How to Apply Restore-A Deck Semi-Transparent Wood Stain with wet on wet application
Applying your Restore-A-Deck Semi-Transparent Wood Stain easily to exterior wood is a reality thanks to advancements in wood stain technology. It should be noted that there is a technique for applying to exterior wood for best results. This is called wet on wet application. Following this wet on wet application guideline is recommended when you wish to apply a second coat of stain on top of your first coat of stain before the first coat has completely dried or cured. This allows for fewer issues to arise over the drying period for a perfect, clean, finished product.
Our recommended guidelines for wet on wet stain application:
- Always properly prep your wood surface first with Restore-A-Deck Cleaner or Restore-A-Deck Stripper followed by Restore-A-Deck Brightener.
- Hot sun application tips: Restore-A-Deck Stain Hot Sun Application
- Start with vertical surfaces first, such as railings. Make sure horizontal and other surfaces are protected from excess paint. After the first coat is complete, apply a light second coat to the top of the railing only between 20 minutes to 1 hour after the first coat has been applied.
- Repeat this process for all benches or vertical structures.
- Once all vertical surfaces are stained, apply one coat of Restore-A-Deck Semi-Transparent Wood Stain to flooring and horizontal surfaces, ensuring the entire floor is covered.
- Reapply a second light coat 20 minutes to an hour after the first coat has been applied to all flooring and horizontal areas.
- Note that it is ok to walk on the first coat of stain even if it has not dried completely, but take precautions to not step in your second coat of stain to ensure a smooth finish.
Some final tips:
- Only apply 1 coat to new wood. Skip the second coat, you won’t need it. See here for tips on new wood: Restore-A-Deck Stain and New Wood
- Wear shoes and clothes you do not care about getting the stain on. It’s bound to happen.
- Apply the coats quickly to ensure you are not overlapping
- Only apply 1 overall coat to vertical surfaces while horizontal surfaces may require 2
- Avoid excessive application, filming of the stain may occur
- It is recommended to use the Restore-A-Deck Semi-Transparent Stain with the Restore-A-Deck Stain Brush, stain pad applicator, brush, or sprayer. If using the Restore-A-Deck Solid Stain, use a hand brush, roller, or airless sprayer.
If you need Restore-A-Deck Semi-Transparent Wood Stain application help, feel free to post a comment. If you have any suggestions or tips we are not mentioning, we want to hear from you. Leave a review including pictures of your finished product and indicate how well the project has been holding up over time.
I applied my first coat of stain on Sunday but I think it needs a second coat of dark walnut semi transparent stain. Is that still possible? It has rained every day since.
Sorry but no, we do not suggest it. A second coat if applied has 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
Applying now and the stain may not penetrate. You can lightly clean and redo with another coat in 6-12 months.
I applied two coats of RAD semi-transparent stain to new deck boards in Sept. 2020. Did nothing to the deck since then. After clean and brighten prep this year, do you recommend one or two stain coats?
One coat.
Cleaned and brightened yesterday and it appears most of the two coats of RAD semi-transparent applied in Sept 2020 were removed in the process. Was that expected? Given this outcome, is one coat still the recommendation? Including a photo during cleaning and one after clean and brighten.
Yes, and one coat is sufficent.
No. Not wet wood. It can be applied to damp wood but not visibly wet. Typically 2-4 hours later. Second coat with solid stain goes on after the first is fully dry.
It says only apply one coat on verticals surfaces so no need to wait 20 min to 1 hour for wet-on-wet? Just the single coat, one time?
Verticals (spindles, rails, etc) typically only need one coat so no need to do wet on wet for the verticals.
I ordered the stripper, brightener and stain. My deck is a little rough and I want to rent an orbital deck sander to smooth it out. I don’t want to sand over the old oil stain and clog the sanding pads…..I was thinking of stripping first, letting it dry, then sand with the deck sander and then apply the brightener. Would that work?
Yes, that works but do not sand finer than 60-80 grit and only apply one coat of stain to sanded wood.
