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Matt
8 days ago
Deck was built and stained ~2014 with a Behr semi-transparent (which is absolutely garbage – peeling within 1-2 years). I re-applied around 2018 and now its time do do it again (I should have done it earlier). I’d prefer to go with a different product that would allow me to just clean it and re-apply after a few years. Can I just sand it with an orbital and then apply a solid deck stain? or do I need to strip it? One pic shows the progress after sanding (i.e. basically getting rid of any of the peeling areas but lots of non-peeling areas remain). Other pics show results after power-washing, but not sanded yet.
You do not need to remove all of the old solid stain when applying with a solid stain. Just remove the loose or peeling stain with our RAD Stain stripper and pressure washing. You can cover the intact stain that is not peeling.
Amit Modi
9 days ago
Hey
Matt
10 days ago
Can I use the cleaner , stripper and brighter to clean, strip and brighten deck? Than restrain?
Our deck was painted with SW Deck Pro solid stain in 2019….they wasted their time and $ since it is awful – 6X6X16 rotted and deck is awful mess of chipped and peeling….we are removing a portion of the deck in the sun and then wanting to change all the rest of the deck under roof and the 6X6 columns from ugly orange cedar color to a grey….Will sanding the columns and then cleaning them be enough to prep it for RAD semi transparent stain or should we start with a stripper?
We had 3 layers of solid stain-glass blasted off and then used RAD. It worked perfectly. Glass is like beach sand and safe for the environment.
Ross
9 months ago
My 500+sq’ deck is 15+yrs it has never had any stain applied only Thompsons water sealer the year after It was built. After a lot of research this seems to be the right product for my deck. Can you advise the best procedure to apply the solid surface restore a deck? Thank you
Sanded with industrial sander and scraped. Deck peels every year late summer when the wood shrinks. So thought a solid stain would be more flexible. Should I use a primer?
A solid stain while more flexible and with better penetration/adhesion than a paint, will not work properly over this since you have a large amount of paint left on your wood. You should try to sand it all off so you will have proper results otherwise the paint under the solid stain will continue to fail.
They will last the same when it comes to time to recoat but the solid stains will give better UV protection during that time.
Wade
10 months ago
I stained our Deck about a month ago. There is a lot of Dirt Stains from normal wear. What is the Best way to remove. I have used a hose but not working. Can I use soap and brush without affecting stain.
Thanks, Wade
Warm water and dish soap. You can also use a very sift brush like a car wash brush.
Chris
11 months ago
After using restore a deck cleaner and brightener on deck can I use restore a deck semi transparent stain on my 8 yo pressure treated pine deck . ALWAYS start with cleaner and brightener but have used timber oil since beginning ? We do this yearly since timberoil fades after summer, fall, and winter in N E Ohio?
Refinished this deck last year and it’s looking brutal again (sanded and stained using Sansisin SDF). I’ll take any suggestions on how to restore and refinish. its a big deck and I want to do it right.
Clean and brighten the wood for final prep after sanding.
Judith
1 year ago
Bought a house in Oct 2020 that was a flip. Steps to front door are wood and one coat of paint was slapped on. It began peeling almost immediately and is about half bare wood, half peeling paint. I’d rather stain but wondering what needs to be done to the wood first. Thanks!
After the tannin stains stop bleeding and the wood is dry, recoat or touch up those spots with another coat of the white solid stain.
William
1 year ago
I have finished stripping and the sun’s gone down. Temperatures expected to be 45 tonight. Can I wait till morning to to brighten. Its 50 degrees right now.
My son’s Eagle Project involves restoring a gazebo. Most of it is gray, weathered wood but some railings still have a stain on them. I do believe it is a solid stain. We are trying to figure out the order correctly. First, sand. Then use the cleaner and, lastly the brightener?
No reason to sand. Clean and brighten and then use the RAD Solid Stain.
Mike
1 year ago
I just cleaned and brightened my deck with your product. Once dry, there is a white residue, almost like peach fuzz on some of the boards. Any idea as to what it is and what to do. Do I need to sand? Please advise.
