This post was updated on April 4, 2025
Hi, I’m Scott Paul. With over 30 years of experience staining both new and old decks, I’ve built a career around helping homeowners protect and enhance their wood surfaces. My reviews of exterior wood stains and helpful tips on deck staining are grounded in decades of hands-on testing and my work as a professional wood restoration contractor.
Everything I share is designed to guide you toward the best product choices for your project. For more about my background and expertise, feel free to read more about me here.
What is the Best Stain for an Old Wood Deck?
I appreciate you visiting Deckstainhelp.com as we continue to be your go-to source for the latest deck restoration news and trending topics through 2026. Below, we mention some tips for restoring an old, neglected wood deck. Questions? Feel free to leave a comment below with any pictures you may have.
Old Wood Decking
Best Overall Semi-Solid Wood/Deck Stain | Easiest to Apply Semi-Solid Wood/Deck Stain |
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My Recommended Stains for Old Decks
TWP Semi-Solid Pro-Series
Total Wood Protectant (TWP) makes a Pro-Series Semi-Solid that is pretty easy to apply and is among the best stains for an older deck. TWP now offers the stain in 30 custom-made colors, such as Appalachian Trail, Cedar Chest, Driftwood, and Stonehenge.
This stain effectively prevents mold and mildew because it repels water very well. The formula keeps water from penetrating the wood and causing cracking or splitting, which is also helpful in preventing freeze damage in Northern areas with frigid winters.
Overall, TWP stains remain among the best and the low-VOC variety is permitted throughout all of the U.S. and Canada.
Armstrong-Clark Semi-Solid
Based on my positive experience, it’s no surprise that The Armstrong-Clark Company has been producing wood stains for decades. Armstrong-Clark’s Semi-Solid is very easy to apply and contains a special Paraffin and Curing Oil mix, making it one of the best stains for an old deck.
The formula contains non-drying oils that penetrate deeply and help older decks regain much of their original appearance. The stain also has drying oils that remain on the wood surface to prevent damage from the elements.
The stain is permitted in all U.S. states and Canada and is limited to five colors: Mountain Cedar, Woodland Brown, Oxford Brown, Sequoia, and Espresso.
An Easy Guide to Staining an Old Wood Deck
Wood decks can be a beautiful addition to any property but can become an eyesore when neglected. Sun and water damage occurs when a deck is neglected for too long. The wood loses its natural oils and becomes very dry and porous. Cracking, splitting, warping, and graying are all signs of an old deck that has not been protected against weathering.
My Steps To Restoring Old Decks
- Make any Needed Repairs
- Weather New Deck Boards
- Prep the Old Deck for Stain
- Staining the Old Deck
- Maintaining the Old Deck
- Need Help? Ask me Below for Tips
#1 Repair the Old Deck
Do a thorough look over for any rotten boards and replace them. Check for loose boards and railings and tighten these up as well with decking screws or galvanized nails. Check the foundation and decking supports for any structural damage.
My Pro Tip: Boards rot from the bottom up, so look under your deck for signs of wood rot.
#2 Weather the New Deck Boards
If you replace any rotten deck boards with new smooth decking, they cannot be stained right after installation. The decking is not porous enough to accept the stain, which prevents the stain from properly penetrating the wood. Most stain manufacturers suggest waiting a few months for the new boards to season. See my new wood tips here: Staining a New Deck.
My Pro Tip:Â Ink stamps on new boards. Lightly hand sand those off before weathering the new wood.
#3 Prepping the Old Deck for Stain
There are 3 main options for prepping your old deck, and the current condition determines which direction to go in. If you are unsure, see this article for more info: Prepping a Wood Deck: Clean, Strip, or Sand.
Clean and Brighten the Deck
My Pro Tip: Best When Removing Oxidation/Graying
It is not impossible to bring old gray wood back to life. A little care and maintenance can revive the most neglected decks. If the deck is still in good structural condition, the grayed wood can be cleaned using a wood deck cleaner.
Use a scrub brush or pressure washer with the deck cleaner to remove unwanted mold, mildew, dirt, and graying. The transformation of washing an old deck back to clean again can be amazing. After using a wood cleaner, it is important to use a wood brightener. While the wood is still wet, apply a wood brightener to the surface to enhance the wood’s beauty and open the wood pores for better stain penetration.
Strip and Brighten the Deck
My Pro Tip:Â Strip the deck if you have an old clear, transparent, or semi-transparent stain that has failed unevenly.
