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!
I have a black painted aluminum gate in the fence I intend to stain. Are any of the stripping/cleaning/brightening products corrosive or likely to affect the finish of the gate?
They should not but always test spot first.
Can a different brand of stain later be used over RAD semi-transparent without doing full sanding or stripping? Hoping to stick with RAD but want to be aware of any future limitations. Also, how long does the unused stain last (in case we want to order enough for a later coat)?
Does matter what brand of stain you have on the wood, it must be fully removed if switching to a different brand. All semi-transparent stains require this.
Opened it lasts about 12 months. Unopened about 36 months. Cannot freeze.
Thank you. Is that also the case if you go from semi-transparent to solid?
No, you do not have to fully strip if you switch to a solid stain. Just remove any loose/peeling stain and any dirt.
Great – that’s good to know in case we later want to go solid. Is there any problem if we used another solid stain other than RAD – not that we expect that to happen? <g>
No issues.
If I ordered enough to do one coat on the railings with solid stain, and need to buy more, how long can you wait in between applications before having to clean and brighten again?
Couple of weeks.
Should I use stripper or cleaner for my deck (app, 2 yrs old) that has had only a sealer put on at that time?
Please post pics for proper advice in the comments.
Restored a ~20 year old redwood deck. Just sanded the entire deck and railings to remove old paint and expose fresh wood and then applied 1 coat semi-transparent cedar to the whole deck. Overall, looks great and very satisfied!
There are a handful of spots where the stain did not blend because the stain pad we used ran out of stain mid board (I don’t think I’ll ever use a stain pad again…) and another handful of spots where the stain splashed or splattered and left drip marks or the like. I’m not worried about them since that’s the reality of DIY projects a lot of the time, but curious if I’ll have to strip those spots in the future or whether after a year or so, a good cleaning and restaining will blend everything together?
Just clean and recoat next year and you will be okay.
Is there a possibility for the restore a deck stain to peel. Using mostly new kiln dried pine an 20 year old pine that had the horrible behr porch an patio paint. 98% removed. North Carolina hot an humid an some snow an ice. Or would you recommend oil based?
The RAD stains do not peel when you follow the correct prep and application instructions.
I want to order 5 gallons of stain but I am going to mix colors. Can I order one 2.5 gallon jug of cedar and one 2.5 gallon jug of dark walnut? If so, how do I go about doing this? If I have to buy gallon jugs instead it is going to cost me over $100 extra.
No, we do not mix the colors for the 5-gallon price. Sorry. It would not be $100 extra to order 3 gallons of each.
OK, not the answer I was hoping for but good to know. I appreciate the info and your quick response. Also you are right I over estimated the additional cost of ordering 6 individual gallons, it is only about $66 extra. Thanks again for the answer, that was very helpful.
Pressure treated pine deck built in Feb 18, cleaned, brightened and stained with Armstrong Clark semi-trans chestnut brown in Nov 18. Vertical surfaces held up but floor faded very quickly. Repeated the process of cleaning, brightening and staining in Nov 20 and same results. If I clean and brighten can I use the Armstrong Clark semi-solid without stripping?
You should strip and brighten for best results. No different then cleaning, just removes the old coatings fully.
I hope to get time and weather to work on my gazebo project this weekend. However, temps are supposed to drop down to around 40F at night. I see the label says not to apply when night time temperatures are expected to be below 45F. What happenes below 45F?
The main goal is to not drop below freezing the first night after staining.
Two questions:
1. I put too much AC stain on the first board of my red cedar deck, so it looks darker and ‘wet’. Is it possible to just strip one board? How do I go about doing that? IF I wait until next spring and restrain the whole deck in the same semi-transparent stain, will this first board turn out okay if I just used the RAD cleaner and brightener?
2. We removed our face boards prior to staining so that we could treat both sides. However, I erred and did the back side and edges first. When I did the edges, stain got onto the front side of the face board and now those need to be stripped before completing. What is the ratio of stripper:water to use? Brightener: water? I don’t want to waste the RAD.