That is oxidation that did not come off fully with your prep. You can either lightly buff or hand sand it off or you can redo the cleaner and brightener. BTW, this typically does not show when stained.
ronald
1 year ago
do you have a web sit that you can view product and coleers i tryed to log in said user name and password not correct
I built a pressure treated wood fence last Autumn. Have waited 8 months for the treatment to dry, and am ready to stain. Do I need a cleaner or can I simply give it a good, light power wash before staining?
Yes, it should but feel free to post a picture or two to be certain.
Heather Fry
1 year ago
Hi there,
We have about 500sq ft on our cottage deck. The deck is cedar and over 20 years old. Some boards have been replaced over the years. It has been stained several times. For the last 10 years we have been using Cabots Australian timber oil. It really deserves and needs a refresh. I am not looking for perfection but a little more continuity would be nice.
When I can across your video – it gave me hope. I absolutely love the idea of not having to wait for significant drying time! I don’t know if anything like this is sold in Canada.
However, in your opinion how would your stripper, brightener and stain refresh our deck considering its age? And is it okay to spray it off onto the grass below our deck?Finally, knowing how much would be needed of each product would be very helpful. For example, would we need do any sanding or double up on one of the products to improve it? Or would each step just have to sit longer to get the best results? I have attached a pic of a couple of parts of the deck to help with your feedback.
Thanks for answering all my questions.
Cheers,
To remove, use th Restore A Deck Stripper with both the Gel and Booster additives: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/rad-stain-stripper-additives.html
The Brightener would go on after. For amounts needed, we would need your total sq footage or you can use our calculator that is on the webpage.
I’ve looked for your company’s guidance about how to mix and pour your rad cleaner and brightener from a 5 gallon bucket into 2 gallon sprayer. I cannot find anything about this on your web site.
Just pick up the bucket and pour it into the sprayer after you mix the powders according to directions on the containers.
Tracy Thorpe
2 years ago
We had our decks and pergola built in 2016 and have not done anything to them. We want to do a semi-transparent stain in a natural colour. What products would be best to prep them and stain/seal them? We are in Southern Ontario, Canada.
Follow up question: We did our 2 smaller decks (and they turned out great!) and now we’re ready to get the pergola done, but I’m not sure the best way to approach it. Can we clean and brighten one day and stain the next? If we have to do it over a few days, is it best to do the top first and then the posts? Or posts first? Any suggestions as to how best to manage a pergola this size would be helpful. Thank you!
You can buy from our site and have it shipped to Canada.
David Glosson
2 years ago
What I should use in stain? Oil or water base? Kdat pine 8 months old, will use cleaner and brighter by RAD. Full sun to full shade. Size 25 by 15 ft.what products other than RAD (no color we like) would you recommend? Sent pic. Thanks David ( location Va coast)
After living in our home 20+ years, it’s time to start over and restore our deck. Originally it had a transparent stain on it, then semi-trans, and finally a solid Behr stain. Some areas have pealed slightly, but I’d like to take it complete down to the bare wood and start over with a transparent or semi-trans. Will your stripper, with the additives, accomplish what I’m looking to do?
That would depend on the type of stain and how many coats applied. We would need more info to say for certain and some pictures.
Lauren
2 years ago
I’ve owned our home for 4 years (it was built in 2001) and I haven’t done anything to maintain our cedar deck except for some beeswax two years ago. Recently I’ve really begun to notice how dirty it looks (gray but cedar colored in the deep corners) and there are some slivers I have caught in my socks. The deck is about 600 sqft and gets a lot of sun in New Mexico. What do I need to do to it now to help with the appearance and slivers? and what should I be doing afterwards as maintenance?
I have some new fir exterior doors that were coated with polyurethane one year ago at the recommendation of an (unreliable) professional painter. They are south facing and were hit hard by the sun here in NM, so the finish has completely deteriorated. I need to restore them and prefer to use a water-based stain, so I can easily recoat in the future as needed. I assume I will have to sand like crazy to remove the polyurethane. Do you have other suggestions for prepping and staining these doors?
My deck was looking pretty bad. I don’t know what kind of stain was on it. I power washed the deck. I am looking to use a solid stain color. Do I need to do any other color removal work before applying stain if I power washed it.
