Note: New Gemini Restore-A-Deck Labels Coming in Spring/Summer of 2019!
Make Restoring Your Exterior Wood ...Easy!Restore-A-Deck Cleaner and Brightener system is a powerful "eco-friendly" two-part restoration system.
Step 1 Wood and Deck Cleaner that deeply cleans your wood to remove dirt, grime, mold, algae and general graying. The cleaner will help prep neglected wood and or prep for re-coating with a wood or deck stain.
Step 2 Wood Brightener is used after the wood cleaner to "brighten" the wood while neutralizing the cleaner to a natural pH balance. This step will improve the overall appearance of your wood while helping the wood deck stain longevity.
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100% Biodegradable product - Concentrated powder formula - Cleans up to 1000 sq. feet!
- Prep wood surfaces for re-coating with a wood or deck stain
- Restores weathered gray wood to natural color
- Eco-friendly
Have Questions on Prep?
Visit our Help Site for all the answers!
Kit Contains: |
Step 1 Cleaner Bottle and Step 2 Brightener Bottle |
Coverage Per Kit: | Cleans and Brightens 600-1000 Sq. Feet |
Concentrate: | Each Bottle Makes 5 Liquid Gallons |
Temperature: | 45-95 F |
Application Tools: | Pump Sprayer, Scrub Brush |
Reviews
Thursday, 19 October 2017
Great for prepping for reapplication of TWP!
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We will reply to your comment shortly· 03/27/2021Mine is a brand new alaskan yellow cedar deck. this deck was resawed from 20' full dimension 2x6s into 7/8" thick boards. The upper surface is the bandsaw surface that is perfect for decking. I installed it last summer and now it needs the TWP 1500 clear stain that's waiting to be applied. do I need this product restore-a-deck kit for this wood. The wood sat stickered in a covered pole barn for 15 years. The only issue I see with it right now is that it has some water stains from this winter's storms where snow blew in and then dried up before I could sweep it off. Leaving a stain line in places. It's 700 sq feet. How many of these would I need?
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We will reply to your comment shortlyI have TWP 1530 Natural stain on my deck. Will the restore a deck cleaner remove the existing stain?
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We will reply to your comment shortlyThe cleaner is only to be used for when you plan on re-coating. It may remove some if the stain has deteriorated.
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We will reply to your comment shortlyI am staining a pressure treated wood pergola that sits on top of composite decking. I will use tarps, but if worse case some of the Gemini Restore-A-Deck gets on the composite will it discolor it? I plant to take reasonable precautions, but just trying to get a sense of how careful I need to be.
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We will reply to your comment shortlyThe TWP will stain composite wood.
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We will reply to your comment shortlyI am more worried about the prep steps that are sprayed. I will be brushing the stain.
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We will reply to your comment shortlyThe prep steps would clean the composite but not discolor it. Just rinse well when done any dirt and soap residue.
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We will reply to your comment shortlyCan TWP 100 and 1500 be mixed I ordered both types in the past. I need to order again but I have some 1500 left over from the deck last staining. I had used 100 on deck and house about 8 years ago. Is there just a VOC difference. I may just order 1500 again. It doesn't make a difference in this State which I use. The 100 worked well on house. Deck not sure but 1500 may have seen ware earlier.
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We will reply to your comment shortlyYou should not mix the 100 and 1500.
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We will reply to your comment shortlyLast year we stained our 10 month old almost new deck with TWP 1500 dark oak - beautiful! After the snow this winter, we need to clean the deck. We do not want to restain for another year or two. Should we use the restore-a-deck cleaner and brightened? Will this strip the stain that is present? Thank you, Barb
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We will reply to your comment shortlyOur prep products are only to be used when you plan on reapplying.
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We will reply to your comment shortlyFollow up- if these products are only used before reapplying, what do you recommend we use to clean the winter residue?
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We will reply to your comment shortlyOutside of using water with a little bit of dish soap, there is not a cleaner that will remove just dirt and grime without harming the stain to some extent. Make sure to never use bleach.
