Last Updated on January 30, 2023 by TWP Help
TWPStainHelp.com Tips: TWP Stain Application is Spotty/Shiny and How to Fix
Staining a deck can be a challenge. There are some common mistakes that can occur that may greatly affect the final results. One such common mistake is over applying the stain.
With TWP Stain it is recommended to apply the stain using a brush, roller, or some type of sprayer. If the wood seems very thirsty, you can apply two “wet on wet” coats. TWP is a penetrating stain so you should never apply more stain than the wood can absorb. Once the stain as had 20-40 minutes or so to penetrate into the wood, you should go back and wipe away or back brush any puddles, drips, or runs.
When excess stain (stain that did not soak in) is left on the surface to dry it becomes shiny. This can give the deck an unsightly spotty or blotchy appearance. If you notice your TWP Stain application is spotty/shiny you should know how to fix it.
Once the surface has dried you can see the extent of the spotty or shiny issue from over-applying. 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.
If you are still having trouble removing the shiny spots, meaning the stain is too thick, you may have to use a stain stripper. You can also try sanding the areas using medium-grit sandpaper. Once the problem areas are cleaned or sanded off, allow the deck to dry before reapplying a light coat of TWP.
Only apply TWP to the areas you cleaned or sanded. Apply as much stain as the wood will absorb but no more. If the stain is not soaking in after 10 minutes wipe the excess away with a clean rag or brush. Try to even out the finish as best as possible without over-applying.
If you have this issue and need help. Please Ask below!
I am building a house and have beams to stain. They are Doug fir and have been weathering for 4 months. I sanded everything with 100 and then cleaned with the restore a deck kit and rinsed with a water hose. I let dry for 2 days before staining and found sap oozing from many parts of the beams. I haven’t applied the stain yet due to the sap. What do I do?
Unfortunately, there is no way to prevent sap from oozing out. Best to leave for a week or two and see if it stops.
What do I clean the sap with?
Not sure. Maybe lacquer thinner or Murphy’s oil soap. Sap issues are a paint to deal with and leech out from wood.
What can I do to avoid a white chalky residue from forming on my PT pine deck? I’ve used TWP 100 in the past but both times this has been the result – like a cloudy, chalky residue that’s noticeable when the deck is try. If I spray it down it looks perfect, but once it dries, it’s like someone has dusted the deck with a thin coat of flour.
Any ideas of what could be the culprit?
Nothing to do with the TWP stain. Most likely pollen from trees or minerals drying on top of the stain from the rain. It should wipe off with a wet rag.
It might be oxidized wood particles. You can sand them off before staining. I had them and didn’t and they affected my stain absorption. I have to either strip and redo or wait a year and fix it.
I have a Tell City end table. I’m trying to stain the wood top and it has turned out spotty and is having trouble drying. What can I do. Don’t know if there is a verneer top on or not?
Hello, TWP is not designed for this type of surface. You will need to remove and try something else.
I did heart redwood deck the wood is new when I appliqued the twp the first coat leave me to much shiny spots I put second coat and I to shiny now my question is the excess of the twp will be resisted to walk over
Roger, you cannot stain new wood right away. See this article: https://twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
To fix the shiny spots, you will need to strip it all off and start over.
I stripped, sanded, and cleaned my treated pine deck to the point that it looked like brand new wood. I may have over applied. I will try the the remedies noted here and give it some time to cure and dry. If it is not resolved and I need to strip and start over. Will RAD be able to remove all stain and color on such a fresh application of stain?
Yes it should remove it. You may need to strip more than once as it depends how much it as was over applied.
FYI, sanding can reduce the stain’s ability to soak in. Sanding is not suggested and should only be done if needed.
I just stained my deck with 1500 series and some areas are still sticky after 32 hours. I guess I over applied stain. I’m not concerned about shiny spots I’m more concerned if the sticky spots will dry up if I wait longer or do I have to wipe them off?
The stain will fully cure and dry. Just leave alone and the sticky spots will harden shortly.
I recently purchased TWP 1504 Black Walnut stain. I hired a local painting company to apply the stain on my deck after it I cleaned with restore kit and brighten which was done on a Sunday and allowed several days to dry. The painters came back and stained the deck on Thursday and Friday.
