This post was updated on April 4, 2025
Hi, I am Scott Paul, a leading exterior restoration contractor and business owner with over 30 years of experience in exterior wood cleaning. My Restore-A-Deck Stain Stripper review is based on my history as a wood restoration contractor and actual hands-on testing, all designed to present you with the top deck stain choices. See here for more info about me.
Update 2026: Restore-A-Deck Stain Stripper Review
I would love to hear if you have used the Restore-A-Deck Stain Stripper on your wood or deck. Please post a rating in the Consumer Star Ratings below. Consumer reviews in the comment section below have shown excellent results when using the Restore-A-Deck Stain Stripper.
If you have any pictures of your experience with Restore-A-Deck Stain Stripper, you can add them in the comment area with a detailed description.
Note: There are 2 new additives for the RAD Stain Stripper. The Restore-A-Deck Stain Stripper Booster and the Restore-A-Deck Thickening Gel. These products will increase the overall effectiveness of your stain stripping. These two additives greatly enhance the removal and ease of your stain-stripping project.
See here for more info:
Restore-A-Deck Stripper Booster and Thickening Gel Additives
Restore-A-Deck Wood Stain Stripper is a biodegradable, powdered concentrate that quickly removes worn finishes to restore wood surfaces. It removes stains, coatings, collected dirt, mold, mildew, and mill glaze.
The Restore A Deck system is a multistep deck cleaning system, and the best results are achieved when using all 3 products. This product is Step 1 Stripper of the Restore A Deck system and can be substituted for or used after Restore-A-Deck Wood Cleaner.
The Restore-A-Deck Deck Stain Stripper needs to be neutralized with a wood brightener.
How I Rated Restore-A-Deck Stain Stripper
My Restore-A-Deck Stain Stripper review contains a 5-step process and the final average score. Each step is on a scale of 1-10.
- Removal of Graying and Dirt
- Cost Per Square Foot
- Removal of Old Stain
- Ease of Application
- Final Appearance after Cleaning
- Restore-A-Deck Stain Stripper Final Score
5-Step Review of Restore-A-Deck Stain Stripper
1. Removal of Graying, Dirt, Grime: 9
The RAD stripper easily cuts through the dirt. All mold was removed from the deck.
2. Cost Per Square Foot: 10
Restore-A-Deck Stain Stripper covers up to 1000 sq. feet for 2 pounds, $39.99 a bottle. The RAD stain stripper is a bargain to use for the cost! Less than $8 per gallon when mixed with water.
3. Removal of Old Stain: 9
The Restore-A-Deck Stain Stripper was used to remove a buildup of TWP 100 Series stain. The stripper was very effective at removing over 95% of the TWP. There was a little difficulty in a spot where a doormat had sat there for years. We applied the RAD stripper to this spot with the pump sprayer and it came off easily.
4. Ease of Application: 10
The RAD Deck Stain Stripper in the 2-pound container mixes with 5 gallons of water. We tested the stripper by using a pump sprayer for application. We covered our 800 sq foot deck in less than 10 minutes. We needed most of the 5 gallons to do this.
5. Final Appearance of Stripping: 9
Great at removing our semi-transparent stain. We needed a wood brightener to neutralize as the RAD stripper is extremely strong.
Overall Score Restore-A-Deck Deck Stain Stripper: 9.4
It’s great at removing stains, easily applied, and costs pennies a square foot! This is our highest score to date. Other deck stain strippers are just as effective, but we like the option of injecting the stripper.
Product Information:
Manufacturer: Restore-A-Deck
Product Type: Powdered Concentrate Deck Stain Stripper
Available Sizes: 2 Pound Container Makes 5 Liquid Gallons
Application Temperature: 45-95 F
Coverage Per Container: 750-1000 sq. ft
Application Tools: Scrub Brush, Pressure Washer, Pump Sprayer.
Test Deck Stats:
Deck Wood Type: Cedar
Deck Square Footage: 800
The condition of Deck: 2-year-old TWP Stain was removed
How Much Product Used: 2 Pounds. Retails for $39.99 with Free shipping.
*All products tested and results are from our experience. We offer no guarantee of similar results. Consider that results may differ due to different wood types, exposure to UV radiation, and natural weathering.