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We will reply to your comment shortly
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We will reply to your comment shortlyI built a cedar fence about a year ago, with pressure treated douglas fir posts. The posts were power sanded a year ago to eliminate a lot of the darker color, but they still look a bit darker than the cedar wood. The fence has a lot of horizontal members, which need to be treated on the bottom as well as the sides. This spring I want to use the Restore A Deck Cleaner and Brightener to prepare the wood for the application of the TWP 1500 stain (California).Would it be helpful to use the Thickening Gel Additive with the Restore A Deck Cleaner to help the cleaner to cling to the bottom of the horizontal members for the recommended 5 - 15 minute dwell time? Or is the Thickening Gel Additive not compatible with the Cleaner?I have read that after the cleaning is done, and the brightener is applied, that there is a waiting period recommended of 48 hours before applying the stain. How does one know that 48 hours is sufficient? Is there a recommended percentage of moisture for the wood prior to stain application?Thank you!
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We will reply to your comment shortlyHi Ray- Question for you as I have a similar new fence in northern CA. Are you hoping to maintain the natural color of the cedar of your fence (I am with mine)? If so, what color stain are you planning to apply? I'm struggling with the color selection. Thank you!Kim
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We will reply to your comment shortlyThe Gel will not work with the Cleaner. 48 hours of drying is sufficient. You do not have to test moisture %.
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We will reply to your comment shortly1. My neighbor does not want to stain our new California redwood fence on her side. Is there a point to stain only one side and the top of the fence if we would like to preserve the nice color on our side. Wouldn't it gray through?2. What is the difference between redwood and California redwood? Which would look more natural on a redwood in California :) (ei: pinkish red grains)?3. If part of my fence is new, but there is an old and grayed section next to it as well, will the cleaner and brightener even the color difference out between them?
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We will reply to your comment shortly1. It would not gray through but more than liley some of your stain will bleed through on the other side and could look streaky or blotchy.2. The Redwood ahs a lot more red pigment: https://www.twpstain.com/twp-1500-series-stain-colors-and-photo-albums/3. it will help to even it out but it will not be 100% the same as older wood will be more absorbent so the color will be darker.
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We will reply to your comment shortlyJust used the kit and powerwashed instead of using a scrub brush. It looked clean, but now it looks like this an hour later after it dried. Is this wood "fur" or just remaining residue? What do I need to do?
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We will reply to your comment shortlyYes, it is furring. You should sand or buff it off.
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We will reply to your comment shortlySo don't stain it as is? What caused this? I have an electric pressure washer so didn't really think it would have enough pressure to do this. The dock is just under a year old.
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We will reply to your comment shortlyToo much oxidation and not using a pressure washer to remove the loose fibers fully. It is a result of the removal of oxidation/graying from letting the wood sit too long prior to staining. You can stain as is but it may show slightly. Try a test board to see if you are okay with the stained appearance.
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We will reply to your comment shortlyIt's new wood (10 months). Never stained. So, I pressure washed with too much pressure or too little? I just don't want to repeat the same mistake next time.
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We will reply to your comment shortlyIt is 90% from too much oxidation/graying. Using a little more pressure would have reduced this but at this point, it would not matter.
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We will reply to your comment shortlyPressure treated pine- new wood, 5 months old and ready. I read the "new wood" info you posted, but have been wondering if ya'll would recommend a darker shade, as someone said that the lighter shades would appear more yellow or orange like due to pine's natural color? Seems i see more people going with "Cedartone" or darker than say "California Redwood" or something. I'm in burning hot texas with a full sun deck. Advise? I realize this is a color OPINION question, but i'm looking for gut instinct....LOL. Thank you in advance...