The company did a good job with vertical surfaces as they applied 2 coats of the stain wet on wet. The problem I am having is that there are areas on the deck that are glossy. Mainly on the floors which are horizontal surfaces. Other than appearance is there any issue with this? What is the best approach to giving the deck the correct matte look as it appears on 90% of the flat floor? The painters are insistent on us waiting for the shine to go away with heat and sun exposure.
Will it dull over time if we leave it alone as advised by painters?
Best to use the method as suggested above to remove the excess stain now.
Is it best to apply the stain…let sit for 10 minutes and then wipe it away with a cloth regardless of if I think I over applied or not? I want to make sure not to leave any shiny spots. Should I just use a rag to apply the stain or a staining pad.
Use a stain pad to apply. You can remove excess after 20-30 minutes.
If I used mineral spirits do I need to sand before appling a lite coat of TWP? The mineral spirits have made grey spots on the deck boards.
Clean and brighten the wood for the final prep. Use the Gemini Restore Kit.
We had our new (Feb 2017) pine decks professionally stained using TWP 100 Dark Oak. They brushed the edges and they seem fine. They saturated the center and left it to soak in. Now, one week later, we have a very dark large area (everything but the edges) that have glossy areas and are sticky. Obviously they did not follow the application instructions but what do we insist they do to remedy the situation? They want to wash it and it doesn’t sound like that’s going to help!
You will need to strip it off to fix and start over.
What’s with all the “Guest” replies? I have no idea who those folks are or if they know what they are talking about. Only TWP Help replies are valid to me unless “guest” wants to include credentials!! I am frustrated with TWP that even while careful to not overapply, I end up with shiny spots on the floor. And the reply is to wash it off with mineral spirits and reapply? Somehow I worry it will not blend well with the rest of the stain. About ready to paint the deck…I have been working on this cedar deck for 6 months, and really tired of nothing working the way it is supposed to. ARGGGGGGG!
The “Guests” are questions.
Wipe down any shiny spots with rags and mineral spirits. You do not have to reapply.
I’m not sure which TWO I used (pic included). I applied 2 wet on wet coats. 1/3rd of it is darker and shinier than the rest. I used a flat brush after each app to make sure there was no puddles. Can I apply a 3rd coat on the lighter side to darken it up? Deck is dry
That would not be a good idea as the stain will dry on top of the wood, resulting in over application.
Have 3 gal left from a 5 gal can there’s a thick skin on top can I use the remainder? It’s clear stain?
It has gone bad.
I just over stained my cedar deck 24 hrs ago. It has shiny spots every where. I used twp1500. I tried using mineral spirits but it wasn’t helping. What do I need to do next? Sanding, stripping (if so what kind of stripper)?
Stripping with this: https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit-detail
Have a new heart of redwood deck. Contractors sanded quite well and left for 3 hours to return and stain with clear stain. Still very dry and hot sun (high altitude in CO) when they applied stain later in the afternoonn. Most of wood that was exposed to the sun is now spotted as if it had sprinkled all over except for the 120 square feet under cover which is perfect. What happened and how is it fixed? The spots are quite unsightly. Thanks.
Not sure what they did wrong. Post a picture please.
Applied TWP 100 to about 600sq ft of deck this weekend. Obviously used too much, whole thing is shiny and tacky. I’ve read about wiping it with mineral spirit to fix. Does waiting a few days matter? This is a covered deck.
FYI. Stripping and starting over is not a good thing to tell me right now.
It will dry so waiting will help.
I have applied a coat to epe wood and after 12 hours it is sticky feeling. How do I fix this. Does it need more time
Let it fully dry buy IPE can take a few days as it is a very dense wood.
I can mineral spirits tone the color down on a oil based stained deck (new)by wiping down
No that will not work.
