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TWP 1500 Series Deck Stain – The Best Low VOC Deck Stain
Need Help with your TWP 1500 Stain?
TWP 1500 Stain is a highly rated, EPA registered wood preservative that can be used for all types of exterior wood, siding and decking. TWP 1500 Stain will perform at its maximum potential when the wood is properly prepped and when the stain is properly applied. Unfortunately not all wood is in the same condition prior to applying the stain.
We are here to help with your project!
Please answer these few questions to achieve the best possible results with your TWP 1500 Wood and Decking Stain.
Age of wood?- Type of wood?
- Condition of the wood?
- Has it been stained previously and if so with what brand of stain?
- Small description of the area to be treated.
Ask Questions in Comment Area Below
I overbought and have about half of a 5 gallon bucket of TWP1500 left. The seal on the bucket does not seem airtight. Do you have any recommendations for keeping this leftover stain for next season?
Buy some empty gallon containers and store the stain in them for airtight storage.
Do you sell smaller amounts of product for restoration/refinishing of redwood outdoor furniture?
My entire deck and railing is stained with 1500 Black Walnut. It needs redone this spring and I’d like to try a semi solid this time. What color semi will match closest and is there a way to just buy a sample rather than a 55 dollar gallon in case the color isn’t right?
We are not offering samples of the semi-solid colors per the website and sample order page. Closest would be the Charcoal color but is not exact.
Why does my stain coat look blocjy
That is the wood grain of your ceiling.
Age of wood: 1 Year
Used Cabot’s Timber Oil (Mahogany) on our old deck and it really worked well. Didn’t know that Cabot’s had been sold and the colors changed considerably. I need a stain that will be a closer match to my composite deck. From your website photos, I like the 1504 Black Walnut. Can I apply this over the year old Cabot’s Timber Oil?
You will need to remove the Cabot before using the TWP.
Thank you.
I stained my deck with TWP 1500 2 summers ago and it needs to be done again. Is this normal? At that time, I did the full prep on pressure treated wood that had sat for 1 year. What is the process for going over my old application?
Yes, normal to redo every 2-3 years. Prep with this first: https://www.twpstain.com/gemini-s-restore-a-deck-cleaner-and-brightener-kit
new un-assembled cedar wood for raised vegetable garden. Is it safe for this application? How soon can I stain it? What color recommendation for UV protection and enhance the cedar colors? Location is south west virginia
See here about new wood: https://www.twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
New deck, pressure treated yellow pine. Finished in October. Moisture meter is at 9-12%. Assuming you can’t use oil based in CT so guess I would have to use the 1500 product? Would sanding be enough for prep?
TWP is oil based and is allowed in CT. See here about new wood: https://www.twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
Hi! I am looking to stain my new pressure treated pine deck in Georgia (kind of yellowish). The house color is gray blue. I want to go with a light walnut=ish tone to avoid too much red / yellow. What color do you recommend? Does the pecan 120 bring more of a walnut tone vs cedar? Would love your perspective.
See here about new wood: https://www.twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
Age: 22 yrs
I am sorry, but TWP does not come in a solid stain.
1. New
See this first about new wood: https://www.twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
Can we use TWP stains on Hardie Board siding?
If the Hardie Board is unstained, then yes. Difference of series is based on where you live and what is allowed?
Thanks!
The TWP will not work over a primed surface. Only unstained wood surfaces.
i live in north westestern quebec in canada,is the product available up here ?
Online only and only the TWP 200 Series is allowed in Canada: https://www.twpstain.com/wood-and-deck-stains/twp-wood-stains/twp-200-series
What is the UV rating or how well does it handle sun exposure? Also, does this stain absorb well into wood like an oil treatment?
Deck stains do not have “UV ratings”. TWP is a penetrating oil-based deck stain that will protect against UV fading. In general, the darker or richer the color, the better the UV resistance will be.
Just to make sure when using the restore deck stripper, do I need to tape up the sides of my house which the deck connects to? I am concerned that the stripper might take the paint off my house. Thanks for your help
The Stripper does not remove paint but you can tape if desired.
Please comment on the differences in the amount of pigment and UV resistance between 1500 series Redwood, Rustic and California Redwood.
UV resistance and solid content are all the same.
1. New
2. Western Red Cedar Beveled Siding / Smooth
3. Excellent
4. No
5. All 4 Sides of 2000 sqft building / Horizontally installed bevel siding.
Being applied in south central wisconsin. We experience all 4 seasons. Just wondering what a reasonable expectation would be for the TWP 1500 Natural Cedar Tone stain’s longevity would be before needing to be reapplied. This would be brushed on by hand with a quality stain brush.
Also wondering if better results would be achieved by conditioning the wood first or suggestions on prepping the wood before applying the stain for best results.
Thank you.
