Last Updated on April 21, 2018 by TWP Help
We have a new and better TWP Stain Contest for 2018! See here for details: TWP Stain Contest 2018
Note: We have picked our winner! Sean Gronemeier has won the 2017 TWP Contest!
Thanks to all that entered! There were some incredible decks and houses redone! We know there will be some disappointed people, but we picked our winner based on following all the rules and overall restoration from start to finish.
Credits for products purchased from TWPstain.com will be issued shortly.
Who thinks they have completed the best TWP Wood/Deck Restoration for Spring 2017?
Take some pride in your hard work and enter the TWP Stain Wood/Deck Restoration Contest for Spring 2017!
Contest Details
- All TWP and Prep products must be purchased first from our online retail site between January 1st – June 25th, 2017: TWP Deck Stains
- Deadline for entry is June 30th, 2017.
- Contestant winner will receive up to a $250 credit to their TWPStain.com online purchase!
- All other contestant entries will receive a 5% credit towards their online purchase up to $25, so it pays to enter!
- The winner will be decided on July 5th by our team.
How To Enter TWPStain.com Contest
- Enter by June 30th, 2017.
- In the comment section below, post a short description of your deck/wood staining project, the products used to prep, and the TWP Series and Color used.
- Add 2 before prepping pictures of the wood that was restored (no more/less). You can still enter if you do not have the before pictures. Decks, wood fences, wood homes, etc are allowed.
- 2 after staining pictures must be included (no more/less).
- If having trouble uploading the pictures, please make your picture(s) sizes are smaller or upload 1-2 pictures at a time.
We look forward to all entries and wish everyone “Happy Staining”!
*Disclaimer: All products must be purchased from TWPStain.com. The contest is not open to products purchased from other online dealers or from physical stores.
Beautiful, bold and rich black walnut semi-transparent stain by TWP covered 1060 sq ft. of our backyard deck.
At first, everyone thought we would have to replace all the wood, but instead, we tried to power wash, strip, neutralize and clean before we would stain to see if we could save the old deck.
The black walnut pops against the house beautifully and accents the windows.
We’ve never refinished a deck before, so when I called and wrote to the company for advice on quantity or color or troubling shooting or just to get overall best application practices, someone was always there to patiently answer all of my questions. It turned out fantastic.
Fantastic deck upgrade at a fraction of the cost of replacing. We couldn’t be happier. Thank you!
MY amazing wife lets my creativity and energy run wild. I have built everything you see and them some over a Syracuse summer and a half. It is all western red cedar and oozing TWP 1500 Pecan. This was a labor of love and passion. Today i finally finished, my goal was to enter this very contest! I crossed the finish line with the addition of TWP stained coasters! I may not have thousands of square feet or a home built of logs, I just have 2 gallons at a time. I knew from the start that this glorious lumber only had one option after a lot of research. I put a lot of sweat, soul and pride into all of this! Thanks TWP for giving me a finish line with this contest, and for making an amazing product. Thanks!
-The Cotter’s
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Evening shots
My wife and I, with the help of a VA loan, purchased our dream home. It came with a 13yr old wrap around deck that was severely neglected. We used many different cleaners, brighteners, TWP 100 honeytone stain and many hours of “elbow grease” to give our deck a new lease on life. The TWP stain was easy to apply and looks fabulous. We are thoroughly pleased.
I’ve tried many different Wood Products TWP by far is the best safe strip then TWP 120 pecan pictures of the house speak for themselves I used the TWP on the deck house and privacy fence outstanding products
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We choose TWP for our Log Home restoration project. We recently purchased a log home that had been neglected and was even vacant for some time. We cleaned & washed the outside before staining. We are using TWP 1500 natural for the logs and TWP 1500 Dark oak for the trim and accent pieces. TWP has been easy to apply and the results speak for themselves
We restored our 20 year old 14’x28′ deck.It took a lot of work power washing,cleaning and brightening.We chose 10 gallons of TWP1500 redwood but we have a deck that looks great and very impressed by the water beads after a rain.I will comment in future postings with photos after the first,second and third seasons. We are happy so far.Highly recommend buying the 6″brushes from TWP.The brushes hold a lot of stain making application easier!
First time using TWP. I got samples from 3 different manufacturers and the TWP was the only one that could still be applied 4 years later. Also the only one that repelled water after I applied it to the wood, both 4 years ago and last month.
One year old 20′ x 27′ deck. Severely grayed. Used Gemini Restore-A-Deck before staining with 1516 Rustic.
Can’t do pictures but we’ve used TWP (cedar 101) in the past and wouldn’t think of using anything else!
Well, here is my 1 year old port orford cedar deck with privacy fence and arbor. I was very surprised how dirty this deck was after 1 year. I cleaned it twice, scrubbing the second time. Had to sand due to many feathery fibers after it dried. The fence and arbor took about 12 hours. That was not fun at all. On top of that we had a pretty significant thunderstorm come through 4 hours after I finished the fence. Luckily the stain took and there were no issues other than waiting 2 more days for the deck to dry in order to finish. The deck itself was a breeze. Being my first time, I made a few mistakes but overall Im happy with the look and color I chose. I used TWP 1501 cedartone which I put on after using the restore-a-deck cleaning, sanding, and then brightening kit.
