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 deck cleaning and stain stripping. My wood deck cleaning/stripping help tips are based on my history as a wood restoration contractor and actual hands-on testing. See here for more info about me.
Deck Stripper vs a Deck Cleaner
I appreciate your input at Deckstainhelp.com as we continue to be your go-to source for the latest deck restoration news and trending topics through 2026. See below for an article about When to use a Deck Stripper vs a Deck Cleaner.
Feel free to leave me a comment or ask questions below.
Strip or Clean the Deck
Why use a Deck Stripper vs a Deck Cleaner
One of the biggest rookie mistakes I often see is someone applying a stain to a deck that has not been properly prepped. When you’ve stained a deck a few times before, you learn that dirt, mildew, mold, or graying should not be present when you apply the stain, or it will end in disaster.
Only a clean, well-prepared surface can correctly absorb the stain and allow it to perform just as you want and need it to. Cleaning the wood thoroughly before undertaking staining has the added bonus of making it look even more beautiful and aesthetically pleasing.
I recommend two different products for the job: a “Deck Stripper” and a “Deck Cleaner.” They are both designed to properly prep the wood and clean it thoroughly before staining begins.
Deck Stripper or Deck Cleaner?
There is a simple method to determine whether you should use a Deck Stripper or Cleaner, as it all revolves around the wood’s surface. Older, grubby, and grayed wood just needs a quality wood cleaner. A Deck Wood Cleaner is powerful enough to get rid of most dirt and mildew stains; however, a stripper might be needed for more heavy-duty preparation.
Often, when staining your deck, you will need to remove the remaining old stain, which can be stubborn. In this case, the Deck Stripper should be used instead of the Deck Cleaner. The useful advantage of strippers is that they will soften and ‘melt’ most stains, making them easy to wash or wipe away. On top of that, Deck Strippers cleans off mildew and graying, too. There’s no reason to use a cleaner after!
Brighten the Wood After Stripping or Cleaning
Another common mistake I often see is not using a wood brightener to neutralize the wood after using the deck cleaner or deck stripper. Brighteners are an integral part of the restaining process. They lower the pH of the boards and allow the pores to ‘breathe,’ making them more accepting and open to absorbing your new stain.
If you’re having trouble figuring out whether your deck has been stained in the past, please post a picture below.
Best Deck Cleaner or Stripper Articles
- What are the Best Deck Cleaners
- The Best Deck Stain Strippers
- Why Brighten After Deck Stripping
- How To Remove a Solid Color Deck Stain
My How To Strip A Deck Stain Video
I had stained my deck 2.5 years ago. The deck was brand new and is builder grade pressure treated pine. I usually don’t pressure wash it and did it once using low pressure. I am thinking of re-staining it in Spring 2019. Two questions – 1.) Should I use a deck cleaner and clean it now (Nov 2018) or wait until the time of staining to do that? and 2.) Do I need a deck stain stripper instead?
I had used a semi-transparent SW stain last time around and plan to use the TWP brand this time.
Since you are switching brands, you will need to strip and brighten for the prep. Do this in the Spring prior to staining. Use Restore A Deck Stripper/Brightener kits. It will be very easy based on the pictures.
I have strip this deck with a stripping agent and pressure washer. Can I go to the neutralize part? I apply it by the instructions and some parts just remove a little,others totally.
It is not stripped fully in the pictures. You will need to strip it some more. Shoot for 95% or more removal. Brighten after.
Hi!! I’m stripping a deck that was stained. I read that after it is need to neutralize the wood before it gets dry. I didn’t know that and I am going to buy a neutralizer but the wood is dry. Can I still do it?
I have an approximately 10 year old storage shed. The original finish has worn to where it absorbs water and is faded badly. I had used Olympic Maximum in walnut on my deck and had leftover stain, so I thought I’d just use the rest on the shed. I got one side done. I brushed in the crevices and rolled the surface. The finish is splotchy and didn’t do anything to repel water. The surface is very textured naturally. I sanded lightly in areas that were splintered. I want to use a different product that is better to finish the shed. Do I have to strip the stain I applied a year ago? Can I apply a new stain over the top since it’s been a year? How do I best get the stain into the wood to protect well? I thought about spraying it on. What would the best stain be for this shed? I need expert help. Thank you!
You have to remove it first. Strip and sand. Brightener after, Try a semi-solid stain like the Armstrong Clark. Use a staining brush.
