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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  • We will reply to your comment shortly
    Sandy · 05/22/2022
    I am preparing to stain a new western red cedar railing made with high quality kiln dried wood. I will be using Armstrong Clark Semi-Transparent and understand I need to wait a couple of months. Moisture reading is ok at this time and the trim seems ready to take the stain. Top boards have mill glaze. I figure in 4-6 weeks I will work on the mill glaze.
    1. Am I correct that I use RAD cleaner (scrubbing gently) to get the glaze off?
    2. And immediately then use the brightener?
    3. If this causes the fuzzies I sand and then re-brighten? Is that correct?
    4.How much time can elapse between this prep and the staining?
    Thanks!
    • We will reply to your comment shortly
      RAD Products · 05/23/2022
      1. Use a pressure washer lightly after using the cleaner is the best way.
      2. Yes.
      3. Correct 
      4. For the Armstrong, wait 48 hours after prep and stain within 2 weeks of prep.
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        Sandra Storer · 05/23/2022
        I’m afraid to pressure wash new cedar! I’ve ruined wood before. Is scrubbing not adequate for removing mill glaze? Thx. 
        • We will reply to your comment shortly
          RAD Products · 05/23/2022
          You can scrub but much easier to use a pressure washer.
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    Koz · 05/15/2022
    Hi! I had new porch post installed 6 months ago pressure treated pine. I was told to wait a few months to stain. I’m pretty sure they are rough cut as they are not smooth? 
    Do I need to prep these in any way before staining?  I also had gables installed to my home 3 months ago that I plan on staining the same color. Pressure treated pine as well but the wood looks smooth. None of the wood is gray and I’m assuming I’m okay to stain? Would appreciate any advice / feedback. 
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    YankeeR · 05/12/2022
    Hello - two quick questions on prep:
    1) Last year I stripped/scraped/sanded badly worn solid stain from deck surface.  Turned out to be a couple of coats under there - not fun.  I applied a single coat of RAD grey-semi after cleaning/brightening. I will be applying a second coat to darken and even out color.  After washing the first coat from last year, should I apply brightener prior to applying the second coat this year?
    2) I will be doing a two tone scheme with the railings using RAD white-solid. Current railings are a mix of older semitransparent stained pressure treated wood and unstained PT wood repairs. As prep for the RAD solid stain on these railings, is it best to use brightener as well?

    Even the single coat of RAD grey-semi held up well over winter and looks  good.  Application was easy.  Very happy with the RAD products so far.
    • We will reply to your comment shortly
      RAD Products · 05/12/2022
      1. No need for a brightener if you have a base coat.
      2. Strip and Brighten the railings.
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    Cathy · 05/11/2022
    We have an old cedar deck that was stripped and power sanded (finer than 80 grit) a year ago and want to apply your semi-transparent stain.
    1.  Should we still apply only one coat of stain bc it was sanded, even though a year has passed since then?
    2.  Also, some of the deck boards are more weathered than others due to one side being exposed to more sun.  What tips do you have to ensure that the applied stain will look uniform?
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    Jeanette · 05/10/2022
    We built a new back deck in November of 2019 and had a roof over it built in December 2019.  The contractor told us to go ahead and stain it before adding the roof and we did using the Restore-A-Deck stain.  We used the cleaner and brightner then stained it.  I know we should have waited for the wood to cure before staining but he insisted.  The stain of course didn't penetrate the wood and we need to restain it.  What is the procedure for doing this.  Do we need to clean and brighten again and then stain? 
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    John Barrett · 05/09/2022
    2 1/2year old cedar used RAD semitransparent after 9 months stripped and brightened first - suggestions on how to proceed- thanks! John 
    • We will reply to your comment shortly
      RAD Products · 05/10/2022
      Use the RAD Stripper and Brightener Kit for prep before recoating.
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    Cas · 05/04/2022
    I have a stainless steel wire railing system on my 3 year old pressure treated pine deck running through 4x4 PT posts.  I used Armstrong Clark semi transparent stain on the deck and posts.  The deck and posts still look pretty good, but I think it's time for maintenance.   I want to apply a second coat of the stain to the posts without cleaning and brightening but clean, brighten and re-stain the deck surface.  Q1.   Will your cleaner and brightener cause any harm to the stainless steel?  Q2. Should I do any masking or the  steel wires or of the posts where they meet the deck so I don't get splash up and color variation from the cleaner/brightener when I stain?        
    • We will reply to your comment shortly
      RAD Products · 05/04/2022
      You cannot apply more stain without doing the prep. You need to prep all the wood that is being stained. Prep does not harm the stainless steel. 
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    Peter Adams · 04/25/2022
    I have a weathered deck that doesn't appear to have ever been painted or stained. This is a south facing deck and it lives a hard life. I replaced some boards with new pressure treated wood. I need to get this deck stained this season and can't wait months for the new boards to weather. I can handle spot repainting and color variations but don't want to have a total failure to adhere.

