after installation. This will allow the moisture content to drop and the exposed wood cells will oxidize from the sun’s UV, turning slightly gray.
Prepping New Wood for TWP Stains
After letting the wood weather it is time to prep the wood. This step consists of using the Gemini Restore A Deck Kit. This kit contains both a Step 1 Wood Deck Cleaner and a Step 2 Wood Deck Brightener. The Step 1 cleaner will help remove the dirt, graying, and mill glaze from the wood while Step 2 Brightener will neutralize the cleaner and help restore the natural color.
Staining New Wood and Decking for the First Time
Even after the waiting period and the proper prepping, new smooth wood is still not as absorbent as it will be in a few years. We strongly suggest only applying 1 coat of the TWP Stains the first time. Do not over apply as the TWP may not penetrate into the wood correctly. Make sure to back wipe any excess stain that does not penetrate properly into the wood after 30 minutes. For new smooth wood, the TWP 100 Series if allowed in your state, otherwise use the TWP 1500 Series.
Maintaining TWP Stains
Apply a light maintenance coat to the flooring in 9-24 months. If just slightly dirty prep with soapy water to remove grime and reapply one light coat. If you wait 18-24 months make sure to prep again with the Gemini Restore A Deck. After the first year or two, your wood will be able to absorb more TWP stain which results in a longer stain life and protection!
TWP Pro Tip:
TWP is a penetrating wood preservative. It performs properly when it penetrates 100% into the wood. Over applying will not result in longer protection.
Have a Question? Please Ask Below.
Just put second coat of stain on my cedar deck. First coat was applied August of last year. It is 90 degrees today with 49% humidity. How long can I expect the drying process to take?
4-12 hours.
Almost 24 hours later. Deck is still shiny and tacky. Wait longer or what is my next step. I used a deck brush to stain and was careful to pull off excess stain from each board as I went.
To fix it you can lightly wipe your deck with rags and mineral spirits to remove the excess stain that is on top of the wood.
Note: it is very important to saturate all oily rags with water once done. Lay the rags flat on the ground outside to dry fully.
We have a treated wood deck that is 1 year old and has not been stained/finished. I am going to use 1500 stain and your article recommends only one coat the first time. However, when I use your calculator it shows two coats–should I be doing one or two coats? Thanks.
Tim
For decks over 1 year, do two light coats applied wet on wet.
We are building a new home with a lot of large cypress beams and cypress exposed boards on the back patio overhead. The beams have been up for roughly 3 mos. we’ve had lots of rain in South Louisiana and hot humid days. What would you recommend we use Gemini cleaner and conditioner? I like the dark oak stain. Would you recommend 100 or 1500 semi transparent for the first time? Is our weather too hot to stain now? Thank you,
Yes, you have to prep with the Gemini Kit. You can use either the 100 or 1500 for this. You should be okay with the heat as long as it is below 90.
I posted this question somewhere but I can’t find it. We have replaced some boards on our deck and need to replace some more. I want to get a stain that will blend the old and new boards without them looking too different. Will I have to go with a solid stain or would your semi-solid stain work? I am planning to strip our current stain off with RAD and brighten and then let the new wood weather until next spring/summer. Thanks!
TWP does not come in a solid stian but the semi-solid colors would blend and give the best look to new and older wood.
Fantastic! That is what I will go with next spring. Also, regarding prep next spring, if I strip and brighten old wood now, next spring would I just clean and brighten all wood with RAD? Thanks again.
Yes, that would be correct.
I am replacing a few damaged treated boards. I have sanded the old boards and need to protect them now. Will the deck restore used next spring on the new boards strip away the TWP I will be using shortly on my old boards?
Best to stain it all at once as the Gemini Restore Kit should only be used when you plan on reapplying the stain.
Ok. Want to remove old semi solid Cabot stain on porch beams and use either TWP or Armstrong. Can I power wash it off with water or do I need to sand, then strip and brighten? Thanks.
Post some pictures.
I have sanded 2 posts and sent a pic of one too. I have zillions to go plus railings and was hoping I can strip, etc with a power washer to speed this up. Thanks.
Use the Restore A Deck Stripper with both additives: https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit-detail
It may not get 100% off but it should remove a decent amount making any spot sanding much easier. When you apply the Stripper, let it dwell for 30-45 minutes before pressure washing off the wood. Brighener last.