See here about new wood: https://www.twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
After the wait and prep, the TWP should give about 3-5 years on your siding.
1. New installation – <1 month
2. Cedar (not sure if pressure treated but assume it is)
3. Excellent
4. No
5. Ceiling and beams of free-standing screened porch in Northern Virginia. Would like to keep the natural color as much as possible while protecting it (don’t want it to gray). Do we need to let it “weather” for several months before applying protection? Seeking advice re: timing of application, preparation needed and best color/product.
See here about new wood: https://www.twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
Use the Honeytone color after wait and prep.
You will need the TWP 1500 for your area.
I applied 8 gallons of the TWP1500 on a dry Pau Lope/Ipé deck (Brazilian hard wood) and the weather prediction was no rain for about the next 48 hours as recommended. Well, typical New England (Connecticut) weather and we had a slight drizzle for about an hour immediately after finishing the application (about 6 hours after the start). Will this be ok?
Hard to say. Let the water dry off and assess it in a few days to make sure it dried, cured correctly and there are not any visible water marks.
Thanks for the quick reply. The weather here is continuing to be wet … no real rain but misting, heavy dew, high humidity, etc. Hope it dries and cures eventually!
I thought I should follow up to this email string. It’s been about 3 weeks now since we applied the TWP1500 and we’ve finally had many days of dry and clear weather for it to cure. The deck looks great! Very happy that the drizzle immediately after application didn’t fail it!
I have a deck made from redwood and cedar. It was stained x2 in the past 10 years with Penofin (rosewood oil). The wood is in good condition, but the penofin developed gray spots and streaks.
Do I need to send it off, or enough if we just use the prep kit and the pressure washer for prep?
Also we are in Fresno in California, lot of sunshine and warm, dry weather.
Strip and brighten the wood for prep: https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit-detail
Hi, I got the clear twp 1500 thinking that it would preserve the cedar wood color, but the label on the can says it will allow the wood to age to a natural grey. Is this basically the same color that I’d get if I didn’t use any stain at all?
Clear has no UV protection as it is not tinted. Any of the other colors will give UV protection.
I have two levels of deck space. My upper deck needs to be stained. If I use TWP deck cleaner and brightener on the upper deck, will the splashing water remove any stain from the lower deck. My lower deck is fine and doesn’t currently need to be stained.
It is possible that it could discolor it.
The wood is probably 20-30 years old.
The decking treated southern yellow pine.
The condition varies from good to Many small cracks.
There appeared to be a solid color stain on when I purchased the house 3 years ago. Using your products I stripped the finish and Used the lighter before applying cedar tone TWP 1500 stain., unfortunately it was rained on before curing, but was satisfactory until now. What preparations do you recommend? I plan on using Cedar tone TWP 1500 again.
Strip and brighten for prep to even it out: https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit-detail
My deck is 12-yo pt wood. I stained it 10 yrs ago with either TWP 100 or 1500 (don’t remember) cedartone. I cleaned & brightened & restained with same product about 5 yrs ago. This past winter the wood mildewed until it was black & slippery. I live in Georgia with a lot of pine & oak trees surrounding the house. The deck is still black this summer. I’m planning on pressure washing, then sanding, then using Restore-A-Deck, then restaining with 1500 cedartone. Which would be the best option for preventing mildew in the future: 100 or 1500 or a solid paint-based coating? Is there anything else I can do to prevent mildew?
Mildew can grow on top of any decks stain and cannot be 100% prevented. Use the TWP 1500 when you redo.
Yes all rough sawn.
2nd try on pic.
looking for natural wood grain and color to be seen.
Pic of completed project used TWP-1520-1 Gallon Pecan VOC Stain
Hello need help with selecting best stain for my project.
1 age. New
2. Western red cedar
3. new, rough sawn
4. Never been stained
5. Arbor swing stand.
pick is from a website of what I want to achieve. Mine is not built yet.
No pic. All rough sawn cut wood?
Look at Pecan color in the 1500 Series.
Hello,
Two years ago, I sanded my deck to bare wood and stained with 1516 Rustic. It looked fantastic. This year I plan on staining again since it is beginning to fade. I have already cleaned and prepped the deck, but my wife is thinking that the 1516 is a little darker than she wants. Since the 1516 is faded a bit lighter now, can I use the 1501 Cedar, 1515 Honeytone, 1520 Pecan, or 1530 Natural over my existing 1516 Rustic to keep it a bit lighter and still get the protection? I know it would look slightly different and won’t be easy to predict the final color, but would the stains adhere the same or do I have to stick to a reapplication of 1516 Rustic?
No, when going lighter you will need to strip and brighten the wood for prep. https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit-detail
Help! Quick! I ordered the pecan 5 gallon can and the color is awful! There was so much sludge on the bottom, I stirred and stirred, thinking PLEASE let there be some warm toned pigment coming up in here somewhere, but no. The pecan color has no life to it, greenish. I felt like I was mixing up dog poop with water, and the dog was dead. Not at all like the on-line sample. I should have ordered a cedar color. As is I cannot put this product on my beautiful old barn.