Bought my house three years ago with dark brown, peeling, solid stain on the deck. I originally powered washed and repainted with a gray solid stain. After two years the gray stain was peeling in the middle of the deck. I decided to completely sand off all the stain on the floor of the deck and keep the benches and railings the solid gray. I am prepping the deck with the restore-a-deck cleaner/brightener kit. I am purchasing the TWP 1515 honeytone semi-transparent stain for the deck floor today and will add after pics next week.
After 2 years we re-stained our pressure treated deck with the same TWP 1500 Redwood 1502 stain. First two photos are before & second two photos are after. Results were fantastic. Thanks TWP!
25 year old deck with over 15 year old stain from Home Depot.. I used Gemini Wood Stripper and The wood Brightener, oh my goodness, the wood came back to life, I used TWP 1500 SERIES in Rustic Oak and couldn’t be happier !!
We have lots of railings around our decks and gardens that were stained for the first time in 2010. We have needed to re-stain the top railings about every 2-3 years. So we are trying TWP Dark Oak 1503 in hopes of getting a more durable finish. We are delighted at how the water beads up on the surface and how rich the woodgrain looks.
I’ve tried all the products available at Home Depot. Only the TWP products work as promised. The Gemini cleaner isn’t cheap but it works great! I painted my entire vacation cabin on the coast of Maine with TWP 1500 Pecan which gave it a nice “nut brown” color.
My home in Vermont seems to attract more thank it’s fair share of VermontDeckMung. You can see the before and after in the picture attached. My 5 gallon pail of TWP Cape Cod Gray stain just arrived. Now all I need is 48 hours with no rain!
Here are the staining pics.
Stained our front and back wood porches, that are 17 years old and have never been treated. I first cleaned them with the Gemini deck cleaner and brightner, which is amazing. Then stained them with TWP 1500 series honeytone stain. Water now beads on top instead of soaking in. Amazing !!
Here is the before and after cleaning pics. Stain pics to follow.
With TWP 100 stain, there are multiple restorative facets that bring aging decks back to life.
I absolutely LOVE this stain and I am not just saying it because of the contest. I have used many other brands throughout the years on other projects but this TWP 100 is awesome!
I used the cedar tone over cedar boards, the water beads up on the 2 x 4 rails in addition to beading up on the 1 x 6 boards.
The picture is of a small section of fencing, I have 150′ f fencing left to install and stain. Can’t wait to get it done it looks fantastic.
I wish I had before pictures, the TWP 203 Stain worked amazing. The deck furniture is 100 yrs old repurposed OX carts, they were a dark grey before just power washing and then applying your 203 Stain. I’m very pleased
How do I enter ?
Please read the article above. Thanks!
We have a large deck (~2500 sq. feet) that we are refinishing a section at a time. Last year we refinished two sections that can be seen in the photos as well as the first section we tackled this year. We are using Gemini Safe Strip, Restore-A-Deck Wood Brightener, and Pecan 1520 Stain; three coats. Because the deck has many levels, we paint a 8″ wide stripe using a bright textured paint for safety.
The Cedar deck was 6 months old (It had been exposed for 1 winter) so I used Gemini Restore-A-Deck cleaner and brightener and power washed the deck. That is an amazing product! Then applied TPW 100 Series – Cape Cod Grey 105. The color is a bit lighter than I had wanted (and looks a little blue in the photos) but it works well with the house color and all the porch foliage.
The results of this two week project made me feel like a real pro. The 1500 series California Cedar stain left my decks more beautiful than the day they were built ten years ago. Now I just sit back and enjoy the complements.
I finally figured out how to get this photo up. It is the best one. The new pool deck.
The results of this two week project made me feel like a real pro. The 1500 series California Cedar stain left my decks more beautiful than the day they were built ten years ago. Stained over 2500 square feet and too many spindles to count. Now I just sit back and enjoy the complements.
Here are some more pictures
I have 1000 sq ft of redwood deck that is 30 years old I used to coat it with CWF every few years. However I have not done it in the last 20 years. This year I cleaned and scrubbed it and did a wet on wet coating with TWP 1502, redwood. I think it turned out quite well. Here are some pictures 2 days after it was done.
I have 3 redwood deck area’s covering over 1000sq.ft. I finished the back deck (photos enclosed) and have two photo’s off the large front redwood deck with the railing finished and the deck area showing both prepped and un-prepped. I used TWP 1516 sealer/stain. The online ordering was very simple and the product shipped quickly. It is easy to apply and not only looks good but the water really beads up on the finished rear deck. I have used different products over the last 25 years and so far this appears to be the best. I will recommend this product to my friends and neighbors.
One more
Product: TWP 101 Cedartone oil. Prep: power wash and sand
3 year old redwood. Stripped/brightened (Restore-A-Deck) and a light sand with 60 grit. Brightened post sand. Waited one week and applied TWP 1500 Black Walnut #1504 with a deck brush.
I guess my after pics didn’t upload. The first picture is the 20 year old portion of the deck. The 2nd is the new redwood installed in August.