I prepped my cedar deck (both new addition and old stripped section) with the Gemini steps 1 & 2 two days ago. The new cedar has some splotchy areas where it looks like the weathered and/or mill glaze was not completely removed. Should I apply another Gemini cleaning steps 1 & 2 before staining?
see picture
hello – I stained my deck with TWP 1500 color pecan – its been about 72 hours and there are some areas that are still VERY shiny. What would I wash the deck with to help remove the shine? and would I use a power washer for that? Thanks
Redwood deck stained with TWP 100 4 days ago Some shiny spots, but not too bad. If I rewash the entire deck lightly with restore a deck cleaner, will I have to restain?
Redwood deck, power washed clean, dried 2 days then applied 1502 redwood stain – didn’t read the small print and left a heavy coat thinking the wood would soak it up. 5 days layer and the entire front (shaded) deck has a thick layer of shiney varnish covering it. This is not satisfactory – what is the best solution? Is there a quick fix to remove the varnish without removing the stain underneath or does this call for a redo? Its too big of an area to spot treat with mineral spirits – would it be OK to power wash back to bare wood and re-stain? Should i wait for the tacky stuff to dry completely before i pressure wash? My concerns are that the stain underneath the tacky layer seems like it is still damp and/or the new stain won’t come back off leaving an inconsistent finish. Im hoping we can powerwash and start over. the Detailed answer would be greatly appreciated!!!
I just stained my 8 month old cedar deck with TWP100. I prepped it with the deck cleaner and brightener 2 days ago. I only put down one coat since it’s fairly new wood (although I used about 1.25 gallons on about 300 sq ft). I used a pump sprayer and back rolled (after 45 min)with a roller. The problem is that although it looked good after the coat, the next morning the knots (lots) soaked up the stain and they look dry. Question: can I touch up the knots today with a brush even though the 1st coat stain is no longer wet ?
15-year-old deck with cedar railings and mahogany flooring. Three years ago, I stripped it of Behr, sanded all of it (mandatory) and applied One Time. The second year, I applied One Time to the hardwood flooring. Last year it looked pretty good, so I did nothing. This year I will have it pressure washed and need to remove some algae in spots. The deck faces south and gets sun in the summer, but Oregon gets a lot of rain in the Portland Metro area. Do I need to do anything but power wash the deck before applying the TWP 100? Is the TWP 1500 better? I’m 71 and don’t want to be doing this every year if at all possible. Thanks.
I had a contractor clean, brighten and stain my deck last week while I was away. 800 sq ft pressure treated pine between 1-3 years old, never sealed in central VA. Gemini products and 1501 Cedartone. Apparently, he put on a second coat the day after the first on all flat surfaces and now I have shiny, tacky peeling spots 4 days after application. What corrective action is best and when should it be done. Thanks for your help.
after I used Gemini pre clean treatment and brightner my deck looks almost scally in spots and had a lot of white in it, it is a cedar deck with one year wait. I sanded it last night and want to apply stain today as the weather looks good for a couple of days. Am I ok to do this without applying Gemini cleaner and brightner on it again and getting it wet.
You should be good to proceed, but feel free to send a picture if you would like.
Using 101 30 year old pressure treated deck. 2 years ago I went with a solid stain, the weather and sun have removed slot of the pigment, so I’m redueing it with TWP.
1) finally found a product I’m happy with (only took 30 years) but had to drive 300 miles to get it cuz not allowed in NY. And now I need more! So first question is how does your NY product compare to 101 and will I like it as much?
2) I don’t think I can wait two years, maybe end of summer next year before re staining (that’s not a reflection on 101, more about me being fussy). What’s the easiest strip method? And will it get darker when I reapply?
Thanks
Steve
1. The TWP 1530 Natural is closest to the TWP 101 Cedartone in color. Performance is about the same between the series.
2. For stripping the TWP 101, the Restore A Deck stripper works best. Neutralize with the Restore a Deck Brightener.
I’m getting ready to re-stain my deck, after 3 years, with TWP100. While 95% of the horizontal surface has faded from the sun and appears very porous, I have a small area where I had a rug and where my picnic table was that didn’t get any sun and have a very slight ‘shiny’ surface. I’m afraid those areas will not accept stain well. Can I eliminate the small shiny areas by cleaning? Any advice would be appreciated. I really don’t want to completely strip it if possible.
Cleaning will not remove the stain or shiny areas. If you strip you would have to strip all to ensure an even appearance. It would be the best way to go.