    What is the failure mode when applying to new wood?
    • We will reply to your comment shortly
      RAD Products · 04/26/2022
      It will not soak in as well and will need a recoat in less than a year. It will also stain lighter in color for the new wood.
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    Joyce · 04/25/2022
    I stripped, cleaned and stained my deck last year using all your products. I have a few green spots scattered a few places on the deck. What do I use to just spot clean these places?
    Many thanks
    • We will reply to your comment shortly
      RAD Products · 04/25/2022
      Try a product called Wet and Forget to remove the green spots. 
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    Vickie · 04/24/2022
    Our PT deck was installed last June. We won't be able to get to our prep/staining in our Northern Minnesota location until end of May or early June. Does that fall under the "new" deck category? Will we need 1 or 2 coats of RAD semi-transparent stain after using the cleaner and brightener? Thanks for your help.
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    Richard Jeffares · 04/17/2022
    I have a pressure treated new dock 10 months old 170feet by 5feet
    It has nothing on it and has weathered thru the winter.
    I want to use the grey semi transparent 
    How many coats? How much product do I need? Thanks
    • We will reply to your comment shortly
      RAD Products · 04/24/2022
      Sorry, we did not see this question until today. 2 coats applied wet on wet. 1 Gallon should be enough. 
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    Ernest · 04/08/2022
    Thanks for the awesome website!  I have a few questions if your don't mind.

    1.  RAD is your second best choice, above all the other oil based stains that you like?   

    2.  When I reapply in 9 months, I don't have to strip this water based sealer?  It doesn't create a film or anything?  I just need to clean a bit, and put on a new coat?

    3.  I have rough sawn pickets.  One side is really rough, the other is smoother, but still not perfectly smooth (see attached picts).  I also have 2"x4" that say they are rough sawn, but are smoother than the pickets.  I have then in a barn, and I'm using dehumidifiers and a large fan to get the wood down to 15% moisture (since I was going to use an oil based stain).  Also, the boards were really wet, so I don't want them to dry out fast in the sun.

    Questions:

    a.  I don't have to weather the boards since they are rough sawn?
    b.  You said it was better to apply RAD to boards that are more moist, maybe even wet.  Is this just because you got more coverage?  Or am I degrading the process by drying out the boards?
    c.  Is it bad to back brush RAD in?

    Thanks again!  Best website I've found!
    • We will reply to your comment shortly
      RAD Products · 04/08/2022
      1. RAD is our top choice for stains.
      2. No need to strip, just clean and recoat. It will last much longer than 9 months on your pickets. 2-3 years or longer.

      3a. No need to weather.
      3b. No, you are not degrading the boards. Applies easier to damp wood, not better coverage.
      3c. No, but do it right away.
      • We will reply to your comment shortly
        Ernest · 04/08/2022
        Wow!  So impressed with this site.  Two follow up if I may?

        1.  The grain is pretty high, which I like.  I assume back brushing is the best. Or is pad the best?  Something else?  Is back brushing even necessary?

        2.  So there is no disadvantage to dryer wood?

        I’ve been googling for a while, and this site is helped so much.