How To Strip With Restore-A-Deck Stripper – DeckStainHelp.com
This was an excellent product to remove the water based semi transparent stain that I used on a one year old cedar deck.
The application was easy; the removal was better than I thought it would be and clean up was easy.
Any stripping process is going to take some work but this product wasn’t that bad.
I didn’t take before pics but I will submit some after pics in the Brightener section.
Thanks for your feedback!
Now that I finished my deck project I thought I’d submit a review of the RAD products. My 500 sqft deck was stained with Pennofin back in 2010 then completely neglected since then. And I mean “completely” neglected. I didn’t have very high expectations coming into the project.
I couldn’t be happier with the results. I used RAD stripper and brightener kit for the project. This is industrial strength stuff so I took all the safety warnings seriously. I wore long sleeves, rubber gloves, painters mask and eye protection. I applied the stripper to 3/4 of the deck via sprayer before it clogged, then applied it via brush the last 1/4. After 30 minutes I rinsed it off with a 1600 PSI pressure washer using the green nozzel. It ended up removing 95+ % of the old stain.
After applying brightener to the whole deck I wasn’t completely satisfied how the brush application section turned out so I took another pass at it with the stripper. Then via a suggestion to a question I submitted earlier in this thread I applied another application of brightener to the whole deck and let it dry into the wood. Fantastic results. I ended up staining it with TWP Honeytone.
Before, stripping/brightening, and after photos tell the story.
Looks great!!
I just posted a question as to how to remove Pennofin from a teak deck and restore it. Yours looks amazing. I know it has been 7 years since you wrote this review, but would you still recommend the RAD stripper and brightener kit?
Yes, that will work well to remove the Penofin.
I stripped an 850 sq ft cedar deck with the RAD stripping kit with excellent results. I mixed the stripper at 1/2 pound per gallon in a pump sprayer. The four gallons (two pound bag) turned the Cabot 3000 stain into goo within 30 minutes, and with the aid of a pressure washer, removed 99% of the failed and peeling stain. After stripping, I neutralized with part 2 of the kit with equally impressive results. As an aside, I had a local quotation of $2550 to strip and re-stain my deck. Do the math; RAD stripper is a bargain and does a fantastic job.
Our deck is a 16 year old cedar deck. Used Behr Waterproofing Wood Protector (Natural #300) last year. Most of the stain has peeled and there are areas with stain still on it. Last year husband had to replace 3 of the cedar flooring with new cedar due to rotting in the corners of the old cedar. That is the reason he used the Behr so as to get a more uniform color because of the new wood. Now husband found a couple of other smaller areas of cedar flooring that was rotting so he had to replace the areas with new cedar (about a total of 16'). I want to get the RAD stripper to attempt to get the remaining Behr stain off and then use the RAD brightener. What stain do you recommend using on my deck? We need something that could be used soon as we are planning on possibly selling our home so need to get the deck looking good quickly. We live in Rhode Island and the deck gets sun in the morning and partial shade in the afternoon. Thanks for any help you can provide!
nc412, please read this article about new wood staining.
Used restore a deck stripper and brightner but ran out of summer/fall good weather to apply stain last year. Her it is JUne. What do I now need to do before staining.There is some very light moss growth because we are in Washington state. looks like a very pale green stain in a few spots.
Ed
Ed, I would use a deck cleaner then brighten the wood before applying the stain.
Our deck was stained 10 years ago with an Olympic oil-based semi-transparent stain. There is almost no visible stain left on the flat surfaces except for where the grill sits. The rails still have some visible stain. I want to stain with TWP 1500 and was hoping to avoid the stripping step (prefer less harsh chemicals) and just clean and brighten. Will I regret it? Why can't you apply TWP over another brand of oil-based stain without stripping first (according to manufacturer instructions)? Thanks!
Angela, whenever switching brands it is always best to remove the old coating so the new coating can properly work. It does not matter the brand or if it is oil based or water based, it still should be removed first.
I am wanting to remove the Olympic oil based stain from my deck that has been on it for two years. Do you think that Restore-a -deck will remove it easily?
Jim, it should remove the Olympic effectively.
