Quoting Cal:

I'm installing a new deck it will be made with custom cut 2x6 Douglas fir.i live in Canada and was wondering what would be the best stain for my wood the defy extreme or twp 200 or the armstrong clark thanks for the info.

Any of those would work well but since it is brand new, you cannot do this until next Spring. Prep first as well.

Quoting Gaby:

My question is how close is the DEFY cedar to the TWP in color. I have just stripped and brightened my 20 year old pressurized wood deck of TWP cedar tone natural and preparing to stain it with DEFY. I have a swing, glider and cupboard stained with the TWP cedar. I’m debating between matching as close as I can or stripping them all and staining with the DEFY driftwood gray as I do like the natural rustic look.
Thanks for your help.

Close in color but not the same. Might be best to strip all if you want a gray.

Quoting paul williams:

hello,

looking to stain a new cedar shed. I'm looking to retain the cedar look and color but want to protect it. It's about 2 months old and currently still looks original.
What product(s) do you recommend? IE: cleaner or stain only etc.

See this article about new wood:
www.opwdecks.com/.../

Quoting Marybeth:

Hi,
I'm trying to decide best sealer for my new front porch that include cedar timbers and ceiling. The wood is rough on beams and posts, the ceiling is smooth planks. Virgin wood...would like to keep as natural looking as possible while protecting it. Can you please recommend product. I'm dizzy after reading oil based vs water based. Would prefer to have "least amount of maintenance". Live on a very wooded lot. Not a lot of direct sunshine in front. Thanks

Try the Defy Extreme Stain:
www.opwdecks.com/.../

Quoting Don K:

I need to remove the garbage Behr stain I applied last year to my deck at our northern Oregon coastal home. What do you suggest I use and which stain is best for our area. The deck gets full sun in the summer and of course lots of rain in the winter. Thanks for your help!

What type of Behr stain is it?

Quoting Mike Horvath:

Quoting TheSealerStore:

Quoting Mike Horvath:

Wanting to remove existing stain (Cabot semi transparent) from our 12 year old cedar deck, posts, and window/door trim. We have about 3 applications that were applied over the 12 years. Find the Cabot does flake and goes on "gummy". We live in Muskoka, Ontario, Canada. For the removing of existing stain was going to sand but seems like a lot of work. Was think I g the Armstrong Clark semi transparent cedar tone 5gal oail. We will be travelling to Tonawanda N.Y. on August 24th to August 26th and picking up some other items shipped to FedEx Store at 1060 Niagara Falls Blvd, Tonawanda N.Y. 14150. Can you please advise on both recommended products and delivery of items to meet that date.

When the stain is flaking, that means it is over applied and filming on top of the surface. It alos means it may be very hard or impossible to fully strip off. You can strip some, but you may need to sand as well to remove all. Look at the Restore A Deck Stripper Kit:
www.opwdecks.com/.../

We can ship products to NY. Takes about 2-3 days.

How do I go about ordering product?

On the website.

Quoting Mike Horvath:

Wanting to remove existing stain (Cabot semi transparent) from our 12 year old cedar deck, posts, and window/door trim. We have about 3 applications that were applied over the 12 years. Find the Cabot does flake and goes on "gummy". We live in Muskoka, Ontario, Canada. For the removing of existing stain was going to sand but seems like a lot of work. Was think I g the Armstrong Clark semi transparent cedar tone 5gal oail. We will be travelling to Tonawanda N.Y. on August 24th to August 26th and picking up some other items shipped to FedEx Store at 1060 Niagara Falls Blvd, Tonawanda N.Y. 14150. Can you please advise on both recommended products and delivery of items to meet that date.

When the stain is flaking, that means it is over applied and filming on top of the surface. It alos means it may be very hard or impossible to fully strip off. You can strip some, but you may need to sand as well to remove all. Look at the Restore A Deck Stripper Kit:
www.opwdecks.com/.../

We can ship products to NY. Takes about 2-3 days.

