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.
Hello. I live in the Piedmont area of North Carolina, about 20 miles north of Raleigh. I rebuilt my deck with lumber similar to the original treated lumber, using 5/4 pine decking boards. Some of the deck boards were stored in my garage for about a year, the remainder I got in June 2017. The deck boards have been installed since first week of July 2017. The boards have shrunk some, and show signs of cupping a little bit. I sanded the paint stenciling off the wood, and have been researching stain. I would like to see the wood grain, but have had so many different opinions/advice what to use, or when to do it. I found this website, and need your advice. I like the Honeytone 1515. Do I need to wait the 4-12 months to do the prepping and staining? Your advice would be greatly appreciated. One additional detail, it is 16′ x 19′, about 3′ above ground level, and sits unshaded, directly in the morning sun, and it has been extremely hot 90’s – 100′.
Yes, you need to wait and prep.
Thanks for your reply. In this waiting timeframe, is there anything I need to do? Periodic rinsing or washing? I really feel something should be done, as I want to preserve / protect it, but I do not want to ruin it by being too impatient. But, in the meantime, I may try your products on my front porch, as it too needs re-doing. It is 29 years old, but wood it still good, as it is out of direct sunlight until later in the afternoon, on the NNW side of the house. Thanks, in advance.
Rinsing to remove dirt will be fine.
Hello – another question – The 5/4 Deck Boards I used are KDAT (Kiln-Dried After Treatment), and I have read they do not need as long a wait period, but still need the prep. What is your opinion on this?
Yes that is correct. See this: https://twpstainhelp.com/kdat-and-twp-wait-period-for-new-wood/
I’m in rainy Oregon. Stained a 2×6 cedar deck with TWP100 in 2014. Held up well. This week I cleaned with RAD, hand scrubbing, and Pres Washer. Most of stain on rain-exposed boards went away with the mold so I belt sanded with 100 grit so it’s not overly “smooth”. Looks good and there’s no saw dust. Am I supposed to rinse again with Step 2 or may I apply fresh coat of TWP100 over freshly sanded boards?
Best to rinse with the Step 2 to help open the grain of the wood.
Will sanding new wood improve penetration of the stain? We inherited a fir deck and are replacing a number of boards and turning others over.
No. It actually can reduce penetration based on how smooth you sand.
I just finished the prep of a new wood deck that has ‘seasoned’ for the past 12 months. It is SYP and Cedar. I used Deck Restore cleaner and followed the directions using a pressure washer at a psi acceptable for wood fibers (1,500 psi). I then followed up with the brightener and rinsed. The deck looks new again but after drying there is a noticeable white film on the floor boards and after closer inspection these appear to be raised wood fibers I suspect were caused by the pressure wash? Should I sand these down before staining or am I OK to stain without sanding? Also, as far as a stain, should I go with TWP 100 or 1500 for new wood?
The raised fibers are from the heavy oxidation (graying) that took place over the last 12 months. Rent a floor buffer and use a sanding pad. You can knock off these wood fibers in a few minutes with this. You also could just stain as they really do not show that much. Use the 100 if allowed in your state. If not, use the 1500 Series.
Thank you for your reply. Are floor buffer sanding pads standard or do they come in different grits/materials? I’m finding sanding disks from 80-100 grit and then nylon pads too. Also, do rental dealers tend to offer the sanding pads or do you buy these separately?
You can use the disks and or the pads. The rental yard will have both and explain the use and grit.
I have a treated lumber deck that’s aged 10 months – wood showing some cracking. I applied step 1 Restore-a-deck, rinsed well (I think) using a pressure washer. Ran out of time/weather so I applied step 2 of RAD the next AM after an overnight thunderstorm ( about 1/2″ rain). After rinsing w/ the pressure washer again, some boards are turning green. Now what?
Thanks,
Phil
The “green” may be internal from the PTP wood and if so you cannot fix this with prep. It just goes away over time. Typically does not show though when you apply the stain.
I have a 15 year old deck that I have sanded to bare wood. I also need to replace 4 deck boards. How to a proceed with staining and which color gives the most natural cedar appearance ?
