Last Updated on January 30, 2023 by TWP Help
How To TWP Guide to Staining a Deck in 2024
Prolonging the life of a deck is not difficult if you know enough about deck care and regular maintenance. Every year or two most decks need to be cleaned and recoated with deck stain. This will not only enhance the natural beauty of the wood but will create a barrier of protection from Mother Nature. Once a deck has been prepped (See article: The TWP Guide to Prepping a Deck) it is then ready for a coat of TWP stain. This guide will help you along in getting a professional like finish.
TWP Stain Application Tools
True with any project using the right tools is going to make the task that much easier. Brushes are great for cutting in along edges and fitting into tight areas. Other stain applicators like an 18” stain pad or mop will help you to stain more area at a time and be up to 50% faster. A quality sprayer with different nozzle options will ensure the perfect spray pattern for great coverage. An airless sprayer can also be used to apply the stain. Follow these methods of application with back brushing to get a nice even finish. Do not forget other things like mineral spirits for clean up, a spray shield, gloves, safety glasses and canvas tarps for protecting plants and grass from overspray.
TWP Stain Preparation
Be sure to read the application instructions on the label. TWP can be applied in 1-2 coats depending on your wood’s porosity. Typically older wood will require 2 “wet on wet” coats while newer smoother wood will require only 1 coat.
Be sure to check your local forecast prior to starting. Once the deck has dried for 48 hours since it was cleaned or the last rainfall it needs to remain dry throughout the staining process and beyond. No rain or cold temperatures should be forecasted 2-3 days after application. Only apply TWP when the temperature is between 50-90 degrees. Be sure to mix the stain thoroughly before use and several times during.
Applying TWP Stain
Use a brush, stain pad or deck floor mop and stain one or several boards at a time from end to end. This will help eliminate overlap marks. If cutting in an edge with a brush, be sure to feather the stain out away from the edge as opposed to leaving a defined line of stain. Also, use a brush to get the gaps between deck boards when using a pad. Inspect the deck for drips or runs and wipe them away with a brush. Determine if the wood needs one or two coats. Remove any liquid stain that is not absorbed within 30-60 minutes after the second coat with a brush, dry roller, dry pad, or a dry cloth.
The excess stain that does not penetrate and is not removed will leave a blotchy appearance and cause premature stain failure. Use a piece of cardboard or a professional spray shield to catch overspray. Any overspray should be removed immediately using mineral spirits. Painter’s tape can also be used to protect edges along driveways, sidewalks, painted surfaces, brick, vinyl siding, etc.
Following TWP Staining
Clean all application tools, buckets, trays, etc. with mineral spirits immediately following completion of the application. Clean up any spills or overspray before TWP is allowed to dry. Allow TWP stain to dry for 12-72 hours depending on drying conditions prior to foot traffic and moving plants, furniture, grills, etc. back onto the deck.
I read on here a while ago that you could apply “Wet & Forget” to the stained wood before rainy weather hits and it will help with mildewing, staining, etc. First of all — did I read that right? And if so, how long after staining should you wait before applying it? (it’s been 1 month) Or is this more of a late winter thing to do? (I live in the rainy northwest.) thanks.
Do not use Wet and Forget. You can use this: https://www.twpstain.com/rad-guard-mildew-cleaner-preventer-1-gallon
You can apply it whenever.
Hi. Had my deck “professionally” stained with TWP 1500 Dark Oak a few days ago. He applied two coats and now I have several noticeable areas where it is glossy and is obvious too much stain applied. Incan still wipe some away with a napkin. What do I do? Rub off excess with mineral spirits? Keep in mind it had been on two days now.
See this: https://twpstainhelp.com/twp-stain-is-spotty-or-shiny/
Just received 5 gal pail of 205.Any “best”method of lid removal so it can be reused.Want to pour small amounts. Wish it had a spout.Thanks.
You have to remove the top fully to use and mix. If storing for more than a month, then transfer to a plastic pail and lid that can close fully.
any special instructions when applying stain on a hot/sunny day? Should be under 90 degrees, but deck is in full, hot sun (I recently refinished an old table next to the deck and applying the stain and poly to that small 4×4′ surface was tricky – not sure how staining 24’x14′ in that hot sun will go).
Do not apply in full sun on a 90 degree day as the wood surface temp will be 20-30 degrees warmer. Do in cooler temps and when the sun is either going up or down in the afternoon.
Any concerns if rain comes the same day I have stained with TWP1500 wet on wet?
Yes. You need 4-12 hours of drying before rain. Maybe longer if in the shade and low temps.
Se Michigan: We haven’t had 4 dry days this year and after prepping twice (once June and once 2 weeks ago it looks like a dry week however temps when applying will be upper 60s-low 70s during application but lows in 40s is that too cold for application?
Yes, that is fine.