The deck floor has been cleaned and brightened. Have some stain drops on deck floor from staining verticals. I then orbital sanded by hand (used 60 grit, small hand sander) deck floor to get rid of stain splash drops. Used blower to blow off any sanding residue. Do I need to brighten again? Was planning to do the wet-on-wet application to the floor but your reply above says apply 1 coat?
It would not hurt to brighten all again. Just one coat for sanded wood.
For cedar shake and cedar clapboard siding that has been installed for 12 years is wet on wet recommended after stripping/brightening?
Yes that is correct.
Applied RAD in 2021 June. Do I need just to clean and brighten before I do another coat this year? Can a water repellent be done over this in a period of time?
Yes, clean and brighten for prep. You can never apply a sealer over the RAD Stains.
Can you recommend a couple options for airless sprayers when applying Semi-Transparent stain to fencing (new redwood).
Any quality brand of airless sprayer will work to apply the RAD Stains.
A question about maintenance coat. We did our first single coat on our deck about 17-18 months ago, using your semi-transparent stain. We are ready to re-coat. So, do we do just one single maintenance coat at this time? Or, two coats?
One.
I did not realize we were supposed to do 2 coats on old wood, can I add a second light coat 2 weeks later?
No, it will not take now. You can lightly clean and apply a coat next year if needed.
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? Thanks
You cannot stop and start in the middle of boards, it will not blend.
Yesterday, I applied both the stripper and the brightener. Then I ran out of time to be able to wait for the deck to dry 2-4 hours before starting with the stain. My hope is to stain the deck today. The deck, however, looks dry now. Should I wet it again and wait for it to dry a bit, but not totally, before starting the staining? Or can I just start staining with the deck as it is now?
If I do need to re-wet, I presume I wait 2 to 4 hours again? I’m in Texas so I’m racing the sun. After about 10am or so, the sun starts to hit the deck.
Thank you!
You can do it dry or damp: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/Deck-Cleaning-Reviews-and-Tips/how-to-restore-a-deck-stain-to-damp-wood.html
It is very very humid here and my screened porch has not fully dried after 5 days. Will it continue to get better? It’s just a little sticky.
Yes, just needs to fully cure.
Is it ok to put furniture back? We have a party coming up!
Yes.
I scraped off all the old stain, the got it professionally sanded and now down to bare fresh wood using a 80 grit. Its smooth. I will be using RAD solid oak brown. 1) do I need to use a brightener 2) Do I use one or two coats 3) Do I use a roller or brush. The deck is 30x 60 ft. Thank you.
-Brightener will help open up the grain of the wood after sanding.-Two coats will be needed.-Use both a roller and a brush.
It’s been a full year since I built my 12x12x8 pergola out of PT lumber, so it should now be safe to stain & seal. I’ll be applying one of the semi-transparent colors of Restore-A-Deck, using my HVLP sprayer. Is it really necessary to clean/strip/brighten virgin wood? Also, have you any idea how much product I’ll need to cover the stated dimensions? There are 4 6×6 posts, 4 2×10 beams, & 11 2×8 rafters. Thanks!
Yes, you must prep new wood to remove oxidation and mill glaze. We need a total sq footage added up for product amounts. Thanks
Thanks. Would the cleaner alone be adequate? Area to be covered equals about 45 sq ft.
You need both the cleaner and then the brightener. You have a lot more than 45 sq feet to stain based on your pic. You have to add up all sides of the boards that are being stained. For example, one 6″x6″ by 10-foot long post would equate to 20 sq feet for all four sides.
Thanks again. Dropped a zero there (Doh!) & also forgot to factor in the braces. Total area be ’bout sis hunnah fawty-too (642) sq ft.
3-4 gallons of stain for the one coat needed on newer wood and one Cleaner/Brightener prep kit will work.
Fair enuff, thanks for your guidance!
How do I gauge whether I should be closer to 20 min or an hour for the second coat?
Does not matter too much, just do not exceed 60 minutes.
