We understand that everyone needs help with their wood/deck restoration and that not all projects are the same. Different species of wood, the age of wood, and types and brands of previous coatings make it difficult for homeowners to determine what is needed to restore their exterior wood or deck correctly.
We will ask some specific questions and reply to what you will need to do in your restoration process and the appropriate products and amounts to purchase, so it receives the proper prep and treatment required.
In the comment section below, you must include:
- Square Footage of Area to be Restored:
-For Decks, use the calculator in the right column (scroll down) for desktop or below this article/comments on mobile
-Fences: Length x Height x 2 (for both sides) = Total square footage
-Homes: Do each side Lenght x Height, then add up all sides.
- Type of wood if known:
- Approximate Age of Wood:
- If Applicable, Previous Stain Brand Used and Type (Examples of Type: Transparent, Semi-Transparent, Solid Stain, Oil-Based, Water-Based):
- If Applicable, When was the last time wood was stained:
- Wood Type to be Stained (Deck, House, Fence, etc.):
- Do you have access to a pressure washer:
- Miscellaneous Info:
- *Must Include 1-3 Photos of Restoration Project. There is a link to upload photos in the bottom right corner of the comment area.
Restore A Deck Stain Application Tips
I’m just a regular home owner with a 35 year old deck and I got to tell everyone I did my testing on my deck with about 1/2 dozen stains and deck cleaners— I TRYED THEM ALL but hands down RESTORE A DECK STAINS, stripper,cleaner, and brighter are the best no question about it so for all you people out there who r going to do your deck this is it.
Thanks, Peter!
Hello,
I would like to know what kind of stripper/stain I should buy. I need to do 2 areas: a rooftop deck and a wooden entry way. The entry way is peeling and fading really bad, but the rooftop is not quite as faded, but peeling in some areas.
You have a solid stain. The easiest is to remove what is loose and peeling and then reapply the RAD solid stain over the intact stain. Use the RAD Stripper and pressure washing to to remove the peeling stain. Let dry and spot sand any areas if needed. Once you have a deck that has only intact solid stain, you can then apply our RAD solid stain.
How long before you can apply the second coat of your sold stains? Product data sheet says “Apply 2 coats, waiting for1st coat to completely dry before applying the 2nd coat”. Does it have to be just dry to the touch, which is indicated as 1 -2 hours, or must it be completely cured which is indicated will take 24 – 48 hrs at 65 F? Due to the configuration, size, and amount of furniture on my deck I will need to do the floor portion of it in two parts. I want to obviously do the entire project as fast as I can and within the 2 weeks of my prep, but want to make sure I don’t cause a problem with adhesion by not allowing enough time between coats on each section.
Dry to the touch to recoat with the second coat.
I plan on using the semi-transparent stain on my deck for pt pine. Can I also use the same for our new (untreated) teak furniture table and chairs?
Yes but new wood needs to weather and be prepped.
https://www.restore-a-deck.com/restore-a-deck-stain-for-new-wood
I used RAD cleaner and brightener on my cedar deck this weekend which had received 1 coat of RAD cedar semi transparent last fall. This treatment removed most but not all of the stain so I repeated the treatment and power washed, but some areas , particularly where the deck was shaded still retained stain. I figured I need to use your stripper and brightener to remove the residual stain. Is that correct?
Yes, that would be correct.
Do we add the booster to the paint stripper 5 gallon bucket?
No, it is not used for the RAD PaintStrip. It can be used for the regular Restore A Deck Stain Stripper.
If that has been mixed it does it ruin the stripper?
Not sure as we have never tried.
I used the Semi-Transparent Wood Stain kit 2 years ago on my 2 decks and pergola and they turned out great. The problem is that the decks now look awful. The stain is green in some areas and not there in others, and the wood looks so dried out. Do I have to go through the whole process again or what can I do to help get these back?
Yes, whenever you recoat you have to do he full process of prep and then stain.
Does it need to be done every 2 years?
Every 2-3 years on a deck is normal. Twice as long on verticals.
Oh – and is it cleaner/brightener or stripper/brightener?
Clean and Brighten.
Hi, I have a 5 1/2 year old treated pine deck that is 686 sq. ft. and was treated with RAD semi transparent stain. The deck is half covered with a roof and in the shade and the other half is in the sun. We did our first coat in sept of 2020 and are ready to recoat it this year after cleaning and brightening. My question is1 or 2 coats ? How many coats for the part under the roof it seems to be in good shape . Thanks for all your help.
