The RAD Wood Restoration Contest is closed!

First Place

Annemarie

First Place = $500 + 5 Gallon Pail of RAD Stain of your choice!

Second Place

Ben Smith

Second Place = $250 + 2.5 Gallons of RAD Stain of your choice!

Third Place

Thomas Pongracz 

Third Place = $100 + 1 Gallon of RAD Stain or 1 RAD Prep Kit of your choice!

Thanks to all the entered this year! 

We will be contacting the winners via email.

Restore-A-Deck 2019 Wood and Deck Restoration Contest Details

  • All Restore-A-Deck Prep and Restore-A-Deck Wood Stain must be purchased first from this online eCommerce site (Restore-A-Deck.com) between January 1st - September 5th, 2019.
  • The Restore-A-Deck 3-Step Process must be used.

RAD Stain Steps

  • The deadline for entry is September 15th, 2019.
  • The winners will be decided by September 30th, 2019 by our team.

The RAD Contestant Winners will Receive

  • First Place = $500 + 5 Gallon Pail of RAD Stain of your choice!
  • Second Place = $250 + 2.5 Gallons of RAD Stain of your choice!
  • Third Place:= $100 + 1 Gallon of RAD Stain or 1 RAD Prep Kit of your choice!

How To Enter Contest

  1. Enter by September 15th, 2019.
  2. In the comment section below, post a short description of your deck/wood staining project, the Restore-A-Deck products used to prep, and the Restore-A-Deck Stain Color used. Was the Restore-A-Deck Stain applied the same day as the prep? Yes or No?
  3. Examples of wood projects that can be entered: Decks, Fences, Wood Side Homes, Log Cabins, etc.
  4. 1-2 pictures before the prep of the wood. You can still enter if you do not have the before pictures. 
  5. 1-2 pictures after the prep of the wood using the RAD Prepping Products. You can still enter if you do not have the after prep pictures. 
  6. 2 pictures after the staining using the Restore-A-Deck Wood Stain must be included.
  7. If having trouble uploading the pictures, please make your picture(s) size smaller (below 3 MB).

Any questions or issues posting, please ask in the comment area.

We look forward to all the entries!

*Disclaimer: All products must be purchased from Restore-A-Deck.com. The contest is not open to products purchased from other online dealers or from physical stores. All 3-Steps in the Restore-A-Deck system will need to be used to win 1st, 2nd, or 3rd Place: Step 1: Restore-A-Deck Wood Cleaner or Restore-A-Deck Stain Stripper. Step 2: Restore-A-Deck Wood Brightener. Step 3: Restore-A-Deck Wood Stains. If you used a different brand of stain but still prepped with the RAD prepping products you can still enter to receive a 5% credit (max credit of $20) towards your purchase from Restore-A-Deck.com.

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  • We will reply to your comment shortly
    Garland Godinho · 09/07/2019
    We restored our deck using Restore-A-Deck stripper, brightener, and cedar stain.
    Our deck was in HORRIBLE shape & a real eye-sore. Fortunately, our first step was really research, because we had heard about and were tempted to do a Deck-Over kind of stain, but had a bad feeling about it. During a few hours of research, Restore-a-Deck came up again & again as having great value, great quality, & great customer service. We experienced all three.

    Our deck is about 16 years old and had been stained for years with a Behr solid stain. We read that R-A-D stripper would work with a solid stain if it were peeling, and ours was peeling quite a bit in places, as you can see in the before pictures. We did replace 4 or 5 boards before we started the stripper.

    The stripper (plus booster & thickener) did not take all of it off right away, but it did take SO much off, that we really had hope. We used only our garden hose, not a power washer, because we were too worried about ruining the deck. We used deck scrub brushes & used the entire 1st batch of stripper, rinsing, stripping and scrubbing for several hours.

    R-A-D customer service was very quick to reply to our questions & concerns at this point, and coached us to do some sanding and a second round of stripping. We used a couple of hand-held rotary sanders (and a lot of elbow grease!!) and then did a second round of stripping.

    The next round of pictures are after this second strip, some spot sanding and then the brightener. Already we could see that the deck had been TRANSFORMED, but once we applied two coats of stain, it looked totally AWESOME! While this was a tough project that involved a lot of scrubbing & sanding, we were able to not only save our deck, but see it undergo an utter transformation from "ugly deckling" to magnificent outdoor hang-out. We were so happy, relieved, & grateful that we went with Restore-A-Deck. Even with the two rounds of stripper, it was still very affordable, and again, the customer support was great.

