Do-It-Yourself Wood Restoration Made Simple!

Restore-a-deck.com

Restore-A-Deck Help with Your Project?

by RAD Products

Restore A Deck Prep and Staining Steps

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. See below.
  • 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.

How to Calculate Square Footage

Deck Sq. Footage

Flooring Length x width =?

Railing Length x height =?

Steps Width x Depth x #of Steps =?

Add up all 3 for the Total Sq. footage.

Fence Sq. Footage

Length x height =?

Multiply x 2 for both sides = Total Sq. Footage

Coverage Rate for RAD Stains

The specified coverage rate for RAD is 150-200 square feet per gallon for the first coat. Second will apply at 200-300 per gallon. This averages to about 100-125 sq. feet per gallon for 2 coats wet on wet. From this, and from measuring the surface you can calculate how much stain you need. For more aged wood you could easily factor in some extra stain. On newer wood that is still smooth and dense, you probably are not going to use as much.

For maintenance coats you are not going to use near as much stain as you did initially staining bare wood. There are just way too many variables to know the exact coverage rate of RAD for sure. There is really no way of knowing exactly how much stain you will need. It is better to buy more than you need than to not have enough. You can always save left over stain for next time. RAD has a shelf life of 1 year if opened and 3 years unopened as long as the can is properly resealed.

Restore A Deck Stain Application Tips

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
7.5K Comments
Newest
Oldest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Peter
Peter
1 year ago

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.

Cathi
Cathi
1 day ago

Good Morning! Over the weekend, we used the Cleaner, Sanded deck and railings with a manual pole sander, then Brightened. The color looks great, except there are a zillion little white fuzzies. The more it was sanded, the worse it got. We began staining the rails with Light Walnut yesterday. The stain is very uneven and the fuzzies are picking up more stain and looking dark. Here is a photo of a railing section. We have a ton more to go, then the flat deck. I’m afraid it will look bad if we continue with the staining. Help!

PXL_20240512_222241481
Tom
Tom
2 days ago

Would it be okay if I was to get my deck completely prepped with stripping and brightening but wait I’m just a couple weeks before I stain? The reason for the question is that according to the semi transparent stain instructions the needs to be at least 12 hours from the time the stain is applied and before any precipitation and I don’t think I’m going to have that window and I will be leaving for a couple of weeks and will not have an opportunity to do that before then. So, the deck will be totally prepped but just not stained for up to two weeks. Do I need to do anything before applying the stain 2 weeks following the brightening of the deck?

Dean Schmidtke
3 days ago

Hello. Not sure if my message saved. Applied stripper then did brightener on Ipe wooed deck. What could have caused this difference in coverage/color? This is taken a year after application, but pretty much dried this way. Thanks for any advice!

IMG_0955
IMG_0956
Dean
Dean
1 day ago
Reply to  RAD Products

I really want to avoid sanding. So cleaning and brightening only will cause same inconsistent staining, correct? Could it also happen if not all of the RAD brightener was rinsed off 100%? I had a really difficult time getting it completely rinsed – without any suds appearing. Thanks

Dean Schmidtke
1 day ago
Reply to  RAD Products

Ok thanks. Maybe the “fuzzies” are not really visible. Nothing looked different than it has before when I stripped the deck then applied brightener.

Dean Schmidtke
1 day ago
Reply to  RAD Products

I was going to do RAD cleaner and brightener.

Dean Schmidtke
1 day ago
Reply to  RAD Products

Perfect. I’ll try that. I have 1/2 2.5 gallon container left that is a year old. Should it still be good? Have new stuff coming.

Dennis
Dennis
5 days ago

When using the solid stain over rusty screws and hardware will the rust bleed through?

David
David
7 days ago

Have a 1400 square foot pressure treated wood deck that was previously coated with Behr Deckover(worst product ever made). I used a Diamabrush to remove all of this product last year. Had to replace a few boards. Now I want to use your semi transparent stain to refinish deck. Plan to use the cleaner, then brightener, then brush on stain. Will I be applying one coat or two wet on wet? Thanks for your help.

