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Last Updated on April 11, 2022 by TWP Help
TWP with Wet on Wet Application Tips
TWP Stains are to be applied “Wet on Wet” when the wood is absorbent enough to handle more than 1 coat of the stain. This is typically for wood and decking that is older than 12 months and has been exposed to the elements. Applying the TWP “wet on wet” is similar to applying 1.5 coats of stain. The second coat covers twice as much square footage as the first coat.
Applying TWP “wet on wet” is very easy and not complicated once you understand the simple steps.
How To Apply TWP Wood Stains “Wet On Wet” to a Deck:
- Apply the TWP to the verticals first. This would include the railings, benches, and any vertical walls.
- Lightly apply one coat of stain to the horizontal flooring. Apply to the entire floor surface. If your deck has multiple levels, do one level at a time before moving to the next level.
- Wearing shoes that are disposable, walk back onto the “wet” stain and reapply another coat to the “tops” of and railings, walls, and benches. You may walk on your first coat of stain 10 minutes after finishing.
- Apply your second coat of stain to the horizontal flooring. Take care to not step in or leave footprints in your second coat!
- Finish stairs last, repeating the above steps.
TWP Staining Tips
- Do not apply 2 coats of stain to new wood or decking or to recently sanded wood that was sanded finer than 60-80 grit as the TWP stain may not be able to fully absorb into the wood.
- In most cases, a second coat only needs to be applied to horizontals as the verticals will last twice as long.
- Apply your second coat of stain within 10-60 minutes of the first coat.
- Watching for puddling on the floor. This usually happens under railings and benches.
- Wear shoes and clothes that are disposable. Do not wear shoes that have black soft rubber soles. The TWP can “soften” these soles, leaving black residue marks on your deck if you step in the stain.
- TWP Wood Stains can be applied with a stain pad, brush, roller, or sprayer.
If You Need any Help, Please Ask Below!
Last June, 2023, my husband built a lovely 18X18 deck, with railings, and put up a large fence around our entire yard, all using treated wood as we live in very cold and wet Wisconsin.
We have not done anything to any part of this project since it has been built. I have read that we need to use the Gemini Restore Kit on all of the wood, and I am clear on those directions.
We are ready to stain. Do we HAVE TO sand first or can we just use the Gemini kit, wait until the deck dries from the cleaning/brightening for 2+ days, then within 14 days assuming no rain in the forecast, use the TWP 1500 to stain it?
Thanks.
Yes, that is all correct.
Restained deck 24 hrs ago, did the RAD, then brightener for prep waited 3 days to stain. After 24hrs floor still feels wet. Thinking maybe shouldn’t have done 2 coats on floor. What would be my solution at this point?
Let it cure out. It may take 3-7 days.
I have 5 gal unopened from 2018 is it any good
Shelf life of the TWP unopened is 3 years. We cannot guarantee it is still good.
Good morning, I am going to sand my deck that has not been sealed for a number of years. The wood is in great shape but has surface weathering. I would like to use the Pro-series Semi-solid stain. Any tips I need to be aware of?
Post some pics for prep help. Thanks
I’m installing new clear doug fir T&G on a new porch in CT. Your application says “Do not apply 2 coats of stain to new wood or decking”. If only one coat is recommended on new wood, when should I apply the second coat?
See here about new wood: https://twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
I have an 1100SF pressure treated pine deck that was previously stained with TWP 100. I sanded, stripped, and brightened the wood, then applied one coat of TWP 100 in a new color – Cape Cod Gray. It looks good, but probably would have looked better with a second wet on wet coating. But, I just ran out of daylight. How soon can I apply a second coat?
6-12 months after it has already fully cured. Prep first as well/
In a previous reply, you had written that a light washing would suffice for the prep under similar circumstances. Does that apply to this situation? I have nearly a full 5 gallons ready to reapply.
Yes, a light wash will work in this scenario.
Thank you. And, as a guy who also answers online questions, I’m amazed at the speed of your responses!😀
You are welcome!
