We understand that everyone needs help with their wood/deck restoration and that not all projects are the same. Different species of wood, the age of wood, and types and brands of previous coatings make it difficult for homeowners to determine what is needed to restore their exterior wood or deck correctly.
We will ask some specific questions and reply to what you will need to do in your restoration process and the appropriate products and amounts to purchase, so it receives the proper prep and treatment required.
In the comment section below, you must include:
- Square Footage of Area to be Restored. See below.
- Type of wood if known:
- Approximate Age of Wood:
- If Applicable, Previous Stain Brand Used and Type (Examples of Type: Transparent, Semi-Transparent, Solid Stain, Oil-Based, Water-Based):
- If Applicable, When was the last time wood was stained:
- Wood Type to be Stained (Deck, House, Fence, etc.):
- Do you have access to a pressure washer:
- Miscellaneous Info:
- *Must Include 1-3 Photos of Restoration Project. There is a link to upload photos in the bottom right corner of the comment area.
How to Calculate Square Footage
Deck Sq. Footage
Flooring Length x width =?
Railing Length x height =?
Steps Width x Depth x #of Steps =?
Add up all 3 for the Total Sq. footage.
Fence Sq. Footage
Length x height =?
Multiply x 2 for both sides = Total Sq. Footage
Coverage Rate for RAD Stains
The specified coverage rate for RAD is 150-200 square feet per gallon for the first coat. Second will apply at 200-300 per gallon. This averages to about 100-125 sq. feet per gallon for 2 coats wet on wet. From this, and from measuring the surface you can calculate how much stain you need. For more aged wood you could easily factor in some extra stain. On newer wood that is still smooth and dense, you probably are not going to use as much.
For maintenance coats you are not going to use near as much stain as you did initially staining bare wood. There are just way too many variables to know the exact coverage rate of RAD for sure. There is really no way of knowing exactly how much stain you will need. It is better to buy more than you need than to not have enough. You can always save left over stain for next time. RAD has a shelf life of 1 year if opened and 3 years unopened as long as the can is properly resealed.
Restore A Deck Stain Application Tips
- Applying RAD Stain Wet on Wet Tips
- Restore-A-Deck Stain and New Wood
- Restore-A-Deck Stain Hot Sun Application
I’m just a regular home owner with a 35 year old deck and I got to tell everyone I did my testing on my deck with about 1/2 dozen stains and deck cleaners— I TRYED THEM ALL but hands down RESTORE A DECK STAINS, stripper,cleaner, and brighter are the best no question about it so for all you people out there who r going to do your deck this is it.
Thanks, Peter!
Can I apply the second coat of solid stain the following day if i don’t have time to do both coats on the same day?
Yes but best to do it the same day.
I have an Ipe deck, which I just finished stripping, brightening, sanding and staining all with RAD products. Yesterday I finished staining the second half of the deck surface (I have to move furniture and do half at a time) and woke up this morning to what is pictured below. Looks like there was a light rain last night. What happened? Was it the rain that caused this? What should I do? I just sprayed it all down with a garden hose on the jet setting, and most but not all of the green washed off. The stain surface is now pretty uneven along with the remaining green stuff. (This is the third picture.)
I followed all the steps. I not only rinsed off both the stripper and the brightener for the better part of an hour using a garden hose and the power washer simultaneously, but there was a solid 1 1/2 inches of rain after this step. And I sanded the surface with a floor sander followed up by a hand held orbital sander, but with 80 grit.
Please advise. The half of the deck that I stained yesterday morning looks great. The half I stained at 5:00 PM is where this occured. What should I do now?
It was not fully cured before the rain set in. You will have to redo the one side. Try give info a good pressure wash first with water only to see if that removes the discoloration. If not you will need to strip and redo.
Really like the RAD products, its all I use on my deck. Now it is time to re-stain the deck, I have already purchased the cleaner, brighter and stain. The new stain is a darker color than the current stain. Of course over time the old stain has faded and washed away. Since I am using a darker stain will it be necessary to strip what is left of the existing stain?