Wait the 4-12 months, prep with the Gemini Kit. Stain with the TWP. Honeytone is the lightest tint that has UV protection.
After building the deck just hoses off my wife likes the socalles wet look trying to keep that
The closest color to a wet look is the TWP 115 Honeytone color.
I have a new ceder deck in upper peninsula of Michigan 3 months old want to keep all wood grain no tint what do you perfer
Building a new A-line gable roofed patio, using tongue & groove (pine) on underside of roof w/ painted white beams and posts. Combo of natural and painted wood look. Support horizontal beams are natural rough sawn (Douglas Fir). We want to use TWP1500 on tongue/groove and support beams. Reading application instructions, it sounds like rough sawn can be stained right away but not sure about T&G.
What should be considered when using product on rough sawn vs. T&G?
Re: Color choice, goal is rich medium brown, not too red, what color is recommended?
For color, use the Dark Oak. The rough sawn can be stained right away. The T&G if exposed wood should be weathered and prepped. Since it is not exposed (ceiling), it will not weather. Go head and stain but be careful and make sure you apply a very light coat and back wipe any drips and runs.
My contractor let the new cedar fence dry for only 36 hours, not only was it new “green” or wet wood but it had rained several hours on the wood before he built the fence. The stain looks horrible but the biggest problem is that all of the defects turned dark brown to black in color. Should he put more stain, or strip the stain and start fresh? We would really like to tone down the black spots and have a much more even finish. Thank you!
Adding more stain will not fix this. Strip and brighten the wood should help.
I live in northern North Dakota and had a pressure treated pine deck built 4 years ago. We have never done anything to it. What do you recommend for our location and what is required before any applications? This is all new to me so any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks
Hello,
Prep first with the Gemini Restore Kit and stain with the TWP 100 Series. 2 coats applied wet on wet:
https://www.twpstain.com/twp-100-series
I built for 4 Adirondack chairs out of cedar I was going to stain/seal them with TWP 101 before using them. Should I still wait the 4 to 12 months to allow these chairs to weather?
Yes, you should wait and prep.
We have waited about 10 months to clean & stain new deck/stairs. This year it’s been raining LOTS! How long after cleaning, and then MORE rain probably, should we wait to stain with TWP 1500? Thank you!
Wait 48 hours after prep or rain.
Thanks!
New deck Pressure treated, weathered for 12 months in michigan. So it’s seen it all. Can I just powerwash, and we want to apply the cape cod grey. So do I need to use the deck brightener if we are putting on a that stain? It’s a semi solid it says.I feel like it’s a waste.
You need to prep with both the Cleaner and the Wood Brightener for the proper prep.
Installed a cedar fence last fall (Fall of ’16) would like to stain with TWP 100. Should I require a cleaner before the stain as this wood is fairly new?
Yes, it should be cleaned and brightened with the Gemini Restore Kit.
Yes,the deck boards have started to turn gray. The pencil marks are all on the ceder posts, that are smooth,not the deck. The balusters are Deckorators brand, they are a textured matt black finish.
The Gemini Restore Kit will help with the pencil marks.
Getting ready to stain my Ceder deck for the first time. Just wondering if the Gemini cleaner brightener will remove pencil marks on the wood, if not what can I us. Also used the Black powder coated round balusters on my rail, will the cleaner affect those in anyway.
Did you let it weather for the 4+ months? If so, the pencil marks should have gone away and the Gemini Kit will prep the wood. For the spindles, there are 100s of different kinds and 99% of the time the Kit will not harm them, but it is best to test first to make sure.
I have a rooftop deck. I would have to deconstruct some of the furniture to move it off the roof for staining. Imagine a rectangle, access door in the bottom center. My plan is to stain starting on day one, from the left edge to the center of the door. One day later, I would move the furniture to the newly stained area and then begin staining from the far right edge back to the door once again. What are the odds that I’m going to have color mismatch in the center of the deck due to this plan? I can’t come up with a better plan that doesn’t require me to be air-lifted off the deck with all of the furniture! 🙂
If you are doing half at a time your stop line will need to be perfect and between boards.
