RAD STAIN 1gal MenuWhen working with newly installed wood and decking surfaces, the Restore-A-Deck Wood Stain is ideal after 3-6 months of natural weathering. Restore-A-Deck Wood Stain’s long-lasting composition works hard to absorb quickly and penetrate deep into the wood grain to withstand the elements and stay true to its beautiful finish long after the staining project is complete.

Before beginning the staining process, it is recommended that new wood surfaces be installed 3-6 months before prepping and staining. To prep new wood surfaces after the waiting period, use Restore-A-Deck Cleaner. It’s concentrated powder formula is cost-effective, easy to transport, and especially good at removing dirt, grime, mold, and mildew that is prone to showing up on new wood surfaces.

Note: Kiln dried and KDAT wood still needs to weather after install. About 1-2 months. Rough sawn cut wood does not need to weather. 

After the new wood has been cleaned, the wood will appear slightly darker. To restore the wood and neutralize the pH, use Restore-A-Deck Brightener to lighten it to its original appearance. The RAD Wood Brightener further opens the wood pores for an ideal surface to apply Restore-A-Deck Wood Stain.

Following Restore-A-Deck Wood Brightener, continue with Restore-A-Deck Wood Stain. Unlike other brands of wood stain, Restore-A-Deck’s formula can be applied to wood surfaces following the Brightener on the same day on damp wood or can be applied to dry wood on following days. If applying to damp wood, it is recommended to allow the wood to dry 2-4 hours after prep is complete.

Only 1 coat should be applied to new wood that is less than 9 months old for the RAD semi-transparent stain. A light maintenance coat of the RAD semi-transparent stain should be applied 12-18 months after the first coat was applied. Every 2-3 years after that is normal.

For the RAD Solid Color Stain, apply 2 coats. Reapply as needed down the road.

Restore A Deck Stain Application Tips

If you have any questions, please comment below.

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    Dawn · 07/07/2020
    I have an 8 month old cedar deck that I cleaned and brightened and stained last weekend. The cleaner and brighter worked like a charm! I used one coat of the Natural Semi Transparent RAD stain after letting the deck dry 2.5 hours. I used the sponge applicator and the recommended deck brush. It went on great, however it is a very bright yellow-orange color. I wouldn't call it natural. Thinking it would tone down after it dried. I waited patiently, however, it is still very orange. I bought lots of this stain (20 gallons to be exact) to stain my entire fence as well. I'm worried that I won't be able to live with the orange color if it covers my entire yard. Is there something I can add to the stain to tone it down a bit before I stain the fence? And what about my deck? Now that the stain is on there should I strip it off and try a different color? Thanks!
    • We will reply to your comment shortly
      RAD Products · 07/07/2020
      The final color will always vary based on the wood type and age of the wood. You can strip it off the deck and do another color if you like. As for the fence, you could add some Dark Walnut into the stain to brown out the color some.
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    WHM · 07/07/2020
    I will be using the RAD Soldi Color Stain, and per above, applying two coats. Some articles indicate that a 2nd coat should be applied wet-on-wet, but not this one. Should I stain an entire deck board with a first coat and then immediately apply the 2nd coat, or wait for the 1st coat to dry?
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      RAD Products · 07/07/2020
      Not with the solid stain. The first coat must be fully dry before applying the second coat.
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    BB&R · 07/06/2020
    After prepping pressure treated lumber with Restore-A-Deck Cleaner and Brightener, how long can I delay the application of the semi-transparent stain? Rain storms are always an issue!
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    Evan · 07/06/2020
    Getting ready to stain a new pt deck (8 months old) with your semi-trans. Since the install, some splintering and such has occurred that needs sanding. Can I sand with 80 grit then clean and brighten and still expect even stain penetration? Thanks
    • We will reply to your comment shortly
      RAD Products · 07/06/2020
      We would not suggest power sanding. If you want to smooth splinters, then hand sand with 60-80 grit paper.
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    Corie · 07/04/2020
    If a cedar fence is stained on both sides with RAD stain, can one side be a RAD solid color and the other side be a RAD semi-transparent color?
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      RAD Products · 07/05/2020
      No, the stain will bleed through to the other side and look unsightly if you have two different colors.
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    Rick · 07/03/2020
    Ready to order! 20 year old deck, I flipped all the boards last year to expose the “good” side and replaced 35 of them. Floating dock is 21 x 36 including 2- 2.5 c 36 sides. How much cleaner, brightener and natural stain do I need to make it happen?
    • We will reply to your comment shortly
      RAD Products · 07/04/2020
      About 8-10 gallons of stain and 1-2 Cleaner/Brightener kit.
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    Kimberly · 07/03/2020
    1-If we replace some of the old decking with untreated cedar boards, should we still wait 3-6 months of weathering before staining?