September 2020, cleaned, brightened, and applied 2 coats semi-transparent RAD stain to new wood that was aged 15 months. Happy with result. Looks like wood has some graying and green in a couple places. Time for a maintenance coat? If so, do I clean and stain one coat and skip brightener? Thanks
Just lightly clean is okay since you have a base coat. Mix the powder at 2-3 oz per gallon of water.
Are the cleaner and brightened still effective a week after mixing?
Brightener yes, cleaner is only good for 4-6 hours after mixing.
Stripped and brightened shingle siding and pine soffits 4 weeks ago. Can I just re brighten, or do I need to use the cleaner, rinse and rebrighten before staining with your semi transparent. Also, what is shelf life for brightener after mixing.
Brighten and then give it a good pressure washing rinse. Brightener after mixing is good for up to a year.
i’ve been waiting for over a week to stain my deck but humidity has been 70% or more . can i still stain? Does not look like its going to get any better and need to get job done . Any tips ?
Yes, you should be okay.
We stained our deck last weekend with RAD semi-transparent. It was a hot day, but we started early and were done before the hottest part of the day. We used the hot sun application method. There are some areas that are still slightly tacky. I read online that mineral spirits might help. Any recommendations?
Just let it cure out and dry. It will be okay.
Thanks!
PTW deck gets full sun all day long. Which cedar look stain should I use for my large deck (application will have to be done in full sun). In winter I use snowblower to clear deck. Applied a semi-transparent stain last year and it has all peeled off…
You should never use a snowblower on a deck, it will damage the wood and stain. Strip and brighten for prep to remove the current stain. Stain with the Restore A Deck Stain after.https://www.restore-a-deck.com/restore-a-deck-wood-stain/restore-a-deck-wood-stain-5-gallon/flypage.tpl.html
OK but I need to use a shovel instead which is probably no better. I live in Canada and it snow for about six months a year.
Stripped and brightened pine soffits and cedar shingle siding. Do I do one or two coats of semitransparent on this older wood? Is it better to do wet on wet or can I just apply to dry wood?
Two coats and has to be applied wet on wet.
Does the first coat go wet on wet or can i apply to dry wood?
You can apply to damp wood (not soaking wet) or dry wood: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/Deck-Cleaning-Reviews-and-Tips/how-to-restore-a-deck-stain-to-damp-wood.html
stripped &stained deck last year going to clean brighten & give deck a maintenance coat 1 or 2 coats
1 coat.
We applied RAD Semi Transparent last Spring and I’m not sure if this expected but in the areas with high sun, the stain is basically gone. Did we do the prep wrong (we used the stripper since it was the first time)? Is it OK to just use the Cleaner this time around? Should we apply 2 coats of stain or is the one coat maintenance appropriate?
Strip and brighten the floor for prep and apply two coats wet on wet. I suspect you over applied last time or you applied in hot sun. Do not do this when you recoat:https://www.restore-a-deck.com/Deck-Cleaning-Reviews-and-Tips/restore-a-deck-stain-hot-sun-application.html
Hi Again – I wanted to semi-transparent stain again this year a deck board that lies under the dripline of the roof in Montana. It appears that the repeating drips have worn away the two coats to the bare wood. I’m wondering about suggestions.? Also is obvious that I couldn’t use your garage epoxy coat over that one stained board?
Only way to prevent this would be to add a gutter. You cannot use an epoxy on wood.
Hi – I stained my deck about 9 months ago in Montana. I left my partially empty containers of solid and semi stain, and some unopened ones of semi in a shed. I believe there was prolonged freezing a couple of times in the winter though I was in California. After prepping today, I went to apply the stains. It seems they were ruined. It seems specifically that there was thin liquid and clumpy curdled-like solids, especially in the solid stain. Is there any redeeming the unopened jugs? (I’m guessing not.) Eh?
No, they have gone bad.
Applying maintenance 2 coats with the cedar semi-transparent stain. Can I use a airless sprayer?
Yes, but back brush to ensure it applies evenly. Do not over apply.