David
David
6 days ago
Reply to  RAD Products

At a coverage rate of approx. 150 square feet per gallon, should I order 2 of the kits containing the 5 gallons stain and cleaner and brightener, or does the cleaner, brightener go further than 150 sq. ft. per gallon. Just trying to make sure I order enough product without getting more than I need. Thanks again.

David
David
9 days ago

8 moths ago, I used the 3 part system to apply the semi solid water based RAD. It worked well, and weathered ( just a bit) over winter as expected. I want to re apply RAD but want to use the cleaner , rinse then apply RAD, only. Is the brightener an absolute requirement?

Its a big deck and originally took some 20 hours to do the job. Simply put, I want to avoid the work and cut corners,

Thanks,

J&A
J&A
12 days ago

Our deck is around 500 ft2, and was stripped, brightened and stained with light walnut in the spring of 2021. We did a separate deck last summer and have 2 gallons of light walnut, 1/3 bag of the cleaner and 1/2 bag of the brightener remaining. Will I have enough product to do the 500 ft2 deck this year, or what additional product should I order? I’m not sure how to attach a picture to show you the condition of the deck.

J&A
J&A
12 days ago
Reply to  RAD Products

On this site, I’m not seeing the paperclip icon, just Bold, Ordered List, Unordered List and Emoji. I’ve added a picture in reply to the email you sent me. Thank you.

J&A
J&A
12 days ago
Reply to  RAD Products

I’ve tried both Google Chrome and Microsoft Bing. No paperclip… no biggie.

J&A
J&A
12 days ago
Reply to  RAD Products

Done

J&A
J&A
12 days ago
Reply to  RAD Products

Excellent! Thank you for your quick responses.

Cathi
Cathi
13 days ago

We want to stain a 3 yr old pressure treated pine deck, 14×20 ft (280 sq ft) with railings, slats, and 6 stairs. It’s never been stained before. The “apron” around the outside of the deck will be stained also. There is no lattice.
We want to use the 3 step process using the Light Walnut stain. How much cleaner, brightener, and stain do we need to buy?
Thanks

Cathi
Cathi
13 days ago
Reply to  RAD Products

Ok, husband measured it. 640 sq ft total includes flat surface, apron, stairs, railings. We will need enough of the 3 step process to do 2 coats.

Cathi
Cathi
13 days ago
Reply to  RAD Products

Thanks! Also, how long should we wait to apply the second coat since we cannot walk on the first coat?

Cathi
Cathi
13 days ago
Reply to  RAD Products

Ok. Can the same Wooster Wide Boy bucket be used for the cleaner, then the brightener, then the stain if we rinse it out well between each? We plan on buying the 14″ brush for staining and it will fit into that bucket well, I assume.

Irina Zazovsky
Irina Zazovsky
14 days ago

Need to know what product to use to strip the solid finish on my deck

IMG_2058
IMG_2057
Phil
Phil
15 days ago

About 4 years ago I replaced the surface boards on a 15′ x 54″ deck with redwood. About a year later I cleaned, brightened and stained using your natural semi-transparent stain. I recently power washed the deck but it needs to be restained. I am going to be using the same stain as before. Do I need to strip the deck or just clean and brighten before applying the stain?

0
Eric
Eric
15 days ago

So in 2022 I did the RAD Cleaner and Brightener. But I only applied one coat of the RAD semi-transparent wood stain because it was darker than I’d hoped. It’s two years later and I was super busy last year… and did nothing in 2023. Now the deck has some mold and wear.

I assume for this season I should use the Cleaner and the Brightener before applying another coat of the semi-transparent stain? If so, should they both be at full strength? And should I only do one coat of wood stain or two?

THANKS!

