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!
HI! am looking for advice so I don’t make time consuming and expensive mistakes.
I want to stain the entire deck this summer.
2 years ago I had the horizontal surfaces replaced with PT pine. I would like to keep the same color as the original verticals (which have not been cared for in years, I do not know what was used previously). I plan to use the stripper with additives on the verticals.
1) Would the stripper with additives damage the newer (2 yr old unstained pine?) Or should I just use the cleaner on this (then plan to sand all lightly and then brighten all)?
2)What is the best color match in your opinion? I want it to be uniform color, as close in color to the verticals as possible. I am torn between cedar and light walnut. It seems like stain darkens with time, have no idea what was originally used.
3)Should I use the RAD semitransparent stain on the verticals or are they covered with solid or semi-solid stain that needs solid only going forward?
4) 1 coat or 2 on the horizontals (which are now 2 years old)? If 2, coats, plan to do wet on wet.
Thank you!
1. Use the Cleaner for the floors., not the stripper.
2. Try Cedar color.
3. You should be able to use the semi-transparent on verticals after the prep.
4. 2 light coats wet on wet.
I have an 840 sq ft deck (including steps) made of pine. The deck now consists of boards that were stained with Sherwin-Williams semi-transparent water-based stain in early 2017; older boards, un-stained, from repairs in 2021; and newer boards, also un-stained, from repairs this year. Now, I’m ready to strip, brighten and re-stain with RAD products. I’m hoping to use a semi-transparent stain. Do I need the additive and thickener? (There are no vertical surfaces.) How much of each product do I need? Due to the uneven ages of the boards, will the appearance be uneven?
The booster will help strip this, no need for the gel. You will need 1-2 of the RAD Stripper. 1 Brightener should work. 7-8 gallons of the RAD Stain for two coats applied wet on wet.
the new wood will stain a little lighter in color since they are less absorbent.
Temps in Florida now consistently over 90 degrees with “feels like” in the 90-100’s. I would rather wait until temps cool down before staining in order to avoid working on a hot deck. Is it ok to strip and brighten now and then stain in the Fall? If so, what do I need to do to re-prep the deck prior to staining? Will the stripping/brightening help to accelerate the “aging” of the newer wood?
You will have to redo the prep if you do this. You cannot accelerate the weathering of new wood.
Cover so no over spray can get on the logs.
Old deck was sanded last fall. Think previous finish was Cabot Simi Transparent, several years old. As can be seen in the photo, there are traces of old finish remaining. Understand that the wood is not in great condition, not going to be replaced. Plan to purchase a Simi-Transparent kit.
Question is, do I need Stripper/Brightener or Cleaner/Brightener combo kit?
Thank you!
Clean and brighten.
Hello,
I have two decks both about 10 x 15 one over the other, 20 years old, cedar I think. They have been maintained every 4 to 5 years with restore deck cleaner and brightener and then a coat or two of TWP 1500 2 to 3 days later.In the past I have put plastic over the lower deck, the stucco, and the door and windows. I have only had partial success in keeping the plastic on while doing the upper deck.
My question is if I do the upper deck cleaner and brightener, do not cover the lower deck, windows, and stucco but have my other half rinse them every 10 minutes or so with water as I am doing the upper deck is that sufficient to prevent any damage to the stucco and windows, and door. I would then do the lower deck immediately after sweeping standing water off of it. Does that sound reasonable?
The second question regards the shelf life of unused cleaner and brightener. The product I have which is sufficient to do the deck is probably seven or eight years old at this point. Is it still usable or should I discard it and buy fresh product. This is a frequently asked question and it would really be nice to know if the product is really inert, or does it really degrade overtime?
-Yes, that will work with the prep of upper deck.
-The cleaner can degrade over the years and 8 years might be pushing it. Try mixing a small amount of the cleaner and see if it bubbles. If so, it should work. The Brightener will be okay.
Sorry for the continued questions. Thirty five year old deck, boards cracked but otherwise sound. Stripped with RAD stripper and sanded with 60 grit sandpaper due to roughness. Plan to use RAD brightener and then semi transparent stain. Question–Plan on one or two coats (is there a reason that one option is better than the other?) and second, I see cautions not to use too much stain. How do you know when stain is enough or too much. Also, how much stain is needed for this 500 sq ft deck. Thanks again.