2 light coats applied wet on wet.
Can I mix colors of semi transparent stain. Like five gallons of cedar with 5 gallons of dark walnut?
Yes!
I need to strip our exterior decking and reapply stain. The decking had Cabot solid color acrylic deck stain. I power washed the decking but it didn’t all come off. I want to clean it, prep it and recoat with the same Cabot stain, if possible. What will I need to purchase to prep the deck? I want a dark green stain color. I don’t see that with restore a deck, otherwise, I would buy your stain. What are your recommendations?
You do not need to remove all of the old solid stain when recoating with a solid stain. Just remove the loose or peeling stain.
What products do you recommend to prep before restaining?
https://www.restore-a-deck.com/RAD-Stain-Stripper.html
I have a two year old staircase made from pressure treated pine which has never been stained. The landing is 4 x 4.5. There are 15 steps, each 1 x 4. The distance of the top of the railing on the landing to the ground is 14.5 feet.
I plan on using semi-transparent. How much of each product do I need? Do I use two coats of stain since it is older than a year?
What is the total sq footage of all wood, steps, and railings, etc added up? We need that to determine the amount needed.
400 square feet. Thanks.
One prep kit:
https://www.restore-a-deck.com/restore-a-deck-package-300.html
3 gallons of stain.
I just stained my deck with the semi transparent cedar stain. I don’t love the color. Can I use a solid stain over it?
Yes but prep with the RAD Cleaner and pressure washing first.
Quick question, should we seal with another product after staining?
It is not possible to do that. It would peel if you top-coated a deck stain with a sealer.
So we just applied your stain on our pressure treated deck (2 years old) using the 3 step process, and everything turned out great!
I was wondering – what are your thoughts on applying some kind of water seal over the stained wood? If that’s okay, do you have any products you recommend?
Hi, it is not possible to apply a sealer over a deck stain. It would peel if you did.
Sounds good, thanks for the quick reply.
Of course!
We have a large 30 year old pressure treated 995 sq feet with 91 feet of railing. It was last painted with latex paint in 2017. Much of the paint has peeled off but we still have quite a bit left on. It is old and weathered. We tried your paint stripper on one section in for 30 min but it did not get all of the paint off. Before we proceed, please advise.
Do you want to strip it all done to use a semi-transparent or remove as much as possible and then cover it with our solid stain? The latter will be easier.
We would like to remove as much as possible and then apply solid stain. We are ok with repainting the railing and spindles. Please advise
Okay, use this for prep: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit.html
The key is to remove the dirt, mildew, and all loose solid stain. You can cover the intact stain that does not come off with the RAD Solid Stain when done:
https://www.restore-a-deck.com/restore-a-deck-solid-stain-1-gallon.html
We had applied your paint stripper and that only removed some of the paint. Do we re apply or are you suggesting we switch to a stain remover? It is latex paint on the deck currently.
If you are going to use the solid stain then you do not have to remove all the current stain. The key is to remove the dirt, mildew, and all loose solid stain. You can cover the intact stain that does not come off with the RAD Solid Stain when done.
We have been using RAD stripper with thickening gel and brightener per label instructions on house cedar siding. They work well in areas exposed to the sun. But as we get closer to protected areas e.g. under eaves that gets less or no sun, the stripper does not work as well and leaves a blotchy surface like this material is having a tough time lifting the old stain. Temp here is in 70’s. Stripper is being left on 20 – 30 minutes and kept wet before being washed off with power washer. Anything we can do to improve the stain removal process in these difficult areas? Add RAD Booster to stripper and thickener? Will Booster additive be harmful to paint? Thanks.
Please post some pics.
Stain to be removed is Penofin semi-transparent
We would suggest the gel and the booster additives for these areas. Apply and let dwell for an hour or two. Mist with water if needed to keep it from drying out. Brighten all wood when done.
Does the booster harm or remove paint if there is overspray onto the trim and left on for an hour or two. Also, before using the booster can we try just the stripper and gel for an hour or two to see if this works first?
No, it is not desgined to remmove paint. Rinse to avoid any issues while working. You can try the Gel only to see if that works.