With your solid stain, how long must you wait before applying a second coat to a horizontal surface?
As soon as the first coat is dry. 1-3 hours.
I have cleaned and brightened deck and realized that some sanding is required on some of the railings only. If I sand those areas, do I need to do anything different before staining. 5 year old pressure treated deck with no previous stain.
Lightly clean and brighten after any power sanding to open up the wood pores for the stain.
Once I have stripped the deck and it’s dry, then I sand the fuzzies and then apply the brightener – correct?
Correct.
Well, that was my plan. However, the orbital sander I rented didn’t work. It was as if it became stuck to the deck. I assume it did not have enough power. I had a thousand sq feet of deck, and pole sanding seemed like too much work. So I ignored the fuzzies and added the brightener.
Then I applied TWP 101 Cedartone Stain with a Wooster Bravo Stainer Brush that I attached to a pole so I could stain standing up. It did a pretty good job of getting between the 2x4s. I loved the stain color and the deck appearance was better than I expected for a 32-year-old deck. I completed the deck 6 weeks ago and it still looks great. I don’t know what happened to the fuzzies – but they are gone.
I reduced the work by using the same solid stain on the substructure that I used on the house resulting in a two-tone deck.
Here’s some before and afters.
Looks great!
Heading out of town for 1 week. Can I strip / brighten using RAD before I leave, wait 1 or 2 weeks, then apply TWP stain? Or should I only wait 2 days after brightening, and just do the whole thing after I get back?
Stain within two weeks of prep is okay.
We have a very large deck. Do you recommend applying the two coats of semi transparent stain in sections? I’m worried the first coat will dry before we can get to the second coat otherwise.
Just have someone follow up with the second coat 20-40 minutes after the first coat while the first coat is being applied to the deck all at once.
I have a 20+ year old deck that has never been stained and sits in full sun. I used 30 Sec Deck Wash to clean and it has cleaned up nice. Can I just use the deck Brightener and then stain the deck, without going through the stripper process as you recommend.
The 30 Second Cleaner is bad for wood as it contains bleach. You will need to redo the prep with both the RAD Cleaner and the Brightener otherwise you could have a chemical reaction with the stain leading to failure.
For the transparent stain, what happens if you only apply one coat? I didn’t read the instructions carefully and only applied one coat yesterday; it looks good but is it too late for the second coat?
It should be fine. You can always add a light coat next year after prep if needed.
Do you recommend 2 coats of the solid stain, or just one? If two, do you need to have first coat fully dry? Also can you strip and brighten one day and stain the next day or a couple of days later?
You will need two coats. Second goes on after first fully dries. You can stain to damp or dry wood. Days later is okay.
maintenance coat
Does a wet-on-wet application run the risk of overlap lines or is it easy to spread if you find a heavy area where you overlapped?
Also, is there any way to get solid stain in a 5 gallon? I need 7-8 gallons!
You do not apply wet on wet with the RAD solid stain. RAD Solid Stain comes in singles only.
Ok. What are your thoughts on old and new wood together, the semi-transparent being looking the same across both? Not cleaned yet…new wood is 6 months in. Old wood is 10 years. Treated pine.
No, you cannot get new and old wood to look the same this first time staining. The new wood is less absorbent so it will stain lighter in color.
Solid it is then. I’ll follow instructions, thanks!
One more question – are the main application differences for the solid 1) just one coat and 2) you can use a roller? I assume you can still apply to damp wood.
1. Two coats for solid.2. Roller and brushes.
I used cleaner and brighter yesterday. I’m going to stain today do I need to re wet the wood first its dry?
You do not have to but it helps with applying: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/Deck-Cleaning-Reviews-and-Tips/how-to-restore-a-deck-stain-to-damp-wood.html
I have a floating dock with a connected walkway with a connected deck over a pond that has fish and turtles in it. Will the stripper, cleaner, and brightener harm the aquatic life from the runoff when rinsing?
They are eco-safe products but you should avoid the runoff as much as possible as it will modify the pH balance of the water at the surface very slightly for a short period if time.