    2-What is the best tool to use to apply the solid stain to the deck?
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    Jerry Lane · 06/28/2020
    On Saturday I did a maintenance of Cleaner/Brightner/Semi-transparent stain on my covered deck when it was Mid 80's. 24 hours later, temp has dropped to 60, with rain forecasted for Monday, then temps are back up to mid 70's.
    #1 Will the weather affect my work?
    #2 I want to put a mat under my BBQ to protect the deck. How long should I wait?

    Thanks, JL
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    RJ · 06/28/2020
    I have some of the light semi walnut transparent stain left over. It has not been opened. How long Is it good for? Also I want to use it in a glider bench than is built out of non grated wood. Can I apply it to that? Wood is 6 months old but has been stored inside. I’m sure it’s dry. Thanks
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      RJ · 06/29/2020
      Would 3 months, then prepped by cleaning be enough?
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      RAD Products · 06/28/2020
      The glider should weather outside and then prepped before staining. The stain if stored correctly is good for a few years.
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    Scott Mueller · 06/22/2020
    We installed a new pressure treated pine deck in June 2019. We are now ready to stain using your semitransparent stain. Should we use 1 coat or the 2 coat wet on wet application?
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    Dan · 06/20/2020
    Hi, We have a deck that is a mixture of old and new wood. Didn't notice the bit about weathering new wood for 3-6 mths before staining. (Lumberyard recommended staining immediately upon installation.) We have cleaned and brightened the deck already. Will we need to clean and brighten again in 3 months? Thanks
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    MM · 06/19/2020
    Hi-- a few questions.

    We have two rotted boards in our deck (not sure what type of wood the deck is, but I'd assume pressure treated pine) that need to be replaced, and the rest of the deck needs to be stripped, brightened, and stained. Should we:

    1. Replace the boards, let the whole deck sit for 3 months, and then do the 3-step process, or

    2. Do the 3-step process, then replace the boards, and treat the whole deck together for the maintenance coat 12-18 months later

    Also, we recently power washed the whole deck, which resulted in some rough patches. Should we sand these before the 3-step process, or will the process help smooth those areas?

    Finally, how many days of clear weather in a row do you recommend for finishing the whole process? Can the deck get rained on between the brightening and staining steps? How long after applying stain does it need to dry before the risk of rain?

    Thanks!
    • We will reply to your comment shortly
      RAD Products · 06/19/2020
      Either 1 or 2 is fine. Sand know if needed, 60-80 grit paper. Rain does not harm the prep before staining. The stain can take a rain 4-8 hours after application.
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        MM · 06/20/2020
        Great, thanks. We want to use a decking oil after cleaning and brightening, but one that is clear/transparent so it will bring out the natural color in the wood, as opposed to tinting it. We think our deck is pressure treated pine. What would you recommend?
        • We will reply to your comment shortly
          RAD Products · 06/21/2020
          You have to have a tinted stain if you want UV protection. Try the RAD Stain in Natural.
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    Ric · 06/17/2020
    sorry, accidentally posted to the wrong page, please feel free to delete comment and I will post on correct page!
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    Ric · 06/17/2020
    Hi if I just want to do a color test on an inconspicuous spot, will it be enough to power-wash off a small section of whatever is on the deck now (prior owner indicated power wash will take it off) and test stain? Will the test spots for colors we don't choose come off with the cleaner or a power wash when I come back later to do the full deck or would I need to strip it? Thanks!
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      RAD Products · 06/17/2020
      If the wood is bare then yes you can test spot. As for later one, you should strip so it all blends.
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    Dean · 06/14/2020
    I applied the RAD semi-transparent natural color stain to a new pressure treated pine deck last summer, now I plan on doing a maintenance coat in next few months. I plan to only do the horizontal surfaces this time. Should I use stripper/brightener or cleaner/brightener before staining this time?
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    Kenneth E Biggins · 06/14/2020
    We stained our one year old pressure treated deck yesterday. There seems to be some lighter spots. ca we touch up these spots today, or do we need to wait.
    • We will reply to your comment shortly
      RAD Products · 06/14/2020
      It will probably not take if you try to spot apply and will not even out.
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    English · 06/13/2020
    After cleaning and brightening with RAD, the grain on the cedar railing raised making them rough to the touch. What method do you recommend for smoothing the railings?
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      RAD Products · 06/13/2020
      You can lightly sand with 60 grit to remove splinters, etc if needed but do not heavy sand as you want the wood porous for the stain.
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    Rixie · 06/12/2020
    Hi, we just got a new deck installed. The deck rails are cedar and the floor is pressure treated. When would you recommend we begin the cleaning/brightening/staining process? Should we do the cedar now and do the pressure treated next spring? If at all possible we'd like to do it all at once but we are concerned about the cedar cracking if it gets too dry.
    • We will reply to your comment shortly
      RAD Products · 06/13/2020
      Do it all at once either late Fall or Spring of next year.
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    Ronald Reaves · 06/12/2020
    I have a full container of your deck cleaner. Would it be safe to use Olympic 52120/01 Deck Brightener & Wash following use your deck cleaner?
    • We will reply to your comment shortly
      RAD Products · 06/12/2020
      No, that is not a true wood brightener and will not neutralize. Their product is bleach-based and is bad for wood.
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    John · 06/07/2020
    I just cleaned and brightened yesterday, planning to stain today when the shade is on the deck. Deck is 1 year old.