We ran a little short of RAD stripper to finish a project and had some Behr premium wood stain & finish stripper (< 1/2 gallon) to finish the job. We used RAD brightener after rinsing off the Behr stripper. Is this okay?
As long as the wood looks even after drying you should be okay.
We have been using the RAD thickening gel in the RAD stripper in small quantities i.e. 3 ounces gel per gallon. The remaining gel in the bottle appears to thicken over time and not pour out. Is there a way to rejuvenate the gel so it will pour again out of the bottle?
Have you tried adding a once or two of water and then shaking it to mix?
Am trying that now. Can one mix the stripper, gel and booster in a five gallon bucket and it will stay liquid all day. How long can this five gallons stay liquid before one must use it?
Yes, just give it a mix prior to using it. It can stay this way for days or longer.
Can RAD semi-transparent stain be applied when it is foggy out? Siding is not wet or damp to touch.
Yes.
Can RAD Stripper be used to remove Penofin transparent stain?
Yes.
Thank you for your help.
Hi.. have a mess and a looking for direction… Deck is eight years old cedar and original stain was Sherwin Super deck and then years later I cleaned (improperly) and applied the Behr stain in pictured. As you can see stain is peeled faded etc and have two different colors. Would you start with your Stripper/booster and gel ? Would that take it back to original Cedar color? How about the post I show.. will that take it back to its original light cedar color? Appreciate the help !
It is on the wood like an opaque solid stain so you cannot just the RAD Deck Stripper to remove it. You will need the RAD PaintStrip if you want to get down to the bare wood. https://www.restore-a-deck.com/rad-paint-solid-stain-stripper-5-gallon.html
Restoring our 10 year old cedar deck. Was last stained 4 years ago with “Lin Seed Oil Based” stain. Only dOing the horizontal boards (860 square feet). Attached please find pics of the deck. You will notice some areas are still stained where it was covered with furniture.
Should I sand the whole surface or will the stripper, cleaner and brighter be sufficient?
Further more, please provide the exact number of each product required for preparing and staining the deck with your wet stain.
Also, can you recommend a colour to match existing deck stain. I was thinking the cedar?
Thank you!
Marcel
Do you know what brand of stain was used last time? It looks “thick” in areas for being oil based.
Stain used was MF paints- colour was Natural – yellow base and 2 coats were applied
Use this kit:
https://www.restore-a-deck.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit.html
and both stripper additives to get it off:
https://www.restore-a-deck.com/restore-a-deck-wood-stain-strippers-and-additives.html
You will need about 8-10 gallons of the stain applied wet on wet application.
How many kits of the stripper bright will I need to purchase?
As well, how many bottles of each additives do I need for the deck (860 ft)?
Also, 8-10 gallons of stain is for 1 coat or 2 coats wet on wet?
Wanting to put in order asap.
Thank you!
To be safe get two kits and 2 of each additives. 8-10 is for 2 coats applied wet on wet.
Good morning, which additive are you referring to?
https://www.restore-a-deck.com/restore-a-deck-thickening-gel-additive.html
and
https://www.restore-a-deck.com/restore-a-deck-booster-additive.html
How do I know if the total charge is in USD or Canadian?
All $ is in USD.
I used RAD semi-transparent stain on new wood 4 yes ago. Looks as though most stain has work on on floor boards but not so much on rails. Do I need to strip wood or just use the cleaner & brightener
Post some pics in the comments for prep tips.
Two years ago, I used the Restore a deck cleaner, brightener, and semi- transparent stain on my deck. The deck was 18 months old, and it was the first time it was stained.
It was now ready for a maintenance coat using the same colour of RAD semi-transparent stain. I cleaned and brightened in preparation a couple of days ago. Unfortunately, some of the stain on the deck (horizontal boards that you walk on) came off. I believe these are areas that I sanded a bit, and am thinking that I may have done the sanding in the wrong order, or used too fine a grit.
I have now ordered the RAD stripper and brightener to strip the horizontal part of the deck (I’ve looked at enough pics from other posts to know that is what you recommend)I. I plan to tarp and tape the railings, spindles, and stairs, which are fine. I really don’t want to strip all of that when it doesn’t need it,. The deck will not be in use until the staining project gets completed.
1. For the parts that are tarped, should I lightly brighten them again when I’m brightening the horizontal boards after stripping? Or can they just be hosed off? I’m not sure if I can get them stained within a week or so of the original cleaning time.