I have a 15 year old deck, it has never been stained or painted. I just had the railing redone so now I am wanting to stain the whole deck and railing. I don’t own a pressure washer, so I’m not sure what to do. The deck boards are in good condition considering the age, the boards just have the old dingy gray color with a spot of mold here or there around the edges.
Not sure what to do, please help need advice!!!
Thank you!
Tina
See this about new wood: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/staining-a-new-deck/
Best to wait until Spring to do this. Clean and brighten all wood for prep. Stain with Restore A Deck Wood Stain or Armstrong Clark stains.
Just bought a 5-yr old home and want to restain the deck. Do i need stripper/brightener/stain Or cleaner/brightener/stain?
Do I need to sand? This is something Id rather not do if not necessary.
Thanks much in advance.
For prep, strip and brighten. Use Restore A Deck Stripper/Brightener Kits.
No need to sand.
Thank you so much!
I forgot to mention I am going to pressure wash it prior to doing this.
I have a redwood deck that is a year old, I wanted to let it weather before putting a sealer on it, can I use just the brightener then the stain/sealer or do I need to use a stripper too?
I am going to use the restore a deck product so I wasn’t sure if I needed all 3 products since the deck looks good as it is and I just want to seal it.
Thanks in advance for any feedback!
You need a deck cleaner while pressure washing and then a wood brightener. Stain after.
Post some pictures when done!
Should I pressure wash the deck then use the deck cleaner or is there a special way to use the cleaner with the pressure washer? I have solution jugs on the pressure washer so I was not sure if I should use the cleaner in that?
Thank you
You apply the deck cleaner and then pressure wash off. It is not injected through the pressure washer.
Perfect, I assume after the cleaner is applied and washing it off the brightener is then applied, would the brightener then be washed off or left on and then the stain applied over it?
Thank you for the extremelyt fast replies!
Lightly rinse the brightener off after about 10 minutes to the point there are no more suds.
As opposed to chemically stripping, could you just use a metal brush to strip or would a chemical strip be better? We have an old deck that we bought with the house that has a solid stain and is about 150 sq feet. Thanks so much!
To remove a solid stain, you will need to power sand. Strippers and metal brush will not remove it.
Could you suggest a good brightener. Home depot and lowes only have the brightener that will clean too. Olympic brightener that will clean too?
Stay away from HD and Lowe for deck products. Try a local paint store or buy online. Both will offer a proper wood brightener.
Used behr stripper. Can I use an all in one brightener and cleaner or just a brightener. Will wood be damaged if using the all in one
Brightener only. All in ones will not work correctly to neutralize.
Used a deck stripper. After using a brightener how long can you wait to stain. If it rains on it do you need to use a brightener again?
Rain will not harm the prep, just wait for the wood to dry. Try to stain within a week or two of the prep.
Do you have any information on behr quick dry oil base wood finish for decks? They say it can be applied to damp wood.
Not yet.
I used a deck cleaner on my 10+ year old deck after stripping off all the old solid stain. Then it rained for about 3 days straight. Do I need to re-clean the deck with the product? And do I need to use a brightener before applying the solid stain? I’m using the Cabot Deck Correct. They do not carry the Flood brand in solid in my Valparaiso Indiana location I guess…
Thank you!
-Sheena
No need to reclean/brighten. Just apply when dry.
Hi. We have a deck made of some type of Brazilian hardwood. I was able to get a bunch of dirt and grime off using just water and a brush which makes me think we just need a cleaner prior to staining. What do you think? Here are a couple photos where you can see the cleaner part and some others. Thanks in advance! 🙂
Your site is AWESOME! So much great info. I have a deck with Trex decking and cedar railings. With the new addition I had made to the deck I now have a mix of 75% older cedar railings ~8 years that have been stained with transparent oil stain in the past and 25% new cedar. I’m planning on using RAD stripper/brightener to strip and clean the old balusters and rails. Can the RAD stripper be used also to clean the newer cedar or should I use cleaner on the new wood? Also, is there risk of harm to the Trex from the RAD stripper or brightener?
Use the cleaner on the new wood. The prep products should not harm the Trex.
More photos here.
Hello,
I live in WA state, and I have a composite deck with wood railings. Is it OK to use with restore a Deck Stripper on the composite deck or just clean it? I will stain a different color for composite deck with.
I don’t know exactly how to strip and clean, and stain a composite deck with wood railings.
I have some photos. Please let me know.
Thank you.