I have 2 questions:
1) I have an 8 year old 2nd story deck with Sikkens stain on it that has been reapplied a couple of times. The Sikkens is peeling on the horizontal surfaces, but in ok shape, except for oxidation, on the vertical surfaces. I'd like to replace the Sikkens with either TWP or Armstrong Clark stain. To get the Sikkens off, would it be best to use Restore A Deck or HD 80 stripper, or will I need to sand the Sikkens off? I am presently building a new ground floor wrap around deck. If the stripper used on the 2nd story deck drips on the unfinished ground floor deck, will it permanently damage or discolor the unfinished deck?
2) After reading your reviews, I'd thought I would stain my new wrap around deck with TimberOil Brand in a month, then stain it again in 12-18 months with TWP. If I do this, will I need to use a stripper on the TimberOil in 12-18 months? Another option would be to stain my new deck with Armstrong Clark in 1-2 months, then just keep using the Armstrong Clark thereafter. I noticed in response to another comment that, due to ease of application (or reapplication), you recommended Armstrong Clark for a wrap around deck, like mine, with various sun / shade exposures and heights. If it makes any difference, I live in the Black Hills of western South Dakota at an elevation of 5,000 feet, extreme cold and hot temperatures, dry climate and lots of sun.
Alan,
1. Which Sikkens have you used? They shiny version or the dull penetrating version. It needs to be removed but if you have the shiny Sikkens you will need to sand as strippers do not work.
2. I would use Armstrong on all the wood after a couple of months.
I live in Central Texas and have a 6 year old pressure treated pine deck that has been stained once, with Behr, I believe, and I'm getting ready to have it re-stained with TWP. It definitely needs to be stripped and neutralized, but there is some dark mold/mildew spots. Does this product cut the need out for a cleaner, or should I clean, strip and then stain?
Matt Garcia, if your use a stain stripper you do not need to use a deck cleaner.
I have a 10 year old pressure treated deck with multiple coats of Sikkens semi-transparent stain that is peeling badly. Will RAD strip most of this stain? I'm considering stripping the deck completely and starting over. I'm aware that I would need to use a brightener after the deck is stripped. There are so many brands and conflicting reviews it can be confusing. I'm thinking that RAD may be the best way to go. Thanks.
My deck was built in 1998 – no idea what kind of wood was used. Previous owner applied a coat of Sikkens semi-transparant religiously every 1 – 2 years and the deck looked like indoor furniture – deep color and it was gorgeous! Since I bought the home in 2008, I've cleaned the deck each year with trisodium phosphate and a power washer, allowed 24 – 48 hours to dry, then a coat of Sikkens semi transparant. But for the last two years, much fading and peeling after 5-6 weeks. What have I done wrong and how do I correct?
Carolyn, changes in Sikkens formula caused some of this. Decks are not supposed to look like furniture. It will always peel if you have a filming varnish look. You would need to remove the Sikkens and start over. Most likely with your buildup you will need to sand.
Hi, thanks for the great site!
I've used both Olympic's brand and JoMax brand strippers over the years and I always get so many white fibers (fuzzies) that I have to sand the entire deck. Can you tell me if RAD will remove Olympic Semi Transparent Stain? Is it normal to have to sand the deck to get rid of all the fuzzies, or are they being caused by the products I've use?
I'm working on a 10 year old Cedar deck in the St. Louis Mo. area. It surrounds a pool so it gets a lot of traffic. I'm looking for a semi transparent Cedar tone stain. From what I've read here it seems that TWP 100 is the best stain for me. Is that correct or is there a better choice?
Thanks so much for your help
Steve P, strippers soften the wood cells so you can wash out the stain. The side effect is that you can get fuzzies. Neutralizing as soon as possible with a wood brightener may minimize this. The RAD should remove the Olympic. I would look at the TWP 100 or the Armstrong Clark.
Thanks for the response.
I'm going to try brightening my deck as soon as I'm done stripping it. Hopefully I'll be able to get away with not sanding it this year.
Thank you very much for your help.
Steve, when get the fuzzies we use a buffing sanding pad with a floor buffing machine. It removes them very easily. We can do a 500 sq. foot floor in about 20 minutes.