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We will reply to your comment shortlyLisa, I would agree with TWP people. Different deck installs will look differently depending on how long the wood has been down (installed), what it looked like to begin with, climate, etc. TWP also sells or sends for free a handful of samples of the stain you THINK you might like, then stain a handful of sample boards (extra pieces from the install?) and then decide...rather than commit to 5gals or more and then be disappointed. Also, nothing lasts forever, so you may restain in 3 to 5 yrs and you can go darker the second time, if you wish. I happen to use Pecan, and on old pressure treated decking it looks rich (and dark, because the original wood soaked up so much stain). I like this stain!
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We will reply to your comment shortlynow that was the best answer i've received including from the website. LOL. Did you use 2 coats or one? i have a NEW pine pressure treated deck and curious to see how much it soaks up.
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We will reply to your comment shortlyHi Lisa. Thanks! Only one coat. Basically, I applied the stain to very old pressure treated deck boards (cleaned properly with Gemini products) and a few new boards until the wood refuses to absorb the stain. Then move on. It's actually quite simple to apply. What I have found works the best is to use stain/paint pads on an applicator handle.
Just fill the pad with stain and pull it toward you on each board, then go back and brush in between boards as necessary. Smooth out any "extra" stain so the boards look uniform, then move on!
The new boards won't absorb nearly as much as older boards, hence a lighter color will ensue.
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We will reply to your comment shortlyOnly one coat for new wood after wait and prep: https://www.twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
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We will reply to your comment shortlyHi,
We already responded to you about this. Best to test samples to see how it looks on your wood as colors will always vary based on age, wood type, prep, etc. You can also see photos here: https://www.twpstain.com/twp-100-series-stain-colors-and-photo-albums/
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We will reply to your comment shortlyI have about 2-3 gallons in a new 5 gallon bucket left over from staining a fence. I plan to use it in the spring for a maintenance coat on my deck. I have 2 clean, empty, 1 gallon cans, but they might not hold all the stain I have left. Could I use a milk jug or some other plastic storage container for the stain that won’t fit in my gallon cans? Will the stain soften the plastic and make an awful mess? I have some empty wide mouth plastic (peanut) jars…..would they work for about 6 months' of TWP 100 storage if sealed tightly?
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We will reply to your comment shortlyYou need metal cans to store leftover stain.
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We will reply to your comment shortlyNiles- what's the disadvantage of using plastic milk jugs? Thanks.
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We will reply to your comment shortlyI have wood that needs to be cleaned/brightened before staining, but it is right above some outdoor ceramic patterned tile. Will the chemicals in this set be harmful to the tile or the design? The way the tiles are positioned, it would be difficult to mask off the tile effectively without covering some of the wood that also needs to be brightened. Thanks!
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We will reply to your comment shortlyIt should not harm the tile.
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We will reply to your comment shortlyIs there any shelf life for TWP 1500 Series? I know that it needs to be thoroughly stirred before use, but is there a test that one can perform to verify that left over TWP 1500, which has been stored for a few years, can still be used?
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We will reply to your comment shortly
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We will reply to your comment shortlyHi there! Really needing advice on staining our deck. We had new cedar floor and railings put on our 18-year-old deck 10 days ago. We chose not to replace posts and slats as they are still in good shape. However, we are now concerned we made a mistake because getting a stain to match the new and old cedar is a challenge. All surfaces have been power washed and are ready for stain. Question for you is 1) can we proceed with staining the entire deck now with TWP and 2) do you think TWP dark oak will be a good match to use everywhere? Thanks so much for your help!
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We will reply to your comment shortlyYou cannot stain your new wood yet: https://www.twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
Best to wait until Spring to prep and stain all. The color will not matter as the new wood will stain lighter no matter what is it will be less absorbent.
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We will reply to your comment shortlyI’m thinking of using TWP 100 on a brand-new cedar pergola for the backyard. No deck involved, just the posts and frame to support the roof. I assume I don’t need to do any cleaning/brightening first.m, but wanted to check.