20240419_115407
20240419_115413
Eric
Eric
15 days ago
Reply to  RAD Products

Sweet! Not to be dense, but when you say “prep” do you mean the cleaner, the brightener, or both? They both say “PREPS” in the top corner. 🤔

Lori
Lori
18 days ago

Hello, we already purchased whole set from you guys of transparent stain with cleaning supplies, but also as it’s an old wooden deck we want to make sure it will be safe for kids, and be splinter free. Is there anything we can apply on the top to protect our kids? Thanks

Lori
Lori
18 days ago
Reply to  RAD Products

Ok. Thanks. Is there any solution?

Richard Williams
Richard Williams
20 days ago

I have a new deck that was built about 11 months ago, made of new, kiln-dried wood. By the time it passed all the inspections it was too cold to stain it. I’m about to use the RAD cleaner and brightener, then a RAD semi-transparent water-based stain. The guidelines on your site say to let the wood weather 3-6 months; on the stain product it says wood less than 12 months old is still considered “new wood.” So should I use one coat or two on the deck? The deck is about 8 feet above the ground; should I also stain the underside, or not?

fretfinger
fretfinger
24 days ago

Using the same semi transparent stain and color: For the yearly maintenance coat, do I need to Clean AND Brighten the wood before applying the semi transparent coat? Or can i just clean it?
If both need to be done, can i brighten immediately after the cleaning process is complete, or do i need to wait a little while?

Mark Gordon
Mark Gordon
26 days ago

We had a cedar deck built ~ 5-6 years ago and had it stained after 4-6 months of wood curing. The initial product was a Behr semi-transparent strain and applied in the fall. Within 18 months the product was pealing and the wood was exposed. We power washed and sanded with too fine a grit, and the two applications of Olympic Maximum clear waterproof sealant was applied. This lasted ~ two years and began to peal. I again power washed and hand sanded the deck surface and began on the slats and posts. Weather did no allow me to finish and the deck is now 6-8 months out again.
After reviewing multiple sites the Restore-A-Deck system and stain have been highly rated by multiple sites, including the DeckStainHelp.com site. I have calculated the staining surface at ~ 1000 sq ft.
My questions are:
Can a water based stain be used now after the two prior stain/sealants were oil based?
I am planning on using your RAD Stripper and Brightener to prepare the deck.
I think I need to re-sand the surfaces with a 60-80 grit sandpaper as we were using 180 before, which as learned now made the wood less available to accept the stain.
We have intense sun on the deck 8-10 hours a day with temperatures regularly in the mid-upper 90’s, and occasionally greater than 100 deg F. Our winters are occasionally harsh..
Are we better using the TWP Pro 1500 semi-transparent cedar stain which is oil based, or will your Semi-transparent cedar water stain penetrate and protect as good as the TWP product.
I am ready to order and complete my deck restoration by the end of this month before temperatures reach the 90’s. We live in Kansas City MO.
Thank you for your assistance.

Deck-and-rails
olympic-sealant
Deck
Mark Gordon
Mark Gordon
25 days ago
Reply to  RAD Products

The prior sealants/stains were oil based. Can we use the RAD water based stains or do we need to re-apply an oil based stain?
Given the weather parameters and high UV exposure, do you recommend the RAD stains or will the TWP Pro 1500 offer better protection?

Thank you.

Nancy Dabrishus
Nancy Dabrishus
27 days ago

I have seven year old pine deck with Sherwin Williams solid stain. It is 12 x 24. I would like to restain it with solid stain, so solid stain to solid stain. Do I need to strip or just clean before staining? I do have a power washer. There are a few areas where the stain is coming off, flaking. Your product sounds really good, have been disappointed in the Sherwin Williams.

IMG_0118
Nancy Dabrishus
Nancy Dabrishus
26 days ago
Reply to  RAD Products

Thank you!