2. How many coats of stain should I put on the horizontal part that I will have stripped? One, or 2 thin wet on wet?
3. Any other advice?
Please note: This is a deck on a raised ranch. It is only used occasionally to get down to ground level. It gets very little use. I don’t care if the railings and stairs look darker/different than the horizontal boards.
Thanks for your help,
Mary Kay
1. It would not hurt to redo them.
2. Two light coats wet on wet.
3. Nothing to add.
I am restoring a 30 year old deck. I have removed old stain from the railings with the solid stain stripper which is FABULOUS!!! and applied a RAD solid stain. My plan was to put in new balusters and go transparent with them along with the top horizontal rail and the floor. All are new wood. I am concerned about the Cleaner and Brightener coming in contact with the new stain.The new wood won’t be done for another 3 months or so. What kind of damage can it cause?
You should avoid getting the prep products on stained wood.
Can rad guard remove mildew spots on bare wood?
Yes.
Question: how long before we can walk on a newly stained deck (Restore semitransparent stain)?
12-24 hours.
How soon after the staining can we walk on the deck
Next day.
Hello, In 2019 we updated our deck approx. 14 x 14 with pressure treated lumber. We waited until spring 2020 to apply 1 coat of Restore a Deck semi transparent stain in Cedar. Then waited until spring 2021 to apply a second coat. The deck has weathered in the attached picure. How should we proceed to remedy the weather problem?
You have over-applied. Use this to remove and then recoat.
https://www.restore-a-deck.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit.html
We have an Ipe front porch with thick colored stain. It is peeling and needs to be removed and restained. We are wondering about the best product to remove the stain and whether the brightened is required. We weren’t sure if we should use the Restore-a-deck stripper and brightened or the RAD.
That is a solid stain. You will need this product: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/rad-paintstrip-paint-solid-stain-stripping-gel.html
I purchased a place in Michigan having a 20 year old pressure treated wood deck that was never stained or sealed. The wood is not in terrible shape however, there is dark mold on the deck in many locations.
I tried using Zep deck cleaner and a power washer. It left most of the mold still stuck. I tried a 5/1 water to Zep mix rather than the 20/1 mix via the pressure washer. Not much better results. I scrubbed with a deck brush, by hand and with a putty knife. The latter was the best approach. I did try letting it soak a while which didn’t noticeably help. I didn’t get far before tiring and seeking a better product.
Does the cleaner remove years old mold without significant manual labor?
Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.
Post pics for prep help.
Here are some shots of what I struggling to complete. Let me know if you need more. I have railings and 80+ steps. Current estimate 1700+ sq ft.
I tried attaching multiple photos. It appears to me that only one was attached.
You might have an old stain on there that has turned black. Penofin and Super Deck are known to do this. Try the RAD Stripper and pressure washer to remove. Brightener after.
https://www.restore-a-deck.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit.html
Use our RAD Stain after:
https://www.restore-a-deck.com/restore-a-deck-wood-stain-5-gallon.html
If in Metro Detroit, you can pick it up locally at our store.
The original owners assured me that they never ‘found the time’ to stain. I believe them as they didn’t make the time to do lots of standard home maintenance tasks. I lifted the door mat and it is bare wood underneath. No stain. When I scrape the dark stuff it with a putty knife it comes up a dark green. Additionally, it seems to be sitting atop the surface and has not penetrated but it strongly adheres. Plus the siding on that side of the home had mildew on it, which I easily cleaned up.
Will your cleaner make getting rid of this mess an easy task or is there something else I should use to make the job easier? The guys at Hale Hardware are telling me to make a bleach, Pine Sol and water concoction. Let it sit for several days. I am considering Wet and Forget and letting it sit for a few months to see if that takes care of it. That stated, I would prefer to get it done now.
Lastly, I can find my way to Livonia. Rochester is my home base. The deck is in Hale which is between Tawas and West Branch. I would love to stay with a Michigan based company.
Attached is the full set of pics that I couldn’t attach last night.
Using our cleaner while pressure washing should remove the mildew and graying. Brightener after. Wet and forget will not fix this. We are not in Livonia. Bloomfield Hills.
https://www.restore-a-deck.com/contacts
I stopped by your store and received how-to instructions from one of your experts. I bought 1 package of the cleaner. I lightly power washed the right most boards in the photo. I brushed with a broom and then sprayed the cleaner at 1 c per gallon. I let it sit in the shade for 15 minutes, wet it, scrubbed with a brush and waited 15 minutes. Then I power washed. I repeated this effort twice to get what is the right most clean boards. Not ideal. Not good enough to stain. Suggestions?