To remove old deck stains from the wood, you have to use a deck stripper. A quality deck stripper will break up and soften any old decking stain, allowing it to be washed away with a pressure washer. Once the deck has been prepped with a stripper and the old deck stain is gone, a wood brightener is necessary to brighten and neutrlaize the stripper, restoring the pH of the wood.
Sand The Deck
My Pro Tip: Sand the deck if trying to remove an old, peeling, solid color stain.
Most deck strippers will not remove solid stains or paints. If this is the case, you may have to sand the old stain to return to bare wood again. See these tips on deck sanding: How To Sand an Old Deck.
#4 Staining the Old Deck
Apply Penetrating Wood Stain
My Pro Tip:Â Choose a Semi-Solid Stain to hide imperfections in the old decking.
Once the deck dries, choose the best stain for an old deck. Because old wood decks are significantly dried out, a wood stain that conditions the wood is essential. We use stains like Armstrong Clark or TWP Wood Stains for an old deck. This type of wood stain contains non-drying penetrating oils that help rejuvenate the wood cells. These conditioning oils stay deep in the wood to replace the wood’s lost natural oils.
The stain also contains drying oils that separate from the conditioning oils. These drying oils remain on the exposed surface to cure locking in the conditioning oils and provide protection against weathering. This conditioning of the wood’s cellular structure and weather protection are the keys to reviving an older wood deck.
#5 Maintain Every 2 Years
Repeat the cleaning and staining of the wood every two years to maintain its appearance and extend its life.
Many deck owners think an old deck may have to be torn down and a new one built to replace it. This is not always the case. Old decks can be cleaned and coated with stains designed to rejuvenate old wood. It may be possible to bring your old wood deck back to life and get many more years of use.
#6 Need Help? Old Deck Staining Questions?
Prep or Stain Help? Please ask me below if you have questions about my old deck staining tips or need help choosing a stain. Just post a comment below and include as much information as possible.
We live in New Jersey and have a 28 year old pressure treated pine deck. It is exposed to partial sunlight. We have treated it with water based products every other year or so using Olympic products or Arbor Coat just the last 2 years. Even after thorough prep the Arbor Coat literally disappeared after 10 months. We are getting close to needing all new floor boards but feel that we can still wait a few more years.The Arbor coat is visible in large patches on vertical surfaces but appears to be completely gone on almost all of the deck.
What prep and what product do you suggest for this old deck.
Thank you very much for your help.
You cannot add anything over the Arbor Coat so not sure what you should do. It would be best to replace the boards now or just leave the deck alone until you do. If you put something over the BM Arbor Coat it will peel.
Thank you for the warning. I think I will stick to regular deck stain and maybe upgrade to Defy or TWP.
Our deck is 15 years old. We have used SuperDeck Canyon Brown for most of those years applying every 2-3 years. Some of the boards are splintering and it is no longer barefoot friendly. The rails and poles are fine, its just the floor that needs some tender loving care. I was thinking about using either "Deck Correct" that our local hardware store sells or Deck Over from Home Depot or the one that Lowe's has. Should I use one of these products or something else> Thank you.
Might want to read this article: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/behr-deckover-olympi…
We bought a house last summer in Charlotte, NC with a 8-10 year old pergola sitting on a beautiful red/gray tone paver patio. It gets full, intense sun from 10 am through the rest of the day. The boards are weathered, fading and some starting to crack. It appears to be cedar wood (at least it is stained a red cedar color). Are the stains you recommend here for decks the same that you would use for the pergola? Which cleaning, prep and stain products do you recommend? What precautions should we take to protect the pavers underneath and white siding on the house?
Yes you would use the same for the pergola. Prep with the Restore A Deck products and stain with TWP 100.
I'm a City boy transplanted to retirement in rural Virginia. What a wonderful site for people like me who need honest help. Thank you!
May I submit my situation for reply?
Location: South West Virginia
Deck material: Untreated wood, I think pine?
Age: 10 years old
Previous treatments: Solid stain
Condition: Some wood cracked, but basically looks good to me. Deck is on second level of house.
Work so far: Sanded high spots from wood "curling/warping", took off most of old stain.
Hope: Clean as you recommend and to put down your recommended solid color oil stain
Thanks so much for your help
Ed Holzhauer
Look for the Flood solid color stain in an oil based or Cabot. Use oil based though.
I have several 14 foot redwood deck planks that have gouges or knot holes that emptied out over the years. Is there any putty type product to prep such issues that can be stained over? Also I have a few boards with wood rot just on an inch or two at the end of the deck. I hate to replace an 18 foot board and was thinking I could just do a section at the end using a cut at a support brace Are there any tips for pulling up screwed in deck boards while minamalizeing damage to other deck portions?