I might not have been clear. We rerolled with a dry roller to remove as much residual stain as we could because we were concerned it wasn’t absorbing the stain. It has dried overnight now and is still a bit oily in areas close to the house where it is shadiest. The temperature dropped to 50 last night but should hit 75 today. There are a few small dents I can see from my door that have wet stain in them. Is this normal, or should it be dry by now? Thank you, Georgia
It can take a few days to fully cure and dry, especially when in the shade.
We just sanded our old deck down to all fresh wood with 60 and 80 grit and then applied 1500 Natural with a sprayer and rolled it out. It is 65 degrees here in California today and windy. We stopped with one coat because the deck did not seem to be absorbing the stain very fast. We rolled it a second time because we wanted to make sure we didn’t have too thick of a coat on it. How long should it take the stain to dry?
After sanding it is important to do the final prep with the Gemini Restore Kit to open up the pores. Only 1 coat is correct for sanded wood. Let dry for 1-3 days before using.
So after I used the Restore A Deck last Friday and it’s now raining again, even though the day started out as a 5% chance of rain, and will rain the next several days. So after the 7 day window of a “clean deck” has passed do I need to us Restore A Deck Cleaner again or just lightly power wash with water or both soap and water prior to trying to stain once again? Thank you
Just rinse with water and let dey for 48 hours. No soap is needed.
Sounds good…..Thank you for getting back so quickly. It may be another 7-10 days before I actually can stain it…..I hope 🙄
I have added a picture of the only rain we got and should be done for the next 48 hours…..Roll the dice and stain in the morning? High of 75 degrees tomorrow.
And here is another picture after the light sprinkle of rain…….30 minutes later.
Safest is to wait 48 hours.
Thank you……Unfortunately I need to wait until the fall. So will I need to do both the cleaner and brightener over again then? And The 5 gal stain I bought a week or so ago I assume will still be good in 2-3 months. Thank you
Yes, redo the prep. The stain will be good for 2-3 years unopened.
I have a large 1400 sf deck that needs to be stained. It was sanded to 120 grit on railings and floors. should i only apply one coat? or do i need to go back over it with a 80 grit?
Yes and then use the Gemini Kit for final prep.
Ok i used gemini kit yesterday for the last piece of the deck. so 120 grit shouldn’t be an issue with the stain? I assume its going to dry to fast for a 2 coat wet on wet application.
120 is too fine. 80-60 grit.
oh no, so i need to resand this thing?
It would help if you did so the TWP can soak into the grain deeper.
So my deck is 12-14 months old. It’s mostly in the sun and shade after 5pm. Should I do one coat of stain this year and then in 12 months do one coat? Or do a wet on wet (2 coats) this year? I have already used the Cleaner & Brightener (this morning)
Hard to say for certain as you are on the fence with new wood. Safest would be to do 1 coat now and another as needed in 1-2 years.
I figured so……Here are two pictures of the each deck. They have been through Step 1&2 this morning. Granted it’s in the shade but they are really faded in the sun.
We would suggest one good coat now and another next spring after a light wash.
Just sanded cedar deck down to bare wood with 60 & 80 grit. Do I still need to use your cleaner / brightner before applying TWP 101 pro series cedartone ? Also, will this require just one coat or 2 (wet on wet) ? Thank You
Yes, you need to prep after sanding. Just one coat of TWP when sanded.
Have a large cedar deck that I’ve been using 1500 honeytone on. Didn’t do a restain last year when I probably should have, so I sanded it down completely with 80 grit. Going to use cleaner/brightener and then wait 48 hours to stain with honeytone again. I’ve gone through comments and a little unclear if I should be doing one coat or a 2-coat wet on wet application in this scenario?
Probably 2 light coats applied wet on wet.
I was not expecting an answer within 15 minutes at 8pm. Thank you, really excellent.
Welcome!
I have been using your 1500 stain for two separate applications on my 50 year old deck over the last decade. Yes 50. This year we had to replace a dozen boards which are just 2×4 with new wood. I just cleaned the old wood, getting ready to apply lightener and wondering, can I apply my stain to old and new wood the same way? Wet on wet, will the new 2x4s absorb OK? I don’t mind cleaning up a little puddling, I have had that before. And would you suggest stain pad or sprayer or roller?