    Here are the before, prepping, staining, and finished pics:
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    Jeff Belanger · 09/03/2019
    Here's a few other pics...
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    Jeff Belanger · 09/03/2019
    Other pictures
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    Jeff Belanger · 09/03/2019
    Deck refinished and stained is 15 years old and measures 31'x17'. I have used numerous products from solid stains to oil-based stains but RADs prep and stain solution is by far the BEST.

    Prep: Stripper & Brightener
    Stain: Dark Walnut Semi-Transparent

    The Stain was applied 2 days later due to a rainy weather forecast.
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    Daniel J. · 09/03/2019
    Two years after refurbishing my deck I chose Restore-A-Deck Cleaner, RAD Brightener, and RAD Semi-Transparent Light Walnut Stain to finish it up and my wife and I couldn't be happier. I used the cleaner with a power sprayer and then the brightener one day and stained the next day. I'll definitely be using these products again! Thanks Restore-A-Deck
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      Tony Castonguay · 04/30/2020
      Hi Daniel, can you tell me what type of wood you refurbished your deck with?

      Thanks, Tony
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    Barry wombacher · 09/02/2019
    Before striper
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    Barry wombacher · 09/02/2019
    It was ceader stain
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    Barry wombacher · 09/02/2019
    Just used your product on 22 year old deck it brought it back to life again I did it my self over 350 square feet I did it in two days looks great I did not think I could get old stain off but your stain striper worked great I did the three step process after a turned out great
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    J.P. · 08/30/2019
    My wife and I refinished our 22 year old deck and railing this year with 5 gallons of RAD (Cypress Solid Stain).Living near Chicago, upkeep of the deck is a constant job but also well worth the enjoyment that the deck gives us. In the past we used Cabot stains but the quality of their product has diminished considerably. The only prep we did was a thorough washing with a oxygen/hydrogen peroxide. After it was dried we sanded the decking with 80 grit paper using orbital sanders,(4 hours). We then once again cleaned the deck by vacuuming it and using a leaf blower. We applied the CYPRESS Solid RAD and completed the deck in 2 hours and the railing in 6 hours all in the same day,needless to say we were wiped out. This stain from what I can see looks awesome on the deck and withstands chairs and other sliding objects better then any other stained they we have used in the past. We are so pleased with this product and guest have commented how nice it looks. I am enclosing some before and after pictures to show prospective buyers. We are so pleased that we bought this stain this year. Thank You Restore-A-Deck, "J" & Rose
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    Constance Ciresi · 08/28/2019
    Finished!
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    Constance Ciresi · 08/28/2019
    Having trouble posting
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    Constance Ciresi · 08/28/2019
    This deck has had no maintenance for about five years. After researching, I decided Restore-A-Deck was my best bet. Due to the size of the deck, my age, and time constraints I stripped, brightened, and stained over several days. I am so impressed with this product. Customer service is awesome! I called with questions and got great info. Here are pics
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    Annemarie · 08/24/2019
    Looks like the photos of the upper deck didn't load, nor did the lower deck post-staining. Here they are:
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    Annemarie · 08/24/2019
    My parents had two roof decks put on the back of the house in 1992. I typically did the cleaning/staining process for them every few years and HATED it. It always took weeks to get it done because all the available products required several dry days during the process. We live in San Francisco - we have year-round fog, and when the sun does come out it is only temporary. The products also seemed to be very dangerous - I practically had to wear a hazmat suit!

    The roofs below the two decks both had to be replaced last fall, so the old decks were removed and new ones were built. We let the wood "rest" for about nine months, and at that point they looked pretty ugly and gray. We love having the decks, but my husband and I were dreading the cleaning/staining process. Thankfully, we found out about Restore-A-Deck, and decided to give it a try.

    We started with the upper deck. Our cleaning process probably wasn't ideal, as we didn't use a pump sprayer. Instead we used a soft bristle brush to coat the wood, scrubbed with a stiff bristle brush, then hosed off all the muck. This process took a lot of effort, and left both of us exhausted and sore. We used a pump sprayer for the brightener, and decided we would use the sprayer to apply the cleaner on the lower deck.