Quoting sheila ponsaa:

I live in new Orleans la we just installed a 8 x 10 pre treated pine deck with no hand rails what is your suggestion for the best semi transparent stain to use along with the clearner and brightener

See this article on new wood: www.opwdecks.com/.../

Quoting Florin Popa:

Hi There,
I have a new built deck (1 month old), cedar, and I plan to use Defy Extreme Wood Stain, Semi Transparent /Cedartone:
1. is it too early to apply the stain, do i need to wait more for the wood to dry?
2. since it is brand new do i need to use any wood brightener or directly stain?

1. 3 months after being built.
2. You have to use both the Defy Wood Cleaner and the Defy Brightener for the prep.

Quoting Aline:

I live in Northern VA And have a previously stained pressure treated deck, covered but with uncovered steps. Front door is accessed by walking across the deck so gets a lot of use. Steps get morning sun. Plan on stripping it, but undecided between Armstrong Clark semi transparent, Defy, or TWP 1500. Most important is durability. Less important is ease of application.

All three will last about the same. Not one is going to be more durable than the others.

Quoting DiAnne Adams:

Quoting TheSealerStore:

Quoting DiAnne Adams:

My nephew used a stain stripper on my sister's deck 2 yrs ago and did not follow-up with a deck brightener. Now, anytime they walk on the deck, barefoot, their feet get black. Should she just use a cleaner/brightener and then stain the deck again or is there something she should do first?

Feet getting black has nothing to do with not using a brightener. Most likely it is dirt or mildew. Clean and brighten with Restore A Deck Kits and then stain.

Quoting DiAnne Adams:

My nephew used a stain stripper on my sister's deck 2 yrs ago and did not follow-up with a deck brightener. Now, anytime they walk on the deck, barefoot, their feet get black. Should she just use a cleaner/brightener and then stain the deck again or is there something she should do first?

After speaking to my sister about this some more, I'm told that after he used the stain remover, he just restained the deck without using a cleaner/brightener. Does she need to remove the stain again and then use a cleaner/brightener to restore the Ph balance?

Strip, brighten, and start over.

Quoting Halsey L Washburn:

I live in Helena, Montana. I recently bought a house that has a 15 year old pine deck that was originally treated with “Lifetime Wood Treatment/ Preservative” (from Valhalla Co. in Canada), which is really just ferrous sulfate, i.e., iron sulfate. The decking has not been touched since its original “bath” in Lifetime Preservative 15 years ago, and it still looks great. (Lifetime Preservative actually works.) And—as it is supposed to with Lifetime Preservative—the decking now has that silvery, grayish look of old barn wood, which is great if that’s the look you like. But I don’t like it. I want to stain the deck and get it back to its original golden pine color. Valhalla says that you CAN stain over wood that’s been treated with Lifetime Preservative but that they “don’t recommend it.” I think I’m going to go ahead and try staining the deck (after cleaning and brightening) but I don’t know what stain to use. I’m leaning toward Armstrong Clark after reading a bunch of internet stuff on wood stains. What would be your recommendation for a stain??

The AC would be a great choice for this deck.

Have a 10 year old massaranduba deck, partially covered. Have used Messmers UV Plus for hardwoods, natural color. Seems to lose color quickly, within 6 months. Overall it's pretty grey now. I'd like to get back to the original Massaranuba color. Reading reviews I'm thinking Armstrong Clark, mahogany? Should I first use Restore A Deck Stripper/Bright ener? Comments or suggestions on stain manufacturer, stripper, application appreciated!

Quoting TheSealerStore:

Quoting garydhill:

I rebuilt my deck last year with #1 Pine. Trying to decide between Defy and TWP 100.

Either works very well. Where fo you live?

In Northern VA.

i just power washed my cedar fence and now want to SEAL it. i am thinking about using Polyurethane for super protection.
ideally i need something with strong UV protection and mildew prevention.
what product should i use?

I have an ipe deck that used restore-a-deck on. It looks amazing when wet, dark red tones but when dry it yellows. What stain or sealer would give me those nice dark red tones? I was leaning towards Armstrong Mahogany but was t sure if that would darken it too much.