Newer wood or less absorbent wood means that one coat is better. Dried-out wood can take two. You are borderline as you sanded. A finer grit and we would say only one coat. if in doubt, less is better. You can always add a light coat in 6-12 months.
In twelve months, will I need to apply the cleaner before the second coat? thanks
Hi, I installed new cedar boards on an old substructure 1 year ago. I will be staining those boards for the 1st time shortly. Do I need cleaner and brightener for the 1st time or just power wash surface/
Cleaner and the brightener.
Hi RAD – I have several questions regarding my upcoming staining project this week. I ordered the stripper, brightener, and semi-transparent stain a year ago to re-do an old swingset (unopened) and am finally getting around to it: 1) There’s mold/mildew on the swingset. Should I powerwash it first before going through the steps, or just apply the stripper and then powerwash it all off? 2) Can I use any Chapin sprayer for the stripper/brightener, or do I have to use the Stain N Seal model? 3) For the wet on wet 2 coat process, the second coat needs to be applied after 20-60 minutes. What if it takes longer than 60 minutes from the beginning of applying the first coat? Do I just spray the surface with water again and then apply the second coat? 4) This is a detail job with multiple vertical/small surfaces. What do you recommend as the applicator, pad/brush/sprayer, etc? 5) In terms of the approach, I read that vertical surfaces should be stained first, then horizontal. for the swingset, should i just start top to bottom, regardless of vertical vs. horizontal? 6) I have to do some sanding and read to use 60-80 grit, nothing highter. At what point do i do this? Before stripping/brightening or afterwards? 7) Basic question, but where do you recommend I mix the stain? in a bucket or tray? 8) I have and oak tree, crape myrtle and pine right next to the set. Do i need to wet these before starting so that the products don’t damage them? THANK YOU!
1. Apply stripper and then pressure wash off.
2. Any quality pump sprayer will work.
3. Make sure to not exceed 60 minutes so if needed, break it up.
4. Stain pads and brushes.
5. Top to bottom.
6. After the prep is done.
7. Buckets or tray will work. Shake stain in containers first for 60 seconds to mix before pouring the stain out.
8. No
Hello, just want to mention your product is awesome!!! I used your full step process 3 years ago on my deck to remove old semi-transparent stain by sanding it all off, and applied your solid stain two-toned on my deck. Now three years later I need to do another coat due to very minor stripping and algae build up on the railings. What steps should I follow to apply the solid white stain on the railings and solid color stain on the floor boards, so I continue to have great results with your products on my deck? What is the shelf life of your products as well? Thanks again!
Prep with the RAD Wood Cleaner and pressure washing and then recoat.
Ok so no brightner? How long after cleaning and pressure washing can I apply the stain?
No need for the brightener when recoating with the solid stain.
How long after using the RAD wood cleaner and pressure washing can I apply the stain? What is the shelf life of your products opened and unopened? Thanks again!
You can apply later the same day or the next day after prep. Just cannot be applied to a visibly wet deck. Unopened, 36 months. Opened 12 months.
First attempt and some important lessons learned but now going to do over. We have a Pressure treated deck that was new in Sept. 2020. It got really weathered and gray. We just sanded down with 60 then 80 grit and cleaned and brightened. It look great like new wood but with still a little stubborn gray here and there. We applied light walnut semi transparent and dark walnut around the border. We did the dark walnut first and though we wet it to apply damp the sun was pretty intense and started to dry so in trying to smooth it ended up really dark on the first boards. The rest is only one coat so it is much lighter. The light walnut went on much better as we kept it damp and the sun was not as intense. Though the stain itself went on nicely and has a nice rich appearance, it is a lot more orange and darker than the samples we initially tested (more orange in person than pics). Really can’t tell the difference between the Cedar and the Light Walnut. This also clashes with the Dark Walnut. We aren’t complaining at all as the stain is great but we do plan to strip and redo it in another color.