We installed a kiln dried redwood deck – it is now 2 months old. We had some rain about a month ago and the deck has now black water marks underneath the roof line. We live in Northern California (Napa area) with very hot summers and wet winters. The deck is mostly in the sun all day long.
1. How to remove the black water marks?
2. Do we need to use deck cleaner and brightener for the whole deck or will just presure washing before we stain do the job?
3. Do you recommend the 1500 or 100 series?
4. One coat only?
5. What is the best semi transparent stain with the most natural/clear look?
Use the Gemini Restore Kit for the prep. You do have to use this and it should help with the water stains if they are surface stains. Only one coat is needed the first time staining. The TWP 1500 is the correct stain for your area. We have samples of the colors for testing here: https://www.twpstain.com/stain-samples
Which natural/clear stain in the 1500 series offers the best UV protection?
The darker the color the better the UV protection. All the TWP colors are semi-transparent so they will show the grain of the wood.
I installed a rough cut 2 x 6 cedar rail fence 1 month ago and the wood is very dry now. Since it’s rough cut do i need to do anything else before staining with 100
You can stain now as long as the wood is clean and dry.
I completely powerwashed my entire 25 yr old fence and it looks like new do I still need to wait to stain it after drying? Also trying to get deck looking as good as fence but more difficult to get in cracks and crevices. Should I use 100 or 1500 series? Live in Milwaukee but want good penetration of stain.
Also, if I have to sand deck opposed to pressure washing to get all existing stain off do I have to wait for that to stain as well?
This is not new wood so go ahead and stain when dry. All existing stain of a different brand does have to be removed first though. Use the TWP 100 Series.
https://www.twpstain.com/twp-100-series
hey guys just finished using the gemini kit and this is what it looks like. what do i need to do to get rid of the white streaks.thanks
That is oxidation of the top layers of cells that did not come off when you cleaned. Did you use a pressure washer after applying the cleaner? You will most likely need to reclean to remove the rest of majority of these gray wood cells. A little bit left is fine as the stain will darken this.
yes i did pressure wash, so i need to do both wash and brighten again?
It would be best as it seems that you did not get off all the oxidation. Take into consideration that most of this or will not show though when the stain is applied.
sounds good, thanks for the help.
We have a similar issue (though not as severe) on the deck we cleaned and brightened yesterday. We didn’t use a pressure washer, however- just scrubbed and then rinsed as best we could. Can we just clean and brighten the affected grayish areas or do we need to do the entire deck again?
You could try to spot clean but it may be easier to just redo all.
We have a new deck, which has weathered for 11
months. We used the step one cleaner and the entire deck has a waxy coating over all pieces of wood. We have not done step two yet because the deck is still “gray”. Should we clean the deck again? Thanks for any advice or guidance.
One the wood sits for 11 months the top layer of wood cells oxidize from the sun. this has to be removed with the cleaner. Make sure to use a pressure washer while using the cleaner to help remove this.
My deck is about 7 years old and has been stained with TWP 1501 cedartone two or three times, the last time was about three years ago, and I haven’t been able to do maintenance on it until now.
Do I need to use BOTH the restore a deck (red label) cleaner AND the brightener (blue label) at this time?
The stain is worn down now but I need to know if I need to use both products in the prep kit–red label cleaner and blue label brightener at this time before staining. TWP is the only stain used the last two times, about five years.
Thanks,
JimW
Yes, use both.
Installed a new cedar deck 2 years ago. I was not patient enough to wait for the wood to weather and the mill glaze to wear off. I stained it with TWP Rustic Oak 1516 after perhaps only a couple weeks in the fall of 2015. The next spring I used a deck cleaner and it practically stripped the stain off and it appears that it truly never soaked in; appeared as new wood underneath the stain. I put another coat over it last spring and again it is looking poorly with some areas worn of entirely; appears that it again has not soaked in. What would be the best course of action now to encourage the stain to actually soak into the wood?