Actually, it’s the other way around, picture on the left is the new material, the right is the 20 year old deck. The photo doesn’t do the old deck justice as it really looks the same…the new wood was in the sun, old in the shade.
Last August, I added on to a 20 year old redwood deck. I waited until last week to prep and stain. I started by using the 2 step Gemini cleaner/brightener kit. Using a garden sprayer, I applied step one. I used a small household electric pressure washer within 15 minutes to remove the mildew and graying.
Surprisingly, the old deck came out great as shown in the first picture. The new material (August) is shown in the 2nd picture.
I waited 2 days before applying the TWP1500 series, Redwood #1502. I used a 7″pad for the application. Trying to put on a single coat, as light as possible, I still had some shinny spots. I used a little mineral sprits on a rag about 1 hour after application. It removed all of the shine.
Deck turned out great. Couldn’t be happier!
Hi Ken,
The after pictures did not load. Please try to add those.
Looks like the pictures loaded but they are reversed on my finished pictures….The one on the left is the new wood, the one on the right is the 20 year old deck. Thanks,
Ken
Fantastic results on our new dock, looks great!
Do you have any pictures?
I have a pressure treated deck 16′ x 24′ built in July last year (2016) and stained this May (2017). We used the Gemini deck cleaner and brightener after sanding with 40 grit sandpaper. We applied 5 gallon of 1500 Natural with bug juice additive. We used 6″ stain brushes and paint pole. I was told 5 gallon should be enough but it sure absorbed the stain. We only applied one coat because we were out of stain. Called tech support and was told new lumber only needs one coat but I personally think it needs a second coat as it isn’t beading water like I think it should. It does look nice. And overall pleased with product. Little concerned coverage didn’t allow second wet coat.
I had a brand new red cedar privacy fence installed late Nov 2016. I waited for a nice warm spring day to apply TWP 1500 Stain in Cedartone. The wood was still new and looking good so I did not do anything but ensure it was free of dirt before applying. I used an airless pressure spray to apply. It took about 12 feet of fence to really get a good feel for how to apply and make it look nice and even. The wood was dry so the stain soaked in very quickly. I kept a paint brush in my pocket to smooth out any spots I applied too much stain. I went back and applied a second wet coat as recommended. I used 10 gal to cover approx 200′ of 6′ privacy fence.
It has been 3 months since I applied the stain and I can honestly say I have the best looking fence in my neighborhood. Water beads up and rolls right off the fence. This product is worth every penny. It was very easy to apply and offered a very good value compared to the local store products. The look of the cedar being stained with TWP 1500 in cedartone stain is just amazing. I only wish I had used this product on my deck. My deck is dull and boring compared to the fence.
After staining pictures please.
That is weird. I originally had 3 before and 3 after and I changed it to the 2 before and 2 after before I posted. I also used TWP 100 Cedartone and not 1500.
I have 18 year old Deck that I have Maintained with TWP stain every two years or so. Still looking great.
My wife and I refinished our 25 year old cedar deck. We replaced old rotted & cracked boards, power-washed & sanded ready for finishing with TWP 1500 Rustic. We are absolutely thrilled with the results !
I have a 22 year old pressure treaded deck in Ohio. The old coating that was removed was Flood semi-transparent. I was unhappy with the orange color and that it was peeling and had mildew in certain areas. I purchased the RAD Cleaner & Stripper/Brightener Kit, and TWP1504 BLACK WALNUT stain. I applied the stripper waited the allowed time, and pressure washed, then brightened. I waited 3 days and applied 2 coats of stain. I am very happy with the results. 🙂
I use 1500 honey tone n gave great results
We currently have a 15 year old cedar deck that needed reviving. Two years ago my son and I replaced all the horizontal boards and used series 1500 stain “cedartone” for the initial treatment.
After 2 beautiful years it was time for a second coat.
I purchased the restore and brightener kit online and cleaned and prepped it for staining. Two gallons of stain later we are ready for more summer barbequing and entertainment. Thanks twp!!!
I used the TWP 1500 redwood 1502 on my new cedar fence. Love the results of the stain. Below are before and after pics.
After weeks of research, I chose TWP 1500 stain to protect our new deck investment. 24’x18′ with 2 sets of stairs. Since we live in New York State, we are limited on what we can use due to environmental laws. The next hardest thing was choosing the right color. We purchased samples from TWP and went with the California Redwood.
Since we live in the middle of the woods, we needed to make sure we bought the right protection for our investment. TWP was the right choice. Deck was built in 2015. Stained in 2016. Will be washing and adding a second coat in 2017.
The TWP help site and forum was a great place to get the answers to my questions. Whether it was from a TWP tech or a past customer.
TWP has been a great product and we look forward to years of enjoying our deck.
I used Restore A deck cleaner and brightener system and TWP 1500 stain. The color is Rustic. I first pressure washed the deck for a good surface cleaning and then used Restore A Deck. Once the deck was dry I stained it. See below.
Before and after pics below.
Ben, the system will not allow the 4 pictures. Please update your post or just post another photo as a “reply”. Thanks for entering!
See additional pic