See here about the new wood: https://www.twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
Hello. For a new (weathered for 7 months) cedar fence should I go wet-on-wet or single coat this year and another next year?
Rough-sawn or smooth wood.
Rough. I’ll clean & brighten too. Thanks!
2 coats applied wet on wet.
What are the optimal conditions in terms of pre-application wood moisture for wet on wet with Restore-a-deck semi-transparent stain? Classic stains prefer fairly dry wood (less than 25% moisture) for lasting results. Wondering if similar applies here. I sanded our deck last summer but never got around to applying the stain. Planning to use the RAD cleaner. Wondering if I should also use the brightener?
Alaway brighten after cleaning or stripping for best results. TWP stains need 15% or less moisture content to apply.
I just received my stain and Gemini kit to bring wood back to its original form. How long do you wait to apply step 2 after completing step one. Is this done right away or a day later. The second part of the question is after step 2 is completed (brightener) and dried.; how long should you wait to apply the 1500 series stain.
Right after using Step 1. Wait 48 hours after prep to stain.
I applied 2 coats wet on wet and it’s beautiful! I was a bit stingy with the stain until I got the hang of it. That was a week ago and that area is lighter than the rest of my stained fence. Can I go back and give the lighter area a 3rd light coat after a week or do I need to wait longer? I used 100 series on old prepped never before stained fence
No, you cannot add a 3rd coat. More is not better and it will create issues if you over-apply.
If I use a prayer to apply TWP 1500, do I still have to use a brush to even it out?
Yes, you should.
I have a large 750 sq.ft. deck. In applying via wet on wet, you state that the second application should be done 10-60 minutes after the first. With a deck this large and all on a single level, should I apply wet on wet to a portion of the deck before moving on vs applying a first coat to the entire deck? Also, do I need to make sure I coat the full length of deck boards to avoid overlap marks? The length of my deck is 50-60 ft long.
Do all the floors at once and then walk back on and repeat. It should not take more than an hour to coat 750 sq feet of flooring. Full length of each board.
After applying the 100 series -cedar tone 101 do I need to buy a sealer to go over the stain on my deck and fence? Or is there already sealer in the stain?
How long do I wait after staining to seal it if so?
I didn’t see a sealer sold by itself on the site.
Thank you.
Hello,
You cannot apply a sealer over a deck stain. TWP is a stain and sealer as well.
I think my contractor over applied TWP due to inexperience of his labor force. I am afraid it will soon oxidize and dust/flake off making a mess on shoes and such. He is proposing a light sand and re-stain. What is your best recommended best solution?
It will not oxidize and dust. You cannot light sand and reapply. The only way to fix is to remove all and start over and the best way to do this is to strip and brighten all wood.
We did one coat of 1500 pecan last year to new pressure treated pine decking. It is now older than a year and ready for another coat, as it gets direct sun most of the day and faded quite a bit. Should be doing two coats of wet on wet for year two? If so, we did just under two gallons last year, so will three gallons be sufficient this year? Thanks
Prep with Gemini Restore Kit and apply one coat.
Thanks. Can I buy the cleaner separately? I already have the brightener from another project.
Sorry, but we do not sell the Gemini RAD cleaner separately. You can find the RAD Cleaner here: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/rad-cleaner-only.html
Thanks. It looks like based on another article on the site we can use a pump sprayer, but that article says to apply one coat of spray and then another with a brush, but I am unsure if that recommendation is for new applications. If I use a pump sprayer, still one coat for my use case? Any recommendations on brands of pump sprayers?
If you spray, you will need to back brush it all to ensure an even application.
https://www.twpstain.com/wood-and-deck-stains/application-tools/chapin-sprayers
I have a pine fence ~12 months old. Is the wet on wet method not recommended in this case?
You will need two coats wet on wet.
By two coats in this case, do you mean performing wet on wet twice separately, or performing wet on wet once (1.5 coats)?
Two coats total applied wet on wet.