1. You will need to strip it. Clean the rest and brighten all when done: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/RAD-Kits-Best-Prices.html
2. Just follow the directions on the packages for mixing. Very easy.
FYI, there is no benefit to staining the back sides. Only need to stain the exposed wood.
We’re planning on using a Graco Magnum x5 sprayer to apply RAD semi transparent stain to both fence and deck (different colors though), back brushing as we go. What tip sizes and pressures would you recommend? Note: we’re using the sprayer as we have three houses with large decks and fencing to do.
From the Graco site, it looks like they’re recommending a 411 or 413 which would give us an 8″ fan which is the max they recommend for semi transparent stain. To keep down over-spray, I’m thinking the 413 with lower pressure would be best, but I’m not sure at all. We’d love your recommendation on this!
https://www.graco.com/us/en/homeowner/how-to-buy/tipselector.html
Thanks!!
Any fan tip will work well. 413 sounds correct.
Ok, thanks for your help
How long does the stripper last once its been mixed with water?
A few weeks or longer.
Ok. Got my shipment today(Atlanta). Because of our hot summer, I’ve waited till fall to stain the new deck.
Q: my pressure treated wood has aged now 11 months. What’s the pitfall of doing 2 coats of stain (semi transparent RAD cottage grey) for my initial staining/sealing once I’ve cleaned and brightened? I’ve read all the instructions and Q&A, and I don’t quite understand why you recommend 1 coat now and a maintenance coat next year. ???
More is not better and if you over-apply, it will not be able to fully soak into the wood grain.
I ordered the 2.5 gallon stain containers. Can these just be shaken to mix?
Yes.
We had some condensation on the house siding overnight. The siding is damp in spots, but mostly dry. If I apply the RAD semi-transparent stain to the siding will the dry and damp siding areas dry to the same color hue?
Yes, or you can mist all wood to make it slightly damp: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/Deck-Cleaning-Reviews-and-Tips/how-to-restore-a-deck-stain-to-damp-wood.html
I now notice black mold coming back on the siding after a recent rain and return of warm weather. I had used RAD stripper and brightener on the cedar siding before the rain. Can I just use the brightener again to get rid of the mold and then stain?
The brightener will not get rid of mold. The cleaner would.
To whom it concern.
We spoke on the phone. Some deck board was replaced last summer. Deck over paint was used before and I used diamabrush to get rid off the deck over paint as much as I can. You recommend just used cleaner and brightener. Then stain (we choose light walmut.) 6 gallons. The old deck wood 2 coat and new deck wood one coat. Enclosed are some photos.
You have to remove 100% of the old stain first. Once that is done, clean and brighten for prep before using the semi-transparent stain.
We’re ready to use the RAD cleaner / brightener kit on our new red cedar deck. Two questions:
1. Will the chemicals in the cleaner or brightener damage the Ozco black powder-coated deck clips that we used on the railing? We can uninstall them prior to beginning, but would rather not.
2. Same question regarding the vinyl lattice skirt.
1. It should not but test first.
2. Same
Your products are amazing! Everything turned out beautiful. Except we got the dark walnut stain on the white PVC railing. Not sure how to get it off. Tried mineral spirits. Did not work. Looking for advice or magic.
Try goof off or a similar graffiti remover.
I thought I read that if I purchase a sample of the solid stain and then later buy the full product that the sample purchase price can be applied to the full purchase. I can’t find it anywhere now, am I making this up or just looking in the wrong place?
Sorry but no, we do not offer sample credits on this website.
My pressure treated deck is 24 years old and I recently applied RAD and it looks fantastic. Over the years I’ve used a clear deck sealer specifically to prevent against water damage. My question is can/should I apply a sealer on the deck after applying RAD?
You cannot apply a clear sealer over a deck stain.
I have behr deck over on my deck, which is very worn in place. My plan is to use stripper and brightener. and also sanding as needed. Do I strip, brighten and then sand? or can I strip, let dry, sand and then brighten? Thank you
Strip, let dry, sand and then brighten
If you decide to sand your deck , sand the entire deck. We sanded only spots on our deck where the dogs scratched it. The finish will not be uniform. Live and learn.