Love your customer support site. Great, clear and direct answers! I am applying TWP 101 to a well cleaned and brightened cedar deck (5 years old) in Michigan. I would like a recommendation on a stain brush that I can use on the horizontal surfaces while standing up with an extension pole that won’t break down and lose bristles from the TWP. Dynamic 7”? I have about 1200 sq. Ft to do and want to be time efficient while still getting amazing quality/appearance. Thanks!
The best and easiest brush for applying to the floors is this by far. Use the 14″ size.
https://www.twpstain.com/deck-floor-staining-push-brush-detail
Hi again. Just learned how to shrink photo size on my iPhone. Here are some pictures of the deck. I hope this helps you see what we are hoping to fix with your product. If you’re product will work on this deck, is there any prep work like pressure washing or sanding? If so can you please recommend a deck wash and grit number. Thank you again for your patience and help.
It should be fine. You can always test samples to be 100% certain and see the colors as well.
https://www.twpstain.com/stain-samples
Hi there. I replied to the email you sent and added a picture. Didn’t know how to shrink the picture on the chat here.
Just looking for some confirmation about my previous post. Thank you for all your help. New decks were very expensive and this would be a great fix if it will work.
We do not reply to emails (or even see them), only here in the comment area.
Just adding pic of the deck
No pictures. The size of pic has to be less than 3 MB.
Just confirming the reply to Charles Brown. I have a 10+ old Timber tech composite deck. Original color some type of red. We would like to stain/paint it as it is highly faded and now looks pink. We don’t have any white plastic showing through. The deck faces south here in Colorado. Will your TWP semi solid product work for this deck? We’ve also heard too that the solid stains may peel. The gentleman we had out for a paint estimate fluctuates between SW Deck Over and the Behr brand. However upon seeing our full south facing deck, he mentioned about the flaking/peeling and could not 100% guarantee his work using either product. We just researched this TWP brand and wondered if this would work better for our deck. Thank you for your help.
It should, please send some pictures.
I was told twp semi solid stain could be used on older tree composite decking, then told it cannot be used on composite. Both statements were made by a company representative. The deck is over 10 years old and some of the white plastic shows through and I don’t know if stain would work on these areas.Please advise as I have read that solid stain tends to peel. Which stain (if any) would be appropriate for this deck material? I am thoroughly confused.
The TWP Semi-solid can be used for old composite decks. It will not work with the newer 100% plastic decks.
I am re-staining a deck with the same TWP product that is currently on the deck. I have a few scratches and small areas where there is bare wood. Can I proceed w/ just the gemini cleaner/brightener as prep or do I need to strip? If no stripping is needed can I do the cleaning and apply the stain 2 weeks later?
Gemini Kit should be fine for prep. Stain within 14 days of prep.
I stained my deck 2 years ago with a 100 series TWP Pecan stain. I throughly cleaned the deck along with my fence.
The covered portion of my deck looks good as does the fence. (It was quite a job!) However the steps which are exposed to the elements are not looking the best. What is the process to restore the steps? Power wash? Stripper? Sanding required?
Thanks for your help.
Use the Gemini Kit with pressure washing:
https://www.twpstain.com/gemini-s-restore-a-deck-cleaner-and-brightener-kit
Question on using the deck cleaner. We received our kit and it worked perfectly on the back deck. The front of the house has a smaller deck area and a couple of large plastic pots sat on the decking (composite) for an unknown amount of time. There is still staining which looks like dirt but must be something tougher as the stains remain though smaller. Advise on approach to further tries please?
Those are probably deep water stains under the pots and are internally in the wood. You cannot get it out with a cleaner or brightener.
After applying the stain – do you need to put a sealant over the stain? Even if you dont need to does applying a sealant help?
No, and you can never top coat over TWP with a sealer. It will peel if you do this.
I have read conflicting info so I would like to know directly from TWP if Restore a Deck cleaner can/should be used on composite decks?
It can.
What’s your best stain for Composite deck
The TWP stains are not degined for composite decking.
Hello – I just finished staining my deck and it looks great. Thank you very much for all the help and advice. This was a “new” deck which was 10 months old. I used the cleaner /brighter then followed all your directions and applied one coat. Again, thank you! I have two questions if I may : #1 – is there any regular maintenance which should be done to make the stain last? I also read that we should re-stAin every 1-2 years. How do you know when the time is right to re-stain? Thanks again!
Just clean with a water rinse as needed. Recoat when it starts to fade out.
what is the best way to mix the 1 gallon and 5 gallon twp 1500 containers prior to staining?
Use a paint drill mixer with your drill.