Sandi, we would strip, sand if needed, and brighten for the prep. Armstrong in the Mahogany color or IPE Oil.
Will RAD stripper work on Sikkens Cetol deck treatment? It's pretty old and has peeled off over half of the deck surface.
Bill, we have had decent luck removing the Sikkens with the RAD. Sometimes we need to strip a few times but it usually comes off completely.
Has anyone tried Restore-A-Deck on Behr acrylic stain? We made the mistake of using the acrylic semi transparent last august and this spring a massive amount of the stain on the flat boards had flaked off after the snow melted. I just tried the Behr stripper this weekend and also the Benjamin Moore stripper today and neither of them worked very well at all, even with LOTS of scrubbing. I have a huge deck that I built around my pool that I need to fix, so I need to find a stripping solution that won't take forever, it's about 1000 sq ft.
Good morning DIY'ers:
I recently cleaned the deck with Penofin step 2 deck cleaner and pressure washed last week Friday. My deck was stained last year with Thompson's water seal (by the previous owner). After pressure washing I realized that there was still some sealer left on the deck from last years sealant. I bought the RAD stripper and brightener yesterday ( i should have it by weeks end).
My questions is:
After I use the pump sprayer to apply the RAD stripper, do I need to use a pressure washer to remove the stripper or can I just use my garden hose? I ask this question because I pressure washed it really good with the Penofin deck cleaner. I don't own a pressure washer I borrowed one from a buddy. If I do need one I will have to rent one from Home Depot.
Thanks in advance for the support.
Gator, it would be much easier to use a pressure washer but if it is not too bad you might be able to scrub with a stiff brush.
Hi,
We have an obsolete Glidden stain on our deck, semi-transparent "Endurance Deck and Siding Finish". It is described as "oil/acrylic" base but cleans up with water. I'm also told that it has a great deal of wax in it. When the deck was power washed much of it was removed but there are lots of places where it was not. Can you recommend a product and procedure for stripping it completely. In particular I am wondering if the Restore-A-Deck would be a good choice.
Tom, that means is a water based stain. Acrylic semi-trans water based stains are by far the most difficult to remove. I would try the RAD stripper but you may still need to do some sanding.
Do you know anything about a product called seal once? I used it with their tint which failed and want to get rid of it and start over with my cedar deck. Will the RAD stripper work or do I need something else as the sealer still seems to be working as water is laying on top of the boards several years after application? Thanks Kenny
Kenny, we have never tried to strip the Seal Once or have seen it. We avoid these gimmicky deck coatings and there ridiculous warranties as they are all BS in our experience.
I am re-staining my deck, front porch rails/stairs, cedar fence and garage door with TWP this summer. Would this Stripper be best to use on all those surfaces first? The deck, front porch/stairs and garage door all have a semi-transparent stain on them, the fence looks to have a more transparent sealant. Should I use the stripper on all or just pressure wash the fence to take off the old seal? When using a pressure washer on the deck after the stripper is applied, is 1000-1500 PSI best?
Also, how long do you recommend letting the wood dry before staining, I have seen 24 hours and up to 3 days depending on where I look.
Thanks!
Isaac, I would strip it all then brighten the wood. You can use a pressure washer at 1500 PSI. Just be careful. TWP wants you wait about 48 hours after the prepping before applying the stain.
Did I mess things up if I did not apply the brightener? I did the RAD stripper but timing and weather prevented my from applying immediately. Its has been a week since I stripped it.
Chad, the sooner the brightener is added the better for the wood and what we call the \”fuzzies\”. It neutralizes the stripper and reduces the potential for this. I would still apply the brightener as it will help with the overall look.
Of the top three brands, which would be the best stain to use on redwood. We have used Behr and Olympic and both did not wear well and were difficult to remove and ended up sanding off what the stripper agent did not remove. Our decks wrap around the house at varying levels attached by stairs which results in a variety of weathering and wearing conditions (full sun to all shade, people, dogs), range of temperature from 30-95. We are getting ready to strip and stain again and want to get better long lasting protection this time around.
San Juan Bautista, CA
Debra, Armstrong Clark as it is easily maintained.