I stripped and brightened a 1 year old redwood deck (because contractor stained the wood when it was still green). It came out blotches with black areas, gray areas and tons of wood fur everywhere. I decided to try again and redo the process… After stripping again (the bad areas), I started using the brightener and then I RAN OUT OF THE BRIGHTENER BEFORE I FINISHED. I understand I can’t go and buy the brightener anywhere so I’ll have to wait another week to get more.
Can you tell me what I should do in the meantime (if anything). When I get the new brightener, what should I do? The wood would have definitely dried well by then…
Just brighten all again and then rinse when done.
Have newly built pillar on my house which are cypress. They were sanded 80 grit. Is there a waiting period to stain for cypress? I would like to stain as soon as possible.
For new wood, yes. Read the above article that explains this.
The owner of the paint store said that because it’s not pressure treated and cypress doesn’t need to age that I can use the TWP now. Will using TWP now cause issues?
He is wrong. You need to follow the above directions.
We use TWP 120 Pecan on our deck and after several year and now on the third time reapplying we are concerned that the deck is getting darker than we like. Is there a clear or some other method to protect without darkening the wood?
No, you cannot apply a clear coat over the stained color.
We are having a log restoration company come in and stain our log home and we are very concerned. They blasted the logs with 20/40 media and buffed it. How smooth should the surface be before it is ready for the stain? They are pushing your TWP#206 Russett Brown product because they feel it will be the closest to what we had but without a sheen. We have just bought this log home, and most of the house had a beautiful reddish-brown color/stain with a sheen to it. The company told us it was a two-part stain coating, but it did not penetrate or protect the logs. It was peeling off in areas of direct sunlight, and the wood had become moldy. I cannot find any images of what the TWP#206 would look like when complete. Applying a stain is not something you can really change your mind halfway through the process if you don’t like it, so we want to get it right. I would prefer to test it on my propane fence first. Your site does not sell 1-gallon cans and I don’t need 5 gallons. Walmart sells them online. Is this the same product?
Do you have any further advice you could offer us, newbies? Thanks.
You can order gallons here: https://www.twpstain.com/twp-200-series-1-gallon-detail
Walmart is not a TWP dealer or authorized to sell TWP. Do not buy from them.
what is the maintence time table after first application? I saw the 9-24 months but what about > than 24 mos? how often to reapply?
Every 2-3 years is normal.
thk u
Hello. Just had a new deck installed with pressure treated wood 1 month ago. It gets full direct sun all day long and have already had a few 80-90 degree heat waves. I’m excited to stain it with TWP semi solid. I am a total newbie so just want to know the proper time to let it weather so the stain takes nicely but also concerned about it being exposed to the elements(rain, heat, sun) unprotected. Water looks like it isn’t beading much anymore. Any advice would be great.
You still need to wait the 4 months or longer and then prep before staining. You cannot speed up this process and it will be fine until it is ready.
If we fully sand a new cedar deck with 60/80 grit paper and it gets rained on before staining, is that a problem, or do we need to sand it again? I’m hoping it opens the wood grain even further to accept more stain. Backstory: the deck was installed about a year ago and we lightly washed it with a percarbonate cleaner and then brightened with oxalic acid. My guys stained it with Rustic, but did a bad job and the floor had minor furring from the wash (it was washed at around 1200psi with a 40 degree tip) and they neglected to read their work order that said sand walking surfaces and the stain took very blotchy on the floor where the minor furring occurred. The only remedy was to strip it with sodium hydroxide, wash, brighten with oxalic, then a full sand to bare wood with 60/80 grit. The other issue is everything on the deck is 2x lumber which is mostly clear except the floor which is 5/4 boards and they are full of knots, which isn’t helping our effort to get it as even as possible. Any help is appreciated!
Rain does not harm sanding and actually helps it.
We just built a new deck and the wood has been weathering for about 8 months. The deck surface is Trex, and the railings are natural wood with black painted aluminum balusters.
I have purchased the Gemini kit, but I’m concerned about getting it on the Trex and balusters. Will the cleaner and brightener damage or discolor the Trex and painted balusters if there is some overspray?
No, they should not harm the TREX.
Which states is TWP 1500 not allowed in?
TWP 1500 is allowed in all US states.
can i sand a new wood for my pergola (non treated douglas fir) with 120 grit before applying 1500 series. thanks
No, 60-80 grit is the max for sanding. Too fine and the TWP will not be able to soak into the wood grain.
Our wood railings have been weathering for about 8 months now, and the top handrail had become very rough so I sanded it with 320 grit since we will be running our hands across it. Did I do a bad thing right before I’m getting ready to prep and stain?