Power washed old deck as per can stained with roller it has been 3 days now and TWP is still wet is there anything to do to speed the drying time ? Temp is in 80s
https://twpstainhelp.com/twp-stain-is-spotty-or-shiny/
We have sanded out picnic table and then I stained it. I don’t like the color (cedartone) but it looks orange. Can I lightly sand it and go over it with a darker color? Also.. after cleaning the deck.. There are a few dark spots (along the edges) that had a heavier stain from last time.. Can I lightly sand these too?
It would be best to remove all and start over.
okie dokie.. Guess I will live with it for now. lol
I have found the color mellows and looks nicer and nicer with age. 🙂
Finding a period of 4+ dry days for the necessary timing (time prior and time post stain) is difficult based on my location. I’m assuming that the pre-stain dry time is the most important…if I apply the stain and there is rain within 24 hr, is the job ruined or slightly harmed? Thank you.
12-24 hours after staining before rain should be okay.
We have a 16 x 20 8 year old deck in South Carolina and have been using the TWP 100 series since it was new, with the last stain done 18 months ago. We were planning to strip and apply a fresh stain before we hit the heat of summer, but we have found one board with rot damage and 4 more with splits in the wood. What’s the process for staining now? Do we replace the damaged boards and then wait till fall to stain?
If just one board go ahead and do all now. Apply another light coat to the new wood in the Fall or Spring of 2021.
I recently applied TWP 100 Pecan to my cedar deck. It was weathered for approximately 6 months, I used cleaner and brightener and then applied one coat. I plan to do a 2nd maintenance coat in the spring, can I apply a different color? I understand that applying a different color may give a different result as I’m applying over an existing coat, I’m just curious if there’s any other reason why using a different color as the 2nd coat is not recommended.
You should strip it down of switching colors otherwise it will not look very good and blotchy.
I have currently a cedar deck that was stained with 1501 Cedartone Stain. This process was done 5 years ago. At that time we used the recommended steps: Strip and brightener with your products. We are now ready to re-stain the deck. We have just used your cleaner and brightener and ready to stain. I see on the back of the can which states “TWP will not penetrate previously finished wood properly unless old finish is removed”. I was under the assumption that this product can be used for re-staining as long we continue to use the same TWP stain and proper cleaning. Please let me know if we can proceed with staining of the deck. Thank you in advance for your response.
You can use TWP again over itself after cleaning and brightening the wood.
I plan on staining tomorrow. I stripped and washed with a brightener/cleaner yesterday and letting it dry today. Does that look like it’s prepped for staining? Thanks!
Did you use a stripper or a cleaner? Is the old stain TWP or a different brand of stain?
I stripped and then used a 3–in-1 cleaner- it was a different stain before
Stripped with what brand? Did you brighten? A cleaner is not a brightener. You should get off more of the old stain before suing the TWP.
I applied 1 coat of TWP semi-transparent 2 weeks ago to a deck. I noticed it’s started to lighten up in a couple of spots. Would it be okay to apply a 2nd coat now to those areas? If not, do I have to strip and re-stain the entire deck with 2 coats?
Best to not do it now. Wait until Fall or Spring of next year. Lightly wash to remove dirt first.
I just prepped my deck yesterday using the RAD kit (power washing it for step 1). The deck was completely covered in mold before the cleaning process and now it does look a lot better but some of the wood boards still have greenish areas. I already tried scrubbing them during the step 1 and then power washing them thoroughly and they simply won’t come out. Would they show after I stain?
Furthermore, there are some white spots after applying the brightener. Should I be worried about this?
To summarize, does this deck look ready to stain using TWP 200 series after it drying (in the pictures below the deck is a bit wet because it rained last night)? what should i do if not?
You should be okay to stain now.
Can you use TWP on a composite deck
Sorry, no.
My deck was powerwashed and then stained (one coat) with TWP Cedartone. Now it looks like this. What went wrong? Deck is 5 years old and has been stained twice before. It is getting cold here in Illinois. Should I wait till Spring to fix?
Bad prep and poor application are why it looks like this and has an overall uneven appearance. You will need to strip and brighten in the Spring to fix. Use this kit: https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit-detail
Is my deck ready for prep? Used the RAD kit yesterday. This is what it looks like today. Concerned about the white areas.
The is oxidation that was not fully removed. It would be best to clean and brighten one more time. FYI, this typically does not show through when stained.
Hi, I live in the Chicago area and will be ready to apply the stain next weekend when the lows/highs are expected to be 40/51. Your guide suggests not applying below 50. Is this going to be a problem? Thanks, John
If below fifty it can be an issue with drying. Could take a long time to dry.
I am building a redwood deck in Colorado and am planning to sand it just before staining. Do I still need to wait the 12 months before staining, and use the cleaner/restorer first? Or can I stain it right after sanding, without waiting the entire 12 months? Thanks!
Yes you have to wait and prep: https://twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
Sanding does not speed up this process.