I used the RAD stripper on some very difficult to remove semi transparent stain. Most of the stain has been removed, but there are a lot of patches and small areas, that have been especially difficult. I have re-applied multiple times, power washed and it still won't completely come off. Do you recommend sanding these spots? Will new stain look bad / take differently, if only part of the wood has been sanded? Or should I just stain anyway, even if not all the old color has been removed?
Thx
Brian, how much as been removed? 90% or more? If you use a similar color then you can blend it together if you have just a little remaining.
Will RAD remove Bond's One Time? I have the dark chestnut color on my deck and I've already tried a Lowes brand JOMAX, which didn't fair so well. Bond's is a "proprietary acrylate resin blend," ….thanks for your help!
Sergio
Sergio, We have personally used deck strippers to remove the One Time but have not tried the RAD. I am pretty sure it will get it off. I would mix it strong and apply with a pump sprayer then pressure wash it off.
I need to remove One Time as well. What did you find worked best?
My deck was stained 2 years ago with Cabot Australian Timber Oil – semi transparent. Will the Restore – A – Deck stripper remove this? Also part of the deck that is exposed to more sun and weather is peeling and flacking but some of the deck still has alot of the stain still on it, will I need to put the stripper on all the deck or only the area that contains more of the stain?
Freida, the RAD stripper should remove the Cabot ATO well. We have used it before with good results. You would want to strip and brighten all of the decking.
Freida, I'm also looking to remove some CATO with this product – how did it work out for you?
Thanks,
Russ
My deck has been maintained with the CWF (water-based) stain. What stripper/cleaner would you recommend before re-finishing? (I plan to re-finish with one of the stains you rec ommend, perhaps Armstrong Clark or Defy Extreme).
Mark, CWF water based stain is difficult to remove. Stain stripper will have a hard to with removal. I would look at HD80 or RAD Stripper followed by a wood brightener. You will probably need to strip more then once an sand a little as well for difficult areas.
We want to strip the TWP stain off our cedar log home ( 2 coats). Any advice, do we need the brightener? We are in middle TN, house is five years old. Thank you.
Daryl, the RAD Stripper will remove the TWP. Best to pump spray on then pressure wash off. You do need to neutralize with a brightener when done.
Thanks. I called Gemini and learned that Gemini Safe Strip does not change the pH of the wood.
By the way I used Gemini Safe Strip to remove Penofin Blue stain that is 8 years old. All I can say Gemini Safe Strip is not cut for the task. Gemini Safe Strip hardly removed any stain even with two applications. It also did not remove black mold, mildew or moss. If anything it made the removal of black mold harder. For example, I could remove black mold from untreated area with my pressure washer with no problem but if I treated the area with Gemini Safe Strip and pressure washed it after 15 minutes treatment time black mold stayed on. In addition, Gemini Safe Strip has left light gray (almost white) spots now that the treated area has dried up. I have to find a way to remove that now. All and all Gemini Safe Strip is a total waste of time and money. Gemini Safe Strip is definitely safe for the Black Mold!!
I know you had said Gemini Safe Strip was not up to the task. You recommended RAD by Restore-A-Deck Company. I cannot get RAD stripper in my area; it has to be ordered on-line and on-line vendors ship using only FedEx. Shipping cost to my areas is very high so on-line purchase is not feasible.
WE SANDED THE STAIN OFF OUR NEW DECK AFTER A YEAR BECAUSE IT FADED BADLY. WHAT STAIN DO YOU RECOMMEND FOR KNOXVILLE , TN. LOTS OF RAIN, SOME SNOW TEMPS BETWEEN 25-98
Linda, look for TWP 100 or Defy Extreme
Do you need to use a neutralizer (brightener) after using Gemini Safe Strip? Thanks
Megan, I do not think so but it probably would not hurt to either and may help with the appearance.
Will Restore-A-Deck stripper and brightener harm grass and plants? I'm returning my Behr stain just purchased along with their stripper and cleaner after reading the reviews. I'm going with Restore-A-Deck and TWP products.
Brian, if you pre wet and rinse the grass from over spray then you should be okay otherwise you may have some browning of the leaves. Good choice on returning the Behr stain.