The TWP will not be able to penetrate. Never sand finer than 80 grit.
Oops. Thanks for the clarification. Should I re-sand with 80 grit? Or do I need to let it weather some more? If so, how much longer should I let it weather before applying stain?
Try sanding with 60 grit and then clean and brighten for final prep.
Got it, thank you!
We have a brand new covered deck that is 12×16. The deck faces south, however, the only part that is truly in the full sun all the time are the stairs. I read a comment regarding never stain in the sun or maybe the intent was the sun at the heat of the day. Can you expand on that and give some suggestions of when to stain the steps. The deck was installed on a new build in December of 2020. Would it be best to wait until fall to stain it? Thanks
You can prep and stain now. Just do it on afternoon or early day. You can stain in sun but avoid the hottest part of the day.
Two coats or one this year?
One coat.
I live in an Oregon neighborhood where the houses are very close to each other. Are the fumes from using the series 100 so strong that I will be receiving complaints?
Doubt it but that would depend on your neighbor. It cures in a couple of days.
What is the difference between 100 and 1500 series
VOC compliance for certain states. Where do you live?
For staining new smooth deck boards, on May 8, 2021 the TWP Help adviser expressed a preference for using the 100 Series instead of the 1500 Series if allowed. Does the 100 series have some advantages that the 1500 does not?
Which series to use depends on what is allowed in your state. Where do you live?
I live in Oregon so there should be no restrictions. So with everything being equal, why is the 100 series better than 1500?
The TWP 100 will soak in a little deeper and dry a little faster, otherwise no other reason.
How long should twp 1500 dry? The kids are excited to get into the pool
6-24 hours. Just make sure it is dry to the touch.
It’s 91 and direct sun….ok to apply?
No, it can flash dry and be spotting if you are not moving quickly.
I am about to install “new” cedar siding, but it’s been sitting in a shed for almost two years. Does this age it enough to allow 100 to be applied without other prep?
It has to weather outside after install and be prepped unless it is rough sawn wood.
Does it make any difference that all the cedar siding is kiln dried? Thank you.
1-2 months of weathering and then prep and stain.
I have finished the cleaning and brightening yesterday, this is my first time doing this.
I am noticing a lot of white spots on my cedar boards, especially around the knots, and I am sure I did not miss all those areas when I was cleaning. I am going to try and send a few pictures.
I couldn’t figure out how to send a picture taken with my Iphone, which I have done before
I am not sure this is going to stain and look good when I am finished
Mike Allumi
Knots being white is normal after prep. It is the density of the wood there. Knots will also stain lighter in color.
I finally got these pictures to sent to your site. I guess I didn’t see your reply above, and I sanded down all the “white spots” yesterday, with the hope of staining today, and now I see rain in the forecast for today, so I may have to wait. How long do I have to wait for a good day to stain without doing any prep, except maybe for taking my leaf blower to my deck………………
Mike
Looks good.
I called the phone # on this site Saturday morning after 8am and talked to some lady who could not answer my question, and gave me the company phone # to call, but on a Saturday I didn’t expect you to be open, let alone the company I called after talking that answered my phone call
Mike
I am going to clean my new deck with your gemini products, and I have a 2 gal sprayer, and I am wondering what I should clean my sprayer with after I finish cleaning, before I put the “Brightener” in the sprayer container.
(This may be a duplicate question from yesterday, sorry)
Water.
My deck is about 10 months old, I bought the Gemini cleaner & conditioner. Just wanted to know should I sand before cleaning & conditioner or after ?
First if you need to sand.
I’m planning to add a 2×4 cedar toprail to the posts of a new cable system. The cedar is clear (no knots) and kiln dried. Given it’ll be probably a few weeks old, should I still treat it as new and install then wait 4 months before giving it a single stain even though it’s kiln dried? Many thanks.
Kiln dried you can wait 1-2 months, prep, and then 1 coat.
Thanks.
Waited the 2 months and decided to sand with 60 grit in order to see the different shades and decide how to lay them out so they are more uniform.
This sanding definitely took the top layer, glaze and scuff marks off.
What’s the disadvantage of now applying 1 neutral coat i.e no cleaning? I’m in CA so sun and little humidity.
Would I just expect to apply a subsequent coat next year after the gemini cleaning vs. if I cleaned now, maybe it lasting 2 or 3 years?
And if I decided to clean now, would I need to re-sand?
Appreciate your thoughts.
Steve.