    We cleaned one afternoon, and did the brightener the second afternoon. The following morning it was so foggy the deck was still drenched. The sun came out for a bit later that day and we went ahead with the staining. We were absolutely THRILLED with the results!

    We were running low on the cleaner and brightener, so we ordered more before starting on the lower deck (we still had plenty of stain as we only did one coat on the new wood).

    For the lower deck, we started cleaning in the afternoon, but must have started too late in the day, as we ran out of light. My husband finished the cleaning process early the following morning, and we were able to brighten that afternoon. We applied the stain in the afternoon on Day 3. Just like the upper deck, the wood looks amazing! Unlike the upper deck, we did use the pump sprayer to apply the cleaner, which made the process go faster, and wasn't as exhausting.

    Products used:
    Restore-A-Deck Cleaner
    Restore-A-Deck Brightener
    Restore-A-Deck Semi-transparent stain (Natural)
    Total area cleaned, brightened, and stained: approximately 1000sq.ft.
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    Vicki LaPinta · 08/23/2019
    Our deck is over 30 years old, and the wood is not in the best shape. It is about 750 sf of flat surface with 2 sets of railings, 2 sets of steps, 2 built in benches with flower boxes. We are 2 retirees on a budget ,so we wanted to do the best job we could with what we could do ourselves. The last time we had the deck stained was about 4 years ago. It did not hold up well and we did not like the grey against our house. We did our research and decided on the RAD solid stain in Dessert Taupe based on all the great reviews we read. We started out our project by pressure washing and looking for a good solid stain from a reputable company. After reading numerous reviews, we decided on the RAD solid stain, but now 4 weeks had passed, and we felt we had to pressure wash the deck again. We still weren't happy with the results after the pressure washing because we still had a lot of loose stain, so we rented a sanded from HD and sanded the deck. We did 2 coats of the Dessert Taupe and tho the stain is a little lighter than what we thought it would be, we loved the finished color. It is a nice, warm neutral, that goes well with our grey/green home well. The stain was so easy to apply. We loved the coverage. Here are a few pictures. I don't have a before except for the small area we have 1/2 the old grey stain and the new Dessert taupe side by side. We are very happy and feel very proud we were able to do this ourselves.
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    Ben Smith · 08/23/2019
    I began this project with a deck that is 30 years old. It had been at least 5 years since the deck was last maintained in any way. I did thorough research before selecting a product and felt that Restore-A-Deck offered the best overall solution for price, quality of product and environmental friendliness. I purchased the Restore-A-Deck Semi Transparent Wood Stain 5 Gallons and Cleaner/Brightener Combo Kit with the Light Walnut stain color. I also added the Restore-A-Deck Booster Additive to ensure that the old stain would be removed with a single application.

    I power washed the deck using a 1500 PSI sprayer before applying the Stripper. I realize this step was likely unnecessary but my deck had excessive dirt and mildew and I wanted to ensure that the stripper would soak into the wood to remove the old stain. Next, I lightly sprayed the deck with water, applied Stripper to all surfaces with a pump sprayer and lightly scrubbed with synthetic bristle brushes before rinsing with a power washer. I let the deck dry and then applied the brightener to the entire deck and thoroughly rinsed all surfaces until suds no longer appeared. I filled knot holes with wood filler and large cracks with 100% waterproof caulk, dyed a similar color to the wood stain. I lightly sanded railings and spindles with a palm sander and used a drywall pole sander to smooth the horizontal surfaces. Finally, I applied 1 coat of stain to the vertical surfaces and 2 coats of stain (wet-on-wet) to the horizontal surfaces.

    The project took about 2 weekends to complete. Having an elevated deck with extra spindles and stairs while working alone resulted in extra labor that other deck restoration projects may not encounter. I had never stained a deck prior to this project. The product arrived quickly and was packaged well. The instructions were very clear and easy to follow. We could not be happier with the end result. Attached are photos showing the deck prior to power washing, after cleaning/brightening and the final result. Below is also a hyperlink to a video I created that highlights each step in the process. I highly recommend this product to anyone looking to stain new or restore an old deck.