        Thanks!
  • We will reply to your comment shortly
    Amy · 03/22/2022
    What's the minimum temperature for application and overnight dry time?
    • We will reply to your comment shortly
      RAD Products · 03/22/2022
      45 degrees.
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        Tim · 03/24/2022
        is the lowest apply temperature or the lowest for overnight/ 24 hours time frame? I was planning on doing this Saturday and daytime temps when I would do this would be 56, but the overnight low will be 30. Should I wait for another time when the temps don't ever drop below 45?
        • We will reply to your comment shortly
          RAD Products · 03/24/2022
          45 is the minimum temp for application. It can drop below that at night as long as it has 4-6 hours of dry time prior. It cannot drop below freezing the first night.
  • We will reply to your comment shortly
    Darrell Olivier · 03/18/2022
    My cedar fence is 4 months old, can i just pressure wash then use RAD semi-transparent stain or is it better to use the cleaner and brightener before staining.
    • We will reply to your comment shortly
      RAD Products · 03/19/2022
      Use the Cleaner and Brighener while pressure washing for proper prep.
  • We will reply to your comment shortly
    Brian · 03/03/2022
    I am building a deck on my home and I have sawn, kiln dried and milled white oak boards for the decking. The wood has acclimated and has an acceptable moisture content for exterior use in my region (wood is at 15-16% and I’m in the Carolinas). This wood has not been pressure treated and has been sanded to 80 grit. Reading through your installation instructions I believe I can use Restore a deck without weathering at this point but wanted to ask if I needed to prep the wood any way before staining. Also do you feel like restore a deck is the optimal choice for staining this project? 
    • We will reply to your comment shortly
      RAD Products · 03/03/2022
      You still need to weather. It is not about moisture % but porosity. For kiln dried wood, weather for 1-2 months and then prep with the RAD Cleaner and the Brighener Kit. 
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    Justin · 02/25/2022
    I have a 5 year old PT deck that has never been sealed or stained. Do I follow “new wood” process and do only 1 coat or would it need two? Thanks! 
  • We will reply to your comment shortly
    James · 02/19/2022
    I'm using new "rough cut" cedar board and batten for my exterior siding. Just to clarify, do you need need to use the cleaner and/or brightener to prep new wood prior staining with semi-transparent stain ? Or, if the wood is pressure washed and cleaned lightly prior to stain application, will this be considered adequate preparation ?
    Thank you, JW
    • We will reply to your comment shortly
      RAD Products · 02/21/2022
      Not needed to use the prep products for new rough sawn wood.
  • We will reply to your comment shortly
    vp · 02/01/2022
    I have to build a structure which is rough sewn cedar 6x6 posts complemented with some KD18 PT wood. I plan to use solid stain all around, in two different tones, one for the posts, one for the PT parts.

