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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.
Key TWP Stain Tips
- Apply TWP wet on wet only when wood is older than 12 months and absorbent enough for more than one coat.
- Start with verticals like railings and benches, then apply to horizontal flooring, finishing with stairs last.
- Apply your second coat within 10 to 60 minutes of the first coat, watching for puddling under railings and benches.
- Do not apply 2 coats to new or recently sanded wood finer than 60 to 80 grit, as TWP may not fully absorb.
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!
I have big dogs. How long after I stain can my dogs walk on the deck?
Keep the dogs off for 24–48 hours, or until the stain is fully dry. Full cure takes 2–3 days, so waiting the extra time with big dogs will help avoid scuffs or paw prints. Once dry and cured, TWP is safe for pets.
Hi there! I want to make sure I am understanding the prep correctly since my deck is a mixture of old wood with old stain and brand new wood that has been drying for 6 months. I apply the stain stripper to all old wood and then pressure wash it off, I then apply the cleaner to all wood and hose it or pressure wash it off, and then finally I apply the brightner to all wood, rinse it off, and then let dry for 48 hours? Please let me know if my understanding is correct. Thanks!
Close. Use the stripper on the old stained wood and the cleaner on the new wood — no need to also run the cleaner over the stripped areas. Then apply the brightener to all of the wood while it is still wet, rinse well, and let it dry 48 hours before staining. Note that the new boards will stain lighter than the old wood the first time and will blend better over time with maintenance coats.
https://www.twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
Good to know, thank you! I got a yalls semi-solid stain to hopefully get them to match as best as possible. Do you recommend 1 coat for both the new wood and the old wood? Also, would you recommend stripping/cleaning it today in order to be able to stain Saturday?
Yes, one coat for all wood will work. Prepping today works for Saturday as long as you get at least 48 hours of dry weather after prep before staining.
Hi,
Is 48 hours a good number to wait after cleaning with parts 1 and 2 or is there a way to double check the wood is dry enough for stain. (i.e may need longer) TY
48 hours should be fine, as long as it hasn’t rained on the wood since the prep. If so, wait another 48 hours.
Hi, I know minimum temperature for applying the stain is 50F, but how long must it stay above 50F after it’s applied.
I’m trying to apply the stain this fall, if I apply it when it’s above 50F but cools down at night, say 4-5 hours later, is that ok? Or is it better to wait until next spring. The deck has new wood about 1 year old. TY.
That’s fine. Apply when it’s 50–90°F, and just make sure it doesn’t drop below 40°F the first night after staining. Cooler nights will slow the drying and curing time, but won’t hurt the finish. At about a year old, the wood has weathered enough to stain now.
I am planning to reapply TWP 100 to a cedar deck in the midwest. Last application was 2 years ago. I recently cleaned and brightened the deck. I then used an electric palm sander with 80 grit sandpaper on the surface and railings. Do I need to reapply a brightener after sanding the deck?
Yes. After sanding, brighten the wood again to reopen the grain before staining — 80 grit is fine, just don’t go finer. On a sanded deck, apply only one coat of TWP 100.
when my deck was stained the contractor mixed 50/50 natural cedar tone and pecan. now it’s time to restain the floor of deck. can i get by without the 50/50 mix and use one or the other?
As long as you prep well, you can use either color without the mix.
What is the minimum temperature for installing your stain?
50 degrees.
After applying two coats with the wet on wet method, my dock still seemed very thirsty. Now that both coats have dried and cured, am I able to go and put a third coat on?
No, do not add a third coat now. Once the wet-on-wet coats have dried, the wood will not absorb more stain and the extra will sit on the surface and turn shiny or sticky. Let it weather and plan on a light maintenance coat in 6–12 months — the wood will soak that up and fill in where it looked thirsty.
How do we repair a deck that was not applied wet-on-wet but wet-on-dry and is now very slippery?
Remove all and start over.
I’m about to stain a 1-year old cedar fence for the first time with TWP Cedartone 101. The fence will be thoroughly cleaned and brightened. The fence is complex: each ~5ft section of the fence includes 10 louvers of 5/8″ x 6″ rough sawn boards (see picture) with a ~45 degree angle. There’s about 2″ between the louvers.
1? I’m wondering, should I do both the top and bottom of each louver since both sides are exposed? If instead I stain just 1 side, will this increase problems of board warping?
2? To apply the stain to these rough-sawn louver boards I’m thinking of using a 6″ long, smooth, 3/8″ nap, “thin” roller (thin enough to fit between the louvers), using the 1.5 coat, wet-on-wet approach. Other idea?
3? I’m wondering, should I use 1.5 coats on the rough-sawn gate posts (5″ x 5″)?
4? I’m thinking to apply a single coat on the 1″ thick, milled horizontal cedar boards.
5? Below the louvered section, these same 5/8″ x 6″ rough-sawn boards are arranged horizontally such that they make a flat, vertical surface. I’m wondering if I should do 1.5 coats on these rough-sawn boards?
1. Yes, stain all sides and both sides of the fence. It iwll drip alot to maybe have someone helping from the opposite sides to stain and catch any drips. We would spray it and back wipe after.
2. Do not use a roller, it will splatter. Use stain pads, brushes, and a pump sprayer.
3-5. One coat should be okay for all wood since it is a fence.
How long should I wait to apply semi solid stain after using RAD Stripper and power washing my deck to clean it?
Wait a minimum of 48 hours after the prep and power washing before applying the semi-solid. Make sure you neutralized the RAD Stripper with the Restore-A-Deck Brightener while the wood was still wet — the stripper leaves the wood too caustic for the stain to penetrate properly if it is not brightened. Once the prep is done, stain within 2 weeks. Apply between 50-90 degrees and do not stain if rain is expected within 12 hours.
if it rains 30 hours after applying twp 1500 will it cause any issues
No, that should not cause any issues. The standard minimum is 12 hours of dry weather after applying the TWP 1500, and rain 24+ hours out is generally fine. At 30 hours you are well past that. The one issue would be if you severely overapplied the stain.