I rebuilt my deck last year with #1 Pine. Trying to decide between Defy and TWP 100.

My nephew used a stain stripper on my sister's deck 2 yrs ago and did not follow-up with a deck brightener. Now, anytime they walk on the deck, barefoot, their feet get black. Should she just use a cleaner/brighte ner and then stain the deck again or is there something she should do first?

I have a mahogany deck with cedar railings. I have used your Armstrong Stain for hardwoods. This will be the 3rd time I will be applying stain. It is in direct sunlight most of the day. The past two times I used the Stripper and Brightener which really did the job. Is there any appreciable difference in the Cleaner or Stripper? The deck looks dirty, no peeling noted. Each time I applied 2 coats. Any recommendation on which product would be durable for the job. Armstrong Hardwood/Ipe or Ipe Oil or Cabot Australian Timber Oil.

I have a cedar deck that is 10 years old and still in good shape. Looking for a good semi-transparen t stain that will show the natural beauty of the wood but also hold up well in our climate without peeling or fading prematurely. I understand that restaining is needed every 2-3 years. I have used Superdeck on the last 2 applications and I am looking for reccomendations .

Hi,
We're laying down a new hardwood meranti deck . We're planning to use TWP 1500 series stain. We understand that one does not need to stain the undersides of the boards, but what is the best way to make sure that the sides of the boards are stained? Should this be done before the deck is laid down, or after?

Is wolman F@S cedar deck Stain a good product .I pressure washed deck with deck cleaner/ brightner. I am now ready to stain my 20 yr old cedar deck.

My deck is old and weathered. What stain would be long lasting as possible. The weather here in Dallas, Tx is hot, but the deck is in shade 90% of the time. The last stain I used lasted about 2 years and I hope to find a stain that lasts longer than 2 years

BEST STAIN FOR DECKING AROUND SALT WATER POOL?

I have a 500 square feet Cedar deck (floor) that needs to be restored and stained. What do I need to purchase? I want he best stain for our weather here in Ottawa, On.
Thanks.

Looking for a charcoal (nearly black) stain to fix our deck, which we did 4- years ago with semi-solid stain. The covered area is okay, the exposed area of old PT lumber needs redoing. Armstrong Clark oil-based was recommended for our needs but I don't see the colour we need, not even close. Any other suggestions? Thanks.

Which type of stain is best for pressure treated pine wood fence in Virginia? The fence was built a month ago and it gets about 10 hours of direct sun. I want to protect it from further splitting and warping. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Earlier this summer we completed a renovation of our deck. Flooring is Synthetic (Zuri) but he top railing is clear cedar. The contractor stained the raw cedar with 2 coats of a product (supposedly good) that in one summer of exposure in the Chicago suburbs has failed. Some top rails still look OK (partially shaded) and others more in direct continuous sun are graying and showing the start of deteriorating wood surface. These are 6" wide rails that have a lot of surface exposure.
After researching, I found 2 products that seem much better than what I have and you carry both. Defy Extreme Stain and TPW 1500 (since it live in IL). Which product would you recommend for this application and can I just go right over the boards in the condition they are in? I think the dark oak of the TPW series is the color we are trying to achieve.
I tried to call, but it was after your new hours indicated you were closed.

We recently had a professional seal our deck with Ready Seal and there are some fairly significant wheel marks from the grill on the deck. Apparently he did not remove it from the deck and he claims they were there from before the deck was sealed. His attempted fix was to put another coat of sealant on the deck but the marks are still there. He says there is nothing else he can do. Is there anything I can have him do about this?

We live in Middle Tennessee just outside of Nashville. We had our deck rebuilt two years ago with pressure treated pine. One third of the deck is screened in and the rest is exposed to the sun all year. The wood on the screened in portion is still new looking with the exception of a little mildewing. The exposed part of the deck is graying. The deck is at least 4-5 feet off the ground. We have only sprayed linseed oil on it a couple of times so far. We are looking for the most durable stain that won't require complete stripping every two-three years, and will give a uniform color to both covered and uncovered parts of the deck. The house is cream colored vinyl with white trim. Covered part of deck is wood and white trim. Any suggestions on type of stain, product brand, and color?