I need orange pigment, maybe about a half cup full, to mix into this to fix it. Can you help? PLEASE. 206-225-5196. 65 Obsidian Loop, Los Alamos, NM 87544
I am sorry but we do not sell or offer pigment. Colors do vary based on the wood type and age of the wood but there is not any “green” pigment in the Pecan or any of the TWP color so it would be the wood itself causing this. If you wanted to modify the color of the TWP you would be able to do this by adding or mixing in a different TWP stain color.
Please send me some color. I tried it on various pieces of wood- seasoned raw and the problem is That the pecan color is just not a pecan color. I am an oil painter. I know how to mix colors. Somehow the TWP stains are mixed with pigments. Is there someone else I can talk with?
Hello,
As we mentioned, we do not have just “colors” or “pigments” to send. We only offer pre-mixed stains. You can order any of the pre-mixed stains colors that you like from the website to add to the Pecan that you have to modify it either lighter or darker.
Got a deck and some lattice work, all are pressure treated and have sat a year. Looking to keep it as close as possible to the look it has. Suggested steps, I assume usually prep for treated wood that has sat for a year (still looks almost new), any other prep and suggestion for stain color. (Wisconsin, hard winters -well, pre climate change anyway).
I am trying to pick a stain color to that will keep me lighter in color but dark enough to hide the water marks and stuff. Any suggestions?
Unfortunately, a semi-transparent stain will not hide watermarks. Those are deep in the wood and will still show no matter what color you choose. Using a wood brightened on all wood will help to even out the wood discoloration prior to staining.
I stained my wood deck with TWP1500 last year and it looks thin and worn in spots. Can I put another coat directly on top of last Year’s coat?
You have to prep first when recoating: https://www.twpstain.com/gemini-s-restore-a-deck-cleaner-and-brightener-kit
I recently purchased a pergola made of Chinese Cedar and erected 1 month ago. The product came pre-stained for color only with a water based stain and no sealer. The company states on their website “The wood on our Backyard Discovery products are flash heated which dries the stain fast into only the first few layers. This allows you to re-stain or paint with a different color on top of the pre-stained wood, you can also use a water or oil based sealant on the pre-stained wood as well.”
Based on their information, can I use the TWP or 1500 stain directly on the pergola or do I need to strip it. FYI, currently rain water soaks in.
Also, is your stain an effective sealer?
Thank you
Jeff
You cannot apply a sealer over a stain as the sealer will not be able to soak in. Leave it alone for now as it will be fine. Prep by stripping, brightening, and staining it next year.
What’s the best TWP stain for a mahogany deck that has been stripped and sanded. It’s about 15 years old and in very good shape. At various times in the past, it was stained with Cabot australian Timber or Arborcoat translucent. I live in the northeast with lots of temperature extremes. TWP 100 or TWP 1500? Other suggestions?
You will need the TWP 1500 for your area. Rustic 1516 is popular for Mahogany.
Planning to stain 5/8″ rough sawn pine siding panels (brand new) to look similarly to cedar. What would be the recommendation?
Try the TWP 1500 in Honeytone or Natural: https://www.twpstain.com/twp-1500-series-stain-colors-and-photo-albums/
OK, and the rest of the building will be tongue and groove smooth cedar siding. Should the cedar use a different stain than the pine?
No, same stain.
how should we approach a deck with both old and new (replaced) cedar wood? We purchased the 1502 stain.
See here about the new wood: https://www.twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
Prep all the wood well after the need wood seasons.
1. 2012 was first year and applied 1504 dark walnut stain in 2014
2. Oak wood and allowed to season for 2 years before appling the 1504
3. faded and cracked now in 2020
4. see answer 1
5. all vertical wood as I have TREXX on horz surfaces.
Is TWP100 better than twp 1500. I live in KS so can use either but I like the dark walnut and would save using the brightner.
They work the same as far as longevity. Stick with the Black Walnut if you like it.
Hello,
I forgot to add some pictures of the cedar deck. Hopefully this will help.
Hello,
My customer has a brand new cedar deck that is 800 sq.ft. When the deck is wet from the rain, the customer wants the knots and grain of the wood to show through. They also prefer the deck to be a golden color. What type of oil stain does TWP recommend for this type of deck?
See this about new wood: https://www.twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
After wait and prep, try the TWP in Honeytone.
I am using product 1502 and love the color it brings out on redwood, but the color fades requiring dismantling what I have built to clean it so I can reapply your product. I love the finish and do not want to put a sealer on it as I do not want a sheen, as I think that ruins the look.