So it blends best, you should strip and then brighten.
how long does it need to dry? the restore-a-deck water-based stain? i’m not finding this anywhere?!!? surely i’m missing it?! trying to stain today, but rain forecast for tomorrow.
4-8 hours.
Hello, I have an approximately 8×9 foot treehouse to stain. The wood is pressure-treated pine and most of it is a year old. The vertical slats on the sides are two months old. None of the wood has never been stained before. What do I order?
Thank you!Michelle
Oh, and it’s really just a deck mounted up in a tree–it’s not an enclosed house. Thank you!Michelle
Use the RAD Cleaner and Brightener for prep. Then stain with one coat of the semi transparent stain.
Thanks! And is it okay to do it now, with most of the wood 12 months old and some of the wood 2 months old? Or should I wait until spring?
Do it in the spring.
Hello….I purchased the combo Stripper and Brightener earlier this year.Starting the project I realized that the deck boards would need to be all removed and replaced.Deck-Over on the deck ruined the boards. It would not strip off nor sand off very easy.Would have taken all summer just to get it off the decking. A real mess it made.My deck is 16′ x 24′, Rail length is total of 31′; Rail Ht is 37.5″; 3 Steps at 6.5 ft wide; 64 balusters each 42″ long made of 2×2. I replaced all decking with Pressure treated Southern Yellow Pine. It sat in my driveway as delivered for approx 1.5 months. It is now all in place. I do have a pressure washer. Questions:1) Do I need to sand the new wood after it sets for a few months (if sitting is needed)2) Since I already have the product, can I use the Stripper vs buying Cleaner?3) Since wood sat for so long, do I need to leave it on deck for 2-3 months and then do the cleaning/staining?4) Going to use the Solid on railings and Semi Transparent on Deck, should we do the railings first, then the deck and then do each baluster prior to installing them? That seems to be logical from an overspray perspective. Thank you for such a great product and site!
See here about new wood: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/Deck-Cleaning-Reviews-and-Tips/restore-a-deck-stain-for-new-wood.html
You need the cleaner, not the stripper for prep. Does not matter if you do the rails or deck first. You will not be spraying your stains when doing a two toned deck. All handwork will be needed.
Thanks for info.I didn’t mention that all railings and balusters are not new. I sanded all of that to remove solid stain that was on them using handheld orbital sander with 60 grit.Question:Should I use the Stripper on those items and Cleaner just on new decking boards or just cleaner on all?We’d like to solid the railings and balusters now prior to winter (Rochester N.Y.) to preserve that wood and then clean/semi-transparent stain new decking boards in Spring.Does that plan sound right?Thank you so much!
Cleaner on all. You can break it up.
I will be using your stripper product as well as sanding where needed on deck verticals with previous application of behr solid stain. Do I need to use your brightener product as well? Thanks
Yes, to neutralize.
Can I apply your solid stain over wood filler?
Yes.
Ok I used the cleaner and brightener on my pressure treated deck. Dark walnut semi transparent stain. I applied this section of the deck in the evening on damp wood. It looked good until morning. I noticed white beads from the morning dew on the deck. After the wood dried up from the morning dew it left white streaks as if the stain did not take. Could it have not been rinsed enough prior to staining. I used same procedure on another section and had no problems. Looking for suggestions as to why and what I need to do to fix it. Also this area is were we get in and out of our pool all summer so it gets a lot of chlorine water on it. Thanks Greg
That happened due to not rinsing the brightener fully and this causes a reaction. Try recoating one board and see if that fixes before attempting to recoat all.
Few questions:1. I am stripping the cedar in my entire outdoor living area (6 yrs old) – ceiling, railing, deck. In reading your instructions, I assume I would put 1 coat on the railings and ceiling, and 2 coats on the deck. Is that correct? If so, will there be a coloration difference due to having differing numbers of coats of stain? Or is 6 years considered “old wood” and it all should get 2 coats per your instructions?2. If some of the wood is damp from stripping/whitening when I apply the stain, will there be a difference in coloration between the wood that was damp compared to the wood that was dry? 3. Is the 100-200 ft coverage from a gallon assuming 1 coat? Or would 1 gallon enable 2 coats on 100-200 ft?4. Is it best to mist before staining even if the surface area is not in the sun, or is that for just when the surface area is in the sun?Thanks!