I have a customer with new mahogany decking could you tell me the best product and prep tips you have? We are located in New England four seasons!!!

I bought from you a 5 gallon pail of ArmstrongClark stain, Amber colour, and I used only about a gallon. Can you tell me what is the shelf life of the remaining stain in the pail? Also, what I should do to extend its shelf life? I intend to use in the future if it has sufficient shelf life.

The TWP 100 series would be your best option for this. Make sure to prep by stripping and brightening the wood.

Here are some oil based stains that we sell and that are allowed in MA:

TWP 1500 Series
Armstrong Clark Stains
Timber Oil Brand
Penofin Red Label

You cannot apply a sealer on top of a deck stain. It will not work and would create issues.

No you will be fine once dry.

I would like to order 2 gallons of AC stain to be shipped to Ontario, Canada. Will the courier company charge me any additional fees such as brokerage fees after they deliver the product?

I want to stain a horizontal PT wood fence. Which of Amber or semi-transparen t Cedar is lighter and less orange? Which one will stand up better to harsh Canadian winters?

-Yes we ship to Canada
-No you cannot add a semi-solid over a solid stain. We do not offer solid colors.

What 3-4 months and then clean and brighten for prep. Use the AC if you want UV protection. Need a total sq footage that includes all flooring, rails, steps, etc. Please add together for a total amount. No duty, but you have to pay shipping and province taxes to Canada.

1. Add to cart and it will shipping and taxes in checkout. No duty or additional costs when it arrives.
2. Yes it is legal for Canada
3. 2 Years is normal. You can clean and reapply as needed. TWP and Defy are both very good. TWP is not legal in Canada so you cannot use it there.

Both say about 6-12 months. It may last longer, but no guarantee.

Which would be best for new wood, some old wood, northeast, Michigan, 49759 zip,
TWP1500 or Defy Extreme, or Defy original

Can I use Defy Extreme over Original Defy.

Wait until a few days before staining to clean and brighten.

I have a pier in Maryland non-tidal waters but in critical area. What would be your recommendation for a cedar tone stain on old PT that EPA or some other non informative GOV agency would require that won't affect wildlife, fish, or other indigenous populations without a $10,000 fine?

I have 5 gallons of TWP Dark walnut stain. It's not dark enough for the clients.
What colorant can I add to get it much much darker almost a redish black?

I have a cedar deck which i am going to sand and stain using your Amstrong Clark stain. Do i have to brighten the wood after sanding, before staining? Thank you.

I am inclined to purchase from you the Armstrong Clark deck stain. How long it will last considering the harsh climate in Alberta (long, cold winters with snow, long summers with strong sun (the deck is exposed to the sun for some 8 hours/day). This year I'll apply the stain after sanding the deck. My questions are:
1) Do I have to apply a coat of stain every year, every two years, or some other time interval?
2) Do I have to sand the deck each and every time, or it is sufficient sanding it now and then apply successive stain layers on top of the previous one at the frequency indicated by you?

I am looking to stain a bran d new deck in northern Quebec. I have a new 800 foot deck. It was put up last October before the snow fell. It is made pressure treated pine (brown color). Some of the planks already have splits in them and some of the posts have large splits in them already. Which stains wood you recommend. I am currently looking at Armstrong-Clark rustic brown and TWP 1500 Cedar color. Which of these 2 products would protect the wood better and last longer.

Hi! We made the mistake of applying 2 coats of Preserva wood on our deck and now it is sticky. Any thoughts on how we can remove the tackiness?

I used a slightly tinted semitransparent behr stain years ago. There is no peeling just spots where it's worn off. I would like to just pressure wash deck and then put a cordovan semitransparent behr stain over top of old stain. Can you tell me if it will take without sanding? I would even rather just go to a solid stain if that would work better. Just don't want to have to sand deck and would like to change colour to a dark brown.