Adding second picture to my previous post, didn’t upload correctly.
Cheryl
2 years ago
My deck is partially covered. 3 years ago, uncovered portion was stripped and stained with Olympic Maximum transparent stain which started peeling about a year later. Need to refinish the entire deck and not sure what to use for prep and stain.
Last year I sanded my entire deck around my pool and used your semi transparent natural stain. I did not, however, use the cleaner and brightener that you recommend due to time constraints and it being a very large deck. The deck has started to peel and weather quite a bit. Can I just clean the deck with your cleaner and put on one coat of stain? Your advice is greatly appreciated. I have included a few pics for you. Thank you.
Do you sell transparent stain or just semi transparent? Do you have to scrape a semi transparent before reapplying in the future?
We have a 14 month old 10×20 deck. Just need to stain the rails and spindles (floor is composite). How much stain would you recommend we buy? And what do you advise we use to apply?
Finally, what would an approximate ship time to MA be? Need to get project done before end of September.
Semi-transparent only. You can clean and recoat as needed when time to redo as ours is penetrating. We would need a total sq footage of wood that is being stained for the amount needed. Shipping to MA is about 4-6 days.
So we’d receive 4-6 days after ordering or is that just the time products would be in transit? Need to calculate total sf after the rain stops.
Peter
2 years ago
Hi- just got done grinding and sanding off what was left of two year old Behr Deck Over on 18 year old cedar and replaced some bad boards. SE Michigan in the shade mostly. If we go semi-transparent can I just chemical strip or clean and restrain every few years? The scraping & sanding will drive me to composite. Thanks
Deck was built and stained ~2014 with a Behr semi-transparent (which is absolutely garbage – peeling within 1-2 years). I re-applied around 2018 and now its time do do it again (I should have done it earlier). I’d prefer to go with a different product that would allow me to just clean it and re-apply after a few years. Can I just sand it with an orbital and then apply a solid deck stain? or do I need to strip it? One pic shows the progress after sanding (i.e. basically getting rid of any of the peeling areas but lots of non-peeling areas remain). Other pics show results after power-washing, but not sanded yet.
You do not need to remove all of the old solid stain when applying with a solid stain. Just remove the loose or peeling stain with our RAD Stain stripper and pressure washing. You can cover the intact stain that is not peeling.
Hey
Can I use the cleaner , stripper and brighter to clean, strip and brighten deck? Than restrain?
You strip or clean, not both. Do you have a prior stain on the deck? If so send some pics for prep help.
Here are a few pics it was done 2 years ago but only used the stripper this year I was going to used cleaner or stripper and brightener
Just Strip and Brighten and then stain. No need for the cleaner.
Can I brighten right after I use the stripper?
Yes, that is best.
If I run out of stripper can I user the cleaner on a section that didn’t get weather as bad?
If you have a stain there it may not remove it and that could result in an uneven appearance.
Pic won’t load them all
where to buy in canada?
Online only with shipping to Canada from our website.
Hopefully this picture works
Our deck was painted with SW Deck Pro solid stain in 2019….they wasted their time and $ since it is awful – 6X6X16 rotted and deck is awful mess of chipped and peeling….we are removing a portion of the deck in the sun and then wanting to change all the rest of the deck under roof and the 6X6 columns from ugly orange cedar color to a grey….Will sanding the columns and then cleaning them be enough to prep it for RAD semi transparent stain or should we start with a stripper?
To remove a paint you will need to sand or grind it all off. Clean and brighten after.
A solid stain has to be sanded off and cannot be striped w RAD striped?
No, it is not possible to strip off a solid stain.
We had 3 layers of solid stain-glass blasted off and then used RAD. It worked perfectly. Glass is like beach sand and safe for the environment.
My 500+sq’ deck is 15+yrs it has never had any stain applied only Thompsons water sealer the year after It was built. After a lot of research this seems to be the right product for my deck. Can you advise the best procedure to apply the solid surface restore a deck? Thank you
Use rollers and brushes for applying the solid stain.
Can I stain over deck paint that has been sanded but still not bare wood
Post some pics in the comments.