1. You can do one coat on verticals/ceiling and two on floors and the color will all be the same. 2. No.3. Yes.4. Does not matter.
Thank you for the quick reply!
Pictures related to my earlier question.
Hello. I used pressure treated cedar pickets from Home Depot and posts, with the fence having been built last year – 11/15/2020. I did wash the fence with Oxiclean about a week ago.
My funds are rather limited at this time, so I am wondering if I need to use the brightener, and if for this first application of RAD semi-transparent waterbase stain I can use just one coat? I’ve attached a photo of my fence…which is the one in the foreground. I will stain it in October before it gets too cold.
How long can I keep any leftover stain? I hope to set up a savings plan for next spring and apply however many coats you think should be applied then. I’ll continue each spring. Thank you!
You can stain it now. One coat will work until you can get another coat on.
Hello, I have a front and back porch (approx 200 sq ft total) made of an exotic hardwood. The previous owner thinks it is acacia, but not sure. I used a semitransparent stain from the hardware store that is not holding up well, likely bc it would not penetrate the hardwood. The picture with two tones shows where the wood was covered by an outdoor rug. In the front, which gets direct light in the am, there is cupping. My plan, in order, is to use the RAD stripper, brightener, sand lightly in the back and more the front (to reduce cupping), and then RAD semitransparent stain. Should I sand the deck lightly to improve absorption with 80 grit random orbital after brightener, and can I do that while it is still wet? Should I only sand the front, to reduce cupping? Do the darker stains provide better UV protection? I have seen conflicting information about doing multiple coats. What do you recommend? Thank you.
Do not sand. Strip and brighten for prep. Just one coat for hardwoods. Most use Light Walnut for hardwoods.
Thank you! Do you find applicators or brushes are better for consistent application on exotic hardwoods? I am prone to over apply. Thanks.
The yellow deck floor brush is the easiest.
One coat of the semi transparent stain or two on e optic hardwoods?
One.
Yesterday I applied the stripper, rinsed thoroughly, applied the brightener, and rinsed again. This morning my pine stairs are covered with white splotches. They wipe off easily. Temperature overnight got down to the low 40’s. What are the white splotches? What is the best way to remove them? Do I need to rinse again, or apply stripper or brightener again?
Post a picture.
That is oxidized wood fibers that you did not remove fully. Give it a good pressure wash for prep. If needed, lightly hand sand as well.
RJ · 09/25/2021
I’ve got a pretty large deck and will be working alone. It will take more than an hour to put the first coat on it I start and go across all of the deck. Can I do it in smaller sections and apply the second coat before moving to the next section? Will the sections match? Sorry if this is a repeat. Thanks
It may not blend if you do it in sections. Best to do first coat all at once and then go back and do the second coat.
Have a tigerwood deck to which I applied Messmers semi transparent oil stain more than 10 years ago. I am now trying to strip and restain. I applied Restore-A-Deck Stripper and scrubbed, but not all of the stain has been removed. Am ready to apply more Stripper, but wondered if there is more I should be doing? Would renting a floor polisher with a pad work? Do I need to sand? Would like advice before I spend more $. Thanks
Messmers is very easy to strip. Apply the stripper and then pressure wash off. Brighten the wood after.
I’m stripping and staining my Ipe deck using RAD products. Yesterday I used the stripper with both additives, scrubbed and then power washed. This morning I have some yellowing on the stairs and in some other spots. See pictures; Please advise: what can I do about this?
You have pressure wash damage from getting too close to the wood. It left marks all over the wood and gauged it as well. You may need to sand to fix these marks. Also, you have to brightener the wood after stripping to neutralize.
It has been a year since my first coat of Restore-A-Deck Semi-Transparent Wood Stain. What all do I need to do to prep for the second coat? Thanks. Any other special instructions for the second coat?
Just clean and brighten for prep.