I live in Seattle and just completed a 13 ft x 14 ft deck using Alaskan Yellow Cedar, AYC, very smooth surface, 3/4 by 6 inch wide boards, all same length, no splicing.
It gets lots of full summer sun, when we have it, until about 3 pm, its SE facing. It is also not sitting very high off the ground, highest height off ground about one foot. There is no over hang or awning. It's full exposure.

I wanted it flush with a pathway of pavers next to it to walk easily from pavers to deck.
I placed weed control fabric under it, on top of soil where a garden used to be.

AYC is supposed to outlast other cedars against mildew, mold, rot.

I am aware of the need to let it season for one year before staining. I have been looking at the TWP , Defy and Armstrong products recommended here for new decks.
Which stain would you recommend for this deck?

Thank you,
Deb

Use the TWP 100 for this again. It offers the best mold prevention of the three.

Prep with out Restore A Deck Kits. Just one coat of the AC. Do not back wipe. Let it dry into the wood. Yes it has a shelf life of 6-12 months after opening, but this varies on how well you close the container. Samples are here:

www.opwdecks.com/.../

We do not sell the Wood Tux anymore. Try the Armstrong Clark or Defy extreme.

You can remove the top easily by prying up the tabs.

Yes Natural is very lightly tinted.

You must have a stain if you want protection from graying. A clear sealer will not do this. Use a stain like the Armstrong Clark that we sell.

You cannot add a sealer over a deck stain. No need.

Yes, but it will not look like the sample picture as that is on a hardwood deck. When you apply it to a pine or cedar deck it will be more reddish/orange.

No you do not need to strip. Use the Restore A Deck Cleaner for the prep and reapply.

I am sorry but we do not sell solid stains. You would need a solid stain to blend.

Use stain pads. You can spray most stain on the verticals and back pad to make sure it is even. Spraying will get in the edges.

Light Walnut is a reddish brown color while the Butternut is more of a medium brown.

Prep with a Restore A Deck Kit first. Only lightly sand id needed after the prep. Try the Armstrong Clark in Amber or Mahogany colors:

opwdecks.com/.../...

TWP 100 can typically take a rain anywhere from 4-24 hours after application. Basically the TWP need to absorb into the wood and start to cure. Drying can take 4-24 hours as well. Depends a lot on wood age, amount of coats, etc.

The Gemini Kit will not. Try not to get the stain on the tree.

We currently do not have any.

We just purchased this house last year and we have a very large deck (15 years old - wood in good shape) that has a patio underneath. The whole deck including all railing and underneath the deck has previously been stained with SW Deckscapes Acrylic Solid Stain (very annoying). The floor boards are starting to peel and deck in general needs attention. I have a pressure washer and I was thinking about downstreaming light bleach and soap mix and then lightly sanding and applying more solid stain just out of ease of not stripping the whole entire deck. I certainly would prefer to completely strip and apply an oil based staining product, but I think this would be a huge project for me. Would you recommend that I use a solid stain again or strip everything? If stain is recommended I do not want to use SW stain - do you have a recommendation for me and also what are your thoughts on my cleaning process? Do I need to use a brightener as well? Thanks in advance for any information as this is my first deck restoration process and I'm trying to learn as much as possible. I have read many good things about HD-80, but I understand that this product should only be used by the pros which I certainly am not. Thanks again!!

Yes it will work with one. Does not matter the brand or model.

Hard to say but typically an opened can will last less than a year.

You cannot apply anything over this. It has to be removed by sanding it all off. Once removed you can use any of our stains that we sell. TWP or Defy Extreme would work well.

Try Armstrong Clark or Defy Extreme. As for shipping costs, best to add products to car and add your shipping info. This will tell you the charges prior to paying.

No that is not possible. You can though mix TWP colors together of the same series.

Lightly washing after a month should be good.

It will be close, but weathered and prepped wood is more porous so usually the stain will be slightly darker there.