Flood Corporation sold Oxalic acid solution in the 1990’s as stain stripper/cleaner. I do not know what Flood sells these days for stripping stain. When I lived on the East Coast I had a new deck. I had a religious maintenance schedule for it. I washed it every spring. Every two years or if the stain looked fine every three years I used stain stripper/ cleaner followed by brightener and stained it with transparent oil stain. I used the garden hose for washing. I had no problem until I used Flood stain stripper/ cleaner that was an Oxalic acid solution. Oxalic acid chewed up and dissolved surface layer of the wood not the power washer because I did have a pressure washer. I knew Flood product contained Oxalic acid. I used it because Oxalic acid is very effective for removing fungi and mold when the wood is exposed to high humidity and a lot of moisture which was the characteristic of the area I lived. The formulation, however, turned out to be sub-optimum for soft wood like cedar. Here on the West Coast I do not have a deck and I am not missing a thing. I am happy I do not have the arduous task of maintaining a deck.
Not all products that claim to strip stain are base products. For example, Gemini injectable safe strip active ingredient is Citric acid. I have never tried Citric acid and I, therefore, do not know if it is an effective stripper and if it is optimum for cedar wood.
I have serious reservation to use Sodium Hydroxide for the reason I explained in my previous post. I also prefer to buy certain products from local store for good reasons. There are other base product such as Lime (Calcium Hydroxide) and Potassium Hydroxide. In summary, I am still searching for a good stain stripper and welcome your suggestion.
If I cannot find anything, I may just use a combination of regular detergent and Oxygen bleach, Sodium Percarbonate, for cleaning. And rely on my power washer as stain stripper. By the way, I am pretty good in using power washer; I have not damaged and put a hole in anything yet!
I do not know if you have tried Oxygen bleach and detergent. As always, I thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience.
Oxalic and Citric acids do not strip stains effectively or at all. You will need something that contains Sodium Hydroxide or similar. Floods old cleaner was marketed as a brightener cleaner, not a stripper. It actually worked quite well for cleaning. Flood used to make some very good products back in the day. Using Sodium Percarbonate will be much less aggressive then Sodium Hydroxide but it will not be as effective at stripping.
Thanks again, you have been very helpful.
Who is the manufacturer of RAD stripper? I have gone to my local paint store, Sherwin Williams. They do not know anything about RAD stripper or TWP 1500. For TWP 1500 I gave them Gemini-Coatings contact information and they plan to look into ordering it for me. It would be great if I can do the same for RAD stripper.
By the way Sodium Hydroxide, depending on the concentration, will change the PH of the wood and needs to be neutralized. I am also worried about corrosive nature of Sodium Hydroxide on soft wood like cedar. I once used a deck cleaner/ stain stripper that contained Oxalic acid, that is not as corrosive as Sodium Hydroxide, on my cedar deck. That really trashed my beautiful cedar deck. By that I mean it chew the surface of the wood and made great deal of pulp resulting in unsightly rough surface. I spent hours to sand and smooth the surface. I still ended up with uneven surface. Oxalic acid is not nearly as corrosive as Sodium Hydroxide so I have to contact the manufacturer for RAD stripper to get the MSD and learn about the concentration of Sodium Hydroxide and other ingredients in RAD stripper. I also have fruit trees and plans near the fence and have to be careful not to kill them.
If RAD stripper removes the stain by dissolving and removing surface layer of the wood, that can be accomplished by heavy duty pressure washer. Do you not agree? The best strippers for oil stain are solvents which are not allowed for consumer applications and are not sold in consumer market- at least not in California,
With regard to picture, I will try taking picture of before and after.
RAD Stripper is made by Restore-A-Deck and is not sold in SW Stores. Mostly online I believe. The reason you use the RAD brightener is to neutralize the pH that is raised when using the RAD cleaner or stripper. Deck cleaners do not contain oxalic acid. Deck cleaners contain bases, while brighteners contain the acids such as oxalic. Cleaners work by \”softening\” the wood cells so you wash out dirt, grime, old stain, etc without damaging the wood with excess pressure. It is true that if the wood is neglected severely, you may get what we call \”fuzzies\” to the wood grain. This is still much better then washing with just water as a pressure washer can cause severe damage to your wood when used without cleaners or at a high pressure. This will shred the deck, leaving splinters and gauging.