I have a 960 square foot deck that is 10+ years old. I believe the original was non pressure treated pine, but I’ve replaced around 20 boards with pressure treated pine. All prior stains appear to be semi transparent but different colors were used. Should I choose the solid color stain to ensure coverage after prep, or would semi-transparent be okay?
The solid stain will give the most uniform appearance.
Perfect, thanks! Is there a five gallon option for the solid stain, or just the one gallon?
One gallons only.
Any guidance on what type of stain is on these decks? Have not been coated for a good while and they need to be restained
You will need to remove this semi-transparent stain. Strip and brighten for prep.
1st coat did seem to cover well. Okay 2 apply 2nd coat?
2nd coats have to be wet on wet: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/Deck-Cleaning-Reviews-and-Tips/restore-a-deck-stain-wet-on-wet-application.html
You can lightly clean to remove dirt and recoat in the Spring.
Adding pic for Pat H. Inquiry below. Most of stain stripped, will sand remaining spots to be sure no loose edges.
Living in Syracuse NY, I’ve been stripping 1 coat of older solid stain for a month with hopes I could go back to a semi-transparent. About 75% area is down to raw wood with a few areas in shady corners that can’t be removed. So feel I have no recourse, since running out of time, but to go with a solid stain after following your advice to be sure no peeling, which I will be sure of by sanding those areas. Question is – do I need to apply 2 coats NOW for good coverage & if so what is waiting time between coats?
Yes, two coats. With the solid stain you apply the second as soon as the first is dry.
I put the 600 package in the cart along with booster and thickener and it still has a $18.40 shipping charge. Should that be free shipping for those products?
Booster and Thickening Gel will ship free with the RAD Stripper: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/order-restore-a-deck/rad-kits-best-price/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit/flypage.tpl.html
The 600 contains the Cleaner, not Stripper and the additives will not work with the Cleaner.
Hi,
In May of 2020 I stripped, cleaned, and stained 2 coats with RAD (cedar ST). If I go to restain now, would I want to use cleaner only followed by a coat (2?) of stain? Or do I need to strip out and start from scratch?
Deck is in overall good shape, just weathered over 2 years.
Clean and brighten for prep. Typically 2 light coats.
I have 2 screened porches and 1 covered front porch I want to stain. I have attached photos. What are your recommendations on how to proceed with each. I have pressure washed and sanded Screened Porch 2 and I believe it is ready to stain, but if there are any recommended steps I’d love to hear them. Screened Porch 1 needs some love, needs to be cleaned, stripped, and brightened? And the Front Porch is in even worse condition. Thank you for the advice.
Strip and use both stripper additives while pressure washing for all stained areas. One area has a much thicker stain so some sanding may be needed if it does not strip all off. Brighten all after including Porch two when done.
Thank you! Just to confirm… strip with both additives for the Front Porch and the Screen Porch 1 then sand these two porches as needed. And then only brighten Screen Porch 2 before staining.
Brighten all wood when done.
Does the Cleaner or Brightener have any negative impact on powder coated aluminum ballusters? Is there a need to protect the ballusters during the cleaning process?
They should not but always test spot first.
Can the solid and semi transparent be mixed together? If so, what would result look like?
No, they cannot be mixed together.
I would like to get a project recommendation for a house deck staining project I plan to do.
Square Footage of Area to be stained: 840 square feet
Type of wood: Redwood with 6 rail posts made of Fir
Age of Wood: 212 square feet of “porch” deck is 5 years old and the remaining 628 square feet of deck and railing are 2 years old.
The deck has never been stained.
I have access to a pressure washer.
The deck is on my house in Colorado and is exposed to quite a bit of sun and snow.
As you can see in the pictures, the porch support posts were stained when the house was built. I do not plan to stain the porch posts.
The house has stucco and simulated rock skirting. Will the cleaner/brightener harm the stucco or finish on the simulated rock?
Photos are attached.