1. Is there any difference or advantage between stripping now or waiting until the fall? Does it continue to cure over time? Do we need the additives or just the stripper?
2. Any idea if we did something wrong in the application to make it more dark and orange? First coat damp, waited 20 min or so and applied lighter second coat with stain brush. (We know what we did wrong with the Dark Walnut trim)
3. Do we just need to strip and brighten and then re-stain? (no more sanding)
4. Can I mix stain colors to create my own color. Say a little Dark Walnut mixed into Natural semi-transparent.
1. Easier in the Fall or next Spring. Additves will help.
2. Hard to say but it seems the darker side may have dried faster causing the second coat to sit more on the surface.
3. Yes.
4. Yes.
Thank you
Want to restore my deck, some areas have stain and some no longer do. Want brighten and seal with oil base. What products do I need to strip and brighten the deck and railings?
Size: a little over 300 sq ft
Type of wood: Cedar Decking
Age: 12 years (three boards are new, replacing at the same time as redoing deck).
Stain: Behr Semi Transparent
Estimated time since last stain about 10 years
Have access to pressure washer
Thank you for your help on this.
Your new wood needs to weather for 3-6 months before staining. As for the prep, use the Restore A Deck Stripper Kit: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/order-restore-a-deck/rad-kits-best-price/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit/flypage.tpl.html
with the additives for the stripper: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/rad-stain-stripper-additives.html
Hi, used your process a few years ago on cedar deck. Time for a redo…most of the stain is gone from floor, but remains on rails. I want to go from the natural color to the cedar color. Do i need to strip or just clean/brighten?
How long after I order your product does it take to have it delivered?
Depends on where you live?
I’m in New Jersey. I ordered your product yesterday, two 5 gallon combo packages, so what is the time frame for delivery?
About 3 business days.
I sanded and stained my deck with this product last Summer. By fall, it was starting to fail and the other photo is from January. We get a lot of rain and it stays wet from November to June. I want to try again this Summer and have it last.
I’m not sure if I should take the Stripper and Brightener, or the Cleaner and Brightener route. I plan to sand again as well. Based on how the deck looks now, I think my pressure washer will take off most of the product from las year.
Finally, is it better to use the solid stain for water resistance, or is the semi transparent the best choice?
Thank you!
You already have a solid stain so you will need to stick with the RAD Solid stain unless you want to power sand all your current stain off. For prep for the solid stain, you want to remove all the loose and peeling stain so you can cover the intact stain that is not peeling. This would be a combo of stripping and pressure washing followed by spot sanding. Brightener last.
Does the RAD semi-transparent stain require a sealer or protective coat? How about the solid stains?
No and you cannot apply a sealer over a stain like this.
10 Months ago I applied Flood stain (mistake) to new cedar. It has not weathered well. Here are pictures of cleaned horizontal surfaces. Do I need to do anything more than apply the RAD stain I have ordered to these?
You will need to remove the Flood. Use the Stripper and Brightener kit that we sell with both additives for the stripper: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/rad-stain-stripper-additives.html
Ugh! A must-do even though the Flood is water-based? Thanks for your help!
You have to remove prior coatings no matter what when switching brands of stain.
Thank You! I look forward to using YOUR materials to do a better job this time!
Am I correct in assuming if I want to use a water-based stain for easy clean-up, I am probably going to have to strip, power wash, brighten, re-stain every two years or so? I am beginning to think the better route would be to just get this Flood semi-transparent off there through above process, use a solid (oil) stain and then just clean, brighten, re-stain over the years, thereby skipping the strip and power wash process over the years?
When recoating with the RAD Semi-transparent Stain or the RAD Solid Stain, you just clean and recoat.
Thanks! One coat or two this first time with RAD product?
Two light coats: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/Deck-Cleaning-Reviews-and-Tips/restore-a-deck-stain-wet-on-wet-application.html
Will the cleaner or brightner harm metal ballusters? What about the semi-transparent stain? Pic attached.
They will not harm the metal spindles. Only use the prep products if you are restaining.
Using cleaner then brightner on deck that has never been sealed/stained (diff than pic which shows type of metal ballusters). Pressure treated wood that is about 2 years old. Will the semi-transparent stain (natural color) harm the metal ballusters?