For the “wet on wet” application, if I pass the 60 minute window can I still apply a second coat?
Hard to say as every scenario is different. What you do not want is over application that results in a sticky and shiny stain. Only apply as much stain that can fully soak into the wood grain.
What size spray nozzle?
That varies on the type of sprayer and brand being used. Any quality sprayer with a fan tip will work.
What is the ideal temperature range to apply the TWP 100 series stain?
50-90 f.
I have 230 linear feet of 6′ high fence where the posts are pressure treated wood and the pickets are cedar. It has been 6 months since installation – I’m in Texas so they get a lot of sun. Bottom half of it gets water from the sprinkler system. At the moment, it has greyed a little and has water marks. The calculator shows I’ll need about 14 gallons of TWP 1500. Could you confirm the calculation and recommend the best way to go about staining the fence?
If doing both sides of a fence, you will have over 2500 sq feet to stain. With 2 coats, you will need 20-25 gallons. You can apply with a brush, sprayer, or stain pad.
You mention not to wear black rubber soled shoes. How about crocs? Is the warning for rubber only? I would image most soles are some sort of synthetic material these days.
Not sure about crocs. Probably okay.
Can I wear protective covering on my shoes when applying a 2nd coat of TWP 1501 or would the stain be sticky such that the shoe covers would stick to it?
No need to cover your shoes but you can. Just wear some shoes you do not care about and walk on the first coat.
Unfortunately, all my shoes have black bottoms.
What moisture meter reading should I have to apply twp 1500? We’ve started to get morning dew that has left the deck moist in morning.
15% or less.
Can I apply first coat to a deck that has not completely dried after cleaning
No.
We are about to stain a fence installed last spring and have 2 questions. Do you recommend the wet-on-wet method or is it just as good to let it dry between coats? Also, we have 17 fence panels that have 50 square feet on each side (totaling 1700 square feet of fence to stain.) For the two coats, how many gallons do we need to order?
Has to be wet on wet. About 15 gallons for two coats.
What does the warranty Cover?
At the bottom of the first page in the link: https://www.twpstain.com/pdf/TWP%201500%20SERIES.pdf
I had my deck pressure washed and re-stained with TWP 1500 after 2 years. He cleaned it well. 2 years ago I used the same TWP stain. It looks fantastic. I was just a little concerned as it appears he applied the floor boards a little heavy. They are NOT puddled but still real shiny whereas the rails are drying well . It has been about 20 hours since the floor boards were stained. The weather has been 57 in the am and 69 after 12pm. Tonight it will get down to 43 degrees then a high of 73 and in the 70’s the next few days with no rain for several days. Should I just give it another day or two to see it it dries before assuming it was applied to heavy on the floor?
Yes, let it continue to cure and dry.
Thank You!!!!!
I had some painters who painted my last house apply the TWP to my bare cedar deck. It had been somewhat weathered over the winter and I had applied a mold killer and then a stain remover, so it was quite clean. They only applied one coat, and it dried quickly because the weather was in the 80’s. I noticed some patches here and there where they must have left too much material or inadvertently painted over dried material that remains shiny. The whole deck is now thoroughly dry, including the shiny patches. They did not do wet on wet, which was probably good as the stain was drying so quickly. We were thinking of applying a second coat this coming weekend, but I am concerned that might only create a “skin” rather than soaking into the wood, which for this product, is a failure condition, as I understand it. The railings, on the other hand, are rough cut, so probably could absorb a second coat. How do you recommend we proceed at this point regarding the shiny patches and a second coat; and also when and how do you recommend we treat the deck going forward in the following seasons, given the conditions I mentioned.?
Post some pics.
See attached photos
We would suggest stripping and brightening in the Spring so it is all even.
Hi, again. I was not able to get stripping in Spring, but may have a few good days left before the rains set in here. Please advise on best stripping methods. I want to avoid having to sand if possible. The wood is cedar, so I am a bit concerned that pressure washing at a pressure sufficient to strip will also gouge and fur-up the wood. Is there a relatively safe chemical stripper and brightener you would recommend in this case?
https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit-detail
Related to my other recent comment:
In Western Oregon where I live, the weather makes it necessary to re-stain decks every couple of years. Having to strip down to bare wood each time so I can reapply TWP stain seems like a lot of effort/expense. Is there any way in which it would work to apply fresh stain over the previous (weathered) stain after washing off surface dirt?