Julia
Julia
27 days ago

I’m trying to prep my old deck for staining with your semi stain, currently waiting on samples. I power washed, sanded the deck with 36 and finished with 60 grit. Still working on sanding sides and benches. I do want to stay away from any chemicals like brighter etc. is my deck ready to be stained? See pic below.
Once I decide on the color, what tools should I use and what amount of product ? since my deck is about 800 sf plus benches. after applying 2 coats to I need to use any sealer on top to keep moisture away? Also, are the darker colors are more easily peeled or chipped over time?
Thanks

IMG_4376
IMG_4403
Julia
Julia
26 days ago
Reply to  RAD Products

Thanks!
How many gallons do I need for 800sqf?
And how long does it take for the second coat dry completely?

Jess
Jess
27 days ago

Hi – we have a small cabin that is approx 8 years old. The siding is cedar and doesn’t look like it was ever treated. We would like to apply the solid espresso – would you recommend just Step 1 prior to application? Would we need to do Step 2 to brighten if the final product is a solid dark stain?

IMG_9611
Christopher Ross
Christopher Ross
29 days ago

Deck solid stain removal:

Approximate size of deck: 450-480 s/f
Wood type: I believe it is pine, I am not sure if it was pressure treated
Age: 20-25 years
Type of stain: solid stain
Last time stained: 6-7 years ago
I do have access to a pressure washer

IMG_4728
IMG_4727
IMG_4726
Christopher Ross
Christopher Ross
28 days ago
Reply to  RAD Products

lol I would like to remove it fully.

Kat
Kat
1 month ago

4 years ago, we stripped off the old stain on our deck and re-stained with restore-a-deck natural semi-transparent stain. The deck was fairly old (at least 10 years old, but really not sure how old) when we re-stained it and it is now showing some old grey wood poking through. When we re-stained it the first time, we hoped we might be able to just power wash and apply a new layer of stain the next time. Do I need to do the other steps?

Kat
Kat
29 days ago
Reply to  RAD Products

Sorry, I thought I had. It does not seem to be allowing me to add photos 🙁

I tap the paperclip, choose a photo and see a progress bar in the upper right of the screen, but nothing is added.

Here is a link to the photo on google photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/kVRtyPpKzR1NVKhe6

Brian
Brian
1 month ago

Used semi transparent stain last year wanna recoat what’s the correct process clean brighten than stain 1 or 2coats

Jeff
Jeff
1 month ago

Hi,
I have a 22 year old deck, pressure treated wood. Original product put down is unknown.
8 years ago, pressure washed and applied Olympic maximum solid stain.

What product will I need to prep and re-stain? I’m thinking regular rad strip and brighten then stain again. I am probably going to use a solid stain again.

Thanks!

Jeff
Jeff
29 days ago
Reply to  RAD Products

Will the water of pressure washing neutralize the stripper? Just want to make sure before I start.

John Musick
John Musick
1 month ago

About two years ago, we put two coats of solid costal gray on our deck after carefully prepping it. Looks great and holding up very well. Some areas where water tends to stand after rain have mildew forming. What is safest way to remove the mildew? Thank you so much!

Matt
Matt
1 month ago

Hi, we are in the process of restoring our deck. Here is the information you asked for. The stairs will also be replaced in the coming weeks. When finished, they will just be straight down to a pad, so we’ll need enough product to do those as well.

Square Footage of Area to be Restored: 380sqft plus railings and spindles and stairs

Type of wood if known: Cedar
Approximate Age of Wood: 24 years
If Applicable, the Previous Stain Brand Used and Type Tompson’s Water Seal
If Applicable, When was the last time wood was stained: 2-3 years ago
Wood Type to be Stained (Deck, House, Fence, etc.): Deck
Do you have access to a pressure washer? Yes

Miscellaneous Info: We had a company powerwash the house last week. They did the deck, and now we want to refinish it. For some reason, they didn’t do the outside of the deck, so we’ll need to do something with that area ourselves.

We are learning toward solid-color stains due to the age of the deck and its splotchy nature. But if you think the deck may be cleaned and a semi-transparent material could be used, we’d be interested in that option. In reality, we are looking for whatever will be the best-looking and last the longest.