    Questions:
       1. If I hand plane the cedar (not sand), is it considered smooth and I have to wait 3 months? how long should i wait before entire structure can be done at once?
       2. What is the expected moisture content for Cedar and PT wood, before I can stain?
       3. I live in south texas and since summer is coming, can I apply during summer, if i start early in the morning before full heat? Assume 90-95F and 80-90% humidity worst case. No exposure to salt water, but there is direct sun.
  • We will reply to your comment shortly
    Darrell Olivier · 01/07/2022
    I installed a cedar fence with treated pine runners in November. How long do I have to wait before I can clean and stain my fence with your cleaner and restore a deck semitransparent stain. I don’t want my fence to turn gray before I can stain.
    • We will reply to your comment shortly
      RAD Products · 01/08/2022
      Hi, the above article explains this and it does apply to fences as well.
  • We will reply to your comment shortly
    bpiner · 12/20/2021
    We have a ton of redwood fencing to stain and plan to use a sprayer for the first time. Any tips on applying with a sprayer? Also, the top quarter of the fence is woven lattice which looks like it could be tricky to stain correctly. Let us know if you'd recommend a different application method for that section.
    • We will reply to your comment shortly
      RAD Products · 12/21/2021
      Spray evenly and back brush any drips or runs right away. Spraying lattice is the easiest way.
  • We will reply to your comment shortly
    Alex · 12/15/2021
    Planning to prep and stain a 50 ft long fence. Should I prep in sections to avoid having the cleaner/brightener sit too long before powerwashing? Or is it okay to apply in one go?  
    • We will reply to your comment shortly
      RAD Products · 12/16/2021
      Do one side and then the other side. Brightener after the cleaner.
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    JimTurner · 12/11/2021
    When is it good to do 2 coats? It's an 8-year old premium grade redwood gate that has just been sanded to super clean. 
  • We will reply to your comment shortly
    Z · 11/16/2021
    Hi, I'm in the Pacific Northwest. We installed a new cedar deck in July 2021. I see above that the wood stain is best after 3-6 months of weathering. It rains frequently here. Is it ok to wait until summer or should we try to catch a dry few days now to be able to stain within the 6 months to stain?
    • We will reply to your comment shortly
      RAD Products · 11/16/2021
      Waiting until next Spring to prep and stain is fine.
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    A. Walker · 10/29/2021
    Novice here, this may be a stupid question but do I need to apply a sealer on top of the RAD stain? 
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    Scorr · 10/20/2021
    I did the one coat only to a new deck last year and now I am ready to do the second coat. Do I use just the cleaner and brightener then stain. I don't use the stripper correct?
    • We will reply to your comment shortly
      RAD Products · 10/20/2021
      Clean and brighten. No stripper is needed.
  • We will reply to your comment shortly
    Leslie S · 10/19/2021
    I'm staining a shed built with rough cut pine. The siding was installed 8 months ago. We ran out of cleaner/brightener with about 20 square feet left. This is up at the roof line and now looks the same as the rest of the wood (which) has been prepped. I'm racing the clock with both the two week window and cold temps and need to stain thursday. What should I expect on that one patch? If it ends up being a problem, what will I need to do? 
    • We will reply to your comment shortly
      RAD Products · 10/19/2021
      If when wet with water it all blends, then you should be okay.
  • We will reply to your comment shortly
    dave keith · 10/07/2021
    Hi, forgot to ask this question in my last inquiry: If I have to sand some of the boards of my 2-year-old pine treated deck that has never been stained -- boards that have white fuzzies (previously you told me to sand after applying cleaner and before brightner), does this mean I can only apply ONE coat of the semi-transparent RAD product because the wood has been sanded...and therefore I should wait a year before applying the second coat? And when I apply that second coat, can I just wash the deck with water before applying second coat in a year, or must I use cleaner? Thanks.
    • We will reply to your comment shortly
      RAD Products · 10/08/2021
      You always need the cleaner when reapplying. Just one coat if you power sanded.
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    dave keith · 10/07/2021
    Hi, I need to purchase some more stain and return a brush I never used for a refund.  Want to visit your store.  Hours of operation M-F for October and November?  Thanks.
    • We will reply to your comment shortly
      RAD Products · 10/08/2021
      9am to 5pm October. 10am to 3pm November.
  • We will reply to your comment shortly
    B Taylor · 10/02/2021
    I stained a deck last year with semi-transparent stain after lightly sanding after stripping the old stain. It has held up really well.

    Lately, I noticed some white streaking. And recently cleaned the gutters using a pressure washer. The cleaner caused white spots in the deck that I tried to carefully pressure wash off. This caused further white streaks.

    Can I clean, brighten, and restrain over this? Also can I use wet on wet? That worked so well on another deck. Or do I only apply one coat?

    Or do I have to strip and start over?

    Thank you!
    • We will reply to your comment shortly
      RAD Products · 10/03/2021
      Post pictures.
      • We will reply to your comment shortly
        B Taylor · 10/03/2021
        I went ahead and cleaned the deck yesterday, I am wondering if I left the cleaner on too long. It actually began stripping the stain.
        I also used some bleach in places because the cleaner was not getting off the green algae.
        I used a pressure sprayer as I rinsed is when I noticed the stain coming up, so we used a stiff brush to get all off we could.

        Please see before and after pictures below.
        Please help. I think I need to go ahead and strip?
  • We will reply to your comment shortly
    Randy · 10/01/2021
    I want to stain a new pergola made of rough cut western red cedar and a deck made of treated yellow pine.  Both were installed about 11 months ago. After I prep with cleaner and brightener.  How many coats of semi-transparent stain should I apply?
    • We will reply to your comment shortly
      RAD Products · 10/02/2021
      One coat for the smooth wood and two for rough cut.