Sanded with industrial sander and scraped. Deck peels every year late summer when the wood shrinks. So thought a solid stain would be more flexible. Should I use a primer?
A solid stain while more flexible and with better penetration/adhesion than a paint, will not work properly over this since you have a large amount of paint left on your wood. You should try to sand it all off so you will have proper results otherwise the paint under the solid stain will continue to fail.
Even if we applied a primer?
what deck paint do you recommend
thanks
Primers do not work with deck stains and we do not offer deck paint as they can lead to peeling.
Why do you not sell Restore-A-Deck, TWP, and AC inside Canada?
We sell online only and ship to Canada.
will solid stains last longer than semi transparent stains(all things being equal)?
They will last the same when it comes to time to recoat but the solid stains will give better UV protection during that time.
I stained our Deck about a month ago. There is a lot of Dirt Stains from normal wear. What is the Best way to remove. I have used a hose but not working. Can I use soap and brush without affecting stain.
Thanks, Wade
Warm water and dish soap. You can also use a very sift brush like a car wash brush.
After using restore a deck cleaner and brightener on deck can I use restore a deck semi transparent stain on my 8 yo pressure treated pine deck . ALWAYS start with cleaner and brightener but have used timber oil since beginning ? We do this yearly since timberoil fades after summer, fall, and winter in N E Ohio?
Post some pics in comments for prep advice.
Refinished this deck last year and it’s looking brutal again (sanded and stained using Sansisin SDF). I’ll take any suggestions on how to restore and refinish. its a big deck and I want to do it right.
It looks fairly thick. Did you use their top coat as well?
Hi, I did not use the top coat. Here is the finished product when completed. Two coats were put down.
For prep, use the Restore A Deck 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
Using both of the stripper additives as well: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/rad-stain-stripper-additives.html
Apply and let dwell for 30-45 minutes and then pressure wash off.
When all is prepped, use the Restore A Deck Stains.
thanks!
Are the products sold in any stores? In Virginia?
Picture attached as requested.
You would have to sand this off first before proceeding. It cannot be stripped.
So I only need to sand and then apply the stain?? Or does something else need to be applied before the stain?
Clean and brighten the wood for final prep after sanding.
Bought a house in Oct 2020 that was a flip. Steps to front door are wood and one coat of paint was slapped on. It began peeling almost immediately and is about half bare wood, half peeling paint. I’d rather stain but wondering what needs to be done to the wood first. Thanks!
Post pics in comments.
Can this solid stain be placed over old solid stain that is not peeling?
Yes.
Hi, is any prep necessary before staining a brand new Douglas fir pergola? My intention was to stain the wood before we even construct it.
Hello,
You cannot prestain. See here about new wood: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/Deck-Cleaning-Reviews-and-Tips/restore-a-deck-stain-for-new-wood.html
How do you deal with tannin stains that come through solid white stain?
After the tannin stains stop bleeding and the wood is dry, recoat or touch up those spots with another coat of the white solid stain.
I have finished stripping and the sun’s gone down. Temperatures expected to be 45 tonight. Can I wait till morning to to brighten. Its 50 degrees right now.
Best to strip as soon as possible or same day.
My son’s Eagle Project involves restoring a gazebo. Most of it is gray, weathered wood but some railings still have a stain on them. I do believe it is a solid stain. We are trying to figure out the order correctly. First, sand. Then use the cleaner and, lastly the brightener?
No reason to sand. Clean and brighten and then use the RAD Solid Stain.
I just cleaned and brightened my deck with your product. Once dry, there is a white residue, almost like peach fuzz on some of the boards. Any idea as to what it is and what to do. Do I need to sand? Please advise.
That is oxidation that did not come off fully with your prep. You can either lightly buff or hand sand it off or you can redo the cleaner and brightener. BTW, this typically does not show when stained.
do you have a web sit that you can view product and coleers i tryed to log in said user name and password not correct
This is our website and all colors are on here: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/restore-a-deck-wood-stain.html
do you have a clear water prof treatment
They are all tinted colors for UV protection.
what colares do you have and iis yours water base or oil base
Colors and pricing are on this link: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/restore-a-deck-wood-stain.html
RAD Stains are water-based.