No, you need to strip it so it is even.
So new decking is ok to be left not stained into winter? Deck has been up for about a month. I noticed my flower pots leaving stains on new decking as planned to sand those off before my deck cleaner/ brightener and then 1500 stain. If we wait to stain then those pots will do even more damage. I will put trays under those pots now in hopes less wet / stain happens. If I sand the whole deck now will that take off that waxy layer and then allow me to stain now?
Yes, you will need to wait until after Winter. The stains from the flower pots will continue to happen if stained or unstained so best fix the issue (the pots) if you want to avoid this in the future.
You cannot stain it now.
I sanded whole deck with 60-80 grit paper , did the cleaner and brightener , so once 48 hrs dry ok to stain it now? Rain forecast before that 48 hrs is done- do I need to just wait for 48 hrs after rain to apply stain? Hope I don’t have to redo cleaner and brightener!
Wait 48 hours after prep or rain to stain. No need to redo prep if it rains.
I have 3 gal in a a 5 gal pal and 2 gal unopened . The weather is starting 30s in the am and 50s in the pm. How long will the stain keep if I wait until next year?
https://twpstainhelp.com/shelf-life-of-twp/
So after the second coat of wet on wet procedure, how long of a wait before we take off excess stain?
30-60 minutes.
I waited a year to stain my pressure treated, covered porch. The contractor at that time used a single, thin coat of TWP. That faded and the outer edges impacted by the elements were more affected then the inner part of the porch. There was no shine what so ever.
Now, a little over a year later a different contractor stained with TWP in the same color. He did one coat with a brush. Let that dry for a few days. Then came back and did a second coat. The porch is shiny like it was polyurethaned. Is this normal? I didn’t want it shiny at all. However roughly 3′ of the 8′ board is not shiny and it’s where the water hits it along the outside edge.
They are talking about a third coat once this dries. Is this a good idea? He also suggested we poly over it to even out the appearance & texture. I definitely don’t wish to do that. Please help!
No. Not supposed to be shiny. They over applied. Do not add more. Never apply a poly over a deck stain.
Your contractor is inexperienced with out stains.
What do you advise we do from here?
Do you have pics you can add in the comments?
Application for thirsty deck. Have a 18yr old neglected pine deck last stained 10yrs ago with water base. Replaced rotten boards 1.5 yrs ago…approx 1/4 of deck. Pressure washed and sanded deck with 36 grit belt sander with grain. Will be using Restore a deck stripper brightener. Wood is very thirsty and expands a good bit when it rains. Deck is now 2/3 covered and screened in not getting rain or sun. Humidity has dropped in this area to about 60%.
1. How long should I wait after the last rinse to apply stain? Weather permitting, I plan to stain a week after strip/brighten. Should I wait longer to let the wood dry out more?
2. Because it is a large deck, can I break up the staining process over 2 weekends? Should I be concerned that the moisture content will vary enough to create 2 different shades?
3. What is the best way to apply? Brush then brush, brush then pad? Pad/pad? Concerned thirsty wood may need heavier 2nd coat but don’t want to overapply.
Thanks
1. 48 Hours.
2. Stain all at once unless you have a clear dividing line to break it up.
3. Brushes and stain pads. Use either or, you do not need both for wet on wet application.
new trellis and arbor, out of redwood. It has been in the 100 degree sun now for about a month plus and sprinkled water to see if it beads….it doesnt. is it ready to be stained? i want to have it stained b4 cold weather and winter gets here. any advice? i want to go for dark colors closer to black semi solid
Cannot stain it yet. See here: https://twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
Prep and stain in Spring. The Winter will not harm it.