Putty or wood filler will not work on out side wood and staining will not blend it will the wood. You cannot cut in the middle of a board very well. just replace the whole board.
I also wanted to know if it would be helpful to put Moore than 2 coats of the stain on? Would it last longer with more coats?
Moore stain is not always better. Sometimes it will fail faster if too much is applied.
This is the best site for help with deck. I have a deck that I think is between 15 -20 years old. As far as I know it hasn't been maintained properly. I have cleaned the deck, then used a stripper and now I have to sand the deck. Should I sand and then use the brightener or the reverse before I stain? Also does the brightener need to be applied right after stripping or can I apply it several days later? I plan on using the TWP 15500 stain.
Sand than use wood brightener and rinse with water as well. If you do not sand than apply brightener right after stripping. If you sand, wait until done.
We have a 12 year old deck in Baltimore, MD. Summers are pretty humid and after this past year, it got a lot of snow. It doesn't look like the deck has ever had anything on it. Even the railings are void of any color outside of wood rot grey and algae green. Some boards and railings are going to have to be replaced. It's about 400 sq ft. We are just patching the deck as it is right to get us a couple more years out of it. Our deck does not meet the current code standards and to expand it as we wish, the old deck will need to be removed and a new one built to code. So basically I just need about 2-3 more years out of the deck. I plan on doing the repairs and cleaning the deck. Should I wait to clean the deck until the new boards are weathered and how long should I wait for weathering before applying the stain. Also should I make the investment of TWP 1500 seeing that it's $40 extra per 5 gallons over the Olympic "equivalent" at Lowes seeing that the deck will be torn down in 2-3 years?
Yes you should wait for the new wood to season for a few months and clean all at the same time. 2-3 years is what you should get with TWP. I doubt that the Olympic will give you that.
I have an old deck, replaced the top railing and steps with new wood. Taking your advice and waiting 4 months for the new wood to weather. Should I used a solid stain to match old and new? What stain do you recommend to fill longitudinal cracks in the old wood? Looking for a dark brown color. Columbia, SC very hot summers mild winters. Thanks.
Stains do not fill cracks. Look at the Armstrong Clark in the semi-solid oxford brown color.
Question deck restoration. We have a 3 year old PT deck that after waiting a few months stained with cruddy Behr supposedly semi transparent stain. It came out basically solid. This will be the 3rd summer and it was peeling and could scrap off areas with finger nail full of algae so we decided to redo our beautifully built deck. We first put stripper on part but got annoyed with that and the pressure washer so we sanded the whole deck including the area that was previously stripped. Just want to know if that is sufficient or would we need a cleaner brightener also? After much searching found TWP 100 90 miles away and purchased, is that the best stain to use in our area? Oh also too tired to strip rails and replacing those how long to wait to stain new rails with TWP 100. Your website is great and the TWP sounds easy to apply and redo.thanks
The new railings should weather for 4+ months and prepped with deck cleaner before staining. after the sanding it will help to use a cleaner and brightener to help allow the TWP to absorb deeper.
We're staining an old deck (20 yrs) and we sanded it down first. We were going to stain it, but there is rain coming. We're planning to use Armstrong Clark Semi Transparent stain, but didn't know if we should clean and/or brighten it after the sanding process, but before the stain. Should we be concerned if the deck gets wet after sanding, but before staining?
Just let the wetness from the rain dry a couple of days before staining. I would use a cleaner and light pressure washing after the sanding. Brightener would help as well.
My old(15 years),never stained deck had dirt and green mildew.Cleaner and power washer didn't work.The mucky dirt and mildew remained.I got a 3M scrubbing pad used for furniture stripping and attached it to a pole.It worked with not much effert.Just alot of back and forth with the cleaner keeping it wet.
we have a 10 yo PTP deck and I have stripped and brightened it. TWP 100 was suggested but when we got the samples and applied it to boards we replaced we did not like the colors. Also 1 was blotchy. Do I need to sand before staining to get and even look? Also what other stain would you recommend? We are in S.E. Wisc and the deck gets mostly sun.
It would not hurt to lightly sand or buff the surface. Have you considered going with a semi-solid penetrating oil based like Armstrong Clark. It will give a more uniform appearance.