If I have a shiny area, can I use a pressure washer to remove it?
You cannot spot remove a shiny area with a pressure washer.
You would have to strip all and start over. You cannot spot strip and try to blend. It will look bad.
I’m getting mixed info on how to correct/address over application of TWP100. Applied 2 coats yesterday on a 1 year old treated pine deck (should have applied 1 if read this post first :-/ ) Today, it is still tacky with some shine. Do I rinse with Dawn dish soap or try removing with rag & mineral spirits. Not clear. I want to correct before sets too long. Thanks!
Use the rags and mineral spirits. Saturate oil rags in water and lay flat to dry outdoors.
I stained my deck several weeks back using 1504 Black Walnut and now I have these white blotchy areas around the knots of the wood…any clues?
That is sap bleeding from the wood.
is there anything I can do to fix this?
No you cannot stop sap from coming out of the wood grain.
I followed all if the instructions on this website (thankyou!) in deck prep for TWP100. I got great cleaning/stripping results and then i applied too much stain in quite a few areas. I stained 24 hours ago and just tried mineral spirits and a rag. It didnt phase it. How long should i wait to try and spot wash the shiny areas? Sooner the better? Should i mix cleaner in a bucket and spot brush and rinse? Thank you in advance.
If the stain has fully dried then spot washing while not remove the shiny spots. If still tacky and oily then lightly washing with dawn dish soap and water may remove some of the excess stain.
Yes you should redo if you did not remove all of the gray or oxidized wood cells.
I stained a house with TWP Redwood. the customer had a previous contractor stain with latex stain without pressure washing first and the job failed within one year and he hired me. I pressure washed (stripped) and sanded much of the house and decks. After staining the customer repeatedly requested more stain here, more stain there, this “definitely needs another coat” he wanted me to keep applying stain to get the most uniform match from the previous improper job etc., so I did, used about 50 gallons of stain altogether on house, multiple decks and fencing. now he is happy it looks very well stained and uniform color, except he is wondering about shinny areas. He is happy with how much work was done but wants to know about if they will go away. I told him that it might take some time for it to dry completely and that it might take weeks, also that if it doesn’t go away that its not necessarily a bad thing. Some people might like a “wet” look, and he said he doesn’t. I then read all the posts about this and am really worried that he will look it up and say that I did it wrong. My position is that I did what he said and that if it takes a couple years to fade, then , oh well, at least his house has a lot of stain on it and is well protected. I really don’t want to have to sand and re stain. What are your thoughts, comments?
It was over applied. TWP is not supposed to be shiny and more is not better. Since it is vertical wood it probably will not peel though.
Try to wipe down the shiny spots with some rags and mineral spirits. Saturate any oily rags with water when done to avoid accidental spontaneous combustion.
See picture.
I stained my deck yesterday and now it looks spotty. See picture. It’s 1 year old, never been stained and I cleaned and brightened before applying 1 coat. Should I sand the whole deck or clean it? I really don’t want to strip it.
Are you talking about the darker black spot in the middle of the deck? It is hard to tell if that is a shadow or something under the stain. The boards closest look fine.
Yea the splotchy spots in the middle. When I look at the deck from the side view some boards look shiny/spotty.
I would leave it alone as it will settle in and look more even as it fully cures in 1-2 weeks. If you wanted to remove then you would have to strip and start over.
Not if you do a very light concentration of the cleaner. Try 2-4 oz per gallon of water and lightly rinse the wood.
This is a result of improper prep and or over application as TWP is not supposed to be shiny. The only way to fix this is to strip it all off and start over. This is not easy when newly applied and when it is over applied. You can use the Restore a Deck Stripper and pressure wash. You may need to strip it a few times to get all of it off the wood. After full removal you will need to neutralize with the Restore A Deck Brightener.
My house was previously stained with TWP 100. The painter I hired to restore the finish prepped the cedar siding on my house with Gemini Restore as directed (or at least he says so) then let it dry several days. He stained one wall with TWP 1500 Pecan and it looks great. Next he did part of a 2nd wall and the color is much darker than the first (almost a walnut color) even though it is from the same 5 gallon pail. He came back a few days later when I was out of town to stain more of the 2nd wall using a new 5 gallon pail of Pecan. There was a heavy rain about 12 hours later and it has been cool (60s) since then.