Cleaner and brightener will open up the pores of the wood after sanding so the stain can soak in better. No doing this can result in over-application and the TWP being sticky. You do not need to sand after the prep. You want the wood as porous as possible. No matter what you will need to reapply another light coat in 12-18 months after prep.
Thank you.
I have a cedar deck in upstate NY that is about 15 years old. It has been stained in the past with Behr Semi Transparent Latex Cedar color and prior to that with Cabot clear sealer. The Latex Cedar is peeling off the floor section. I have pressure washed it but some sections still have some remaining stain coating left over. Will I need to brighten and then stain with TWP 1500 or what do you suggest?
You will have to remove all the old stain first by stripping and or sanding the wood.
For the areas that are still in good shape with the previous Semi Transparent Cedar tone water based stain from 2 years ago (e.g. fencing, balusters, posts, etc.) can I just recoat with TWP 1500 Cedar color?
No. It has been to be removed.
My unfinished cypress deck is cleaned, prepped and drying in 80°+ weather. It was built 12+ months ago so it is not new, just no finish. I assume one coat will be enough. In a year when I’m ready for another coat….
a) do I do the wet on wet or just one more coat.
b) do I have to clean and scrub the 2 step restore a deck process again or just lightly pressure wash and use some house wash cleaner.
I live in the rainiest county in the continental US in the mountains of NC. There will be mildew!! No way around it. Is there anything at all I can do to slow the mildew?
Not much you can do about mildew if you are in a rainy area.
thats what I used. It’s all blotchy and frosted looking. I rinsed until I was getting too much pulp come up.
i hope it’s just dryness after the cleaning process washing the natural oils out and it will stain ok.
as I asked above when I put on another coat in a year, do I have to use the complete cleaning and brightening first or just soap and pressure wash to get off surface dirt.
When you cleaned, you did not get all the oxidation off the wood. Not sure if you pressure washed but that would have helped. It typically does not show when stained.
You have to do the full prep whenever you recoat.
Is the oxidation that pulpy mess that comes up when you pressure wash and scrub with a brush? I thought it might be bleached from using chlorine bleach on the mildewed spots which was the whole horizontal area….per the instruction on the RAD container. If it is dried or lightened from bleach will it blend with the stain or do I need to sand the whole deck?
we spent hours with the pressure washer getting the soapy first step of RAD off.
we used Jomax first to try and get the mildew off. Didn’t work. Then the cleaner….didn’t work, then chlorine mix…worked ok, then the neutralizer/brightener, then lots of rinsing. It’s covered with a shade cloth so it didn’t dry.
Oxidation is grayed wood fibers and when you wash it off, it comes off like a pulp. You may want to rent a floor buffer and use a sanding pad to buff the deck. Very easy.
We sanded and stained and it looks great. A huge, messy job but we like the look
Post some pictures.
It won’t accept photos and I can’t refuse the size….sorry
We recently had our deck sanded down from a solid stain and went with semi transparent dark oak stain. We allowed it to dry for 4 days. We had our first bbq outside on it. Immediately after, we noticed significant scratching from our poly wood furniture set. Did we do something wrong? We didn’t have this problem prior with the other solid stain.
Sounds like the TWP did not soak in fully. This happens when you do not prep correctly and or over apply. Sanding could be the issue in your case as it closes the pores of the wood, reducing the stains ability to soak fully into the wood.
Can you elaborate on the comment “sanding could be the issue”? Was it not sanded enough or sanded too much? Not sure how we could’ve sanded differently.
Sanding closes the wood pores, reducing the ability of the stain to soak into the wood. It is not suggested to sand unless absolutely needed and if you must, 60 grit paper.
I am building a deck with BROWN pressure treated lumber, with the top decking done in Trex and the railing done in black metal. First: Do I even need to treat the vertical understructure/posts/joists if covered by Trex? Second: If so, would any of the products with a tint even show on the darker brown PT lumber? (I’m in Payson, AZ- 5500 ft, dry, alpine like environment, but with monsoons in summer and sometimes snow in winter.) Thanks!! 🙂
No need to stain the underside wood.
In response to a couple posted questions it was made clear to never stain all sides of wood. The wood needs to breathe, not be 100% encapsulated. That would cause dry rot. How does this standard apply in regards to staining a wood fence? Leaving anything unfinished or unprotected seems counterintuitive to me.
Fences are different as they are vertical and fully exposed on all sides to dry when the wood gets wet. You can stain both sides. Decks are different in that they are horizontal and when close to the ground, the moisture from the ground under the deck can create issues with dry rot if the wood cannot breathe.