It is come off but it was very dirty. Maybe go over it twice with the Cleaner. Brighten all when done. No need to scrub, just apply, let sit, and then pressure wash off. Also, a better pressure washer would help a lot. Yours has low pressure and gallons per minute.
I’ve got close approx. 500ft2 to stain. I stained new wood in 2019 with RAD semi-transparent. I can’t recall the color, but I think it was natural. Do I need to strip that shade if I want to use the semi-transparent Dark Walnut?
Yes, Strip and Brighten would be best to give the most uniform appearance.
thank you!
I have a 1200 sq ft deck. It was previously stained wth Cabot semi solid stain. I have sanded all the railings and spindles that are easily accessible, but I want to use a stripper for the harder to reach areas, as well as the deck itself. Should I use your paint stripper or your stain stripper for the job?
Post some pics.
I stripped my deck with a diamabrush. Will this be okay to apply the restore too?
It has not been removed fully so you would need our RAD solid stain to cover this:
https://www.restore-a-deck.com/restore-a-deck-solid-stain-1-gallon.html
My tight knot cedar deck was cleaned and treated with Wolman rain coat lsummer of 2022. I am on the Oregon coast: warm summers, damp winters. Recent cleaning with deck bright works, but there are still dark areas. I would like to clean dark spots and stain with a water based stain, preferably a cedar color. Thanks, Patrick Geehan
Post some pics of the deck for prep advice.
Here is a photo of the 600 sf deck
It would be best to strip and brighten all with this kit:
https://www.restore-a-deck.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit.html
Some of the deep water stains may not come out fully. After prep, use the Restore A Deck Stain in Cedar color.
I have a 30 year old 430 square foot deck, stained in 2019 with an oil based semi-transparent stain with color “canyon brown.”
I’d like to use your product but lighten up the color. After stripping and brightening, would I be able to stain using the “light walnut” color? The closest color you have to my existing stain is “dark walnut.”
Thanks!
That is not an easy strip. See here for the best option to remove: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/rad-paint-solid-stain-stripper-5-gallon.html
You might need to sand a little as well. Once removed, you can use the Light Walnut.
What is the ideal temperature and how long does it have to be at the temp if I was do to my deck in 1 day
50-85. Cannot drop below freezing the first night.
Hi, need to sell house, 30 year old neglected deck needs restored, what products of yours and equipment do i need? Thx. A magic wand would be great, lol…..
To remove this solid stain, you will need this stripper: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/rad-paint-solid-stain-stripper-5-gallon.html
Once removed, you can use the TWP 1500 Series.
I have a deck that I will do using cleaner/brightener and stain on.
My chickens like to hang out under the deck.
Should I cover the dirt under the deck before washing and staining it?
Yes.
I applied RAD solid stain 2 years ago. There is some minimal flaking along fissures (splits) in the decking, but overall it’s still in good shape. What is the correct prep for maximum layer to layer adhesion? Should I wait another year.
Pressure wash for prep while using the prep products. You can do this whenever you think the wood needs another coat.
I previously used Armstrong Clark semi-solid on my deck. 6 months ago, I had my deck floor boards flipped, 3 new treated floor boards installed, and new treated top railings and stairs. So that I don’t have to wait another 6 months to stain, I’m going to use TWP semi-solid stain this time.
Should I use a RAD stripper with or without additives? I’m including a pic of my flipped deck boards. From the look of the boards, do you think I’ll need to sand them or will the stripper be enough?
I’m not sure what type of wood the old boards are but I think the new boards are pine. I don’t know the age of the old boards but they were present when I bought my home 9 years ago.
No need for the additives here.
Thanks! Will I have to sand the old boards or will just stripping be enough?
Stripping should be enough.
Should I use the RAD cleaner on the new treated stairs and railings?
Regarding the 3 new treated deck floor boards, it’s going to be difficult not to get the stripper on them since I will be using the stripper on the old deck floor boards. Is this alright or will the stripper damage the new deck floor boards?
Also, I don’t have a pressure washer to wash off RAD products. Will a garden hose with a high power attachment work alright?