You will not be able to strip this current stain with and deck stain stripper. It looks like a paint or solid stain in many places and that means it will not come off fully. Your options are very limited based on this. You may need to cover all with a solid stain.
Thank you for replying me.
So, my option is sanding them except using stripper, and clean before solid stain? Is it really possible to stain a composite deck after just cleaning?
If it is, can you recommend a solid stain?
Thank you very much!
Yes. Correct. Use Flood Solid Stains.
true
Hello,
I’m a new home owner and it looks like it’s time to redo our backyard deck. I’m at a loss of where to start. Do I clean? Strip? Pressure wash? There are some green mildew spots in the areas that don’t get much sun. My aunt told me to use bleach but I’m seeing that this may not be the wisest decision.
Our neighbours tree has some cherries on it and they all fall on our deck so we have a bunch of spots. Our railings also seem to be peeling.
I’ve attached some photos. Any advice would be great! Thank you in advance
For the prep, use a deck cleaner and wood brightener kit by Restore A Deck. Pressure wash while doing this. Stain with the Restore A Deck stain or TWP stains after.
Thank you !
So would I pressure wash to rinse?
Pressure wash while using the cleaner. Rinse after the brightener.
So i have been researching relentlessly and working to revive the deck on my new house. From what i can see, is the previous owner put some type of semi transparent polyurethane brown stain on the deck railings and nothing on the floor. The imgur album below shows pictures of what im dealing with. My question is should i just get new wood for the railings as they are so weathered cracked and poorly stained or is there some way to salvage them. I have been using stripper to get the parts where the stain isn’t sun damaged and cracked with a little success. I think i can use restore a deck cleaner and brightener and save the floor.
Bonus points if you can tell me what wood it is because i have no idea.
https://imgur.com/a/Bd9cJIm
Thanks for any help.
Looks like redwood.
Probably best to replace those railings.
Hi, we recently bought a house that has a deck that’s original (13-14 years old), with some cedar that has been added by the hot tub area. It doesn’t appear that the deck has ever been treated. We used a cleaner and power washed it in June but weren’t sure what to do next. After power washing, the deck seemed to have little white fibers all over it. I think we want to use the Armstrong Clark mahogany stain but do we need to re power wash first or use deck cleaner again? Do we need to sand the white fibers? Some areas need wood replaced, should we let those age until next summer and stain those then? Brightner needed? Then two coats of stain? Thanks for your help! Your website has been very informative.
You will need to redo the prep to remove the rest of the graying. Best to replace the boards now, let weather for a few months, and then clean and brighten all the wood. FYI, the AC Mahogany will look more red/orange on your wood type.
Thank you! To redo the prep, should we just use deckwash and powerwash again? That’s what we did in June. I assume no stripper or sanding involved? And would the AC Amber or Black Walnut be a better color for our deck in your opinion?
Deck cleaner and then pressure wash. Brighten all after. No need to strip. You may need to lightly sand those “fuzzies” that you have. As for color, just depends on your preference. Both would work well.
Thank you!
Hi. We have a large cedar deck we are refinishing. We used Restore a Deck stripper to remove the old finish. That worked great. We followed up with RAD Brightener following their instructions to a tee. While the brighter was still damp the wood looked great, like new cedar. As it dried it turned whiter, or a concern. However three days later it has turned black is areas. See the attached pics. The pattern of the black does not look like mold or mildew. It has been in the 90s all three days and dry, which isn’t conducive to mold growth. (It was in the 80s when we stripped it). Do you have any idea what it might be? I plan to restrain this weekend and don’t want to cover a problem if we have one.
Might be old stain that did not come off fully with the stripping or possibly internal discoloration that needs to be brightened again. Probably the latter.
I have a 20yo redwood deck, that’s been stained multiple times. the area (shaded near the house) is in great shape. the outer areas are more weathered. Can I just do a Cleaner on the weathered area and power spray it? the current stain rubs of on clothing and shoes.
If you are switching brands of stain, you will need to remove the current coatings.
Hi, I have a wrap around porch and deck that I left way too long before re staining. The deck was original stained with Sikkens Cetol. It has been 11 or 12 years since it was stained. I have hired a few of my nephews to sand the railings and timbers. They are not the hardest workers and there is still some of the grey and a little stain left on the wood in places. My question is should I have them spend more time sanding or apply a cleaner or stripper? The wood on the deck and railings and small posts are cedar, the large timbers are pine. The floor has yet to be sanded. The first two pictures where the black and grey are very pronounced were taken after a rai and the wood was still wet. Let me know your thoughts
Thanks
After all the sanding is done, use a deck cleaner and then a wood brightener for the final prep.