The fence was built using pre-built framed panels. The pickets in the panels all sit in a channeled bottom rail which seems like it would share the same concerns you noted with the wood decking (horizontal, close to ground, unable to breath properly). Would the bottom rail then require a different approach to coverage or application of stain than the rest of the fence boards would?
It will be fine to stain the exposed wood for the bottom rail.
By not staining/sealing all sides, don’t you need to be concerned with differing expansion/contraction and absorbtion rates, which may lead to permanent deformation in horizontally installed boards, such as “cupping”?
You need the wood to breathe so never stain all sides as this will create issues with dry rot, etc. The wood will not cup or deform.
I have a lean-to porch with a tin roof. I was supposed to clean/brighten 2 yrs ago but health issues arose. Now, I’m preparing to start this project. I have a couple of boards that are rough and need sanding. Also stamped labels on the wood in several places. You recommend sanding first then do the Gemini routine?
Yes, correct.
Thank you
I recently redid my western red cedar deck and installed metal balusters. They look great but I see that the RAD product can harm metal. Can you recommend another product for cleaning the railing that will not harm the metal balusters?
It should not but always test spot first.
is the TWP 100 a Sealant and a Stain? I am a bit confused.
Both stain and seals from water.
perfect so no additional items needed as a sealant.
Correxct and you can never apply a sealer over the TWP.
This sentence (see below) from FAQ should it say “as it does NOT have mill glaze…”?
Note: New Rough Sawn vertical wood/fencing can be stained right away with no wait and with no prep as it does have mill glaze and is very absorbent. Just make sure the wood is fully dry.
Typo, fixed.
Also, what does the Cape cod gray & the prairie gray semi transparent stains look like?
https://www.twpstain.com/twp-100-series-stain-colors-and-photo-albums/
Can I use two on my new fence after allowing it ri age at least 4 months? And how old is my new fence panels when 1st installed? & do I need to use the prep fence like on decks?
Yes, you can use the TWP on new wood after 4 months and prep. We have no idea how old your fence is. Yes you have to prep.
Is there a way to test the moisture content of the wood on my new deck?
You still have to weather and prep as the article explains above. It is not about moisture % but porosity of the wood.
This question maybe answered already. I have a new cedar deck installed Aug. 2020 in northern Mi.
We don’t seem to have lots of good consistent weather for May, and June, in Michigan so I am asking for an estimate of how many good days do I need to finish this project. This is a small deck, 17′ X 7′
I am breaking this up for hopefully easier reading and understanding.
When starting off with the gemini restore kit, do I need to wait after the cleaner is rinsed off, so it can dry?
How soon after the cleaner application can I use the brightener product, and how long after applying brightener, before I can start to put my first coat of TWP 100 Cedartone on my deck?
After applying the stain how long does it need to dry, where I don’t need to worry about the deck getting rained on? I can keep foot traffic off deck, so that is not an issue in finishing this project.
With the above questions in mind, how many good consistent days do I need to finish this project.
I am not really crazy, it just sounds like it sometimes……
Mike
You clean and brighten the same day. Wait 48 hours to stain after. If rains between, just wait 48 hours after the rain to stain. About 6-12 hours to dry after. 24 hours for foot traffic.
So it looks like a 4 day job, unless I have to wait 48 hours after a rain, and then maybe 6 days. Thank you for that information
Mike
I live in dry sunny Northern New Mexico and just had a pergola built with rough sawn pine beams and smooth full trunk posts ( viga and beam a common Santa Fe style). Reading here it sounds like I can stain the rough sawn wood right away but need to wait on the smooth posts? The contractor who built the pergola said to stain right away for our sun and dry high altitude environment
You will need to wait. Best to wait and do it all at once after prep.
Do you have any approved contractors who work with your products in the Charlotte NC area?
We do not have a contractor list.
TWP 200 / 206 russet brown applied a week ago. There still seems to be an unabsorbed film of stain in some areas. How do we remove? Do we simply wipe the deck down with rags?
The TWP 200 can take 1-2 weeks to fully cure. You can back wipe off excess with rags, just make sure to saturate all oily rags in water when done and lay flat to dry outside.
Hi, I live in Canada and I have a cedar deck around a salt water pool. We have let the cedar cure for 8 months. we would like to get the deck back as close to as looking new natural as possible. Which semi transparent color stain would I use and is the product safe for around the pool, .
You have to use the TWP 200 Series for Canada. Any color you like will work.
Are TWP stains considered to be sealers/waterproofers? Can/should the stain be followed with a waterproofing sealer? if not, how do TWP stains perform in comparison to products that are considered waterproofing sealers?