    Once this is done, I should re-apply the stain same time next year? Do I ever have to clean and brighten again in the future?
    • We will reply to your comment shortly
      RAD Products · 06/07/2020
      Reapply as needed and always prep the same kit.
      • We will reply to your comment shortly
        John · 06/08/2020
        I got some pulpy substance on my brush while scrubbing during the step 1 cleaner. Is that just the layer of old grey wood getting taken off?
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    Lincoln · 06/03/2020
    I have added a set of stairs using pressure treated pine to my deck. I plan on waiting the 3 the 6 month time period to clean, brighten then stain them. The wood next to the new stairs has been recently stained, will the cleaner and brighten deteriorate the stain next to the stairs so that I would have to restain it as well.
    • We will reply to your comment shortly
      RAD Products · 06/04/2020
      It may.
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        Lincoln · 06/04/2020
        So do I just retain the wood next to the area that I will clean and brighten?
        • We will reply to your comment shortly
          RAD Products · 06/04/2020
          If compromised, yes. if not, leave alone. You will be able to tell
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    Paul · 06/02/2020
    I have finished staining and have a couple of questions i hope you can help me with. After the brightening step i had 1/2 dozen boards that developed the black spots shown in the attached photos. The boards were randomly spaced out across the whole 850sqft. Also, now that the deck is dry i have a couple of very obvious spots that i missed (attached) can i go in with a small brush and blend those in? i only put on a single coat as i had sanded down to bare wood. Lastly, i got significantly better coverage than expected (<2.5 gals for 850 sqft) I have 3 unopened jugs of semi-transparent and 1 bag each of cleaner and brightener. How long will each last if stored in a cool dry basement? Great product, love the color! Thank you for the on-line support and for patiently answering many of the same questions over and over again :)
    • We will reply to your comment shortly
      RAD Products · 06/02/2020
      That looks to be mold that was not cleaned out prior with the prep. Not much you can do about it now. You can try and touch up your missed stain posts but be careful so it blends. A few years when storing.
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    Amanda · 05/31/2020
    My kids splashed minwax stain on my porch. Will semi transparent cover this? What would I need to do to get it to the point that I could use the cedar color or light walnut.
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    Amanda · 05/31/2020
    I just ordered the sample stains and plan to order the cleaner, brightener and stain. We have a new deck (roughly 6 months old) that is untreated. We just finished painting the ceiling of our overhang and a lot of paint sprayed and fell onto the wood. I'm trying to understand the process we need to follow before staining this deck. We planned to pressure wash and then sand to remove dirt and paint and also because some areas just need sanding. Then we'd follow with the cleaner, brightener and stain. Do we need to use the cleaner and brightener before pressure washing and sanding too? Or what would you suggest for this process?
    • We will reply to your comment shortly
      RAD Products · 05/31/2020
      Sand off the paint first and then clean and brighten while pressure washing.
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    Bryant · 05/30/2020
    I have a 3 year old pressure treated deck that has never been cleaned or stained. Looking to use your product, what is the recommendation? Cleaner, brightener and stain? I'm assuming I can skip the stripper since nothing has been applied before? Also, with it being 3 years old should I go with 2 coats wet on wet? Any other recommendations for cleaning/prepping? Is a pressure washer needed? Thanks!
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    rusberri · 05/27/2020
    I just finished building a small deck and playfort with swingset with pressure treated wood for my kids. If I read correctly I need to wait 3-6 months before I clean it, use the brightener and stain?
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    AJ · 05/23/2020
    I am really struggling with which color to go with. It's between Cedar & Light Walnut. I've looked at every picture on your website and sometimes the 2 colors look the same on the pictures. I think though that the Light Walnut seems redder and the Cedar has more yellow & brown in it. Would you say that's true?

    Can I buy both colors and mix them to get a blended color??
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    Aundrea · 05/22/2020
    If I use the RAD Stripper, can I go straight to the Brightener after or do I still need to use the Cleaner between the two? Also, how much of the RAD stain do I need for a 300 sq.ft deck?
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    am · 05/18/2020
    My deck is a year old. Can I apply 2 coats of stain?IIf so, how long to wait between coats?
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    BB&R · 05/16/2020
    After applying one coat of RAD semi-transparent stain to new pressure treated decking and then waiting 12-18 months, do I need to clean, strip, or brighten before applying a light maintenance coat.
    What are the steps for reapplication?
    • We will reply to your comment shortly
      RAD Products · 05/19/2020
      Clean and brighten.
      • We will reply to your comment shortly
        SL · 05/20/2020
        Same question; stained new deck for 1st time last year with RAD semi-transparent. To clarify for this year, we should clean and brighten and then just ONE light maintenance coat?