Hi Susan, look at the Armstrong Clark stain:

www.opwdecks.com/.../

Prep first with a Restore A Deck Kit:

www.opwdecks.com/.../

Look at TWP in Honeytone color or Defy Extreme in Natural Pine.

Hello,

You can order samples on this link: www.opwdecks.com/.../

Use the Armstrong Clark then. Semi-transparen t or even a semi-solid color. Semi-solids will give better UV protection from fading.

Either would work very well for a fence. Do you have a preference as to oil or water based stains?

When applying a maintenance coat after one year you need only apply one coat. Prep by lightly washing to remove any dirt, etc with soapy water but do not remove any of the stain.

Please see this about new wood: www.opwdecks.com/.../

Prep using the Restore A Deck Kits while pressure washing. Stain with Armstrong Clark or the TWP stains.

There is not one of those that will last longer then the others in your scenario. If you would like oil based then look at TWP or Armstrong. It may just come down to which color you like better. Samples can be found here:
www.opwdecks.com/.../

Any of those products would work well for this scenario. Do you prep oil or water based?

Clean and brighten in Spring for the prep.

You must add color if you want longevity in your UV protection. Natural in the TWP is not clear and is pigmented. This will give UV protection. The DEFY Extreme Clear will not provide as much UV protection as a tinted stain.

I have a pressure treated deck on 3 sides of the house. 2 sides is full or mainly sun while the third is shaded and is prone to mildew. I live in higher elevation in Northern VA and receive more than average amount of snow and general precipitation. I would rather not add color to the deck but would like to keep the wood from turning grey. I am considering Defy Extreme stain clear or a TWP 1530 Natural. Any suggestions or other recommendations ? Thanks

Our deck has been up for 2 months now. Yella wood - they say do something now -everything I am reading here says wait 6 months at least - the railings not so much but the "floor" looks like it needs something before winter - have seen 3 different recommendations for brand on here -so which one should I use? leaning towards TWP but have seen Defy, Timber Oil and Armstrong Clark recommended

Can you please tell me the best way to store leftover stain and how long it will keep? Thanks!

I'm installing hand-split red cedar shakes as siding. I live in Maryland, near the bay. I want to use a semi-transparen t stain to keep the wood from greying. House is shaded by large Oak trees. What product is recommended. The cedar trim was treated with Penofin Red, but I have read many negative reviews and don't want to chance the mystery darkening problem.

I have a large deck that is made of Brazilian redwood. The deck is about 8 years old. It was sealed once, early on, with a clear oil based sealer. My plan was to let it go grey naturally, so I haven't done anything with it since, except a couple of pressure washings to remove the winter slime. (I live in the NW)Now I'm finding that the deck is swelling during the winter to the point where a few of the boards buckle where water pools. So I'm thinking it needs to be sealed again! I don't want a stain, just a clear sealer. What should I use, and how often?
Thanks, Amy

LarrlL, the AC comes in transparent, semi-transparen t, and semi-solids. You can see them here: www.opwdecks.com/.../

I'm trying to order samples of Armstrong & Clark stain and it doesn't say if they're semi transparent. Does anyone know if they are semi or solid?

How would A/C semi cedar stand up to chlorinated pool water on a PT pool deck?

What is the replacement for Defy Epoxy Fortified Wood Stain in a Cedar Tone?

Hi,
I'm using local hemlock rough cut boards for exterior decking. I will clean and sand before sealing. What is the best stain or sealer to use? I would like to get the golden color one gets from using oil polyurethane on hemlock boards.
Upstate New York site with extreme snow. Thanks for your site.
Charles

I live in South Louisiana , the deck is over the water and gets sunlight 8 or more hours a day.Summer time heat gets in high 90's I have stained the deck twice in 2 years with TWC 1500. The deck had mildue I pressure washed it and it needs stain again. Is there a better stain for my application?

We recently bought 10 gallons of Defy Extreme and looks like we need a little more to finish our deck project. If we buy more than we need now, will it still be good in 2-3 years from now when we need to reseal the deck? BTW it looks great!