The deck is in pretty good shape. Do I need to use One Restore-A-Deck Step 1 Wood Cleaner, and One Restore-A-Deck Step 2 Wood Brightener, or just a general cleaning with water?
Use both the RAD Cleaner and Brightener for prep.
I love your products. I used them last year and am very happy. I would like to recoat this fall. Should I just clean and brighten and recoat? I use your semi-transparent stain.
Yes, that is correct.
Last year I used a transparent acrylic latex sealant on my cedar deck. I would like to remove it. Do I need to use a stripper or will the cleaner suffice?
Please post some pictures here for prep help.
I’m going to be using RAD cleaner, brightner and semi transparent stain on a 100 foot PTP fence and want to know if the cleaner or brightner will harm or discolor the black gate hinges and handles?
It should not but always test first.
Hello. I am in the middle of power washing my cedar deck. The power washing alone is removing most of the RAD stain, which is three years old. My question is can I strip and brighten the deck this afternoon or should I wait for it to dry off. If so, how long? Thank you
Hello. I am in the middle of power washing my cedar deck. The power washing alone is removing most of the RAD stain, which is three years old. My question is can I strip and brighten the deck this afternoon or should I wait for it to dry off. If so, how long? Thank you
You can strip and brighten now.
Thanks. The cedar boards are stripped and look very clean. Would it make sense to leave them as is, and do cleaning, brightening and staining in the spring? The Chicago winters have been hard in the stain. If I wait, they will have a fresh start in the spring.
You can wait and do in the Spring.
Will RAD solid stain completely cover wood filler as if it wasnt there? We want to use the Espresso color. Our deck is quite old and needed wood filler to make the upper railing smooth again. I know we cant use semi-transparent stain. Thank you!!
A solid stain will cover wood filler.
Thank you for the fast reply!!
My deck has been sanded but still has stain in the grooves and on the edges. We plan to use the stripper to get this remaining stain off the deck. However we have had solid rain for the past two days and now the sanded boards are full of moisture. The attached photo shows the uncovered portion of the deck that has had rain for two days and the covered area that gets no rain or direct sun. How will I know that the wood is ready for the stripper? We have already purchased stripper, brightener, and cedar tinted stain. We are looking forward to restoring our 20 year old deck with your product.
You can strip it now.
I just finished doing my entire deck and face boards with your products (Sanded, cleaner, brightener and semi transparent stain). I must say it looks fabulous. My question for you is: our mountain house is in high country(almost 10,000 feet altitude on the western slope of Colorado). It’s not unusual to get over 200″ of snow in the winter. Half of my deck is unprotected, the other half is under roof. We close the house for the winter. I’m thinking of putting down a vinyl tarp over the unprotected part of the deck to protect the deck from snow laying on the deck all winter. Do you think this is a good idea?
I doubt it would harm anything if you do.
Have wood gazebo by river. Always damp. What products to use to clean mold off and what product to apply to preserve Wood never dries out
RAD Cleaner and Brightener Kit and then the RAD Stains will work.
How long after applying and removing the stripper can I wait before applying the brightener?
Right away is best.
What would be the directions/procedures to just clean my deck with Restore-A-Deck Cleaner and Brightner without removing any of the current TWP stain in order to apply a maintenance coat of the same stain?
It does not work that way. Some of the TWP will come off during prep for recoating and that is okay and is what is intended.
I have a ten year old pressure-treated deck. I have stained it in the past and scrubbed it to get the pollen etc off. It’s now looking worn and it’s slippery when wet, so today I pressure washed it. I plan to sand it. I like the cottage grey stain and just want to know what other prep is needed after the pressure washing and sanding.
Post some pictures here so we can give proper prep advice.
Thank you for your quick response! The first picture is showing the washing in progress. The deck is north-facing and gets little sun this time of year, so when it gets wet, it stays wet a long time. It’s about 300 sq ft altogether – it wraps around the cottage. The second pic shows the bare boards, after washing and before sanding.
You still have some dirt left in the wood. If you want to remove it so it does not show, then use the RAD Cleaner/Brightener Kits.
