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Here is a great review and testimonial by one of our customers:
I just wanted to let you know I am very happy with your Restore A Deck kit. My deck was neglected for 7 years prior to me using your product kit. It made my deck boards look almost new again. I used it in conjunction with Armstrong Clarke stain and I have a great finished product. I have a home repairs and upgrades YouTube channel called TightWadRepairs. I recorded a video of me using your product to share with others and lately it has become pretty popular with over 20,000 views and 99% positive feedback. You are welcome to add a link to my video on your site if you wish.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Ben Palmer
TightWadRepairs
Hello – just finished pressure washing and sanding 700 sf of my cypress deck. It had been treated with oil based stain and was covered in mildew. I have purchased 4 gallons of your semitransparent RAD and brightener.
I need to know how to proceed…. After using the brightener, can I apply the stain while the deck is still damp , or should I wait a few days until the deck is dry? Also, do I need to apply a 2nd coat. If so how long should I wait before applying the 2nd coat?
Hopefully, you did not sand finer than 80 grit. If you did, you will need to weather and prep in the Spring. For sanded wood, you apply only 1 coat. You can stain to damp or dry wood:
https://www.restore-a-deck.com/how-to-restore-a-deck-stain-to-damp-wood
Thanks! I used 60 grit… FYI, this deck is almost 15 years old and has been sanded and treated with oil based stain every 2-3 years. I would think it has weathered long enough!?! Also the temperature in our area is averaging between 45 to 70 degrees. I am afraid without any stain the deck will be in worse shape if I wait until next spring. Further thoughts?
You can prep and then stain now. Just one coat.
Asked a question re: mahogany deck 10 minutes ago. Forgot to mention that I was a painter, done many deck strips n recoat but never had such a problem as the black stains as previously posted. Please help. Thx
We have a large deck. Can we clean in sections over 2 days and then do brightener over whole day on day three.
Best to brighten the same day as when the cleaning is done.
What is the longest can you wait to stain after cleaning and brightening a cedar deck?
2 weeks.
Have deck that was painted black Want to apply dark brown opaque stain. Does all the paint need to be sanded off first? Or only in the worn spots? Can I use the cleaner and brightener on the painted surfaces? Thanks.
Pressure wash first and then sand off any loose solid stain/paint. Try the RAD Solid stain in Espressuire after to cover intact stain that is not peeling.
No need to use a brightener for a painted deck.
I used the cleaner and brightener on my deck. It’s about a 1 year old, never been stained. There are some white fuzzies and some of the boards still have a little bit of a silver/white haze. Do I need to clean and brighten again? Will the fuzzies go away? I hosed the deck down for an hour after each application.
That is from oxidation/graying removal. Typically does not show when stained.
Here are the pictures? Do you think I’m good to go or do I need to clean/brighten again?
You can stain.
ok. Back again. I have found some help and can get my top deck and zen deck sanded as these are the ones where the wood that gets full sun is not smooth but a bit pitted. the middle deck is just dirty (I think) and the wood in great shape as it is in the shade.So, on the decks to be sanded do I just use brightener and then stain?andon the “covered” deck that is not being sanded, if I clean with RAD cleaner can I then stain with RAD (the deck current has Defy semi water based on it.) or must I strip?Sorry but this is all new and confusing to me and I am taking this on alone so I appreciate all help.
You must strip and brighten if you have a prior stain like the Defy. For the areas that you sanded, cleaning and brightening after is best.
I have about 1200 ft.² of decking half of which gets extreme sun exposure the other half is covered by the top on both I have used defy extreme water-based stain attached are some photos I am wondering what the best procedure to follow is using your products do I need to sand the decks or not? Thank you so much for your help!
Hello, prep by using the Restore A Deck Stripper and then the Brightener. Use the RAD semi-transparent stain after.
So more questions..On the deck that is under the top deck where the deck and railing is more dirty than worn and the wood like new, do I really need to strip, brighten and restain? Could I reapply a coat of either RAD stain or Defy?Will just cleaning and brightening work down there?And how does one do the top rails with the stripper, brightening products? Apply with a brush?