Hi,
We have a 15 yr old cedar deck that was only treated once after the first year with linseed oil. Thereafter, nothing was applied to the deck over the years. The deck is in full sun and in NJ. It has greyest over years and had green mold in some areas(we have a grape pergola over one section of the deck and some boards had wood rot).The deck was powerwashed the other day with just water and already looks brighter and close to original cedar color and we want to stain this spring. We also see the some boards need replacing (easier to see that after power washing). How should we proceed from here in prep for staining? Anything else to do (we will replace a few boards that need changing with new cedar and we also need to sand railing that became a little rough after powerwashing…what is best way to do sanding?)? Also what stain do you suggest? We prefer something natural looking. Also, will there be a problem with stain looking even colored throughout deck given that there would be new and old deck boards and some places sanded? Also, helper wants to 'sponge' stain on—is that recommended for our situation?
Thanks!
Casey, the new boards will be lighter in color than the older boards. This article will help some: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/how-to-blend-new-and…
Look at the Armstrong Clark stain for this.
I have a 15 year old pressure treated pine deck. Not that big 12×14, not in that bad of shape. Would there be any benefit to sanding it with a belt sander to remove some old stain and grey oxidation??
Billy, if you sanding use about 60-80 grit max and lightly clean when done to remove dust. Only benefit would be to smooth down splinters or extremely rough wood.
we have a 20+ year old deck in North Carolina. it desperately needs a facelift. we've recently replaced several of the boards. what steps do i take to make sure the stain and coloring looks consistent between the old boards and fresh, new looking boards? do i have to use a solid stain or is it possible to achieve a consistent look and color with a semi transparent? thank you!
Beverly, new and old wood will not match when using a semi-transparent stain. To get close make sure that the old wood is prepped well by removing all old coatings or dirt. Brighten the wood when done. The first staining it will be lighter in color on the new wood. They will blend the next time you redo the deck though.
We recently purchased a 25-year-old cedar-sided house in northern Arizona (i.e. lots of direct sun exposure). We need to re-treat both the siding and the deck (which seems to be redwood). I'm not 100% certain, but I believe the original treatment was a semi-transparent stain. Since then, the previous owners applied oil (linseed?) to the sun-exposed sides of the house annually. We'd been leaning toward a solid stain (Flood's SWF) since the wood seems a little rough, but we wouldn't rule out a semi-transparent stain, and we're game to do whatever prep work is needed. The longevity of the treatment is our primary concern.
QUESTIONS:
1. What are your thoughts on Flood's SWF? It seems to be highly regarded locally, and I've been told that it'll adhere well to both the siding and deck. However, it's a water-based stain and I don't know if it contains any conditioning oils as you recommend.
2. For our situation, what other products would you suggest? Armstrong Clark or Defy Extreme?
Thanks in advance. Great Web site!
Scott,
1. Not a fan of solid stains as they look like paint and hide the grain of the wood. Flood SWF is a decent solid if that is the route you take.
2. If it were our company we would suggest the Armstrong Clark in a semi-solid color for maximum UV protection and conditioning of the older wood. This will penetrate deep into the wood and will still show the grain.
I have an old deck (15-20 years is my guess), with some old stain on just under the eaves. The rest of the deck is bare of old stain due to our high rains in the pacific NW. I plan on sanding the deck.
1. Do I need to strip the small sections of old stain, or can it be sanded off?
2. If I do need to strip, I want to make sure I understand the order: STRIP, SAND, CLEAN, BRIGHTEN, STAIN.
I saw in previous postings it was recommended to sand after cleaning/brightening and then I read to do it after.
Please clarify…thanks!
Jen, is there a lot of old stain? Is the old stain a semi-transparent or solid color.
Me again, the 24 year old cedar deck in Minnesota. wondering if we can stain the railings now. we didn't change any of the wood on them, just sanded it all down. would it be okay to stain now and not wait until spring like we are planning for the deck itself?
JRA, yes that would probably be okay.
thanks for the help. should we wait the 4 months to stain since we only replaced some of the decking or can we stain after it is dry . I'm the one from Minnesota with the 24 year old deck and have sanded the whole thing down.
JRA, maybe wait until Spring, prep, and stain.
have a 24 year old deck in Minnesota. we just replaced some of the boards (cedar) and have sanded down the deck and all the railings. do we need to wait to stain? do we need to use the wood brightener on it first? Thinking of TWP100. is this the best or would you suggest a different brand. some of the deck gets mostly morning sun, some gets it most of the day and other parts no direct sun (deck is on the north side of house in the woods). What is the best way to continue to keep it up? sounds like we will just have to clean and reapply, is this correct? thanks.
JRA, I would brighten and rinse well after the sanding. TWP 100 is a good choice for MN and try that. It can be cleaned and reapplied as needed.
