Applying TWP (Total Wood Preservative) deck stain is something that most deck owners can do themselves. Using TWP wood stain will ensure a lasting finish on decks and many other exterior wood surfaces. TWP stain protects against moisture, preserves natural wood color, prevents mold/mildew, is easy to apply, and is the only EPA registered wood preservative.
Prior to applying any TWP wood preservative product, the wood surface should be cleaned thoroughly. Weather must be taken into consideration when staining a deck or other exterior wood surface. Follow these weather tips for TWP application:
Temperature
Air temperatures can affect the overall results of an exterior staining project. TWP Total Wood Preservative is best applied in temperatures ranging from 45-95 degrees with 60-80 degrees being the optimal range. The temperature should also not drop below freezing within 8 hours after the stain application. This could cause improper curing of the product.
If temperatures are too hot and/or applying in direct sunlight where the wood surface is hot to the touch, the stain can flash dry. This leaves the stain coat looking splotchy, uneven, and may have inconsistent coloring.
Rain in the Forecast
If the wood surface gets wet allow it to dry a minimum of 24 hours before attempting to apply TWP stain. This can vary depending on how wet the wood got, temperature, and the age of the wood. It is best to do a water test drop to determine if the wood is ready for stain. If the water soaks in right away then stain, if it beads, do not stain.
It should not rain 12 hours after applying TWP. The stain may be able to take some rain earlier but it depends on wood porosity. Because oil and water do not mix, the stain will not be affected much by a little rain if it has already soaked into the wood. On the other hand if the stain is still wet and sitting atop the surface, rain can cause separation circles or may completely wash the stain away.
Be sure to always check your local forecast prior to staining any exterior wood surface. This will ensure that TWP wood stain gives you the beautiful lasting results you expect.
Ask Questions in Comment Area Below
I bought too much TWP 1500 – a 5 gallon pail for my 250sf deck. Can I store unused quantities in a smaller container and use it in two years when I may need to refresh my cedar deck?
Shelf life after being opened is about 12 months.
We applied TWP 100 series stain, then it rained about 3 hrs after we stopped, lightish rain but ground and deck is wet. The water is totally beading up on the areas we stained. Hopefully this means it will be ok? It’s been between 60-80f recently as we’ve been working, temps same in next few days. We still have more staining to do, do we need to wait 48 hrs after this light rain before proceeding? Anything we should do with the areas that got rained on 3 hours after we stopped? Thank you.
48 hours after any rain to to apply the TWP to the unstained areas. As for the stained areas and rain, if an issue it will be very noticeable after it dries with “water” spots all over the deck.
I should mention we are restaining only the railing and not floorboards so rain accumulation somewhat less on surfaces since more vertical area, but I guess we will have still wait and see…? Thanks for your quick response:)
I live in Missouri hot and humid . My deck around my pool is supposed to be stained this week. He’s going to start early in am temp is supposed to be 80, but 95 by mid afternoon. The deck is in direct sun. Will this be too hot to apply. We are using Cedar Tone 101 Pro Series.
It should not be above 90 when applying.
I have a cedar deck, about 10 years old, that I have always used Restore-a-Deck and TWP on it every year, and it looks like new each time it’s stained. I cleaned it and used the brightener a few days ago but then it poured rain for a couple of days. Do I need to do the cleaning and brightening process completely over, or can I do a light cleaning and re-apply the brightener? Or just spray it off with water to clean again?
No, rain does not harm prep. Just let it dry for 2 days or longer.