[Sticky] Deck Staining Help

TWP 1500 is an oil based stain. You could use either for your deck with excellent results.

Thanks! I'm ordering the TWP 1500 online. I'd like to get Restore-A-Deck from the same source - do you know of any distributers that offer both products?

Not sure but I am sure there are.

Hello, New to the site and I think the information here is amazing. Thank you in advance. I just finished a deck and I will be looking to stain it seal it soon. I would appreciate any advice. Thank you, Dan

1. Pennsylvania
2. Shade in the AM then full sun in the afternoon
3. Pressure treated pine
4. Not that I am aware of at this time

Hi: I live in South Carolina. We are building a new house. The screened porch (which we will carpet), made of pressure treated pine, plus a small grill deck will receive full afternoon sun. We get maybe 2-3 inches of snow 2-3 times a year, with temps occasionally in the 20's, but not often, and it is very hot in the summer. What do you recommend for the porch and the deck? I have been thinking of a deck paint to get maximum durability, but am not sure. We would prefer a semitransparent stain, but I understand that they last a maximum of 3-5 years. Is that right? Thanks.

A good semi-transparent stain will last a maximum of 2-3 years on a horizontal and twice as long on a vertical.

I would look at Armstrong Clark in a semi-solid for maximum UV protection while still showing some wood grain.

Hello,

I bought an older home which has a deck around the pool. I am not sure if it is composed of pressure treated wood, or redwood. I went to Home Depot and one young man said it was pressure treated and then later another originally thought the same, but asked if he could cut into an old broken piece of the deck and said it was redwood. I am curious does it matter which one it was in my approach, and what would be my best course of action. I am looking to doing a light powerwash clean and brighten on it. I am not sure if I should do a light sanding on the deck and would love to get a recommendation on a good stain for the deck. The previous owners son said it was stained almost 2 years ago, but was not sure what it was stained with, and it looks as if it needs a new one.

1. I live in California

2. Full sun, deck is on east side of house, but gets plenty of sun in summer and sunny days, and plenty of rain during the winter months.

3. Redwood or Pressure treated (going to lumber yard to find out which for sure)

4. No mold or moss issues

5. Looks as if old stain is fading and am I am looking for a nice dark natural finish on deck to go around the pool.

I love the site, thanks in advance for any help and advice in advance.

It really does not matter on the type of wood. I would look at Armstrong Clark Wood Stain for this older deck in Cali. Maybe in the Amber color for maximum UV protection while still looking natural. Use a wood cleaner when pressure washing.

Hi! I have a large, old Rainbow Play Systems playground. At first glance, I was going to buy the TWP100 to re-stain it. However, I read that it was toxic to fish, and so I thought that it might not be the best stain for a playground??? Do you have any suggestions. I saw that you recommended Armstrong to someone else with a similar playground, but our weather conditions are very different from one another.

1. State you live in: MN

2. Full Shade, Partial Shade, or Full Sun: All Three, depending on the area of the playgound

3. Type of Wood ??? Redwood, Cedar, or Fir???

4. Mold or Mildew Issues: Yes

5. Main Issues with Previous Stains: Not even sure what it was...hand me down playground, build in 1991, that we are trying to fix up for our kids

Thanks!
Hopeful in Minnesota

I live in the Boston, MA, area and I am planning to use TWP to stain a very large deck (1400sf in 3 areas), which has had no stain/sealant in over 3 years. It's pretty weathered--grey and cracked. Do you recommend TWP 100 or 1500 more--for durability, resistance to mildew/etc, and color fastness? In terms of cost, it appears 1500 has better coverage (300-400sf/gal), but requires 2 coats; it appears 100 gets as little as 100-200 sf/gal and is about $30 cheaper per gallon, but not clear if it requires only one or two coats. Given size and cost, what do you recommend?

Also, I need to replace several boards and will probably end up with pressure treated fir. Can I use either TWP on PT wood? If it's not recommended, is there another highly recommended stain that will handle the PT and weathered wood? (I realize there will be a difference in the finished look, but looking for something that will cover both well.)

Many thanks,

For MA you need to buy the TWP 1500. The 100 is not compliant. TWP 1500 does not cover 300-400 sq. feet per gallon. More like 200 feet per gallon.
TWP can be applied to all wood types including PTP.

applied Messmer's UV Plus to new dried western red cedar in July 2010, (Nova Scotia, Canada)
by spring of 2011 it looked like brown pressure treated.
cleaned/ stripped the deck in October 2011 with alkaline solution
followed by acidic brightener

wood looked stunning, absolutely beautiful

re-applied Messmer's UV plus
spring 2012 looks like brown pressure treated (again)
cleaned/ stripped a small portion of the deck last weekend,
cleaner/ stripper worked well,

but don't want to re-apply Messmer's if all I am going to get it is a cedar deck that looks like brown pressure treated

any ideas what might be happening??

never any signs of mold or mildew, just a very sad, brown deck...

many thanks

What color of the Messmers where you using?

I am about to build a cedar deck in Wisconsin. I plan to use TWP100. I've read that one should stain all sides before installing, while I've also read that staining all sides is not a good idea. I don't mind the extra time and effort, but I want to do it correctly to ensure the best results.

No need to stain all sides of the wood prior to installing. Just stain the exposed areas after installation.