Today, I just cleaned my old deck using Defy Cleaner. After cleaning, I was too tired so I did not use the brightener today, thinking I could do it tomorrow. Is it OK to apply Brightener the day after using cleaner?
Yes you can do the brightener today.
Based on your recommendation I thought I would use Armstrong Clark stain for an older weathered deck (pressure treated Pine). I am writing to warn others that when you order your samples – they may look nothing like the colors online because these are stained on redwood. As a result I some sampels that are not even close to what I want. I wrote them back and suggested that since they are largely a mail order business they should help potential customers by stating that the sample colors online are on redwood and that maybe given the huge difference, they might also show what they look like on pine. This would be extremely easy to do. Their response was that if I was uncomfortable – I should go to Sherwin Williams locally. How Nice! Anyway if this is posted it will serve to warn some of your readers that the online colors are on redwood so that they take this into consideration. Now I need to start over – TWP maybe?
David same thing for me. I ordered woodland brown sample And way too red. Ordered oxford brown last week and applied to one board still lots of red. I love the finish but not color.
I have a 20-year old redwood deck that has been treated every few years with Thompson's Water Seal. No stain has ever been used but I notice some parts of the deck are more brown than others and wonder if this may be residual Thompson's Water Seal, last used about three years ago. Should I use a cleaner or a stripper on the deck? And what brand of stain would you recommend for this old redwood? TWP? Armstrong Clark? Armstrong Clark seems easy enough to use for a first-timer – but anything can look easy in pictures. Thank you.
Colette, I would strip and brighten for the prep. Even though it is clear, Thompsons can create a buildup. For the stain I would use the Armstrong Clark. Semi-solids really help with older wood.
Thank you very much! I much appreciate your time in answering.
I have a 20 year deck in Pittsburgh that had been stained with semi-transparent Behr product. The wood is fairly badly weathered with a rough surface and lots of splits. I would like to keep this deck going as long as I can.
I washed, brightened, and next will sand heavily before re-staining. . Your recommended stains for old decks appear to all be semi-transparent. For a weathered deck will these stains work better than a solid stain in terms of protecting the wood as much as possible from further damage? Or does a solid stain offer better protection? Also- Can I caulk or fill larger cracks to prevent further ice/water penetration? WIll the semitransparent stains cover a "paintable" latex caulk? is there another filler I should use?
David, you cannot caulk than stain. I would look at the Armstrong Clark in their semi-solid colors for this older deck. More uv protection but still penetrates as opposed to a solid.
Thanks. Heavy sanding with random orbital floor sander and 36 grade paper made huge difference! Wow. For deep cracks and fissures what should I fill with? DAPs plastic wood or similar product by Elmers fro big box stores? or is there a better specialty item?
David, Do not use wood fillers on outside decking. It does not take the stain and will not work well.
I had Cabot stain put on my 16 year old deck about 4 years ago (this was the third product I've used in the 16 years the deck has been built-always powerwashed before), got a little rain next day and the stain immediately began flaking and peeling. The wood is now badly cracked.
So if I'm understanding right, I need to : (1) use a stain stripper in the pressure washer which may need to be applied twice(?) (2) Use a wood brightener right away to let the oils penetrate (3) let the deck dry for a few days (4) apple TWP 1500 (sounds like the best product for a deck in this condition(?) (5) repeat all 4 steps every 2 years?
Another question, I just got new vertical railings, top rails, etc. installed and was told by the local lumber company to pour water on it in about three weeks and if the water soaks in, the stain will soak in, if it still beads up on the treated lumber, need to wait longer – does that sound right? Also, do I need to do any prep work on the new treated lumber before applying TWP 1500 – and is that the best for the railings also? Not going to do the decks until next spring, but need to get the new rails done before winter. Live in KY – morning dew is going to start in a few weeks. How do I work around that? How long should the TWP 1500 sit before dew or rain hits it? A lot of questions I know, but you sound like a site I can trust so am anxiously awaiting your reply – and thank you!
Judy,
-yes on the steps.
-you should wait 4 months to let new wood season when using TWP
-all new wood should be cleaned and brightened first before staining
-I would wait until Spring to do new railings
I am wondering what can be done about a deck that was stained then sudden rainstorm hit. Now am left with a spotty job. Must I start over?
Linda, probably need to strip and start over but it does depend on the stain brand. Some are more forgiving than others and can be lightly recoated to fix.