You have to strip. You cannot apply the RAD over the Defy. Stripping is just as easy as cleaning. Apply stripper with pump sprayer and pressure wash off. Brightener after you are done.
And what if one doesn’t have a pressure washer or is not big enough to use one? Will water pressure form hose work?
And how does one do the support posts and top rails on deck to be stripped and restrained??
Also could one just use the RAD Cleaner to clean the lower deck this year and then plan to strip etc. with RAD next year? 1200 would be a lot for me to do.
You can rent pressure washers and while you can scrub it all off, it is much easier to use a pressure washer. As we mentioned, you pump on stripper to rails and then pressure wash off. Apply stain with a brush or stain pad. Best to do it all at once. Either strip now or next year.
Your product is described as covering 100-200 square feet per gallon. Is that for a wet on wet application or just one coat? I want to be sure to order the correct amount of product for my multi level 800 square foot deck. The decking is about 8 years old. Previous applications of TWP and Armstrong Clark oil based stains have resulted in a lot of mildew despite quarterly use of Wet and Forget.
For 800 Sq feet and two coats applied wet on wet, you will need about 8 gallons. Make sure to include stairs and railings into your sq footage amount.
We just purchased RAD products to restore our 9 year old deck. Is it always necessary to sand the deck? If so, the sanding should be done prior to applying the stripper, correct?
No, you do not have to sand but if you do, do it after cleaning and prior to brightener is best.
Hello. I recently moved into a home that is 20 years old. It appears that the deck has never been treated but I cannot be sure. My husband power washed and sanded the deck at the beginning of spring. Any recommendations on where to go from here with your products?
Clean and brighten the wood for prep and then stain with the RAD stain: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/restore-a-deck-stain-combo-kits.html
My husband and I purchased your 3-step kit and are finally getting around to starting the process. We decided to purchase your kit as we’re tired of restaining our deck every 2 years. (Totally rethinking the cost effectiveness of building a composite deck next time.) We used a pressure washer first and I started the cleaning part, but there is still quite a bit of the previous stain on the cedar deck. I’ll attach a picture. After reviewing some of the comments from others and the RAD responses, I have a question. We most recently (2-3 years ago) applied Cabot cedar oil stain (but it’s not solid stain; I’m attaching the picture below of what we used). Do we need to completely sand the deck before completing step 2 & 3 in the RAD process? Or do I need to repeat step 1 (cleaning) and really put tons of elbow grease into it. Or perhaps simply sanding would be easier??
You should not be using the Cleaner but the Stripper as the Cabot does need to come off. Best to use the Stripper Additives as well: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/rad-stain-stripper-additives.html
Why go with a water-based stain vs. oil-based?
Better UV protection, environmentally safe, and will not promote mildew growth are a few reasons.
I put a clear sealer on my new deck a year ago. It still beads, but looks dingy and there are white spots around the knots in the wood. I was told this is because the wood wasn’t dried properly and this is sap seeping up. I’m trying to figure out if I should use the stripper and start over or just try the cleaner.
Strip and then brighten for prep.
I pressure washed and sanded most of acrylic latex paint off my deck{all that would come off}now to apply solid stain any more cleaning? deck is 10 years old
As long as the current stain is not peeling and intact fully 100% to the wood, you can stain with the RAD Solid Stain
Hi – We live in NE Pennsylvania so lots of different weather patterns. We have a 25 year old pressure treated pine deck that had been maintained every 3 years (7 times total in 21 years) up until 4 years
ago by simply pressure washing the deck and treating with Cabot semi-solid stain in the color cedar. It actually looked great for 21 years. Only now, 4 years later, is the deck flaking. We’ve had a
pretty good run all things considered. The railings were not flaking nearly as much as the deck floor. We have cleaned and sanded the entire deck railing and it looks and feels great (to us) and appears to
be ready to accept new stain.
From what I can gather from reading other posts, am I correct in assuming the semi-solid Cabot stain isn’t going to come off without sanding the entire deck floor? I was planning on using the RAD
stain as a final step. Do I have to include all the following steps or is there even one I can eliminate? Clean the deck floor, sand the deck floor, strip the deck floor, brighten the deck floor and then finally
stain the deck floor? Last question – how do I maintain the deck going forward using your stain product? I certainly appreciate any guidance you can provide. Thanks so much.