New wood needs to weather and be prepped. https://www.restore-a-deck.com/restore-a-deck-stain-for-new-wood
It will be fine if you get stripper on the new wood. Rent a pressure washer for proper results.
Hi there,
We are hoping to stain our fence, have approx. 760 sq. ft. of surface area. The wood is pressure treated, likely pine, most of it 20 years old, the posts just a year. Don’t think it’s ever been stained. We do have access to an electric pressure washer. Would love some advice on process and amount to purchase! We are in Ontario, Canada if that helps!
Prep with this:
https://www.restore-a-deck.com/restore-a-deck-package-300.html
Stain with this:
https://www.restore-a-deck.com/restore-a-deck-wood-stain-5-gallon.html
I have a pressure treated pine deck, about 500 sq ft, last coated with Armstrong Clark semi transparent oil based cedar stain around 2020. Half of the deck is under a porch and gets little weather on it. The rest is shaded about half the day. I have found that the AC tends to get some black mildew and green algae forming on it as the years go on. If I had it to do over again, I would have used the water based RAD brand from the beginning, but I don’t think I can switch at this point. I have already started getting it ready for a recoat with the RAD cleaner, but there are still a lot of dark areas, and it looks like I am going to have an issue with the area under the roof looking different than the part out in the weather. Would I be better off using the stripper on the entire deck for a more even appearance, followed by the brightener? Would the RAD Guard help the situation at all? I do have a pressure washer if that will help.
Yes, strip and brighten for prep. After staining you use the RAD Guard to prevent mildew in the future.
Thanks for the prompt reply, that is impressive customer service! The idea of using the RAD stain really appeals to me, because I don’t have to worry about letting the deck dry completely, and it’s better at controlling the mildew. It’s also about $50 less for 5 gallons. If I am using the stripper would this give me the option of switching from the AC to the RAD product, or am I stuck with the AC? Thanks again!
You can switch once you strip and brighten for prep.
Here are pictures
I have a deck over 6 years old. The top boards are made of pressure treated 2×6. I think they are pine. I recently build steps around them of cedar and stained them using Ready Seal Natural Cedar stain. I pressure washed the old top boards, so they now have a greyish color. How shall I prepare the old top boards so that when I stain them, they will come at least close in color to the new cedar steps?
Use our Cleaner and Brightener Kit for prep: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/restore-a-deck-package-300.html
I have a quote with shipping for approximately 512 dollars is this in US dollars or does your site recognize and calculate the amounts in Canadian when address is put in?
USD.
Thank you.
Last week, I washed, brightened and then stained my deck (All RAD products), and because the stain had faded so much since I last did it (in 2021), I put two coats of semi-transparent stain on and now the deck is very tacky and a little shiny, so I’m assuming I oversaturated it. As I know the only solution is to strip the deck and redo it, I have already ordered the stripper, brightener and a fresh gallon of stain and (weather permitting) was hoping to redo it sometime in the next two-to-three weeks. My questions are – is this too soon, and if I do strip it, should I just put one coat down or two? Thanks.
Use the Stripper additives to help strip newly and overapplied stain. Just do one coat after.
Thank you! I did purchase a bottle of the booster because I know I overapplied and the stain will still be fairly fresh. Is it still okay to strip and re-stain this quickly? It’s just really tacky. My shoes were still sticking to it yesterday (3 days later). We’ve got a lot of rain coming this week and next, so I’m guessing the soonest I’ll be able to get out there will be Memorial Day weekend (or immediately after). I just want to make sure I don’t do any damage to the wood. Thank you!
Yes, you can strip and stain whenever you have time.
Hi! I’ve been using your products for several years on a 300sq foot pine deck. Two years ago I stripped, washed and brightened my deck using RAD and then applied two coats of semi-transparent cedar. It looked great the first summer, but by this year it was so faded I decided to wash brighten and stain again. Would I still want to put down two coats? Thanks!
Just one coat if you have a base coat.
Good morning RAD crew,
Here’s my situation with 2 pictures to illustrate.
The build is 2 years old. Montreal climate means it’s in use for only half the year maybe, in this case with direct exposure to sunlight most of the day.
Material is brown pressure treated pine. Only the cuts have received an ‘after cut’ treatment at the time of the build, nothing else so far. Wood was no so great quality so lots of cracks.