I live in Southeastern Indiana. I recently finished installing a deck with 5/4 x 6 pressure treated pine. The lumber manufacturer says to wait 4-12 months before staining. That’s an awful long time spread. Might you have a recommendation for timing? Should I let it go through the winter and stain next spring? Thanks
They are correct. See this: https://twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
Hello,
I live in WA state, and I have a composite deck with wood railings. Is it OK to use with restore a Deck Stripper on the composite deck or just clean it? I will stain a different color for composite deck with.
I don’t know exactly how to strip and clean, and stain a composite deck with wood railings. I have some photos. Please let me know.
Thank you.
Hello,
TWP is not designed for composite wood. In addition, the coating you have on your composite right now probably cannot be stripped. Looks too thick.
Thank you for replying me.
So, I need to strip and clean them except composite deck?
If only do the verticals, yes but you may need to sand as well.
I have a question about removing the excess stain that didn’t soak in. How long do I wait before doing that? Do I wipe it after each board is done, wait 20-40 minutes (like for second coat) and do it then or something else?
Do all the wood and then back wipe off excess stain about an hour later if needed. Saturate all oil rags in water and lay flat to dry outdoors.
Is ‘wet on wet’ considered one coat of stain or is it considered two coats? I have new PT pine decking that’s been weathered about 10 months but some areas have been sheltered from the full effects of Chicago winter. I think I need to strip and brighten in order to remove all the mill glaze. Confused about how to apply TWP 1500 for the first season. One coat or two? Wet on wet or not? Thanks
Clean and brighten to remove the mill glaze. Just one coat of the 1500 Series. See this about new wood: https://twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
So the first coat is NOT ‘wet on wet’!? Just lay it on, back brush, and wipe any excess remaining after 30-40 minutes? After clean and brighten of course.
Wet on wet is a two coat application, not a 1 coat application.
Correct on your procedure.
Hello,
After seeing Chris’s pic of his failed attempt deck staining, I would like your opinion of my prep job.
This is a covered deck, front porch. 5 year old pressure treated pine. Previously stained with a medium dark tinted linseed stain.
I used your restore-a-deck stripper & brightener. Pressure washed after stripper had been on for one hour, then applied brightener for one hour and rinsed It has been drying for 48+ hours & seems dry now. I was planning to stain today with twp type 100 pecan. (temperature is mid 60’s , cooling to upper 40’s at night, no rain forecast). Located inSouth Carolina.
Best regards,
You should strip it one more time. You removed about 80-90% after the first attempt but shoot for 95% or more removal.
What tip size is needed if using an airless sprayer to apply?
.013 to .015 is good.
Worked real hard on a 12 X 22 deck renovation. Got everything Sanded down to bare, Cleaned , Brightened (with your Gemini kit) and now ready to stain. Seems like you recommend a stain pad over using a roller … and using a brush in between boards, correct ?
Also, question on 2 step wet on wet application. Guessing that in order to do this, need to do one coat completely and then (YIKES!) go step back over the newly laid down stain for coat 2. Seems like it would really screw up the 1st coat with step marks, etc.
Any issues with this or suggestions on wait time, etc ? Thanks much
Use a stain pad instead of a roller. Rollers are not the best way to apply. Apply the first coat to the entire deck. Wait 20-40 minuets. Walk back on and apply the second coat.
Can I lay down the first coat of (TWP100 – Rustic) stain with a roller, then back brush (with a brush)?
Use a deck staining pad for the first coat and a brush or the same pad for the second coat. Rollers do not work that well.
How do I make sure the first coat is heavy enough and the second wet on wet coat is light enough?
Make sure the second coat is light enough that the stain absorbs into the wood within 20-40 minutes. Thicker is not better with TWP stains and it will work best when all of the stain soaks deep into the wood grain
I don’t think this came out right???
I recently stained my cedar deck with TWP 1503, and must have done something wrong and/or missed a prep step. Here’s a summary: prep’d deck using a cleaner/brightener; scrubbed the stubborn/dark(er) spots, and then power washed. Waited 24 full hours in upper 70’s/low 80’s. This was a 10/11 mos. wait time since the install of the deck.
The overall finish outcome is not like what I’ve seen in photos searching for TWP Dark Oak. I get that there will be differences due to the wood, wood grains/knots, etc., but what I’m seeing just doesn’t seem right. What did I do wrong? Should I have sanded the whole deck?
Question: should I completely remove the stain; reprep and redo? Any guidance of how to resolve?
Thanks so much!
Chris
It’s the prep that caused this. You did not remove all of the oxidized wood cells. To fix, strip and brighten the wood. Use this:
https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit-detail
After the stripping and brightening, please post a picture before staining. We want to make sure it is ready.
I’m embarrassed! Thanks for the guidance, and order has been placed! Photos coming soon!
No issues, We wil get it fixed.