Thanks,
Clay
Clean and brighten for prep is correct. They will not harm the stucco or rocks. If the wood is new, see here: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/Deck-Cleaning-Reviews-and-Tips/restore-a-deck-stain-for-new-wood.html
I want to redo my deck with a RAD solid stain. Here is a current photo of it. Two years ago, I applied a RAD semi-transparent stain and the deck was rained on during the staining process. Do I need to strip the semi-transparent stain or can a solid stain go over it?
You can apply over it but you still need to prep. If you have any peeling stain then strip and brighten for prep to remove the loose stain. If no peeling stain then cleaner and brighten for prep.
Hi, I have some red cedar Adirondack furniture (2 chairs, 2 footrests, and a rocker bench) I would like to stain. Your product was recommended to me, but I wanted to check whether it is safe for furniture use. (I have read that some deck stains are not meant to be used on surfaces that have the level of direct-to-person contact that chairs and tables have.) Just FYI, our furniture was originally coated in Ready Seal by the woodworker who made it, then allowed to weather naturally on our patio for about 8 years. I recently decided I wanted to freshen things up and try to maintain a newer/non-grayed look. Here’s a photo of the rocker bench after my initial cleaning efforts. There’s a bit of stain left where the pillows protected the wood from the sun and elements, but the gray came off pretty well. At this point, I’m trying to pick the best chair-friendly stain to give a nice finish and great UV protection. Thanks for your feedback!
You are okay to stain now using the RAD stains. Use the semi transparent colors.
Is this a one coat or two coat job? Are there any downsides to doing two coats? Thanks.
One coat for this should work on your furniture. More is not always better.
can the semi transparent stain be applied with a pump garden sprayer and back brush?
Yes.
Hi, where can I find SDS for your products? Your website search engine does not return any results.
A google search will show the pdf files.
That would only happens if over-applied and it dried on top of the wood instead of in the wood as it is designed to do. You should strip it all done and start over making sure your stain fully soaks into the wood grain.
I am afraid that it is not true. We were following the instructions and did not overapplied the stain as you are suggesting. So what is the solution now?
If the stain had fully soaked in then it is not possible to wear. You pic shows that it did in fact dry on top of the wood instead of in the wood. Strip and brighten to redo and apply one coat of the stain making sure that it fully absorbs.
Thank you. I will do it next season. Could you please direct me to detailed instructions about stripping, brightening and stain application. Do I have to use spray pump to strip, and neutralize?
https://www.restore-a-deck.com/restore-a-deck-stain-stripper-instructions.html
https://www.restore-a-deck.com/Deck-Cleaning-Reviews-and-Tips/when-to-apply-wood-brightener-right-away-or-let-dry.html
Can RAD stain be used on cedar shake siding?
Yes. Works great for siding.
I used your product last time I stained about three years ago, and am ready to stain again. (Product worked well). However, I overestimated how much I needed last time, and thus have a full two-and-a-half gallon container never opened. Will this still be usable three years later?
Shelf life is 3 years if unopened. It cannot freeze.
Can I use your products to strip this opaque acrylic Behr stain off the deck, or will it have to be sanded off?
You cannot strip a solid stain fully. You would have to sand this.
Should I sand before or after I use the stripper?
If you want to try and strip some of this off, do it first and then sand the rest off. Use both additives while stripping. Brightener would be after the sanding.
Hello,
I do plan on using your Restore solid stain (brown oak) on a deck that has worn bare on the flooring but shows some old stain on the railings (dark red). In that I plan on using a dark solid color stain thus not showing the grain, would it work to use only the Restore cleaner (also using a power washer) before applying the solid stain.
Thank you,
Michael
Strip and brighten to remove as much of the old stain as possible and then use the solid stain.
It does not have to come all off if using the solid stain.
In May I prepared my eight month old 350 sq. ft. pressure treatred pine deck with Restore A Deck stripper, cleaner, brightener, booster additive, and finished it with semi-transparent stain in Dark Walnut.
Since the deck was less than a year old, I did one coat, using a hand brush and your handle brush.