Thank you for your advice. I thought after 8 years there will be no residual Penofin stain in my cedar fence especially in areas that is all black and gray. What are your thoughts?
What is the chemical composition of RAD injectable Deck Stain Stripper? I am trying to find the data sheet for it but without SKU it is not easy. I may be able to find the MSDS for it if I have SKU for RAD. I am a chemist and knowing the chemical composition of a product will tell me if a product is able to deliver on its claim of functionality.
Which wood brightener do you recommend?
Megan, Penofin has a tendency to darken or turn black so it may still be there. If you want, add some pictures in the forum area.
RAD stripper contains Sodium Hydroxide as the main active ingredient. If you as the manufacturer, I am sure they would send you an MSDS.
I would suggest the RAD Brightener.
Megan, the Rad performs better then the Gemini Injectable Safe Strip. It is not possible to have an all inclusive product. Water beading 100% is a misconception and not needed. Better to \”shed\” water.
Megan, If you use a stain stripper you do not need to use a wood cleaner. The use of a wood brightener after is needed either way. Since you are removing Penofin that has darkened you would want to use a stain stripper, pressure wash off, then brighten the wood when done. This will leave the wood looking new and fresh.
We had a hardwood deck built last year. We stained it with Super Deck semi-transparent cherry stain for exotic hardwood. The stain is peeling and we need to re-stain. Will Restore-A-Deck stripper remove the stain?
Jim, the RAD stripper will remove the Super Deck. Make sure to use the brightener after to neutralize.
Would the RAD stripper hurt aluminum soffet and aluminum overhead doors?
John, possibly but it really depends on the age of the aluminum. Sometimes the stripper will remove the oxidation on the aluminum causing a discoloration. The RAD brightener may also cause a slight discoloration. Best to protect as much as possible and rinse right away if any residual over spray gets on there.
[…] Restore-A-Deck Stripper Review […]
I have a Wolman Durastain semi transparent (Cedar) stain on my deck for approx 3 years and would like to strip the stain and reapply a different type of stain. Do you recommend the RAD stripper or a different product for this project?
Ken, Wolman Durastain is a filming stain that is closer to a semi solid. It is very difficult to remove since it lies on top of the wood similar to a paint. The RAD Stripper would be most effective but it will probably not get it all off. Most likely you will need to apply more then once and even sand some of it off.
Need to remove Behr Premium acrylic deck stain – color by Behr is called "Natural". This is a semi-transparent stain. Much of the finish has weathered off, but some that was applied more heavily is still there. What is the best way to remove what remains, and what is the best weatherproofing finish to apply after the 1500 ft deck is stripped? Plan to strip the horizontal surfaces only. Texas Gulf coast sun, rain and salt air are hard on decks.
I am investigating a boiled linseed oil/beeswax weatherproofing product that can be reapplied just be recoating. Do you have an opinion on this type of finish?
Bill, not easy to remove Behr. It sits on top almost like a paint. I would try the Restore A Deck Stain Stripper followed by sanding if needed. I would not use boiled linseed oil. This will fee mold and mildew. Look for TWP wood stains. Very popular in Texas.
I just applied twp 1500 stain on a new deck, but my wife changed her mind about the color. Will rad strip the stain so i may reapply a darker twp stain color?
James, It should but removing newly applied stain is much more difficult. You may need to do it a few times.
We have recently had a new deck built ands stained. The person that stained it put the stain on too thick and it is not drying. It is so slippery and anything that touches it scuffs it up. It is awful and we want it gone. We used TWP 1500 Series in cedartone. Since this is newly stained, will Restore-a-deck be the best product to remove the stain? Or would you recommend something else?
Lynne, that is too bad! Over applying does not work for any brand of stain, especially when wood is new. This should help remove the stain but it is difficult to remove a newly applied stain that is over applied.
The folks at TWP are real specific about not letting it pool or puddle. Too bad the installer didn't read the directions!
Wiil this product work for acrylic semi transparent siding stain removal?
Do you have a better recommendation?
Carlito, what brand are you trying to remove?
Thanks for your reply. I moved into a home that had a painted deck, and now the paint is starting to chip off. What do you recommend we do to maintain the deck?