The stain will not harm the metal but it should be avoided to get on them so it does not look messy.
Oh dear.. Don’t know how to do that. I will have to wait until kids or grandkids come one of which might be able to come tomorrow who is techhie. And do you recommend where to buy products and how long does it take for delivery?
You can buy directly from our website. Delivery timing depends on where you live.
Ok I’m ready to get serious about this. My deck is 30 years old. Mainly in shade in summer from trees. In pretty good shape, so I want to restore it not tear down. In reading i gather that you recommend stripper and brightener for old decks. And 2 coats of stain. Now I’m confused about choice of stains; oil or water and color. i don’t want red which I gather is cedar; opaque or transluscent? I’m wondering if I should clean and brighten first to see the color underneath. Going to have sons help me so I don’t want to tie them up too much. Would prefer to do it all in one day. I would be happy with a brown or grey tint. Just not that orange/red.
Hi Pat,
Please post some pics so we can offer prep and stain advice.
Ok here are the pics. One long look, one close up and one with railing to show color of railing
Strip and brighen for prep. Try Dark Walnut color for a brown that is not red or orange.
I stripped, brightened and refinished the deck last year. Unfortunately we had a short surprise rain before it was fully dried. There seem to be some “blotches” where the finish was not able to soak in. Do I need to re-prep the entire deck or should I apply the finish to those areas )or even the whole deck. The areas that did not seems to be affected appear to be fine. Thanks
You cannot spot fix so you would have to prep and redo all.
What would you recommend on a 7 year old redwood deck as far as using a cleaner or stripper? I’m not sure if it’s been stained before. I just bought the house. Also I don’t want it any redder then it is naturally. Will you recommend just a semi transparent stain? The upper and lower deck is 550 sq feet not including the railings. How much of the cleaner or stripper and brighter and stain will I need? Thanks
You will have to strip this using this kit: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/RAD-Kits-Best-Prices.html
and these additives: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/rad-stain-stripper-additives.html
Not sure if one kit will be enough to strip all. Might need two of all.
Thanks
So could you tell me what exactly I will need? There is a lot of options on those links. I don’t wanna be short so I would rather have too much. I would like to get this ordered asap. Thanks I appreciate your time
Please give us the total sq footage of all wood added up. Use the calculator to the right of this page on desktop or at the bottom if on mobile.
765 total square feet. Thanks
-2 Strippers
-2 Booster Additive
-2 Booster Gel
-1 Brightener
6-8 gallons of stain for two coats applied wet on wet.
I’ve used the RAD system for the past 2 years and have been thrilled with how easily a small deck can be finished in a single day.
First year existing stain was stripped, brightened and stained. We ended up with some blotches after 8 months but nothing too concerning.
Last year I cleaned, brightened and stained. It lasted extremely well for the first 7 months until the snows came. We had continued cold weather which included periods of heavy rain and snow for the next 3 months. There is a drip line on the deck where the stain has worn away where rain repeatedly froze. This drip line is where water from a short awning over part of the deck lands (DripLine photo).
There is also one spot which has worn away from repeated overflow of a low spot on a gutter (PuddleBlotch photo))
I’ll be doing another cleaning/ stain application this year. Does this wearing away of stain indicate I should be doing something differently this year other than another cleaning/ staining?
It looks over-applied. Best to strip it down this time and then brighten the wood.
Thank you!
Wow, over-applied? And I was concerned I was putting it on too lightly last year.
I’ll try the strip/bright/ stain approach this year and be even more conservative in application.
I don’t have a sprayer to apply Brightener and Booster . Can I apply with sponge type floor applicator (squeagy-type) and bucket of water
It really needs to be sprayed for the best results. You can pick up a pump sprayer at any garden or home center.
We have a large deck which was sealed with Thompsons water seal 3 years ago. I used a hydrocarbon cleaner (from Earth Smart Solutions) and a power washer to remove the seal. The deck still feels squeaky when we walk on it. Part of the deck is covered and not exposed to the elements. We live in Michigan. I want to stain the deck with your stain but am not sure if I need to redo the removal of the Thompsons seal? Also we have a bench which was stained and coated with polyurethane and it is peeling and some of the stain has worn off and needs to be redone. Should I strip the bench? I have tried to sand the poly off but it seems like it would take a long time and much effort.