20240409_104351
20240409_104359
20240409_104406
20240409_104443
Adam
Adam
1 month ago

Can I go over old stain with new? I originally used light walnut 2 years ago. It is time to stain again, but I want to go darker.

Tracy Thorpe
Tracy Thorpe
1 month ago

Hi there! I used your product 3 years ago to stain 2 small decks and a pergola. The wood was not brand new – we had it all built in 2016 (so 5 years prior to staining). It turned out great. Three years later and the decks look awful, so I need to redo them. Do I still need the same amount of product and need to go through the whole process again? I still have a half a bag of Neutralizer/Brightener and a half of the 2.5 gallon jug of stain. We used a combo kit with Light Walnut. Without the pergola (which still looks fine), it will be just under 300 sq. ft. I can’t see a spot to post pics.

Carm
Carm
1 month ago

Good day – I’m looking to re-stain the following, and would appreciate any input – thank you! I am considering the RAD semi-transparent water-based stain.

  • Square Footage of Area to be Restored – ~750 sq ft
  • Type of wood if known – PT Brown
  • Approximate Age of Wood – newly installed 3 years ago
  • If Applicable, Previous Stain Brand Used and Type – still original PT
  • If Applicable, When was the last time wood was stained – N/A
  • Wood Type to be Stained – Deck with Rails
  • Do you have access to a pressure washer – Yes
  • Miscellaneous Info: 3 feet below deck is a pool (with brick surround) area – any concerns with run-off of any products into pool water/area? Also, I would like to spot sand certain areas of the deck for splinters to smooth out. Deck gets full hot sun in the summer. Located in Manitoba Canada, so cold winter, combined with hot summers. Deck gets decent traction from coming up to house from lower pool areas. I am ideally looking for something that is lower maintenance to maintain/reapply every few years if needed and not have to re-sand over and over if possible.
  • Pics attached.
20220627_194839
20220627_194848
20230902_101953
Carm
Carm
1 month ago
Reply to  RAD Products

Appreciate this, thank you. Thoughts on amount of stain needed? Wanted to confirm approximate coverage amounts just because I have to import into Canada.

Carm
Carm
1 month ago
Reply to  RAD Products

Thank you!

Brian
Brian
1 month ago

Hello, I have a pressure treated deck, approximately 550 square feet on the south side of my home. New decking was installed in summer 2022. I applied Restore-A-Deck products in May 2023; Cleaner, Brightener then Cedar stain. The stain went on very easily and the deck didn’t absorb much stain as it only took 1 gallon to coat the deck even though I tried to apply the stain liberally. The stain has now come off on about 10% of the area of the deck.

I would like to give the deck another coat of stain as I have lots left over. What preparation steps do you recommend?

Thanks !

20240406_124747
20240406_124737
Annemarie
Annemarie
1 month ago

Project details:

Upper deck: 327 sq feet of horizontal deck surface, 56 linear feet of horizontal railing, and 104 vertical posts and rails
Lower deck: 356 sq feet of horizontal deck surface, 58 linear feet of horizontal railing, and 112 vertical posts and rails

Redwood – installed in 2018

Decks were last stained in 2021 using the RAD cleaner, brightener, and semi-transparent (natural) stain. Two coats on the horizontal surfaces, one on the vertical rails. The 2021 staining has held up nicely, as it only recently started to look like it needs a refresh. Prior to that they were cleaned, brightened, and stained with RAD products in 2019.

No pressure washer, but could likely get one

Here are my questions:

Should we use the cleaner as we have done in the past, or do we need to use the stripper?

Any reason to use a pressure washer? In the past we’ve used a pump sprayer to apply the cleaner, then scrubbed with a stiff brush.

We’re thinking about using the solid stain (maybe white) on the railings. Is the prep for this any different? If we do this, how long before we need to do it again? When it’s time to redo the solid stain, would we use the cleaner or stripper?

Does the white solid stain yellow over time (like white Lego bricks do in the sun)?

We’re in San Francisco, and rarely have more than two consecutive days of sun, so RAD has been great as we can apply it even if it’s foggy here. Should we be considering a different one of you products, or do the others require very dry conditions for application?