Strip and brighten for the prep with the Restore A Deck Stripper Kit. After it is prepped, please send a picture of the wood before staining. What we want to see is if the wood is good to be stained or needs to weather some as it seems it never had a chance to do this.
I’m redoing My Gazebo it is Pressure Treated Deck boards and Red Cedar uprights and supports. I had Sikkens on it before. I have completely Sanded all the Stain completely off. Do I still need to prep the Surface? If I do how long do I need to let it Dry? I’m In San Antonio, TX with 90 degrees and higher temps. Thanks Joe
After sanding, final prep with the Gemini Restore kit. Let dry for 48 hours after before stianing:
https://www.twpstain.com/gemini-s-restore-a-deck-cleaner-and-brightener-kit
I had a new KDAT installed a few months ago. I didn’t understand that it could be stained right away and we have had a very wet spring. It feels like it is starting to “cup” a bit already and I feel like I have waited too long. I am ready to stain now, but I will need to clean some surfaces stains. Can you advise me on how to clean it and prep for stain? I know you recommend the Gemini products, but do I apply with pump sprayer, scrub, then powerwash off? Also , what type of stain do you recommend? TWP 100 or 1500? The deck is approx. 500 sq ft, I am doing it alone, so can I do it in stages, if I complete one full section at a time?
Also, the deck railings are old and have a prior stain on them. I last used a water-based stain on them a few years ago. All the stain is intact and I really don’t want to remove it all. Can I clean it, then restain with the same TWP that I’ll use for the deck? And which job should I do first, deck floor or railings? The job is a big one and I am trying to get a handle on the best way to handle it!
Thanks for your help.
Apply the Gemini Step 1 and lightly pressure rinse or scrub. Apply the Step 2 and then rinse. Use the TWP 1500.
TWP cannot be applied over the stain you used before on the railings. Does not matter on the order of which job you do first.
My new cedar wood has aged 6 mos, and is ready to clean, brighten, and stain. How long do I wait to stain after the cleaning and brightening steps?
I have a 2 year old cedar deck. Original stain peeled off first year…I have sanded off old stain. Since the wood is 2 years old…should I go with the 2 coat system? Should it still be cleaned and if I use a different brand of cleaner will that make a difference?
Prep with the Gemini Restore Kit after the sanding to open the pores of the wood. Apply the 2 coats with wet on wet application.
I have BM Arborcoat on my deck right now. Been there less than a year and its starting to peel away. BM says its because I applied it too thick??? Anyway, i’m thinking about switching to TWP. What do you guys recommend I do to get rid of the old stain? I’m assuming TWP cant be applied over the Arborcoat? BM is going to supply the stripper, brightener, and 6 gallons of Arborcoat for me to strip it and reapply. If its ok to use their stripper/brightener, then i’ll do that, but i’m not putting this stain back on my deck. TWP 100 is the better choice right? I can get 100 in my state. I should go with that over the 1500 correct?
You will have to remove the Arborcoat fully first. Their stripper will most likely not remove it so you will have to sand it off. Use the TWP 1500. It is a penetrating stain and not prone to peeling.
I have to replace the railing around my uncovered patio. I’m using redwood.will I be able to stain within 2 weeks.I kust purchased 3 gallons and hopefully I can use it before too long. Thank you.
Hello, as the articles mentions, 4-12 months and does need to be prepped.
1. I add a refresher coat of 1500 each year. I still have stain in the wood, and I cleaned the wood a few days ago. It rained last night. Is there an acceptable amount of moisture The wood can have?
2. since I clean and reseal each year do you sell just he brightner (Step 2)?
Thank you
Ray
1. 15% or less moisture content
2. We do not sell just the Step 2 Brightener.
since I power wash each year and the dirt comes off easily, do I need to use your Gemini products. I recoat with your 1500.
When reapplying it best to use the Gemini Restore Kit and lightly pressure wash. Gives better adhesion and overall deeper clean.
I’m in CT and installing a new pole barn with rough sawn shiplap pine siding. I would like to prestain the boards before instalation so that the edges have some protection. I know your recommend waiting to finish smooth surfaces, but the the surfaces won’t be available to finish once the barn is up. (the face is rough sawn but the narrow edges are smooth) I see that your fine with finishing rough sawn immediately… Looking for your recomendation. 1 coat? 2 coats?