What temperature is too cold to apply stain? Thanks, Eileen
50 and above.
I restored my deck in august stripped, power washed, brightened , & stained with semi transparent stain 2 coats wet on wet. looks great its a small 8 by 20 deck I have plenty of stain & brightener left to single or 2 coat this spring would this be ok to do if so do I need to order some cleaner before brightening & staining would I hose off or power wash off cleaner and brightener
You always need to use the cleaner when recoating. Apply and light pressure rinse both. Just one coat of stain.
I have a deck that is half covered (screened) and half open to the elements. I recently used restore-a-deck cleaner with a pressure washer and then brighter on both sections and then applied restore-a-deck dark walnut on the open half with two coats and followed instructions to the letter, the results were great! However, on the screen side, I took too long to apply the second coat due to numerous obstructions which kept me from using the deck brush properly so the end result has areas against walls that are very dark areas and appear overloaded with stain so it does not look great. I want to start over on the covered section but seeking your advice to begin again and strive to match the side of my deck that turned out great. The original deck was 3 year old unstained treated pine so I did not need to use the stripper. I have plenty of restore-a-deck cleaner and brighter left over and I would like to use these instead of a stripper if you feel I can get away with that. Can I use 80 grit sanding the side of my deck that did not turn out great, follow the sanding with the restore-a-deck cleaner with pressure washer and then restore-a-deck brighter to get the screened portion of my deck ready again for staining or do you recommend another approach?
Yes, you can do this but after sanding, you can only apply one coat of the RAD Stain.
Thank you for your prompt reply. I do want to fully confirm your directions… I should sand with 80 grit, apply restore-a-deck cleaner, pressure wash then apply restore-a-deck brightener followed by only one coat of stain (not two coats) – correct? – Thank you again for your support!
Yes, correct!
Hi, sorry to dovetail on someone else’s question, but is the advice for one coat only here BECAUSE of sanding? I have an old, weathered deck and everyone tells me I should sand it before staining, but I was also assuming two coats since it is old and worn, so I just want to make sure I understand why the one-coat recommendation here above? Thank you!
Yes. Just one coat if you sand.
Hello, just to confirm I only do one coat on vertical surfaces such as spindles and support posts? Thank you!
Yes, that works.
Last year I applied the solid stain to a 35 year old redwood deck and it came out better than any stain I’ve ever applied. The only thing was that it took twice as much stain as expected, and I was only able to give it 1 coat. This year I used your deck cleaner to wash the deck and applied 2 coats. The upper deck was done on 1 weekend and came out great. The lower have was given 2 coats, and then unexpectedly, it rained … for 3 days. Once the lower deck dried, it was covered with white steaks. See attached photos. As I understand, its too late, after having applied it, to restain this fall. I plan on waiting until the spring, clean the lower deck again, and again restain. Any other suggestions?
Just make sure it is clean before coating.
Will significant morning dew on properly prepped wood affect staining? Should I allow the wood to dry for a few hours before staining? It was stripped and brightened last week, then sanded and brightened two days ago. Started staining yesterday but have more to do today.
You can apply the RAD Stains to damp wood: https://www.restore-a-deck.com/Deck-Cleaning-Reviews-and-Tips/how-to-restore-a-deck-stain-to-damp-wood.html
In listing the recommendations for use/application of the Restore-A-Deck Semi-Transparent Stain, all items are mentioned except a roller. Can a roller be used in its application on a wood fence?
Rollers do not work very well with penetrating semi-transparent stains as they splatter and do not apply very evenly.
Another pic
Pressure treated pine deck. 15 months old. First time for prep and stain. Cleaned and brightened with RAD products two days ago to prep for RAD semi-transparent stain.
1. Light graying remains in a few places. Leave as is or spot treat with cleaner and brightener?
2. Goal is to stain within two weeks of prep, correct?
You are good to stain within 2 weeks.
Are the ends and edges of decking and stair treads considered vertical or horizontal surfaces?
How long do I wait after stripping to apply brightener?
Right away.