Now there are areas where the finish is coming off, as the attached picture shows. Would you please let me know what I need to do to remedy it. Thank you.
This did not soak in fully and dried on top of the surface. Could have been too hot sun application causing it to flash dry?
https://www.restore-a-deck.com/Deck-Cleaning-Reviews-and-Tips/restore-a-deck-stain-hot-sun-application.html
BTW, new wood does not need to be stripped. Just the Cleaner and the Brightener. You only strip if you have a previous coating to remove.
Anyways, strip and brighten this time and apply one coat again.
Product is great, but, after 24 plus hours when I put a plastic chair on the deck it seems to stick. Not sure what I did wrong, or what causes this. If someone could give me some guidance/input on your product.
That means it has not fully cured yet. That can happen from over-application, or even just temps and humidity. Give it more days to fully cure.
How many gallons should we get for 1000 sq ft deck plus two sets of stairs and the railing? Same thing goes for amount of stripper and brightener
We would need total sq footage that includes railings and stairs to offer help with this. Please send a total. Thanks!
I have no idea with the railings. This is what the deck rail looks like. I think it’s about 80ft long. For the stairs it is probably about 200.
Use the calculator on this page for help. To the right on desktop or bottom on mobile.
Guessing will not work 🙂
Also, why are you stripping? It does not look like you have a stain on the wood? Do you have a prior coating?
We used Super Deck last year.
Also we only used Super Deck on the horizontal part, we never made it to the railings.
Can the RAD semi-transparent stain be used on tongue and groove porch floor boards? If so, can the deck brush application method still be used or do you recommend a different application method?
Yes, and use the floor brush.
I had a new cedar deck built on my northern WI cabin last fall and am now ready to clean, brighten and stain it. The deck butts up against cedar siding that is stained with a dark brown CWF stain. Do I need to tape off the bottom where the cedar deck meets the stained siding when cleaning and brightening to prevent the siding stain from changing color? (I am using the Restore-a-deck products for cleaning and brightening).
Also, the deck juts out over a walkout basement. Do I need to cover the outer stained cedar sided wall below the deck to prevent the cleaner and brightener possibly spotting the siding when it washes through the gaps of the deck?
Yes, protect the siding next to and below to be safe.
Thanks for your reply. One last question: The other side of the deck juts out over large stone siding (like large river rock that is mortared onto the cider block basement). Does that need to be protected from the cleaner/brightener that may seep through gaps of the decking as well or will that simply wash away when the deck is power washed with water.
Just rinse grime, etc. from stones when done with the deck.
I want to put a fresh coat of stain on existing deck that was stained a year ago. What is the best way to prep this before staining. Should I use the Restore deck cleaner and brightener 2 step process
Yes that is correct.
Thanks RAD!
Deck project
approx 360 sq ft
age and type of stain unknown
I do have a quality pressure washer available.
I would like a step by step guide and products needed.
I’m researching it all now.
thank you
Use this kit while pressure washing: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/order-restore-a-deck/rad-kits-best-price/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit/flypage.tpl.html
Stain with the RAD Semi-Transparent Stain after: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/restore-a-deck-wood-stain/restore-a-deck-wood-stain-1-gallon/flypage.tpl.html
About 3-4 gallons
I think I am going to choose RAD “solid color” stain to cover an old worn deck after prepping and using the RAD Cleaner and brightener kit. My question is…when it’s time to re-stain it in 2-3 years, does the solid stain need to be stripped or sanded off before restaining with the same RAD solid color stain? Or just start the process over with RAD cleaner and brighener with NO stripping needed? I am in Atlanta, GA where we get all 4 seasons — especially hot and humid summers. Thanks.
Clean, removing any stain that is lifting, and then recoat over the intact solid stain.
how long do the products last… I’m from Canada and if I go through the ordeal of ordering from the States can I order enough now to refinish the deck in 2-3 years?
If open, the shelf life is 12 months. About 36 months if unopened.
Can the stripper and brightener be used on older trex decking that has wood fibers in it?
It will not work on Trex.