OK, thanks! So, I would buy 5 gallons of stain and the cleaner/brightener products. We are on a lake – the land slopes down steeply from the cottage to the water. Are those products safe for the lake? Also, we are in Ontario, north of Toronto. You ship to Canada, right?
We ship to Canada and are safe for the lake.
Thanks so much! One final question – if I use the cleaner and brightener, does that mean I won’t need to sand as well, or should I sand before using those products?
You typically do not have to sand for prep.
How long does it typically take when shipping to Canada (Toronto, Ontario)?
2-4 days.
Hello! I love all Q/A and comments available on the site and we are completely in on using RAD. I’ve read as much as possible, but can’t seem to come to a conclusion for our project. So here it goes:
Square Footage of Area to be Restored: 530 sq ft
Type of wood: unknown
Approximate Age of Wood: unknown (estimate 7-10 years)
Previous owners finished with what appears to be Behr advanced deckover paint – on top of another coat (different color) of Behr advanced deck over paint
We do not have access to a pressure washer and attempted to stay away from harsh paint strippers. Prep work completed so far – Belt sanded each horizontal board down until we clear all old paint – medium grit beltOrbital sander used for railings and rough sand on spindlesScraped remaining loose paint that did not come off during sandingFilled holes and large board cracks with either Bondo wood filler or LOCTITE PL PremiumOld paint remains on spindles and areas of horizontal boards on the railingsApplied BEHR Premium 1 gal. All-In-One Wood and Deck Cleaner, left for 15 minutes, scrubbed with hard bristle brush and rinsed with a garden hoseWork completed on Monday (3-4 days ago) and one light rain since prep
Based on other answers, it sounds like a RAD semi-transparent stain for the horizontal boards is best and we’ll likely need to use another form of paint to recover the railings and spindles.
Questions.1. Given we’ve sanded the bottom horizontal boards down to clean wood and used the Behr all in one wood cleaner. Is the stripper, cleaner, or brightener still required?2. Since we could not get the spindles clear of paint. We cannot use a solid stain over it correct? We’d either have to remove the paint completely OR repaint over with a similar deck over product?3. Any concerns with using semi-transparent RAD stain based on the state of the wood or wood filler used?
Before and current pictures attached.
You could proabbly get away with using the RAD Solid stain on the rails based on the pictures.
A wood filler should never be used with a semi-transparent stain. The filler will not stain to blend and will stand out looking very blotchy/white wherever used.
It does not look like you removed all of the current coating from the floor so a semi-transparent color should not be used unless you can get all of the solid color off. You could use the solid stain here.
Thank you very much for the quick reply! We can continue to remove the rest of the paint if we go the transparent route. We were concerned a solid stain on the bottom horizonal boards would peel faster. It is a roof top south facing deck that just gets hammered by the sun. We are planning on installing shade and rugs to help. Would you recommend solid stain for the bottom/horizontal boards rather than us trying to remove the balance of paint and use semi-transparent? We are more interested in longevity over aesthetics. Thanks again!
A solid stain will last about the same as the semi-transparent. 2-3 years on a deck.
Great. Thank you!
Two questions for my IPE deck: 1) do you sell the 2 1/2 gallon stains individually? I only see them in packages of two on the site.2) Which color do you recommend for Ipe?
1. We do not. You can buy 2 or 3 singles if needed.2. Light Walnut.
Thanks, done. Hey what are shipping times to Nashville?
2-3 business days.
It will not take. Do a pressure washing with the Cleaner and then reapply a coat. That should help.
I’m going to let the deck dry fully to see what kind of damage presents itself. It was never a hard rain, a little more than drizzle for the most part. I’m worried but will let the deck dry first to see what kind of nightmare I may be faced with — or if I dodged a major bullet. I put so many hours of labor into this that I’d hate to have to start all over. I just don’t have the time. (65+ hour work weeks make time for any project scarce) Fingers crossed….