7 year old deck. Treated pine. Waited recommended time before Ist staining. Used Behr castle gray semi-transparent which didn’t last a year and Behr solid for 2 subsequent stainings. Followed instructions re: temperature, etc. Not a good outcome. Last summer’s coat was peeling before Fall. Tired of sanding and reworking so often. Indiana weather. Should I use the Gemini prep kit before applying TWP semi-solid? And do I need to sand again before cleaning? Hopefully TWP will last longer on horizontal surfaces and allow me to get a few years in between stains.
Please reply back with some pics for prep. The Behr has to fully come off and many times that means power sanding.
Pics of deck
No pics.
Here they are
You will have to power snd this off. Behr lies about their opacity and what you have is an opaque solid stain and strippers will not remove it fully. Once fully removed with your prep, you can use the TWP 1500 for Indiana.
You recommend TWP 1500 for Indiana and not the semi-sold? My deck is weather but still has some Sherwin Williams semi-transparent left on it after three years.
The TWP semi-solid is not allowed in IN. You have to fully remove the SW stain first whenever you are switching brands of stain.
How many coats would you recommend? My deck is 20 yrs old
Two coats wet on wet.
Is there small samples of the 1515 honey tone to test for color so we can tell if we like it
https://www.twpstain.com/stain-samples
Can I 2nd coat stain the next day
No, wet on wet is correct.
Cans say wash with bleach. Is this true?
How long leave on deck . I have stripped the deck
Use the Gemini Restore Kit for the best prep.
We have cedar siding on our house. It is rough and absorbs the stain well, the siding has been up for 12+ months. We applied the 100 series last year. We sided the house ourselves so stained sections as we finished. We used the wet on wet application on the previous sides. Two sections of the house did not get stained last year because of weather. I used the cleaning and brightening products on your website for the unstained siding. We want to apply 4 applications to the siding that has no stain so it has the same amount as all the other sides we did last year (2 coats last year and 2 coats this year). Can we apply 2 coats wet on wet on the unstained portion; if the wood is thirsty and soaks it up and it feels “dry” to the touch can we go back and do another 2 coats wet on wet or do we need to wait a season or several days?
No. Never apply more than 2 coats. You can light clean and apply more in a year or two if needed.
I am trying to get this terrible textured paint off my deck. I’m using a 40 grit to chip away at it. I want to use the TWP semi-solid (a darker color). Should I still clean the deck after I have sanded it? And after I’m done, should I only use one coat since I used a 40 grit to get down to a clean board?
Sand it all off and then clean and brighten with the Gemini Restore Kit for final prep. One coat of the TWP semi-solid.
I sanded my deck with 80 grit will the stain absorb
Use this for final prep and then stain: https://www.twpstain.com/gemini-s-restore-a-deck-cleaner-and-brightener-kit
I have 1000 sf of deck, one level wraparound. two basic questions:
1) it’s taking me 3 years to get this deck to this point of prepping. It’s been stripped/pressure washed, sanded with rental sander which still left old finish. (I’m a 70 yr old lady, so the sander ran me around the deck.). In 2021, I hired an outfit that stripped, cleaned and spot sanded (supposedly). Still had old Behr finish so I fired them as they said it was good to stain despite my protests. Finally, this year, I got 2 guys to hand sand posts, bench and deck.50 hrs of labor later, it looks good, but even after all of that, there is still grey on some boards’ wood grain. At this point, the boards are absolutely smooth to touch, but I’m concerned about jumping to next stages of brightening and staining and throwing away all of the work done so far.
I’ve read that as long as water doesn’t bead up on grey areas in graining, it’s porous enough to accept stain. Done that test and water soaks right in. I now need to use brightener, before I stain, correct? If there is still some grey in grain, can I safely proceed?
2) Now weather is not cooperating. I can find 2 days of dry after staining in next two weeks, but getting five days total (2 before, 1 for staining, 2 after to dry) will be rough. It may be 1 1/2 days after stain before next round of overnight showers. Is 36+ hrs enough with temps in upper 70s, humidity around 60, and partly sunny?
I so want this to be over . . . 😟
1. Clean and brighen for best results. You want the wood porous, not smooth.
2. It can rain 24 hours after staining.