Do you ship to Canada?
Yes.
I built a pressure treated wood fence last Autumn. Have waited 8 months for the treatment to dry, and am ready to stain. Do I need a cleaner or can I simply give it a good, light power wash before staining?
You need to clean and brighten the wood for prep.
Will RAD products remove this Cabot semi transparent sealer/stain (cedar)?Thank you!
Yes, it should but use both additives as this looks like it was just installed: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/rad-stain-stripper-additives.html
Will RAD products remove Cabot semi-transparent stain/sealer (cedar)?Thank you.
Yes, it should but feel free to post a picture or two to be certain.
Hi there,
We have about 500sq ft on our cottage deck. The deck is cedar and over 20 years old. Some boards have been replaced over the years. It has been stained several times. For the last 10 years we have been using Cabots Australian timber oil. It really deserves and needs a refresh. I am not looking for perfection but a little more continuity would be nice.
When I can across your video – it gave me hope. I absolutely love the idea of not having to wait for significant drying time! I don’t know if anything like this is sold in Canada.
However, in your opinion how would your stripper, brightener and stain refresh our deck considering its age? And is it okay to spray it off onto the grass below our deck?Finally, knowing how much would be needed of each product would be very helpful. For example, would we need do any sanding or double up on one of the products to improve it? Or would each step just have to sit longer to get the best results? I have attached a pic of a couple of parts of the deck to help with your feedback.
Thanks for answering all my questions.
Cheers,
To remove, use th Restore A Deck Stripper with both the Gel and Booster additives: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/rad-stain-stripper-additives.html
The Brightener would go on after. For amounts needed, we would need your total sq footage or you can use our calculator that is on the webpage.
How much does one container do?
Of which product?
The combo kit?
Which combo kit? We have a few.
I recently bought the two step restore kit, i did not realize that it will not remove stain on the deck I am wondering how I return this product????
https://www.restore-a-deck.com/Store-Policies/refund.html
I’ve looked for your company’s guidance about how to mix and pour your rad cleaner and brightener from a 5 gallon bucket into 2 gallon sprayer. I cannot find anything about this on your web site.
Just pick up the bucket and pour it into the sprayer after you mix the powders according to directions on the containers.
We had our decks and pergola built in 2016 and have not done anything to them. We want to do a semi-transparent stain in a natural colour. What products would be best to prep them and stain/seal them? We are in Southern Ontario, Canada.
Use the RAD Cleaner and Brightener Kits for prep and the RAD Stain in a semi-transparent color.https://www.restore-a-deck.com/restore-a-deck-wood-stain/restore-a-deck-wood-stain-5-gallon/flypage.tpl.html
Follow up question: We did our 2 smaller decks (and they turned out great!) and now we’re ready to get the pergola done, but I’m not sure the best way to approach it. Can we clean and brighten one day and stain the next? If we have to do it over a few days, is it best to do the top first and then the posts? Or posts first? Any suggestions as to how best to manage a pergola this size would be helpful. Thank you!
You can break up the pre and stain over two days, with no issues. Start from top-down when staining.
Do you sell incanada.
You can buy from our site and have it shipped to Canada.
What I should use in stain? Oil or water base? Kdat pine 8 months old, will use cleaner and brighter by RAD. Full sun to full shade. Size 25 by 15 ft.what products other than RAD (no color we like) would you recommend? Sent pic. Thanks David ( location Va coast)
Try Armstrong Clark: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/armstrong-clark-stain-196/armstrong-clark-stain-5-gallon.html
I can’t seem to get the photo to upload.
After living in our home 20+ years, it’s time to start over and restore our deck. Originally it had a transparent stain on it, then semi-trans, and finally a solid Behr stain. Some areas have pealed slightly, but I’d like to take it complete down to the bare wood and start over with a transparent or semi-trans. Will your stripper, with the additives, accomplish what I’m looking to do?
You will need to power sand if you want to remove a solid stain.
Will RAD remove Sherwin Williams Cedar Stain?
That would depend on the type of stain and how many coats applied. We would need more info to say for certain and some pictures.