    https://youtu.be/8eQhrVbOp_4
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    KDann · 08/19/2019
    My completed project using the RAD kit(Clean, Brighten and Solid 2-Tone Stain) very satisfied customer. Looking forward to my next project......
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    my3pups · 08/08/2019
    more pics of my finished deck my3pups
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    my3pups · 08/08/2019
    Just completed my deck project yesterday. The old deck stain was peeling and flaking (see first pic) I used one package of restore a deck stripper. Followed the instructions and it worked excellent (see pic). After doing extensive research on deck stain I settled on restore a deck solid stain in coastal gray. I ordered five gallons at the advice of restore a deck. Application was done using a 3/4 nap roller and a total of 3 1/2 gallons for two coats was used for 440 square feet plus the posts. The stain rolled on easy and covered well despite many 8x10x20 boards having weathering cracking. Two coats applied same day as directions stated it could and the end result is beautiful!!! I cant believe its the same deck!
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    Thomas Pongracz · 08/01/2019
    Used restore a deck cleaner and brightener then solid stain white on railings and gray on floor. Turned out beautiful.
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    Kate · 07/29/2019
    The photos did not upload in the correct order, but 1/4 is before showing the peeling, cracking and stained areas. 4/4 shows the sanding, stripping and prepping to refinish. 2/3 shows the cleaning and brightening process, 3/4 shows the stain and after photos. I used dark walnut, semi-transparent stain. I LOVE IT!
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    Kate · 07/29/2019
    My husband and I bought our home a year and a half ago. It has a two-tiered, 1000 sqft. deck. Unfortunately, this spring it started cracking and peeling off in big chucks. I am not sure if the deck is original to the home or not. If so, the deck is 26 years old. It appears that a few of the boards were replaced at one time. I also did not know what was on the deck at first. After a week of sanding and trying different strippers that did not work, I learned our deck had 1-2 coats of deck over on top of a coat of paint, which was on top of a semi transparent stain. It was a nightmare to remove, but I was determined.

    After one month of work from sun up until sun down, 7 days per week, the deck was ready for cleaning, brightening and staining. After working so hard to remove sub standard products from our deck, it was amazing how simple RAD products were to use! I cleaned and brightened in one day with the help of my daughter who made sure the product did not dry on the surface. I would have also stained that day if the weather forecast had not changed. But to be on the safe side, I stained very early the next morning. I used your recommendations for hot sun application as I live in North Texas and the temperature was 95 with a heat index of 106. I purchased your stain applicator brush and it worked beautifully! I applied only one light coat of stain because of all that sanding. In hindsight, I think I applied too light a coat and was not always 100% consistent with the amount I applied especially the area in full sun. But I think it looks really good. I plan to clean, brighten and apply another light coat in the fall or early Spring with the RAD products I have left over. Then I think it will look great!

    The deck boards were in really bad shape when I finally got a good look after all that junk was removed. And while they still show some wear and age, I think they look beautiful.

    Using Restore A Deck 3 step process was breeze and makes my old, weathered deck look great! Thank you for your helpful website and advice and especially for making quality products I could use! I would recommend Restore A Deck products to anyone.

    I’ve attached some before, during and after photos.

    Best regards,
    Kate Armitage
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    Jay Sosinski · 07/29/2019
    My deck is roughly 300 square feet and its been more than 15 years since I have done anything to it and more than 15 years ago I only used Thompson's water sealer 1 time. It has never been stained just the railing painted white when I bought the house almost 20 years ago. For the last few years I have been removing the paint while looking for a product that would make my deck look new again and I believe I found it. I prepped my deck with the RAD Cleaner using a deck sprayer and brush. My deck scrub brush wasn't getting all the dirt up because of the weathering of the deck boards so I lightly scrubbed the mildew stains with a wire brush which didn't take very long as the cleaner did broke it down nicely. After the cleaning process I lightly sprayed the deck with water as the directions say before using the deck sprayer with the RAD brightener. Wow, my old untreated deck boards looked like new. I waited 48 hours before applying the RAD light walnut semi-transparent stain according to the directions so I did not apply it the same day as the prep. I applied the stain with a 4" paint/staining brush to assure an even application while waiting 20+ minutes before applying the second coat all in the shade as to avoid direct sunlight as the directions suggested, so it took me about 3 days as I avoided the direct sunlight. Overall the project took me about 6 days (Thankfully the weather cooperated all sun and no rain). I couldn't be happier with how my deck turned out. It looks better than I ever imagined, like new, and like its been stained for decades.
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    Marv Boggs · 07/28/2019
    Just thoroughly prepped and stained my old cedar deck using all Restore-A-Deck products including two solid stain products, and the deck is beautiful! Several of the rails were quite weather worn and after staining two coats, there are still a few deeper splits that could use a good third coat which I feel would coat sufficiently for our need. Question: Is a third coat okay to do on a stain? These are solid color stains.
    (When its time to strip and redo this deck, we'll strip it down to the framing and build new. But not for a few years.)
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      RAD Products · 07/29/2019
      Yes, you can do this. Feel free to post some pictures when done.
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    Stephanie P. · 07/18/2019
    Looks like pictures 3, 6, and 7 didn't make the cut. Trying again!
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    Stephanie P. · 07/18/2019
    We had new pressure treated pine boards and a vinyl railing put on our deck in south central Pennsylvania in July 2018, as the old boards and railing were beyond repair. Our deck is around 625 sq ft at 29' x 16' with a 12.5' raised octagon, two sets of three 3' stairs and one set three of 5' stairs. After seasoning for a year, and lots of research, I decided on the RAD products. Forgive the "before" picture with the dog! It was the best I had, as I failed to take a picture before jumping in (I was excited!).