Thanks
1 coat only. You should be okay since most is rough sawn cut.
I recently stripped TWP from 3 year old cedar deck with RAD stripper, rinsed
Then RAD whitener, rinsed. Now I have wood fibers everywhere.
I am going to sand lightly with 80 grit
My question is: Do i need to rinse again (worried about more wood fibers) or
can I just blow off and then re stain with TWP.
Rinse with water is the best way. It remove the dust out of the wood pores as well.
I have a cedar fence that is 4 months old, and want to use the 1500 series but one side is rough and the other is smooth. Should there be any specific steps to one side over the other. And would an airless sprayer be ok to use?
Prep with the Gemini Restore Kit as that will help to remove the mill glaze from the smooth side. Staining is the same for both sides. You can apply with an airless sprayer.
Hi, I have a new cedar fence (2-3 months old, kiln dried planks, rough on one side, smooth on the other) which I plan to stain with TWP 100 series Honeytone. Hoping to get it stained before it starts graying. The fence looks great except for a few random boards have what appears to be mold/ mildew. What is the recommended prep before staining? I was hoping to not have to clean/brighten the entire fence, but am concerned about the few (4-5) questionable boards. Thanks
Could you post a picture?
These are the worst ones. A few others have just a small area of dark specks, but the vast majority look fine. It’s a big fence.
It would be best to spot clean those areas and then brighten all wood so it is even.
what products would you recommend for the spot cleaning and brightening? Thanks
The Gemini Restore Kit.
I have been using marine spar varnish for 8 years on pine railing around my deck in MA. As one side faces south, the varnish blisters off each year, requiring a full sand and recoat. I would love to try something else in the hopes of a more durable finish with better appearance.
If I sand this back to bare wood, how do I prep the wood, and should I use TWP 100 or 1500? Thanks
Hi Karen, you will need to remove all of the spar varnish if you would like to use the TWP. For MA, you will need the TWP 1500 Series. it is a penetrating stain so it is not prone to peeling. After the sanding, final prep with the Gemini Restore A Deck Kit.
I have just sanded a deck that is five years old. Do I need to use a cleaner and/ or a brightner before staining or can I just stain the wood. All the stain has been removed. Also if it rains after the sanding is it ok to stain once dry. Will be using TWP 1500 stain.
Yes you should clean and brighten with the Gemini Restore kit. Stain after rain about 24-48 hours later so it dries fully.
My son-in-law replaced a section on my deck with new wood from one of the box stores, in late September of last year. We live in Idaho so he covered the new section with a heavy tarp hoping to protect it from the heavy weather. I am hoping to stain the new section as soon as the weather gets better here in Idaho. My question is, has the tarp cover prevented the new wood from weathering? Should I wait to stain?
Hello, to weather it needs to be exposed fully. Best to remove, wait and prep.
I am in the process of re-staining a covered porch that will be a combination of new and old wood. My plan is to stain the existing t/g porch floor and upright posts first and then complete the skirting with PT pine. I would rather not leave the pine to weather and if I do I am worried about the “cleaning” products getting on the already stained parts of the deck and compromising the look/effectiveness. Could I put a light coat on with the assumption that I would need to re-apply the following year. Any input would be appreciated.
Gavin, you have to weather and prep. This removes the mill glaze. and opens the grain. If you put a coat on without doing weathering and prep, you will need to strip and start over in the Spring all the wood as you cannot spot strip.
How will the cleaning/brightening chemicals affect the already stained portions of the deck? Will they need to be covered and protected? Would the wait time be the same for new cedar boards that are stored inside at lumber yard and dry vs. the pressure treated.
Hello, Drying inside does not matter or help. The wood needs to weather exposed outside and does not matter the wood type. It would be much easier to wait until Fall and do all the new and old wood at the same time.
We will be staining pine boxes to used out of doors at a summer camp can we stain them right away or must we let the wood weather. Will rough sanding help in twp100 absorbtion
If the wood is smooth, you should wait and prep. Sanding does not speed up the process.