I’ve owned our home for 4 years (it was built in 2001) and I haven’t done anything to maintain our cedar deck except for some beeswax two years ago. Recently I’ve really begun to notice how dirty it looks (gray but cedar colored in the deep corners) and there are some slivers I have caught in my socks. The deck is about 600 sqft and gets a lot of sun in New Mexico. What do I need to do to it now to help with the appearance and slivers? and what should I be doing afterwards as maintenance?
Use the Restore A Deck Cleaner/Brightener kit for prep. Stain with the RAD Solid Stain: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/restore-a-deck-wood-stain/restore-a-deck-solid-stain.html
Recoat every few years or as needed.
I have some new fir exterior doors that were coated with polyurethane one year ago at the recommendation of an (unreliable) professional painter. They are south facing and were hit hard by the sun here in NM, so the finish has completely deteriorated. I need to restore them and prefer to use a water-based stain, so I can easily recoat in the future as needed. I assume I will have to sand like crazy to remove the polyurethane. Do you have other suggestions for prepping and staining these doors?
Only way to remove this is to power sand.
My deck was looking pretty bad. I don’t know what kind of stain was on it. I power washed the deck. I am looking to use a solid stain color. Do I need to do any other color removal work before applying stain if I power washed it.
Post pictures.
Adding second picture to my previous post, didn’t upload correctly.
My deck is partially covered. 3 years ago, uncovered portion was stripped and stained with Olympic Maximum transparent stain which started peeling about a year later. Need to refinish the entire deck and not sure what to use for prep and stain.
Use the RAD Stripper and Brightener Kits with pressure washing and both additives for prep: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/rad-stain-stripper-additives.html
Are there any temperature restrictions when applying the stripper and stain? Hoping to get this done before fall sets in.
The prep products will work above 50 degrees.
Which products would you recommend for this deck and railing?
im considering having a 2 tone deck with the railings stained/painted “cream” and semi transparent redwood stain on the deck.
For prep, strip and brighten all wood with both additives for the stripper: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/rad-stain-stripper-additives.html
A two-toned deck would work: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/Deck-Cleaning-Reviews-and-Tips/two-toned-decks-with-restore-a-deck-wood-stains.html
Only photo I can find…..
Looks like a solid stain so no, it will not strip it.
Will RAD Stripper work on Sashco Transformation Log Stain?
Do you have any pictures?
Last year I sanded my entire deck around my pool and used your semi transparent natural stain. I did not, however, use the cleaner and brightener that you recommend due to time constraints and it being a very large deck. The deck has started to peel and weather quite a bit. Can I just clean the deck with your cleaner and put on one coat of stain? Your advice is greatly appreciated. I have included a few pics for you. Thank you.
Yes, clean and recoat but you may want to do it in the Spring.
So just clean it? Brightener isn’t necessary? Thanks
Yes on the Brightener as well.
Which products do you recommend for my deck? I was planning to power wash and then use restore-a-deck cleaner and brightener.
You will need the stripper and brightener kit with both additives. https://www.restore-a-deck.com/rad-stain-stripper-additives.html
Do you sell transparent stain or just semi transparent? Do you have to scrape a semi transparent before reapplying in the future?
We have a 14 month old 10×20 deck. Just need to stain the rails and spindles (floor is composite). How much stain would you recommend we buy? And what do you advise we use to apply?
Finally, what would an approximate ship time to MA be? Need to get project done before end of September.
Semi-transparent only. You can clean and recoat as needed when time to redo as ours is penetrating. We would need a total sq footage of wood that is being stained for the amount needed. Shipping to MA is about 4-6 days.
So we’d receive 4-6 days after ordering or is that just the time products would be in transit? Need to calculate total sf after the rain stops.
Hi- just got done grinding and sanding off what was left of two year old Behr Deck Over on 18 year old cedar and replaced some bad boards. SE Michigan in the shade mostly. If we go semi-transparent can I just chemical strip or clean and restrain every few years? The scraping & sanding will drive me to composite. Thanks
You will not have to sand and scrape when you redo. Clean or Strip and then Brighten.