We also have a deck that was covered with a solid stain and peeled almost immediately after it was applied. I have sanded some areas and power washed it but a large amount of stain remain of the wood. Do I need to completely strip this deck to apply your stain?
Thanks, Geoff
For the poly, you will have to sand that off. It can not be stripped. Same with the solid stain. It has to be sanded off if you want to use the RAD Semi-transparent stain. If you do not want to sand, then you can use the RAD Solid Sain over your old solid stain that is intact and not peeling.
Strip and brighten the wood that had the Thompsons.
How soon after putting a coat of your natural semi transparent stain on can I put a second coat?
If you are doing a second coat it needs to be wet on wet. https://www.restore-a-deck.com/restore-a-deck-stain-wet-on-wet-application.html
Thank you.
I put one coat of RAD semi transparent stain on my deck after stripping/sanding/brightening a different product. It could use another coat. How long do I need to wait to reapply since it is too late to apply a 2nd coat per the instructions
6-12 months and clean off any dirt prior to recoating.
Deck Info:
– About 200 sq ft
– Cedar deck
– Built last May 2021
– Hasn’t been stained yet
– South facing/full exposure deck in the PNW (we live on a hill and get the full force of the weather all times of the year)
– Planning on using the cleaner, brightener, and stain
We’re having trouble deciding between Armstrong Clark or Restore-a-Deck. We prefer a more natural look. We originally decided on the AC Cedar Tone Transparent but worry it doesn’t offer enough sun protection. We left our AC sample boards out all year and have seen mixed results. Some showed wear and others just faded on both transparent and semi-transparent. After some more research we saw great reviews on RAD (just ordered samples today) and thought maybe it seemed like a good alternative. Is one better over the other for our location? (Full exposure to sun, wind, rain, snow)
Also, will the stain stick to metal hardware on the railing? Is it something you just wipe off afterward or do we need to tape them off?
Our deck is just now a year old and hasn’t been stained – should we do 1 or 2 coats?
Thank you!!
We would suggest the RAD Stain in either Cedar or Natural color. Proabbly two light coats applied wet on wet since the wood looks very dried out. Stain around the metal. Easier that way. if you get a few drips on it, then wipe right away.
All RAD products do ship free. If you have a shipping charge then you have an item in your cart that is not a RAD product.
Can I mix Outlast NBS30 insect repellent in restore-a-deck semi-transparent stain? They say it mixes with water base stains.
Yes.
Do you know if it will it alter the color or sheen of the stain at all?
Not sure.
Colors will always vary based on the wood type, age of the wood, and how it is prepped. You can mix another color like Dark Walnut into it to make the color more brown.
I’m just adding some feedback. We did our deck last year per the instructions; clean, strip, brighten, stain. We get “good” winters and our deck doesn’t usually make it through one season to the next. This is the most amazing deck product we have tried. We’ve had wood decks for years and years and this surpassed all expectations! Thank you thank you for such great product. There are “zero” touch ups to do this year. Note: our deck is covered but exposed to the elements. Worth the shipping to Canada!!
New house. The deck has weathered 10 months now – pressure treated pine – definitely ready for stain. roughly 1100 sq ft of deck with half under cover with a hot tub on it. Also will need to stain the structure under the deck which is two stories tall.
Can I put two coats of stain on now, or do one now and one in a year? Which one would work better? Will use your cleaner and brightener to prep. Semi-transparent stain.
Just one coat on this deck.
OK to apply with a sprayer and back brush with your brush head, or better to use the brush head itself? Lot of deck to stain….. I have read the information and watched the videos.
Just apply th one coat with the yellow brush and stain pads.
The instructions for the stripper and brightener say to apply the brightner immediately after the stripper is removed. If this is not possible because of circumstances, can we proceed with the brightener at a later date, e.g. 1 or 2 days by just wetting the stripped deck before applying the brightener. In my case, I may have quite a bit of sanding to do before applying the brightener. Thanks
If you need to sand, then do that first and brighten all when done.