They are stains and sealers. You can never apply a sealer over the TWP. It will peel.
Hi, we have new 8×8 rough sawn cedar posts on our front porch. Can I apply a 1500 series stain right away with no prep or are there other steps that need to be taken first?
For rough sawn you can. Not smooth wood.
I stained the top and bottom surfaces of my cedar stairs with the pecan stain. Will this be a problem in the future?
It should be fine as long as the wood can still breathe. Staining all sides is not suggested.
Please explain when and why staining all sides of lumber is not recommended. I am specifically interested in this subject as applied to decks, but also to general construction where back-priming may be used to improve the life of wood details.
Never stain all sides. You need to wood to breathe. Not be 100% encapsulated. That would cause dry rot.
I am confused. I applied the first coat of stain on my new cedar deck last september. According to the above directions I should just need to clean with soapy water rather than the Gemini kit and then apply a light coat of the same stain. Is this correct?
Depends on how long ago you stained the first coat and how dirty it is. This is explained above.
As I said in the first comment, the first coat went on in September. Other than some unexplained small stains from an unknown contaminant in a focused area the deck is pretty clean. YOUR directions say 9-24 months. Is this just a SWAG (sophisticated wild ass guess) on your part or from years of experience and testing. I don’t want to risk more fuzzing and have to sand the entire deck down again before the second coat.
It varies on the condition of the stain and how dirty it is. If stain is fuly intact and just a little dirty, then do the soapy water for the cleaning before recoating.
I have a deck that I have stained every year for 4 years with TWP 1500 series. After a few months every time the horizontal surfaces that are in the sun have faded but the areas in the shade look perfect. We are also putting a pool next to the deck this year. I am wondering what stain I should use instead that will last longer and what prep I will need to do to be ready to switch stains. Will I need to sand the areas that still have full stain?
The sun will fade all deck stains so this is normal. Using a higher amount of solids would make it better though. You could try the semi-solids: https://www.twpstain.com/twp-semi-solid-pro-series
You would have to prep all wood with this kit:
https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit-detail
The bigger issue will be the pool chlorine as it will damage all deck stains (no brand will be immune) since it is bleach. This will require annual re-staining where water gets on the stain/wood.
I am rebuilding a deck so I have the deck boards and can easily apply stain to all 6 sides prior to installation. It is 3 1/2″ thick by 6″ wide laminated cedar. I have sanded all 6 sides with a 220 grit paper to remove mill glaze. I do not know for how long the decking existed after being milled, but it’s surely at least a few months. Can I apply two coats, especially to the sides that will be hard to reach once installed, and should it be wet on wet or two separate coats allowing complete drying between coats? Any help you can provide would be appreciated. Thanks.
No, you cannot do this and there is no need to stain all sides of the wood. That can lead to issues with dry rot as the wood will not breathe. Follow the weathering and prep instructions above and stain only the exposed wood after.
So if I stain 5 sides (leaving the underside of the decking raw wood), and then stain the underside in a year, would that be good? And again, should I do two coats, especially on the sides that will be nearly impossble to get at after installation, and if so, should they be wet on wet or dried between coats?
Hi Mike, Only stain the one exposed side with one coat after the weathering for 4+ months and the prep. Do not stain all sides. This creates issues and is not needed.
I have a cedar dock that we purchased last year. I let it season for 1 full year(6 mos on the water, 6 mos in my garage in storage). I took the dock sections out of storage yesterday and finished step 1 and 2 of the Gemini restore a deck kit. After 1 day of drying in my garage the cedar looks pretty good but it still has a light layer of “fuzz” from the gray wood fibers that we removed. Should I do a light sanding to remove these fibers before staining with the 100 series? Is it common to have this issue? Thanks.
That is a result of oxidation removal, you can lightly sand if you want but it is not needed.
Hi- I had a cedar fence installed about a month ago. One side of the boards is rough sawn, the other side is smooth. From the article, it sounds like I can stain the rough sawn side immediately without prep? It’s not clear to me- on the rough sawn side, do I apply one coat or two? Finally, I want to retain the natural color of new cedar as much as possible but protect against UV rays. Would that require the “CedarTone” color, or “Natural”? I’m in California- I assume I need the 1500 series, but the 200 series looks like it might be more transparent. Which do you recommend? Thank you!
Use the TWP 1500 Series. Do hoth sides at the same time after wait and prep. Honeytone is the lightest color that offers UV protection.