Five days later, there are spots where the stain has still not and droplets of stain seem to be seeping through the siding. There are other places where there are blotches and streaks on the wall and still others where the siding is shiny. Finally, the part done with the new 5 gal pail is much lighter than the rest of the wall (I have a hunch that he did not mix the stain in the 2nd pail very well before applying). What if anything can be done to fix the mess he made?
Sounds like it was not mixed well and not applied correctly. You would need to remove the TWP and start over to fix.
Wipe down shine and excess stain with rags and mineral spirits or lacquer thinner.
You will be fine for a year or two.
Possibly but it will most likely be okay unless you have heavy traffic.
The painter I hired applied two coats of TWP 100 (wet on wet) to treated pine decking that was not previously stained but allowed to weather for one year. The wood was prepped and allowed to dry throughly. He neglected to wipe off the excess stain on the second coat but fortunately most of it soaked in. There are some shiny areas where the excess stain was not removed but it is now dry. I was wondering if these areas are likely to fail if the stain is left as is? Secondly would it be OK to apply a light coat of stain on the lighter areas to try to make the shiny spots less noticeable? The wood still absorbs the stain in the non shiny areas.
No it would not apply more stain to make it all shiny. Try removing some of the shine (excess stain) with mineral spirits and rags. It will dull the finish as well.
Thanks for the prompt response. Do I need to worry about failure in the areas where it is applied and shiny?
This is a timely post!
Question: Should I use a deck cleaner like Penofin’s Step 2 or mineral spirits or even Oxi Clean to knock down a very shiny TWP 100 surface?
Details:
* I’m kind of ticked with the instructions on the TWP 100 can. NO WHERE does it say the excess stain is to be wiped off. In fact… it says to do a wet-on-wet coat within 10-60 minutes.
* Well, I have a 2 year old kiln dried, tight knot cedar deck 6″ boards, that was heavily pressure washed with the old stain removed. Air dried in the sun for a week.
* My deck is 700 sf. I put the first coat on during 3 rows at a time. Each pass took me about 10-15 minutes. So… I waited a couple of minutes and then put on a very light second coat.
* In total, I used less than 3 gallons for a 700sf deck wet-on-wet.
* Both coats were brushed on with an expensive stain brush and really worked into the wood.
* Weather was clear, 80 degrees. No humidity. And I applied much of the stain not in direct sunlight.
* Now, 24 hours later… it’s VERY SHINY… like a gloss finish.
* NO WAY can it be said the stain was put on too heavy, per the label.
* HOWEVER… a friend of mine told me than with an oil stain, interior or exterior, I should have wiped off any excess stain within minutes of applying. And NEVER applied a second coat.
* This directly contradicts the label.
* So now I have a slight film on the surface that can scratch. It looks like the first coat penetrated. But it just looks ridiculous.
Any advice appreciated. And I’m not in the position to completely remove the finish and then reapply. This is staying on for at least a year.
Thank you.
Thomas, Seattle, WA
Just applied 1 coat of the TWP 100 honeytone to 6 month old pressure treated pine and deck is still slightly tacky after 24 hours. Doesn’t appear shiny or wet. We prepped as instructed, so I assume we over applied the stain, although we were careful to wipe up any excess. Is there anything we should do for this or just let it keep drying?
Just let it dry.
It is normal for the knots to look lighter. Touching them will probably not fix the issue either.
Ann, if you want to use the TWP than you will need to remove the One Time first with a stain stripper and pressure washing. Either Series would work better for you and one is not better.
Perry, pump sprayer. Let sit for 10 minutes and pressure wash off. Repeat for stubborn spots. Brighten all when done.
Thanks much!
Perry, you can either strip it all off and start over or just let it dry out and deal with it later on down the road. You will need to strip to fix though.
Thanks, much. Contractor has agreed to make it right so I just ordered the stripper, brightener and another 5 gal. Do you recommend the stripper applied by pump spray or power washer in this instance? How long does it stay on before rinsing? Thanks again.