I have a large deck that is about 20 years old that needs to be re-stained and I live in PA. We used behr a few years ago and it was terrible. I have some boards that need replaced and others are just old looking. I've been reading lots of reviews and posts and I'm leaning towards TWP 1500. I know I will have to strip off the old Behr product, but do I then need to brighten? Is TWP 1500 my best choice for an older looking deck? How does the reapplication process work a few years from now if I stick with TWP… would I have to restrip or just go over top of what's on the deck at that point?
Jenn, yes you need to brighten the wood after stripping. It neutralizes the stripper as well. TWP 1500 is a good stain for older wood. You can clean and re-coat TWP without stripping a few times but any stain can buildup eventually and require a stripping once in awhile. TWP is easily strippable if needed ever.
I stained my daughter's deck in Cleveland last summer (the wood was gray, cracking/splitting, and very dry). I did not strip, clean, or brighten before using a stain from Home Depot (brand unknown). The deck is now peeling. I am traveling to Cleveland for 2-3 days this weekend to fix the problem. Should I strip then stain the next day?
Ron, you need to strip and brighten and possibly sand as well. This will take 1-2 days. After the prep you will need to let the the wood dry for 24-48 hours before applying the stain. This is not a one or two consecutive day job.
Hello! I have a 20+ year old deck in a home we just moved into in MN that looks like it has had very little care put into it. I've read up on everything here on the website I can, ordered TWP 100 and this should arrive today. I did a good deal of sanding/repair on the deck first, then used a cleaner and brightener and power-washed both off 2 days ago. After everything dried, the deck looks SO much better, but there are still some dark(er) spots, as well as some 'streaks' from the power washer. I used an orbital sander on the railings to remove any dark(er) spots and rough spots (as I saw that it is OK to sand after brightening on the blog)…
My question is, after 2 days of 'drying' having washed/brightened, now that I've noticed those dark(er) spots/power-wash streaks, if I were to re-power-wash those streaks out (figured out how to adjust the PSI now), will I need to brighten again prior to applying the TWP 100? Or will I be able to sand/or power-wash those spots/streaks out, let it dry, and move to the staining?
Thanks for any help – this website is AMAZING by the way!
Shamus, do not spot sand as the stain will show lighter in those areas. Try lightly pressure washing the spot off. No need to brighten.
So, I have to replace a four year old coat of Behr Premium on my cedar ( I think it's cedar) on the North Oregon coast.
Based on the comments I've seen here, I'm inclined to just sand it and not bother with chemical stripping. Is there a chemical that'd work to remove Behr?
Left Base, HD80 and Restore A Deck Stripper with pressure washing will remove Behr but you may need to apply a few times to get it all off.
I have 3 , 20 year old decks that are weathered, with cracks, but are structurally sound. They have cabot solid stain on them. Most of the vertical boards are still covered but the horizontal boards have peeled and become very worn. I want to stain but the solid stain will not come off with any products , This decks are way too large to sand. Any suggestions?
Kas106, clean the deck to remove dirt and loose stain the reapply another solid color deck stain.
We have an old deck, probably 10-15 years old, probably cedar.
We have cleaned and brightened it, and there are some spots where boards are a little rough and splintered.
Is it a good idea to spot sand only those boards that are splintering, or to sand everything (so as to ensure uniform coloration and grain)?
Thanks.
JCR, best to lightly sand it all evenly so the stain will go on evenly and not dry blotchy.
I bought wood from a "yellow cedar" deck, 2×6, not alaskan yellow, from Hab for Humanity. The wood is amazing, straight grain, no knots, clear wood. I removed my old deckwood and screwed the new stuff doen, bottom side up to get the nicer surface.
What would be the best stain to use? TWP 1500 or Armstrong Clark? I plan to do a clean and brighten with restore-a-deck.
And how long after treating should I do it again? thanks, Stephen
Stepehen Brown, either product would work but if the wood is smooth the AC will penetrate better than the 1500.
I have cleaned and brightened my older decking/porch siding; some of the vertical wood posts are very "furry" after the cleaning and brightening so i am going to sand them lightly to remove the fur; my questions are:1) what grit do you recommend i use to sand the "fur" off and 2) do i need to clean again after the sanding or what should be my final step before apply armstrong clark stain to the wood? I have read that a final light hosing should be good for removing the light sanding dust- do you agree? Thank you for your advice.
Mike, at this point I would lightly sand with 60 grit paper, apply a brightener then rinse well.
My 20 year old deck is very weatherbeaten and grayed. It has been raining on it everyday for the past three weeks. There is no rain in the forecast the next two days. Tomorrow I plan to clean and brighten with restore a deck. Do you think the deck may be to wet to clean? Thanks.