Hi, I have a wrap around porch and a deck that I left way too long before I decided to re stain. I hired a couple of my nephews to sand the timbers and the railings. They don’t have the best work ethics and have not gotten all the grey out of the wood and in a few areas there is a light brown color left over from the stain. It was originally stained with Sikkens Cetol. My question too you is should I have them spend more time sanding or should I use a deck stripper or cleaner? The deck itself has not been sanded as of yet, the deck, small posts and railings are cedar. The big posts (timbers) are pine. In two of the pictures below where the grey and black are really pronounced, it was just after a rain where the wood is still damp.
Thanks
Cedar deck about 5 years old. Used Wolman F&P twice and it held up OK but is worn in spots, mostly in the high traffic areas. Now just want to lay down a fresh coat of the Wolman’s in same color.
If using the same Wolmans and color, just pressure wash for the prep.
I have had this deck for 13 years. I have reapplied every 2-3 years. it has done great. I was wondering if I need to use stripper or cleaner before I apply. Last time I used a sander and sanded it down. Please let me know what I should do this time.
Strip and brighten for the prep. Try the Restore A Deck Kits.
I recently moved into a house and would like to start properly taking care of the front porch. I believe it’s Mahogany; agree? I’m unsure what’s been applied to the porch previously, but there is a can of rust-oleum water proofing that was left in the basement. Two questions: 1) What prep process should I use (sanding vs. stripping/cleaning) and 2) what product do you recommend for staining (I’ve read that I should use some sort of penetrating oil for hardwoods). Thanks for the assistance!
Strip and brighten for the prep. Use the Restore A Deck prep products for this. As for the stain, try the Restore A Deck Wood Stain or the Armstrong Clark wood stain.
Hello, I cleaned 1/3 of this deck today with a pressure washer only. It took a lot of time to get the lichen off. My questions are: 1) should I use deck cleaner for the remainder of the deck? Since the lichen is so thick, I thought perhaps the deck cleaner wouldn’t penetrate it anyway. 2) I am going to finish with a transparent waterproofing wood finish. Do I also need to use a brightener? Thank you for your help!
A deck cleaner will definetly help make this job easier. Yes you should use a wood brightener.
How concerned do I need to be about the residual from stripping the deck getting onto my white vinyl railing and siding on the house. The deck is attached to the house which also has some metal flashing that bridges the space between the house and the deck board. I had decided on stripping and have purchased the Defy product. The deck has been recoated three of the past 4 years with Cabot semi solid stain and now appears as thought it has been worn off . I’m reluctant to get started as I don’t want a bigger mess.
Comment/suggestions needed please!
Stripper will not harm the siding but you will need to be wary of all the grim drying on the siding. You will need to be aware of this and rinse the siding often during this process.
Our large 15 year old deck needs some TLC. The last stain that was applied was a semi-transparent stain. We just want it stripped, maybe a little sanding and re-stained. We keep hearing from deck businesses that the wood is in good shape, a few boards need to be replaced. Most of the deck people keep coming through and telling us re-staining won’t do the job, we should just clean it up and use an opaque stain. I’m sorry I don’t like these opaque stains, they are flat, the wood gets lost, aesthetically so unpleasing. I almost feel they just don’t want to put in the work. One deck business said it would be just as expensive to remove and re-staining as re-decking. I’m thinking my husband and I should just try doing it ourselves. We used to power wash it and stain it in the early years, maybe try a small section and see how it looks. What do you think about these opaque stains, the look, etc. and does a semi transparent stain really cause this much of any issue? Thanks, like this site.
Post a picture please. Sounds like they are not very good deck restoration contractors.
Took awhile to get back to this site. Here are some photos how the deck, including some steps, looked after we had it power washed. What do you suggest we do next, products, etc.. My husband would rather have someone do this for us as the deck is so large and we really don’t have the equipment or sadly the time to take it on. Should we be charged a large fee to do the work, how labor intensive will it be? We also want to make sure we articulate well what we know should be done, as I said we have been given advice all over the place from various deck businesses. We have a large deck. Thanks, love all your advice.
You cannot strip this and it is not semi-transparent stain. If you want to remove it you will need sand it off with power sanding. The other option is to clean and coat over this with a solid stain. Both options are labor intensive.