We have what appears to be a stain peneteration issue. This is a mahogany (Cambara) deck that was extended 2 years ago. The original deck is about 8 years old and was sealed with Pentafin. The 4ʻ extension is in the front of the photos, and most of the issue is on the new boards. The deck is about 550 sqft.
Last year we sanded the deck with 60 and 80 grit, concentrating mostly on the old deck (it hadnʻt been maintained for 4-5 years, was weathered and a bit cupped). We then did cleaner/brightener/stain per your instructions. You can see that most of the coverage lasted well, but there are certain boards where it didnʻt. This may be because the newer decking came sealed one side, and the contractor may have installed some boards sealed side up and others sealed side down.
Your instructions for maintenance say that I should clean and stain, but Iʻm worried about those boards that are starting to gray out. From the photos, would you recommend sanding the entire deck again, concentrating on the “bad boards”, or would you try a maintenance coat of cleaner/stain and see how it works out?
Sorry, did not see the question. Clean and brighten for prep and then apply one coat.
Your wood type being a hardwood will require annual maintenance.
Probably a dumb question, but thought I saw a post that said you can apply your RAD solid stain over an existing solid stain if there is no cracking or peeling? If that is correct, do I need to do a light sanding first? I’ll be using two coats of the RAD Cypress over a slightly darker existing solid stain.
You can apply over another solid stain but you still have to clean/pressure wash to prep and make sure no peeling.
Looking at the cottage grey semitransparent product of Restore a Deck. My question is in a year or 2 when it needs be reapplied do I just clean it with the brightner product and then apply the semitransparent product again. So I don’t need to pressure washer the wood again and reapply the semitransparent product. I think I read somewhere that is how the TPW product works.
You always have to prep when reapplying and that would be both the cleaner and the brightener. You do not have to strip.
1st time DIYers. Our deck is around 20 years old and was neglected by previous owners. The solid stain is peeling and there are lots of cracks in the wood. We will be replacing a few boards that’s really moldy and in back shape. It sounds like we will need to sand off the stains, but do we sand before replacing the boards or after? Also, do we need to strip/brighten the new boards? Thanks.
Let the new wood weather: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/Deck-Cleaning-Reviews-and-Tips/restore-a-deck-stain-for-new-wood.html
Pressure wash with the striper to remove as much solid stain as possible. Sand after to remove any other areas of solid stain that are still peeling. Brightener last. Cover the remaining solid stain that is intact with the RAD Solid Stain: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/restore-a-deck-wood-stain/restore-a-deck-solid-stain.html
Clean and brighten for prep is correct. You could also water down the stripper and use it. 1 part stripper to 3 parts water.
We used your strip and brighten products, then stained our deck a couple of months ago. A couple of weeks ago quite a bit of fresh dirt (mud) was tracked onto the deck and the deck now looks dark and dirty in that area. We tried cleaning it but if you take a paper towel and rub in the area, it comes up black. Can we use the cleaner or brightener on the deck to get it cleaned, but not have to restain it?
No, our prep products should only be used when recoating.
oops should be RAD not RSD:)
Just curious, what does the RSD step one product look like before it is mixed with water?
It is a powder in a resealable bag.
How do I tell if my log cabin needs staining. If I put water on it and it runs off is that good?
Visually if it looks good then no need to redo.
I used woodrich timber oil on my deck several years ago. It held up amazingly well. I have re-stained it recently. The wood is getting a bit darker. Should I go to a lighter color of woodrich or maybe switch to twp going forward. i live in Colorado spring at about 7000 ft elevation so sun can be brutal on deck stains
To get it lighter you would need to remove it down to the bare wood with the RAD Stripper and Brightener Kit.
My deck is an exotic hardwood previously coated with a water-based coating made for EHW. I liked it, but its no longer available. Im looking at RAD now. Why do you not sell cleaner and stripper together? Is it odd that my contractor asked for that combination of products?
You strip or clean followed by the brightener for botb. You never do both cleaner and stripper.