Greg, you can clean when the wood is wet. It will not affect the process.
Getting ready to stain our deck that was built about 5 years ago. At the time we did not waterproof it or stain it. We live in St. Louis, MO, get all four seasons. The wood is gray and is cracking in certain areas. Would you recommend power washer, using a brightner and staining. What stain do you receommend for our area?
Kate, use a deck cleaner with the pressure washing then brighten the wood when finished. Stain with Armstrong Clark or TWP 100 Series.
I am getting ready to stain our old deck and I know the previous owner's used Thompson's water sealer. That was 2 years ago. It is 99% gone, just a few spots where water doesn't penetrate. I already used a cleaner and brightener and the deck looks good, can I sand that Thompson's off, I will it need to be stripped? Does stripper even work on it since it really isn't a stain? Will I have issues with getting a product to stay put? I saw you recommend Armstrong Clark for dry cracked wood, so that is what I was going to get.
Andrea, if it is 99% remove then you should be good to proceed with the AC.
I have a 2yr old pressure treated deck that has never been stained. Live in Western Pa, sun/shade, hard winter. What do you recomended. Need something that will stand up to the weather and 6 kids playing on it!!
Nick, look at the Defy Extreme or Armstrong Clark.
I am in Ontario, Canada and am having troubles figuring out what to use on our deck. It is pressure treated wood about 10 years old and has never been stained or treated in any way. We recently pressure washed it with a cleaner so I think it's ready to be treated. Any advice for what I can buy in Ontario?
Nicoloe, sorry but we have no idea what you can buy locally.
we need to redo our deck. It is about 24 years old, cedar and we have used Sikkens on it since the beginning. The Sikkens just peels off the last few years so we need to either replace the whole deck or we were thinking of sanding it down and using some other kind of stain. But if you sand it, that only gets the top, not the sides, which have stain on them as well. Any ideas on if we will still have problems with the sides and how a new brand of stain will work when it gets on top of the Sikkens?
I would not worry about the sides but just the exposed wood.
Cleveland area, two level deck, upper level is 18 years, lower level is 12. Structure is sound but boards on upper are getting dried out, some cracking. Was considering Behr Premium DeckOver, which is opaque and claims to fill cracks. Your advice here points in a different direction to penetrating oil based stain. I power washed and was able to remove some of the previous stain, Behr Premium, 3 years since application, still getting good adhesion in some areas. Based on reviews at your site I am totally rethinking the Behr thing! What stain would you recommend and any experience with DeckOver?
ClevelandTom, DeckOver is new this year so there is no history with it. They basically copied the Synta Deck Restore product that we reviewed and did not like. Mixed reviews from homeowners as well.
Thank you, I am thinking of TWP 1500, but question on prep. I am getting great adhesion – meaning it did not come off with a good power washing – of the previous stain on everything vertical and >50% of horizontal surfaces. How necessary is stripping on both horizontal and vertical surfaces? Should I test for penetration?
ClevelandTom, you cannot apply TWP 1500 on another brand of stain and assume it will work correctly. For best results you should always remove the previous brand if you plan to switch brands. Have you tried a stain stripper with the pressure washing?
No, but I just read your entire sections on stripping and brightening. Pretty convincing that this is the route to go – I am willing to put in the work to delay having to replace the wood. Seems like the procedure is (1) strip (2) brighten immediately, (3) wait a few days (4) stain with a penetrating stain like TWP 1500. Can you suggest stripping and brightening products? Anything else in the process such as sanding?
Try the Restore Products and sand after if needed only.
Sorry for the long delay in reporting results! I followed your directions and stripped, brightened then stained with TWP1500. Wow phenomenal results, looks amazing. Stripping was very easy, the old Behr stain came right off with stripper and a power washer. When spring rolls around I am thinking of one more coat of TWP1500 om the horizontal areas, as a few spots still look a bit "thirsty". How should I prep?
ClevelandTom, glad it turned out great! Lightly clean this Spring to remove dirt but you do not want to remove the stain. Apply a very light coat of the TWP to the horizontals and make sure to back wipe excess if needed.
I have an old deck that sits in full sun from noon to sunset plus it surrounds a pool which gets a lot of use. I was not happy with my last semi-transparent stain as after two years it is already peeling off. I would like a good quality stain that would last longer in the hot Michigan summers and the cold Michigan winters. Any help with this would be greatly aporeciated.
CJ Jazz, TWP 100 Series for Michigan.
Dennis, you can use the TWP 1500 in VT.