I plan on giving a quick sand on the horizontal surface unless advised otherwise (because of wood quality issues) but hoping not to do much of that on the vertical parts.
I have roughly 436 sqft of horizontal surface, and about 624 sqft of vertical to cover. I plan on giving the vertical parts only one pass and giving more attention to the horizontal with a second wet-on-wet pass as I go (thoughts ?).
What I’m looking for here is mostly tips for the prep with product and quantity to order. Also tips about applying the semi-trans stain, dry time, rain, sun etc… would be nice.
Note: I do have access to a pressure washer and a garden sprayer if those can facilitate the project in any way ?
Thank you
JB
No need to sand. Clean and Brighten for prep. Proabbly 2 kits. Staining with one coat on verticals is okay. About 7-10 gallons total for all wood.
Lots of tips here: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/topics/deck-cleaning-reviews-and-tips
Thank you, you mean 2 of prep kit ‘300’’ ? from what i can find on the site…
So when during prep would the pressure washer become an asset ? Washing away cleaner and/or brightner ?
What is the brightners’ purpose exactly ?
Thanks again !
Yes, correct on the kits. A pressure washer makes your job easier and more efficient with better results. You pressure wash after the cleaner. You rinse after the Brightenr. Brighener neutralizes the cleaner and leaves your wood in a neutral pH balance. Better for the stain performance as well.
What are the pros/cons of the semi-transparent vs solid Restore-a-Deck stains (durability, cost, ease of application/reapplication)?
Durability is the same. Comes down to preference on opacity.
Hello,
I have a 512 sq ft deck, ~16′ x 32′. I replaced the top boards (5/4 x 6″) last summer with new MicroPro Sienna pressure treated SPF from Home Depot. Unfortunately, in the Fall, hundreds of dark berries from a pear tree fell on a portion leaving dark stains on about 100 sq ft. (See photos. )
I would like to clean off these berry stains and apply a semi-transparent stain. The deck is located in Stouffville, about 25 miles north east of Toronto. It is on the south side of my house, so it gets a fair bit of sun. I do have access to a pressure washer.
Can you please advise as to what are the best steps to remove the berry stains and what stain would you recommend for both long life and ease of maintenance and re-application.
Thanks!
Hello,
We are not 100% sure what will remove the berry stains. Your best option would be to use our Deck Cleaner and Wood Brightener. If anything will remove the deep stains it will be the brightener.
https://www.restore-a-deck.com/restore-a-deck-package-300.html
I’ve stained my deck 3 times with restore a deck walnut semi transparent stain.it’s due for a recoat. Do I use the same process of cleaning, brightening, and staining? I thought you recommended clean only but no brightening the last time I restrained.
Clean and brighten is correct.
Hi there,
I’m preparing to stain my 3 year old, 700 sq ft. pressure treated deck. Can you recommend a stain? I live in Ontario and my deck receives sun all day long. 1. I’m wondering if I should use your RAD water based stain or the oil based one? I’m looking for ease of initial application, and reapplication for future maintenance but most importantly, longevity. In terms of colour, I like the look of it when it is wet. 2. Transparent or semi-transparent? 3. Colour suggestions?
With Thanks!!
Use the RAD Cleaner and Brightener Kit for prep. Stain with the RAD Stain in Semi-Transparent Natural color.
Thank you! And how much of the Cleaner and Brightener and stain should I order?
1 Cleaner and 1 Brightener. 5-7 gallons of stain for two coats.
Do you offer a military discount to veterans?
Sorry, but we do not.
Looking for some assistance for a 1000 sq ft deck. Used your product for last application, not sure how long ago, maybe 5yrs? Would like to clean and restore in 1 day but not sure how much of each product to order. deck is 10 yrs and 15+ yrs old
Post some pics for prep help.
Here ya go
Use this for prep. Very easy:
https://www.restore-a-deck.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit.html
Stain after.
Sorry for posting this again, I cant find my previous comment. I had stripped and applied your product last summer (I bought the entire kit). Initially it looked great, but I must have messed something up. We have rainy winters here. What did I do wrong, and I have stain left. What do I need to do to fix it? Should I apply another coat wet on wet? Thanks.
It looks like the boards that is is wearing more than the others are actually rotting. Some of them might need to be replaced at some point.
Clean and brighten the floors while pressure washing. Stain after. Railings should be okay to skip this year.