Just reapplying over the existing product turns it’s dark, so dark it looks terrible.
Do you have a product, or know of one that will help me retain the natural look longer ? Thanks Mike
No, just clean and redo as needed when it fades. Use this kit for prep: https://www.twpstain.com/gemini-s-restore-a-deck-cleaner-and-brightener-kit
I have a 2 year old deck that was Thompson wood sealed prior to purchasing the home 2yrs ago. It is roughly 400-500 square feet. Would the 5 gallon clean & stain kit be an appropriate purchase? The sealer has pretty much worn from the CA elements and I need to clean & brighten the wood. Am I buying too much or can I store the stain until next year’s clean and restrain? My neighbor raves about you guys and said just stay w/TWP and you’ll never have any problems. Also, is there a difference between buying local or direct from company?
Yes, the 5-gallon kit will be correct for the prep and stain amount. We sell online from our website. Opened stain has a shelf life of about 12 months.
Just finished prepping and staining my 25 tear old redwood deck .Forecast said there is a chance of thunderstorms .I Made a makeshift tent to cover entire deck. It started to pour and got windy. Got the deck stained but makeshift tent got blown off 2 hours after I finished staining.Deck got very wet.I blew off water with leaf blower. I am very pleased with the finished deck.The photos below show the finished deck.TWP stain is fantastic. I used 1500 series due to living in Illinois. I would recommend TWP stain over any other.
what color is that?
Looks like Rustic 1516.
It is 1502 redwood.
I will be using the product on pressure pine for two sets of 6 steps, banisters and railing. They were built a year ago. One set of steps is more weathered as it receives direct sun for several hours and is exposed to more rain, the other set is more protected and looks brand new. Neither set of steps has been stained or protected.
I see Prairie Gray is $6 more than other color choices. Is that because there is more pigment in this color? I love the color, but looking for a product that will have easier to re-stain without having to deal with removing peeling pigment. Are the other colors more transparent than semi-transparent or semi-opaque?
Can TWP 100 be shipped to Norfolk, VA zip code 23502? My billing address is Northern Virginia, but I would be using the product in Norfolk and shipping it there. From reading reviews, TWP 100 seems to perform better than TWP 1500.
Thanks!
The TWP is allowed on zip code 23502. The grays cost more due to the solid content. The 100 and 1500 last the same on a deck, no difference.
I have a deck that is pretty old. Was going to sand, power wash then stain. Other than the 1500 black walnut stain do I need the other products?
You need this for prep while pressure washing: https://www.twpstain.com/gemini-s-restore-a-deck-cleaner-and-brightener-kit
wood is 6 weeks old…redwood…good condition….not previously stained…use is for treating a newly built Adirondack chair. Will this work well for this redwood chair?
After wait and prep. See here for new wood tips: https://www.twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
Thanks for the response of using 2 light coats. The estimate said we need 6 gallons. Will the 6 gallons be enough for 2 light coats or 1 coat? The samples we used were applied lightly with cheesecloth in a small area after being pressure washed and turned out very well. The PT pine has lightened alot in a year since it gets full sun and absorbed the stain well. Thanks, Rick!
Two light coats.
I have about a gallon of the 100 pro stain left in a 5 gal pail. I’m getting another 1 gal. of the 1500 low VOC product, same color. Can I mix these 2 together to help ensure an even color?
No, do not mix the two series together.
On our estimate of our pool deck it said we need 6 gallons of stain. If we get 10 gal and save whats left over, will it be okay to use on the floor ( which will weather more)a couple years later when needed? We are going to purchase the cleaner and brightner also and was wondering how much time can we wait to stain after it is cleaned because of all the rain we’ve been getting lately.
Our deck is PT pine and was built May 2019 and gets full sun and has never been stained or cleaned and was wondering if we should do 2 coats on the floor. We used the samples using 2 coats and the area we did looks very good ! Thanks, Rick
It will not last that long if opened: https://www.twpstainhelp.com/shelf-life-of-twp/
Since it is a year old, do two light coats.
I am planning to install pine log siding with cedar shakes. Both are currently raw (unfinished). What do you suggest I use for protection and longevity. I am in northern Wisconsin.
100 Series. See this about new wood: https://www.twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
Thank you.
Next question: Both the 100 and 1550 indicate a “2-coat, wet-on-wet” application in the sidebars. This seems to be in conflict with information in the document you linked. Would you please explain? (btw: my shakes have been stored for 10 years or so and the log siding is kiln-dried to nearly stable moisture content – probably does have mill
glaze though.)
New wood is only one coat. It does not matter if stored, still needs to weather and be prepped.
Our lake cabin is in MO and has cedar plank exterior. Im not sure what it has been treated with in the past. Half gets full sun and half is shaded. Which series to use and what color would go best with this very dark look? Thank you.
Try the 100 Series in Dark Oak.