Thanks much for your reply and your superbly helpful site! I see that now. There was a page on one of the TWP distributor sites that had incorrect information. I have a question in on the TWP help site as follows — feel free to provide any advice on that as well — I'd sure appreciate it! Here's my question to them:
I just discovered TWP stains and would love to use them for my current deck recoating project. I'm in Vermont, so I must use the 1500 series. I have just meticulously prepared the deck by spraying with a bleach/detergent solution and thoroughly rinsing with a power washer. It looks ready to go — the surface of the pressure-treated material is good, with no trace of dirt, mildew, mold, or algae. My previous stain was an Olympic semi-transparent (high VOC) applied between 2 and 3 years ago for different parts of the deck. The color still shows, but there is no surface buildup whatsoever and water soaks into it very readily — the wood is 25 years old and quite weathered, but sound. I hadn't thought that recoating with TWP would be a problem, but I see that on your "Switching to TWP stains" page you say "Before switching to TWP Wood Stains, you first have to remove all remnants of the old failing stain. Use a wood stain stripper and not a wood cleaner". However, the last commenter (jbosey) asked regarding the TWP 100 "Will it be necessary to strip it and brighten it or can we now just use the TWP?", and you replied "if the wood is clean and free of old coatings you can go ahead and apply the TWP 100". Is there a reason that I would have to strip all of the color off my deck before using the TWP 1500 product, or should the current fully-prepped condition of my deck be OK to go ahead and use the 1500? Thanks!
Dennis, stains always before best when the wood is free of previous coatings. This allows the new stain to penetrate into the wood well. It is hard to say in your scenario but if in doubt that the stain will be able to penetrate, then strip off the old coating.
I have a large wood dock on the TN river that needs some restoration and a good stain recomendation. It is a fixed dock and does go under water a couple of times a year (usually late winter/early spring) and I'm experiencing algea growth as well as some boards splitting. What would be the best treatment to restore and stain with? Deck is treated pine.
Ron, I would look at the TWP 100 or Armstrong Clark for this.
This site has been very useful, thanks! We have an old deck, probably 15+ years, that hasn't been treated or maintained in at least 10 years. It is a pressure treated lumber. We hired a contractor to repair it, and need to chose the stain fast. We are in NY state, deck is in full sun most of the day. From this website we see that TWP 1500 is highly recommended, but wanted to see if this is the best choice for our specific needs. Are there alternatives that you recommend? Since the wood is so dry, we are looking at a penetrating, semi- transparent, oil-based stain.
Also, our cotractor has not used TWP before – are there any specific things to watch out for?
Thanks!
IGC, I would look at the TWP 1500 or the Armstrong Clark for this and your requirements. Armstrong Clark does contain conditioning oils for your dried out wood.
Love this site. I have a 16+yr old deck, we bought the house 3yrs ago, the deck is beat and very weathered, very gray with green alge and mold in some spots, doesnt seem like it was every treated however there is a cedar type color on some of the spindles of the railing that don't receive much sunlight. Its hard to tell if it was a solid stain or a semi with color. Deck is sound structurally. I powerwashed today and applied a cleaner also but the green is still there on the floor boards. Would applying a bleach solution help and what stain would be best for this type of older wood. Im thinking a darker semi transparent to hide the old wood look and am looking at TWP 1500 or Defy Extreme.
Dan, we are not fans of using bleach but it may help with the green algae. Might want to look at the Dark Oak in the TWP or Butternut for the Defy Extreme. Also Oxford Brown by Armstrong Clark.
Dan yes you can use bleach, mix it 60/40 water is 60 bleach 40, in a 1 gallon bug sprayer, spray the area, wait 5 minutes then scrub with a brush, rinse immediately. i soak the are in water first the spray, then scrub, then rinse. lowes & depot sell an exterior bleach
I suggest you consider sanding the deck. That's what I did on my 25 year old deck. Stained with TWP 1503 Dark Oak. Came out beautiful.
It's very confusing. Stripping, cleaning, brightening, staining. Are all 4 steps necessary every two years?
Bob, you clean or strip then brighten. You do not need to do both. If the stain has just gotten dirty and faded evenly then you clean for the prep. You strip if the old stain has failed badly and unevenly or if switching brands of stains.
Would Defy Extreme be also suitable for my old deck ? Or do you consider Armstrong Clark to be by far the best choice?
My deck is old (~15 years), but has been maintained reasonably well (with CWF water-based stain). Location is Claifornia, lots of sun.
Mark, either would work well for you as long as you remove the CWF first.