Thanks for your help!

IMG_20240401_112105649_HDR
IMG_20240401_112051996
Barbara Pratt
Barbara Pratt
1 month ago

We are in the process of replacing our railing on an extremely large deck with pressure treated posts and rails. We know the pressure treated has to weather for 3-6 months before being stained. When the time is right, do we use cleaner and brightener on the new pressure treated wood or can we just stain it?

Barbara L Kuhn
Barbara L Kuhn
1 month ago

Stripped and stained back deck last spring with RAD Natural semi transparent wood stain. Want to do a second clean and coat this spring. Can I use the Light Walnut over the Natural? Or do I have to strip and start over?

Barbara Kuhn
Barbara Kuhn
1 month ago

Want to stain new steps and refurbish existing porch floor. New unstained wood on steps installed 1 yr ago. Stain on covered porch ( out of the elements) applied probably 10 yrs ago. Don’t remember stain brand but was probably from big box store.
I have a pressure washer.
Approx 8’x20’ for porch plus 5 steps @5’ wide.
Love your products.

IMG_0097.jpeg
IMG_0096.jpeg
James
James
1 month ago

I stripped, cleaned, brightened, and stained my deck last summer/fall using the RAD system. Should I apply another coat of the semi-transparent stain this spring? If so, should I use the cleaner and brightener beforehand, or just the cleaner? Thanks.

Walter Wilson
Walter Wilson
1 month ago

I have 2.5 gallons of semi transparent stain that’s 2 and a half years old. Is it still good to use. I need to by more as well but I only need another 2.5 gallons if what I have is still good to use.

Michael
Michael
2 months ago

Mathis is my third time doing maintenance coat for a semi transparent cedar. I forgot if it’s one coat or two coats for wet on wet?

Richard Faubion
Richard Faubion
2 months ago

How do I safely and responsibly dispose of leftover materials? I have cleaner that is hard as a rock, brightener solution that is old and a half gallon of semi-transparent stain that is too old to use.

Richard Faubion
Richard Faubion
2 months ago
Reply to  RAD Products

The product containers say to get Safety Data Sheets from the website. How can I locate them? A half-hour search failed to turn up anything.

Karen Piotrowicz
Karen Piotrowicz
2 months ago

500 square foot deck we used your Solid Stain = Brown Oak in 2021. It’s faded in some places and needs to be refreshed. It’s not peeling or anything like that — which was my greatest fear when we pained vs. stained. So, how do I go about refreshing? Do I have to strip it? or can I clean, brighten and paint again? Thank you.

Jack Shilson
Jack Shilson
2 months ago

Is this available in ontario canada
Cost of shipping?
Price in american dollars?
Can I pick up in michigan if not available in canada?

Nick
Nick
2 months ago

~243 SQFT to be restored

Most of the deck is pressure treated lumber. The lighter part is 2.5 years old. The rest is ~8 years or older. If the deck was previously stained, it was over 4 years ago, though I cannot detect evidence of previous stain. I do not have ready access to a pressure washer. More details upon request. Appreciate the advice!

IMG_20240306_170918692_HDR.jpg
IMG_20240306_170932977.jpg
IMG_20240306_170959696.jpg
Richard
Richard
6 months ago

I have aged dried larch 3/4 T&G flooring. Does it need to be weathered before applying RAD stain?

Chuck
Chuck
6 months ago

Hi, I got some unforecast rain after staining. I had semi dark walnut stain, but it looks very light now. Wondering what I should do.

deck stain project.jpg
Bill
Bill
6 months ago

I have 800 sf of deck previously stained 3 yrs ago with TWP Semi-solid stain. It is faded/worn in the sunny places but still intact in the shade. There is no peeling or chipping. I want to apply your Solid stain. Do I need to strip or just clean the deck? Also, must I brighten after cleaning or stripping? Finially, how much stain should I buy?