So even if we do a solid stain it will still be labor intensive? We were told that we would just need to power wash it and apply the solid stain, is that correct or should sanding also be used? What condition do the boards actually need to be in to apply a solid stain? What solid stain would you recommend? What do you think of the solid stains?
I’m reading to rent a sander and try and see how it goes. Thanks for your help.
When we use solid stains we like the Flood Pro series. In general, though, we are not fans of solid stain and prefer the natural look of penetrating semi-transparent stain.
We have a two year old deck which was stained with an Olympic stain which wasn’t protecting the deck so later we added Thompson’s water seal. It turned the color almost black. The deck is treated wood and is shaded until late morning then has full sun most of the afternoon. We live in Missouri so the summers are hot and in winter we get some ice and snow. Please advise us on how to prep the deck and what stain we should use. The finish was damaged by a hail storm but there was no damage to the wood. We were already talking about redoing it.
Strip and brightenr the wood for the prep. Stain with TWP 100 Series or the Restore-A-Deck Wood stains.
Several years back, I lost a redwood deck to rot. The deck was 6 years old and had been stained with oil based stain. Because the stain had darken overtime, I decided to use a stripper and brightener, before applying a new coat. The individual at the lumber yard told me that the use of stripper is the worst thing I could do to redwood, because it pulls out the tannins, which protect the wood from rot. What is your opinion on this? Sounds like sanding is the safer method to go, unless you want to replace your deck.
That is not true. Stripping does not remove tannins and make the wood succumb to rot.
Hi
I’m looking to re-stain our deck (4 years old, unknown stain type/brand-although appears semi-transparent). We’d like to stain it a different color (AC semi-transparent cedar or natural oak-haven’t decided). What would be the best way to remove the old stain and prep for new stain? Should I sand it then use a brightener? Or start with a stripper (sand if needed) then brighten? I have a belt sander but unsure of what grit to use.
Thank you!
Strip and brighten for the prep. Use the Restore A Deck Stripper/Brightener Kits.
Great! Thank you so much! Really appreciate your website! Extremely helpful!
Hello. I am in Alberta and I am preparing to stain my cedar deck, which has been stained at least twice before and it is now long, long overdue to be re-stained. Most of the stain is gone, except in all the corners: so what remains is old stain AND grey wood where there is no stain left. Based on what I have read here, I should use a stripper to remove the old stain, which will also remove the grey. I bought a bottle of Rez brand Deck Stripper AND a bottle of Rez Deck Cleaner (which says on the label, right under ‘Deck Cleaner’: “cleans, brightens and restores exterior wood surfaces”). I could not find a brightener on its own. It says in your article that after stripping, cleaning won’t be necessary. So my question is, will the cleaner do the job of brightening, would you say? Wondering if I do need to do both steps or not, using the 2 products that I have; I think so, but would appreciate your input to prevent doing an extra step for no reason! Had no idea it would take so many steps, but I do want to do it properly. Thank you in advance!
Strip it all to be certain. No need for the cleaner. You will need a brightener to neutralize.
Thanks for your reply! So, you are saying that even though the cleaner claims to brighten, it will not actually brighten, it will ‘only’ clean! Huh! OK, Thank you, I will hunt around some more for a brightener or neutralizer. Cheers!
A deck cleaner does not brighten the wood or neutralize a stain stripper. Unless it is not a true “cleaner”. You want the brightener to be acidic based.
Many thanks!! I will return the cleaning product (Thank you!) and hopefully I will be able to find a brightener! Appreciate the info and the quick reply!
20-year-old pressure treated deck in excellent condition. Three years ago we used Behr Premium Transparent Weather Proofing All-in-One Wood Finish, Natural tint. The finish is getting thin, with some dark staining where leaves have lain.
Thinking about going back to Wolman’s F&P. Is this possible? Do we need to strip or clean?
Strip and sand to remove. Brighten after.
I currently have a rough-cut cedar pergola that was stained 8 years ago using a semi-transparent Arbor Coat stain. I would like to restore the wood to its natural color. Will “Restore-A-Deck” stripper remove the old stain? Because it is rough cut, I don’t believe sanding is not an option.
Not Arbor Coat. No stripper will remove it. You will have to sand to remove.
If I sand it, do I still need to use a cleaner and/or brightener? And since it is rough cut, won’t it “smooth out” the rough cut look? Thank you for all your help.