Post a picture of the current prep.
I’m in Southwest Virginia with a 15 year old pressure treated pine deck. Stained with oil based Cabot originally and again 5 years ago. Needs re-stained. I have pressure treated with soap-cleaner only to remove mildew. What product(s) might I need? Thanks
You will need to remove the Cabot. Can you post a picture, please?
Thanks for your response. Not all the old Cabot was removed with power washing. Must I use a stripper to remove the remainder down to bare wood?
Yes, you must remove all and what you have is a solid stain that cannot be stripped. You must remove fully by power sanding to use any of our stains.
Glad to get candid and knowledgeable advice. The Cabot folks told me if I used their stripper and their Deck Correct product I would be OK. The Lowes paint guy suggested a commercial stripper. Looks like a bit of sanding is my best bet. Many thanks!
OK, I understand the old Cabot stain can’t be stripped. Now, how about the verticals. I have 1″ square small posts that don’t look terrible. Must I also sand them down to bare wood before using your stain? Maybe gasoline and a match would be easier…. Thanks
If you want to use the RAD stain then yes, you will have to sand the spindles as well. You cannot apply a semi-transparent over a solid stain like the Cabot that you have.
I have prepped my deck with the RAD kit, cleaner and brightener. Now I’m waiting 48 hours to dry. The cedar deck is 4 years old weathered from southern exposure in ND, and has never been stained. Will I need to put on 1or 2 coats of TWP 100?
Two coats applied wet on wet.
Must I remove/strip all Penofin oil based sealer (awful product! My railings have become blotchy and full of black mold) before applying RAD stain to the railings?
Yes, you must strip off the Penofin. It will easily come off with the Stripper/Brightener kit:
https://www.restore-a-deck.com/order-restore-a-deck/rad-kits-best-price/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit/flypage.tpl.html
Can I use RAD cleaner and brightener with TWP or Clark Armstrong stains?
Yes, you can.
I have a southern exposure cedar deck that get sun most of the day. It is 3 years old and has never been treated. It has weathered to a gray color. I live in ND with harsh winters. For prepping I plan on cleaning and brightening. I would like to use a semi-transparent stain. should I use Restore a Deck, TWP or Armstrong Clark? And why should I use that particular brand.
Any of the brands we sell will work great for this deck.
Will the cleaner or brightener affect aluminum or steel siding?
Depends on the how they are coated. Typically no but always best to test first.
I plan to use a solid deck paint/stain on my existing redwood decks. They were last done three years ago with a semi-solid stain. Can I paint them after stripping or must I use a brightener?
You should brighten after to neutralize the stripper and restore the pH balance. Better for the new stain or paint.
will the restore process kill my plants that surround my deck.
No, but always pre-wet and rinse when done so the plants are not covered in residue that comes off the deck.
[quote name=”Thomas Furtaw”]Just received my shipment of cleaner and brightener. My deck floor is about 350 sq ft. Is it better to split up the cleaner application since I have to keep it from drying? Can I start the cleaning process even if the deck is damp from rain? Can I put on the brightener even if deck recently wetted down to remove the cleaner?[/quote]
Apply all at once. You can always mist the areas that you are not working on with water to keep wet. You can apply the cleaner if damp from rain. The brightener goes on as soon as you are done with the cleaning and rinsed well.
Just received my shipment of cleaner and brightener. My deck floor is about 350 sq ft. Is it better to split up the cleaner application since I have to keep it from drying? Can I start the cleaning process even if the deck is damp from rain? Can I put on the brightener even if deck recently wetted down to remove the cleaner?
[quote name=”Nikli”]My cedar fence is turning grey, do I need to use the restore-a-deck cleaner (step 1) before using the restore-a-deck brightner (step 2) or can I just use the brightner to get rid of the grey look?[/quote]
You need the cleaner to remove the gray and then brighten after.
My cedar fence is turning grey, do I need to use the restore-a-deck cleaner (step 1) before using the restore-a-deck brightner (step 2) or can I just use the brightner to get rid of the grey look?