Thank you, my inquiry was more about how much time I have to apply the brightener once the stripping is completed assuming it can not be done immediately. Or is that not a critical issue.
If you cannot do it right away since you want to sand, then do it as soon as the sanding is done. A couple of weeks at most.
Wondering what materials are needed here? Recently bought the house, looking to refinish this deck (500sf) which I’ve been told is mahogany but appears they used a solid stain over it. 1) what would be best to strip the old stain? 2) Should I apply solid stain or can I use semi-transparent? 3) any other helpful tips?
thank you!
You cannot strip a solid stain fully. Strip off what you can and then sand the rest off. Use the RAD stripper with both additives: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/rad-stain-stripper-additives.html
Sand to remove the rest and then RAD Brightener after. Use the RAD Semi-transparent stain. Try Light Walnut Color.
I am getting both Gel and Booster additives as I have vertical surfaces that still have, perhaps overapplied, Armstrong oil-based stain from a few years ago that look like new (but other areas are bare). I need help / instructions on how to use these. I am guessing that the booster I can simply add, and then use my sprayer but that I cannot do the same with the gel additive (i.e. it wouldn’t spray). Searched online, didn’t find.
Add both Gel and Booster into the RAD stripper after mixing that first with water. You can spray after all is mixed with a quality pump sprayer.
Thanks! Will do that.
Should I use cleaner or stripper over existing restore a deck semi transparent stain? It was applied 3 years ago.
Post some pics of current shape of deck.
Sorry, in the previous post I forgot to attach the pics. Attaching here.
———————————————————————————–
Hi, I was wondering what material I will need for this deck project? Will I need to strip the previous stain off or I can pressure wash and stain with RAD solid stain over previous stain?
Info below on this deck project:
– Total SF using the RAD calculator and including railing and stairs – 800 SF
– 29 year old wood which I believe is cedar or pine (but not sure type of wood)
– Last stained 5 years ago with solid stain Olympic Rescue It Max brand
– Yes, I have access to a pressure washer
If you can please let me know material needed for this project? Thanks!
Strip and pressure wash off what is loose and peeling and then you can apply the RAD Solid Stain over the top. https://www.restore-a-deck.com/restore-a-deck-wood-stain/restore-a-deck-solid-stain.html
Hi, I was wondering what material I will need for this deck project? Will I need to strip the previous stain off or I can pressure wash and stain with RAD solid stain over previous stain?
Info below on this deck project:
– Total SF using the RAD calculator and including railing and stairs – 800 SF
– 29 year old wood which I believe is cedar or pine (but not sure type of wood)
– Last stained 5 years ago with solid stain Olympic Rescue It Max brand
– Yes, I have access to a pressure washer
If you can please let me know material needed for this project? Thanks!
I had my deck stained and unfortunately it was the wrong color, please let me know what I need to do to get it back to natural wood so I can stain it the correct color
Thank you so much
he used Sherman Williams Super Deck oil based
It is not easy to remove a newly applied stain. Use the RAD 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
and both stripper additives: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/rad-stain-stripper-additives.html
You may have to sand some as well to get it all off.
Are any of your products available in Canada?
Online only and we can ship to Canada.
I had my deck stained while I was at work…unfortunately it wasn’t the color I chose. Please help as to what I need to strip so I can stain it the correct color. Thank you in advance
We would need to see pics and know the stain brand and type of stain that was used for help.
please see question under Catherine Jones….for some reason it didn’t attach
We still need to know the stain brand and type of stain that was used.
The green looks like it is coming from your wood internally. When the pine is pressure treated, it is treated with a green chemical and it looks like it is leeching out now. Thre is no way to prevent this.
But it wasn’t there the year before the wood got stained.
That’s because it is internal and leeching out.
Okay, I’ve used treated pine for many projects as that really is the only option in my area other then costly cedar and haven’t had this issue… suggestions on what to do next?
It naturally goes away over time. Probably just leave it as is and then do the full prep and redo next year.