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We will reply to your comment shortlySee this about new wood and yes you have to prep: https://www.twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
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We will reply to your comment shortlyMy deck is about 20 years old. I used Behr Deckover water based stain. It is peeling off and I want to stain with oil base TWP stain. I am trying to remove old paint with stripper. Then I will apply cleaner and brightener. Is it ok if I leave my deck prepped and stain next spring ? What are the best product to use to remove old paint from deck board and railing.
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We will reply to your comment shortlyDahi,
I'm afraid TWP is correct. The only way to remove this much paint is to sand it off. However, there are devices you can use to do this. Two that come to mind are, a paint stripping machine that has a proprietary head on it that avoids gouging the wood. Looks and acts like an angle grinder that lays flat on the surface. Another choice would be similar to an interior hardwood floor sander. I've successfully used that on an outdoor deck years ago. One sander for the "main" deck and one that's an "edge" sander, if needed. Both can be rented from a reputable rental company, or you can hire a floor refinisher.
Never use paint on outdoor decks. Stain is the only way to go, IMHO. -
We will reply to your comment shortlyYou cannot strip off a paint. You will have to power sand to remove it and then clean/brighten the wood. You can do it all in the Spring or now.
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We will reply to your comment shortlyFirst, TWP stains are the best... been using them for years on decks and fences. And your prices and guidance are also the best. I believe you answered this question below but I would like to confirm: New deck aged about 7 months. Deck boards are for sure ready. Once I apply Restore a Deck Clean/Bright, I have 2 weeks to apply stain? Is that correct? Thank you!
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We will reply to your comment shortlyWe are going to restain our deck (first time for us). The deck and stairs have minimal stain remaining, other then next to the house and the edges of the stairs. The posts/railings still have plenty of stain. What product(s) do you recommend prior to pressure washing and staining with 1500? We also have two boards that were recently changed. I know they won't match the rest and I'm ok with that (don't have a choice). Any special treatment for those two boards before doing it all?
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We will reply to your comment shortlyWhat stain brand and type of stain is on the wood now?
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We will reply to your comment shortlyI don't know. I think it was a semi-transparent paint, but not sure. We've only lived in this house (NC) for a bit over 2 years. Not sure if it'll help, but here's a picture of what it apparently looked like in 2016. I know semi transparent paint would get those new boards matching better with the rest, I'm just not a fan of paint over stain. I really like the wood grain showing. Your thoughts?
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We will reply to your comment shortlyFor prep, use the RAD Stripper/Brightener Kits:https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit-detail
With bot additives: https://www.twpstain.com/wood-stain-strippers/rad-stripper-additives
Once removed, you can then use the TWP 1500 Series.-
We will reply to your comment shortlyThank you so much for the info. I'm just a little concerned that if it is semi-transparent paint, as the deck railing look, then would the RAD Stripper still work?
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We will reply to your comment shortlySemi-transparent are only stains, not paints. If the stripper cannot remove it then you would have to sand it all off. No way to know for sure until you try but it does not look like it will be an issue.
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We will reply to your comment shortly10 mins after Gemini cleaner application, I used a scrubber while washing with high pressure garden hose (don't own a pressure washer). Staining in 48 hours once dry, of course :)
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We will reply to your comment shortlyHi, I've used the gemini cleaner and brightener but there are still some dark areas that weren't covered by patio furniture. Should I go ahead with staining or resolve the matter first? If the latter, please provide instruction. FYI: 20 month old deck, never stained nor sealed- only cleaned with leaf blower. Thank you so much!
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We will reply to your comment shortlyI do not think that will come out so you can stain now.
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We will reply to your comment shortlyI stained my deck back May and for about 3 months and the deck had a nice sheen on it, and the deck beaded up every time it rained. Now the sheen is gone and the deck doesn't bead up anymore. If I use the cleaner to clean the deck will it bring back the sheen or bead up when it rains? Thanks....
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We will reply to your comment shortlyTWP is not supposed to have a shine of any level and it is not supposed to bead water as it is breathable. It sheds water. Basically you over applied it at first and now it is behaving as it should.
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