My new elevated deck was installed about 7 months ago and I’m ready to clean and seal it. It’s about 10-11 feet of the ground. Do I stain the underside? If so, does it need prepped with cleaner and whitener as well?
Hello, you do not need to stain the undersides.
I used a wood cleaner on my unfinished deck and I have white spots( bleach marks)
Can I stain over these?
They will most likely show through the stain. Try to re clean and brighten the wood.
We had new medium smooth cedar siding put on our house in November 2016. It was just sanded 1 month ago using 80-100 grit paper and power washed with just water to remove all the dust. We have TWP 1500 in Rustic. Is there anything else we should do and should we just put one coat on this year?
It is probably good to go.
What about staining a new porch ceiling? I just finished milling 100% white oak rafters ceiling boards and decking for a covered porch. The wood is 10-11 percent moisture and ready to go up. I understand that normally for decks you let things weather for months but this wood will not get much weather especially the rafters and ceiling wood. I am thinking of belt sanding with 80 or 120 grit and applying TWP 100 stain before installing the roof structure. The decking would be easy to stain later. Recommendations Please!
Use 60-80 grit and apply just one coat.
I live in MA and am having a new PT deck installed mid-May which means mid-September would be the earliest to prep and do the first coat per your article. This will be cutting it a bit close given the cooler evening temperatures. Would it be better to wait until next Spring or will winter elements adversely impact wood integrity? Does outdoor temp need to be above 50 F only while applying or for a certain period afterwards? Thanks
Fall or Spring will be fine. Cannot drop below freezing the night that you apply the stain. Below 50 is fine.
We had a cedar fence installed in October. It is rough on the outside but the inside, the posts and the lattice topper are smoother. Do I need to wait to stain since it is not all rough? Prep? Would I use one coat on the smooth but two on the rough side? Lastly, how much stain should I purchase? We have 200 ft of 6ft tall fencing and are staining both sides. We are considering the prairie gray, if we can only use one coat on the smooth side does it come out looking gray or would we still see the yellowish wood color through it?
I appreciate your help!
Prep the same for all and apply just 1 coat to all the wood. As for coverage, please give us a total amount that includes both side of the fence.
It would be about 2600 sq ft for both sides.
You will need about 15-20 gallons.
Does this cedar fence guy need to prep with two step cleaner / brightener before? I have the exact same situation / time table. My wife is worried about power washing too hard and making wood fuzzy. If yes to above prep question, how “aggressive” do we need to clean / brighten?
Thanks
Yes, you have to prep and remove any oxidized wood cells and mill glaze if applicable. How aggressive to wash varies on the amount of oxidized wood cells that needs to be removed. Typically you do not need to pressure wash with an amount greater than 1500 psi.
I’m trying to keep the “new wood look” on my fence (kiln dried smooth white pine) and want to use the 1500 clear. I understand this has no UV protection. Will my wood turn the ugly grey color unless I use a stain?
That is correct. Must use a stain.
I saw below you recommended 100 series over 1500 for a Seattle resident with a newer fence. I’m in the same situation. Live in Seattle area with a cedar fence that is 6 months old. Just wanted to confirm I should go with 100 series?
Also, the fence looks the same as it did when it was put up and doesn’t show any signs of greying. Would you still recommend prepping it? If so, is there a way to order a sample of Gemini to put on first before I apply other samples I’m going to order? I’ve read the color can differ if put on to a prepped vs non-prepped fence
Is the fence rough sawn cut or smooth? That makes the difference as to if prep is needed or not. The Gemini Restore Kit does not come in a sample. If rough sawn cut, the 100 or the 1500 would work for you in Seattle. The 1500 does have slightly better UV protection since it has a higher solid content.
Your have a statement above: “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.” I assume you mean rough sawn … does **NOT** have mill glaze … so therefore it CAN be stained right away? Even if it’s only aged a couple months? Is that correct? Also, I assume there is no prep needed as it has not grayed at all?Thanks.
Correct on both questions.