Hi first we power washed our deck using the stripper tip and it removed everything but left some pieces of wood lifted and pretty much like the pictures you posted on powerwashing tips. I take it there is nothing you can do to correct this issue other than sanding? I am sure you hear this all the time and whoops should have know better… So we lightly sanded some spots and then used the stripper and brightener which did a great job removing the rest of the old stain/paint! We managed to get one coat on the deck and then we had a unpredicted thunderstorm which ended up removing some the the solid stain we applied. What do we do now? The weekend was perfect until the thunderstorm and now they are predicting more thunderstorms for the rest of the week. We live in Georgia and humidity can increase higher than 50% with these storms. Can we put the 2nd and possibly a third coat next weekend if weather is good? We need your advice. Again we are using a RAD solid stain. Thank you very much for your help…Noreen
You can apply another coat this coming weekend. Give it a light pressure wash rinse the day before to remove any dirt, etc.
It is not a failure or something went wrong. The prep products are only to be used when planning to recoat and should never be used for general cleaning as they can remove the stain if it started to deteriorate.
Thank you for the prompt reply! That explains the issue and I will add it to my deck cleaning/staining information.
Trying to make a 15-20 year old neglected deck look better. I do have a pressure washer. Last finished with Cabot Semi Transparent 2 years ago, tried Flood two years before that. Nothing at all was applied in the years before. Deck has now been sanded to remove most of old stain and smooth some of the roughest wood. Under the stain was green (probably algae) left from poor prep before the other stains were applied. Part sun in summer, mostly shade and ice/snow in winter. In summer, part of the deck is always in shade that is often damp, thus the green in the wood.
Plan to use RAD Light Walnut or Cedar. Photos show before and after sanding. We are not trying for a perfect looking deck and know there are imperfections. Some of the wood is checked pretty bad, we don’t mind that so much. Pretty sure we will not have an even color deck once it is done, that is ok. We do not want to go with a solid or semi solid stain.
Will one of your products remove the deep set green?
Since I sanded pretty well, especially the rail (sun checked and squirrel nibbled), do I need to wait? How long? Cooler temps are coming soon here in Wisconsin.
Thank you!
Wait until Spring since you power sanded and then clean and brighten all for prep and apply the RAD Semi-transparent stain.
Can I order a sample of your Restore a deck solid stain in coastal grey?
https://www.restore-a-deck.com/restore-a-deck-wood-stain/restore-a-deck-stain-samples/restore-a-deck-solid-stain-sample/flypage.tpl.html
Hello,
Deck is ~18 years old.
First part: Deck appears to be pressure treated pine. 3 weeks ago used the RAD stripper and power washed “main deck.” Next, sanded with 36, then 60 on horizontals and 80 on rails. From what I can glean on your threads, now that its stripped/sanded, we should treat like new wood and clean/brighten then stain with 1 coat semi-trans. True? Alternatively, can I just brighten without applying cleaner? If applying brightener or cleaner, is power washing required or rinse with hose?
Second, deck around pool with the boards replaced as needed…strip? Or just clean then brighten?
My takeaway is that stripping furs the wood, which requires sanding, which in turn puts the deck amateur in the scenario of cleaning then brightening, if not weathering for 3-6 months before staining. What’s the theory behind weathering aged decks that have been sanded, it seems like the wood should be fine to take a double coat of semi after staining if its older and well worn…what are the risks associated…peaking, uneven coat?
Thanks in advance!
Just one coat. Clean and brighten the wood. Strip and brighten the older wood as you want it as porous as possible. Sanding closes the pores, it does not open up the pores.
Does the brightener have an agent in it such as bleach that kills black mold on decks? I stripped and cleaned the deck with the RAD stripper and applied the RAD whitener, but there are a few places where there are still some very light black mold stains. Although negligible at this time, I was concerned if the mold was not completely dead then it would grow again under the stain after I re-stain it. If the brightener had something in it such as a bleaching agent that killed it, then I would be fine staining over it. Otherwise, I will either sand it down or re-clean it with something that kills mold.
The stripper would have easily killed any mildew. If you have some back spots still then it may not be mildew. Could be rust. The Brightener would help to remove rust spots but would not have any affect on mildew.
Thank you for your quick reply to both of my questions over the past week!!!