    On Friday, July 5th, we used the Step 1 Cleaner with the deck brush attachment on our power washer for the cleaning process and the Step 2 Brightener with a regular, wide-angle spray nozzle to rinse it off. On Tuesday, July 9th (we had to wait due to inclement weather), we stained the deck with the RAD semi-transparent cedar colored stain. Surprisingly, we ended up only needing one packet of both the cleaner and brightener (I had bought two of each, just in case), and about 3 - 3.5 gallons of stain. We only stained the boards (one coat only this time around), but prepped the base boards, as well, as we intended on painting them white and wanted them to be in good shape for the paint, as well. The whole process was pretty darn easy - just a lot of deck to do it on! Like others have commented, the recommended stain brush really worked well, and an Oxiclean soak got it clean for reuse afterwards. We had four people working on it (we took turns), but it could easily be done with two. Doing it alone would not be difficult, just a bit more time crunching. It's always nice to have a gopher/helping hand.

    Every time I look out the window at the finished deck, it makes me happy - the cedar color is lovely and really lets the warmth and beauty of the wood shine through instead of just "painting" it. Water is beading up with the rains we've gotten, so it's already doing it's job!
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    Keith morth · 07/14/2019
    Sorry for the clumsiness with the photos. These last photos are a couple days after it cured and out of the bright sun.
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    Keith morth · 07/14/2019
    New southern facing PT pine deck completed July 2018. Staining project finished over 2 days in May 2019. Job was incredibly easy and loved the fact that I could get it done so quickly. The recommended RAD deck staining brush used made it a breeze to apply. I used the RAD cleaner, brightener, and the RAD Natural stain. I think it turned out great and I am pleased with the results.
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    KDann · 07/12/2019
    Cleaned(30 sec cleaner from HD) and pressure washed my deck after moving into new home, deck most likely never been stained for past 5-6yrs. Want to try the Kit, cleaner and brightener and two tone solid stain(classic white for rails and Coastal Grey for deck boards) Still need to remove the worn lattices and replace with vinyl at the base and wash and clean the "base board" where the lattices attached to. Deck is 20ftx13ft with 5 stair threaders. Advice on amount needed and if kit is good choice for remaining cleaning?
    • We will reply to your comment shortly
      KDann · 07/12/2019
      Lattices
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      RAD Products · 07/12/2019
      Yes on kit for the prep. Around 2 gallons for the rails and 3-4 gallons for the floors.
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        KDann · 07/12/2019
        was thinking max 3 gallons for deck floors based on your recommended coverage, "Coverage Per Gallon:200-350 sq. ft" is your recommendation based on the wood age and absorption? also is the Brightener really needed since going with the solid stain? I have another project I can use the brightener if not on the deck.
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          RAD Products · 07/12/2019
          Yes, you have to brighten.
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            KDann · 07/12/2019
            Thanks order placed.....any customer pictures of the Coastal Grey solid stain you can link to?
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    Philip · 07/10/2019
    Was in the process of staining my deck and after applying the stain (Thompsons Waterseal plus Stain) my wife and I HATED it. Not sure of what to do, I started looking for strippers and stumbled upon the RAD brand. Based on the reviews, I decided to take a shot at getting the deck back to normal. I used the Restore-A-Deck Stripper and Brightener with the results being better than I thought! Before and after pictures shows the incredible difference.