Yes you are right. It will be very hard to sand rough cut wood. Proeblem is there is not another way to remove the Arbor coat.
I have been sanding with pretty good success. Much of the arborcoat never penetrated that well. However, I do have issues in some of the grooves which are too deep too sand. Do you think RAD stripper could remove any remaing Aborcoat from these groved areas, or will it do little good? Thank you!
Possibly. Picture please.
How about pressure treated wood with Arbor Coat? Do I really need to sand first then brighten? Would really like to use a stripper if possible. How about the railings – spindles? I can’t sand those…that would take forever. They actually look pretty good, just dull. Thanks!
A stripper will not take this off so sanding is the only way. Consider a two toned deck: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/advantages-to-having-a-two-toned-deck/
I really appreciate you getting back to me. I rented a sander today and there are some really tough spots that I’ll have to hand sand. So once I’m down to the raw wood do I need clean and brighten, seems like raw wood would be ready for staining? Thanks!
I would like to restain my deck . I do want to maintain the color since I like it a lot. It’s 11 years old was stained with a semi transparent stain about 4 years ago . Stairs are in really bad shape. What do I need to do ? Step by step instructions would help ?
What brand of stain is on there now?
I don’t know the stain brand . I think it may have been one carried by Home Depot .
You have to use the exact same brand and color otherwsie you will need to strip and sand to remove for the prep.
Thanks !
Hello, I’m a first time homeowner, I want to get my deck ready for spring/summer do I need a stripper? I don’t really like the stain color.
Thanks
Yes, you will need to strip. You may also need to sand if it does not all come off with the stripping.
There is also some wood that could cause splinters do I need to sand that as well?
Lightly sand if needed after the stripping.
Hello,
I have a small deck at the front of my home. As you can see the stain is peeling. I have asked advice of several people. Power wash? Strip? Clean? Sand? I get a wide variety of ideas. What are your thoughts?
Stripping will remove some but not all. You will need to sand this off.
I have a Mahogany deck that we used to stain with Cabot Mahogany flame. I had no complaints other than the color getting too dark after many years. I sanded the deck and tried BM Arbor Coat water based 2 part transparent. What a mistake. It didn’t hold up a year. ( I live in Massachusetts – tough winters ). Last year, I chemically stripped it and used BM Oil Based Translucent. One year later, after a light pressure washing with Jomax, it’s a mess again. I’m thinking of using Armstrong Clark this time or maybe the Cabot modified oil? Thoughts? Do I need to strip it again or would a brightener be enough since it’s been cleaned already.
You will need to remove the BM by stripping and then a wood brightener. As for the stain, try the AC in Mahogany color. It will be very similar in color and performance to the old Cabot ATO Mahogany Flame formula.
Hey guys! Should I be using a stripper and then sanding? The deck is flaking a bit already. Or Power Wash?
You can strip some off but you will end up sanding to remove is all.
Thanks! Should I just go straight for the sanding then?
Yes.
Will do! Appreciate you taking the time to answer. Any specific grit for the sandpaper?
Start with 60 and finish with 80 grit.
Once I sand with 60 then 80 grit, should I use a RAD kit then brighten? Or can I just go straight to staining?
Yes. Lightly clean and brighten for the final prep.
We bought a home 7 yrs ago with a 20-yr old redwood deck that had been treated with something that resembled a paint. It was weathered and peeling so we stripped, used RAD, and then applied TWP. It was a huge improvement, but we opted to sand the surface 2 yrs ago to smooth out the raised grain and apply TWP again. We were happy with the results. It’s time again to do the deck, and since we are not planning to sand this time around, we are wondering if we should simply use RAD and apply TWP like we did the first time. Thanks so much for your advice!
Yes that is correct. Use the RAD kits for the prep.
I have cleaned our deck boards and 90 percent of the previous stain is gone. Should I sand the remaining spots? With what? Also, I have 4 new deck boards that have been weathered about 3 months. Is there anything that can be done to help the stain soak in any better so that it will match the older boards? All boards have been cleaned and brightened with restore a deck. I’m using Armstrong Clark semi transparent Black Walnut
New boards will always be lighter in color the first time staining. Nothing you can do to make it blend perfectly but it should be close. Sand or strip to remove all the previous stain brand before applying the AC.
My son has a large pressure treated deck that is only a few inches off the ground. Anything we have used in the past just flakes off. Is there a stain that would work or is it impossible due to the moisture in the ground.