Hello, had my house power washed this weekend. It needed it. Used a local power washing company who I’ve used several times before. This time, for no extra charge he stripped about 80% of the stain off my PT yellow pine deck. The stain was only 2 years old and looked great. When I asked him why he did it he said that he just helped it and it was coming off. I didn’t wish to argue and that is not why I am posting. Background as to what products I used in Sep 2020 and have on hand now: RAD Deck Stain Stripper followed by Citralic Brightener/Neutralizer. The stain is Armstrong-Clark Chestnut Semi-Transparent. Followed all directions and deck looked fantastic. So, what do I do now? Strip remaining stain off and start over?
Yes, strip and then brighen and then restain with same as prior.
Thanks, I was afraid of that. If I use this company again, is there a way to avoid this? Even if he doesn’t pressure wash the deck directly, what is applied to the vinyl house siding above will inevitably end up on my deck.
No way to avoid this if he is using any chemicals that can harm the deck stain.
Our deck is just under 2 years old. It had some cupping and a lot of weathering. I just sanded, cleaned and brightened it. It came out pretty clean and bright but there is some color variation where some looks like brand new wood and some is a little darker brown. It is particularly noticeable on edges where the cupping was sanded. I would like a nice even coloring when stained. Would another round of brightener have any effect evening in out or will the stain alone even it out?
No, the only way to even out the uneven sanding areas is to sand all the wood evenly with 60-80 grit.
Ok. If I sand again do I need to reapply the cleaner or just the brightener?
Brightener.
Hi. I have a 30 year old deck that is 13 x 24 plus 15 stairs and two 4×4 landings. It most recently was stained with Behr deck over on the deck and solid stain on the spindles and hand rails. Due to peeling, we have now finally sanded down the deck boards to the wood (98%] and sanded the loose paint off the spindles. Our next plan is to clean and brighten. Then stain with a solid stain (we bought Flood solid stain)
My concern and question is: it’s a big deck and I don’t have a full day or days to spend on it. I can probably consistently work for 3 hours each day. How do I do this? At what points can I stop and let it sit overnight? At what stages can the deck take rain?
Can I do small sections? Should I do all the railing first (it’s a 2nd story deck so there is lots of it)? Or should to do sections of railing and decking together?
I plan to obviously get the whole deck cleaned and brightened before staining. Can I clean over the course of a few days, then brighten over a few days then stain over a few days? I also plan to do two coats of stain. Do I stain the railings or deck first? That’s lots of questions so thanks for the guidance you can give.
Do all the prep on one day for the best results. Your deck size should allow this.
As far as the stain application, you would have to contact Flood for advice as to if you can break it up into separate days.
If I can’t get the prep work all doe in one day, what is the best way to break it up?
It should be easily done within one day since you already sanded the deck. No more than a few hours. Use a pressure washer while working to make it faster and more efficient.
Stained new deck late summer last year with one coat. It came out uneven in places and sun is on the deck all day. Can I use deck cleaner, power wash, and add another coat?
Yes.
I will be restaining my cedar deck. How soon after using your cleaner can I use the brightener and how soon after the brightener can I stain?
Brighen as soon as you are done cleaning. See this about the stain: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/Deck-Cleaning-Reviews-and-Tips/how-to-restore-a-deck-stain-to-damp-wood.html
I have a 30 year old deck that has been painted with Behr Solid Color Waterproofing Stain & Sealer in 2018. It’s held up until this year & now it’s peeling. Do I need to clean and brighten or just clean with a power washer?
Pressure wash with the stripper to remove the peeling solid stain. When done, cover the intact stain that is not peeling with the RAD Solid Stain: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/restore-a-deck-wood-stain/restore-a-deck-solid-stain.html
I don’t see a place to buy just the stripper. I have scraped off the peeling…can I just power wash?
https://www.restore-a-deck.com/RAD-Stain-Stripper.html
Use that while pressure washing.
Hello, I need to restain my Ipe wood dock. Are the cleaner and brightner toxic to fish or to anything in a pond environment?
thanks
No. Not toxic.
Or should we prep with any type of oil first?
You do not prep with an oil. You prep with a deck cleaner and then a wood Brightener.