Adam, sand it all off or replace the wood. Painted decks cannot be stripped and you will constantly have peeling issues if you stay with a solid paint.
I need to strip a deck that has been painted, not stained. The paint is starting to peel significantly in high traffic areas. Will Restore-A-Deck work on paint? Thanks
Adam, No I do not believe the RAD stripper will remove paint completely. As contractors we usually do not bother trying to remove paint off decks. It can be an extremely difficult task.
I am a new homeowner and my deck is desperate for help. I was going to use Deck Restore, but need to remove as much finish as I can from the wood. Would this be a good product to use PRIOR to using Deck Restore? Thanks!!
Marisa, do you know the brand or type of stain that you are trying to remove?
No, I wish I did. It was a bank owned property and the previous owners used the spit-n-glue method throughout this poor old home. It looks like an opaque-like stain. It is peeling up, almost like lead paint peels off a house. The boards are also too close together, which did not leave enough room for expanding in humid weather. Therefore, the boards have slight buckling.
Marissa, Restore-A-Deck Injectable Stripper will not remove solid (opaque) stains.
Okay, thank you for your time!
What soet of wood brightener did you use? How was the brighenter applied? Thanks.
Bob
Bob, Restore-A-Deck makes a wood brightener that will neutralize the stripper.
What do you mean it needs a wood brightener to neutralize it???? Please explain…thanks!
All strippers and cleaner should be neutralized with a wood brightener to put your wood in a neutral state.
All things have a ph balance*. Strippers tip the ph balance one way. The "wood brightener" tips it back the other way. This is normal. Follow the manufacturer's directions and you'll be fine.
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PH_balance
Should I cover the brick on my house and/or windows and outside window panes when applying and rinsing this product on my deck?
Brandon, I have never seen it affect any brick or windows.
Have you tried the Wolman Deckstrip ASR at all. It is specifically designed to remove hard to get off acrylic deck stains.
Not yet but we plan on writing a review on it soon. Have you tried it yet.
I've used Wolman ASR, and it's the only product I've found that will strip the 100% acrylic on my deck and dock. Process was very labor and time consuming: Spray it on, cover with plastic, spray twice at 1/2 hour intervals, use pressure sprayer, sand when dry. I tried a number of products, and this is the only method that worked.
Need to remove Thompson's Water Seal, is this the correct product?
Mike, this will work.
The deck that I intend to strip is over a concrete patio. The concrete is colored. The stripper will contact the colored concrete. Will it negatively react with the colored concrete?
No it will not effect concrete.
One more question please, will this strip an acrylic stain like Sherwin William's deskcape
Depends on the stain type and age. Acrylics are the most difficult to remove. If it is a solid or a semi-solid acrylic then no it will not work. If a semi-transparent, then yes but it can be limited to the amount of coats and how old the SW acrylic is.
Should you pre-wet the deck before applying or should the deck be dry?
Lightly mist with water is okay prior to applying.
Is this product safe if it comes into contact with vinyl siding
We did not notice any issues with the RAD Stripper damaging any siding or paint on a house. I would contact the manufacturer though to make sure. There link is: Restore-A-Deck
I agree. I just used this product at a customers home, got a little on the vinyl siding, no damage occurred. However, I did wipe it off quickly. Additionally, this truly a great product and I was really pleased with the results.
Does this product work well on Cypress. Have 16 year old deck with 15 yr old Thompson on it. None traffic areas are still the same color. Really would like to use a transparent treatment/stain that is lighter then what was originally put on to enjoy the wood grain more but don't know if I can get the non traffic areas stripped well enough.
Linda, was the Thompsons as semi transparent or a solid color?
It was semi transparent. Also this is actually the floor of the porch so the cypress is in excellent condition being we are in such a dry climate in Denver. Also I've been told I should be only using something with Linseed oil in it since it is a finer oil and would penetrate the now very hard cypress, what transparent with treatment with stain would you recommend?
Semi transparent. This is actually the floor of my porch and in great condition since I live in Denver which is a very dry climate and the wood has gotten hard. Also I've been told that a linseed oil product would work best for a new treatment/stain, could you recommend one or a product that would be good for me to use
Linda, look at the Armstrong Clark stain for this.