Jae
Jae
6 months ago

Hi,
Completed RAD steps for new PT railing and posts. Started staining with RAD natural but would like to change the color. I would need to strip the current stain off and brighten before using new stain (Natural to Cedar)?
Also how long before stain is rainproof? I read somewhere it was 12 hours?
Thank you

Perry
Perry
6 months ago

Hi I cleaned and brighten our dock yesterday. This morning, the dry and not yet dried parts look different. That’s understandable. Is it ok the apply the semi transparent stain as it is or will the stain look different because some parts of the dock is still wet?

IMG_6650.jpeg
DSingh
DSingh
6 months ago

Hi,

I have this deck which i want to restore (please see attached photographs). I dont know the age of this deck…it was stained almost 5years ago.have couple of question…would appreciate if you could answer:

  1. Total size of the deck is 300 sq ft. It was stained before (see second photo). Do i need to apply double coat if we go with semi transparent stain? how many gallons of stains do i need in total?
  2. I can see few cracks in the wood and should i fill it with wood filler and sand it before applying stains?
  3. Few decks are peeling off? any suggestion to prevent them from peeling off. See the third photo.
  4. Do you have pictures decks which were stained with light walnut and dark walnut semi transparent stains? That would help me to decide the color.
IMG_6318.jpg
IMG_6319.jpg
Marsha Nelson
Marsha Nelson
6 months ago

I will be stripping spindles and hand rails on my deck and stairs (floor boards were replaced). The spindles have a lot of old Thompsons stain on them. I bought RAD Wood & Stain Stripper along with RAD Stain Stripper & Thickening Gel and RAD Stain Stripper Booster. Is this all I need to do this? Also, do I mix the 5 gal of water with the stripper AND the gel & booster (all 3 together)? Since it’s going to make 5 gallons I’m getting a lid to put on the bucket – but how long will it last after mixed? I doubt I’ll be able to do it all in one day.

Bill
Bill
6 months ago

I have white cedar siding on my home in New England that is about 8 years old. About 5 years ago I applied TWP 1500 (clear/natural), but I am disappointed in the amount of mildew. What product would you recommend? I want to keep it natural looking with no color, but would like to protect the wood.

Bill
Bill
6 months ago
Reply to  RAD Products

Thanks. Is your “Natural Semi Transparent” a color or is it “clear”. I don’t mind it turning gray, just want to reduce the amount of mold/mildew.

Robert
Robert
7 months ago

This afternoon I applied 2 coats of Dark Walnut Semi Transparent to half of the deck. However, the weather is suddenly turning “iffy”. Maybe a light shower late tonight. Am I in trouble?

IMG_0110.jpeg
IMG_3180.jpeg
Liz
Liz
7 months ago

I’m building a gate with new wood (got weather treated 2x4s and 2x2s a couple weeks ago at the hardware store) to add to a 30-year old deck that we stained with the RAD solid stain a few years ago. I ordered another jug of the same color so that it will match. I’m gonna be honest, this deck shows its age so I’m not concerned about a pristine finish on the gate (because the deck def doesn’t look pristine!), just want the gate to match the deck. What would happen if I just stained it today? What would be bad about it?

Liz
Liz
7 months ago
Reply to  RAD Products

Thanks for your reply. I read that page earlier today and posted a comment because it didn’t really answer my question. What type of failure is it, and how premature are we talking? I’m weighing costs and benefits of two less than ideal approaches. (Stain it now v. in a few months when I also have a newborn and, realistically, am gonna have basically no bandwidth to do it.)

Liz
Liz
7 months ago
Reply to  RAD Products

Ok that is very helpful to know. I’ll find someone to help me out after it is weathered and prepped!

Robert
Robert
7 months ago

A friend stripped and brightened my deck and steps yesterday. He clearly did a great job and rinsed the deck thoroughly. However, I am not sure that he rinsed the steps. Can I proceed to stain after giving the steps a thorough rinsing.? It has been 24 hours. Thank you.

7.5K
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x