Post a picure please. What stain brands where used before?
A Big Box Stain and also that magic product they advertised to cover everything, more like a thick paint. It didn’t make the summer.
You ae using coatings that film on top of the wood and that it the main reason it is having issues. Sand off the remaining, clean and brighten for the final prep. Stain with TWP or Armstrong Clark stains. Both are penetrating coatings.
Would Restor a deck stain work as well. I believe it is water based.
Yes, but you would have slightly better penetration with an oil like the TWP or AC.
Apparently only TWP 200 is available in Canada. Have you reviewed this product.
The TWP 200 is an excellent stain but we do not have a review ready yet.
Good day! Bought a home and owners did not maintain deck. It looks like there are two different colored layers of paint – one white layer covered later in by a taupe layer. Does not appear to have been done properly at all. My plan is to strip both layers, pressure wash, apply a brightner and stain with TWP 100 cedar. My question is what is the best stripper and brightner for this? Also is TWP 100 the best choice? We live in GA, deck oringinal and likely around 22 years old. I’m not sure what type of wood it is. It’s mostly shaded and only receives direct sunlight for 2-hours daily at high noon. We have a few days of Snow- let’s say 5. Heat in 80s – 90s during summer. Attached are photos. Note: one side with wheelchair access was added later and is unpainted.
This cannot be stripped effectively. You will need to sand to remove. Brighten after.
I have power washed stairs and sanded railing top. Do I need a cleaner before putting on the same stain as it had on there? I haven’t power washed main deck floor yet. Thanks
Depends on the brand of stain?
See attached pic
You should be good to proeed without any additional prep besides finishing the floor.
Hi! I have a cedar deck build in Oct 2016. In July 2017 it was sealed with blue label penofin. As you can see from the pictures, the deck turned very dark (except for what was under the rug of course!) We had it pressure washed (no cleaner – just water) and the last picture is the result. Most of the penofin is flaking off – except for what was under the rug. I want to start over and would really appreciate your advise on the following:
1. What should I use to remove the penofin? Do I strip or clean? Do I need a brightener? What product would be best to use?
2. If using a stripper/brightener method – how do I get the posts and rails? And what precautions are necessary to avoid damaging the metal spindles?
3. Will I need to sand the deck as well?
4. What product would you recommend to protect the deck once I have it back to the original state? I’m hesitant to use penofin again, but want to make sure that what I use is good for cedar and will help maintain it’s beautiful color (i.e. my preference would be to use something that’s transparent or semi transparent)? I live in Illinois and the deck is partially shaded, but does get the afternoon sun.
5. Based on the product recommended, what is the advised maintenance plan going forward?
Thank you so much for all of your help!!! There is so much information out there and it’s not easy to navigate!!
1. Strip and brighten with Restore A Deck Kits
2. It probably will not harm those spindles. Test first though. Pump spray on and pressure wash off.
3. Most likely no need to sand.
4. Penofin always turns black Try the TWP 1500 stains.
5. Redo every 2 years. Clean and brighten for the prep.
Thanks so much for your reply. I noticed that Penofin has something called “Pro-tech wood stripper.” Curious as to why that wasn’t recommended?
The Penofin stripper is way to expensive.
I am about to start restoring my deck, do I need to clean or strip to get started
Strip and brighten for the prep.
I am in the process of restaining my deck. The semi-transparent stain is coming off nicely off the deck boards using a power washing. However, the opaque stain on the deck rails and spindles is not coming off well at all. I used a palm sander using 80 and 120 grit paper, which did a somewhat decent job on the spindles, but barely removed anything on the rails. I was waiting until I was done with all the sanding before using stain stripper and brightener. If I cannot get the opaque stain off the rails, what are my options. Can I restain using what was on the deck previously (I know it was a Cabot stain). I was hoping to restain the deck with Armstrong Clark.
You cannot strip off a solid stain so sanding is your only option. If you cannot get it off, try a two toned deck. Solid for the railings and the AC on the deck floor.
So even if the old stain won’t come off completely on the rails/spindles, I can still apply a new coat of stain over it if it’s the same stain
You can cover a solid stain with another solid stain.
I noticed there are no solid stains made by Armstrong Clark or TWP. I will be doing the deck boards with the semi-transparent, but could you recommend a good brand for a solid for the rails and spindles.
For solid stains, we like the Flood brand.
Thank you, I appreciate all of your help.