1 RAD Stripper and 1 RAD Brightener
Coverage: 750-1000 sq. feet per kit. Each Kit Makes 5 Gallons of Stain Stripper and 5 Gallons of Wood Brightener
Note: The Restore-A-Deck Stain Stripper needs to be neutralized with the included Restore-a-Deck Wood Brightener.
DESCRIPTION
Restore-A-Deck Wood Stain Stripper is a biodegradable, powdered concentrate that quickly removes worn finishes to restore wood surfaces. Stains and deck coatings are removed along with collected dirt, mold, mildew and mill glaze.
This product is Step 1 Stripper of the Restore A Deck system.
WHERE TO USE
Restore-A-Deck Wood Stain Stripper removes most oil and latex based finishes including: clear sealers, transparent stains, and semi-transparent stains.
SURFACE PREPARATION:
Surfaces to be stripped must be above 50°F. Protect adjacent surfaces; cover with plastic sheets and/or tape off any adjacent areas not being stripped. Thoroughly wet and/or cover plants and shrubs. Rinsing residue will not harm plants or roots. Exposure to full strength product will burn foliage.
ADVANTAGES
- #1 Rated Wood Deck Stain Stripper
- Removes most clear, transparent, semi-transparent, and semi-solid coatings.
- Powdered formula makes 5 liquid gallons when mixed
- Extremely cost effective. When mixed, the cost is less than $7 a gallon.
- Eco-Safe formulas
- Preps previously stained wood and decks
- Safe to use on all exterior wood surfaces, not just decks
- Applied with pump sprayer for max results
- Can be mixed at a stronger ratio for difficult to remove finishes. Max would be 3 gallons of water to one container of Restore-A-Deck Stripper
Coverage: 500-1000 sq.feet per container
Removes:
- Transparent and Semi-Transparent Oil-Based Stains
- Most Semi-Transparent Water-Based Stains
- Water Sealers
Important Note: Restore-A-Deck Stain Stripper may not fully remove Solid Color Wood Stains, Paints, Varnishes, and Excessively Over-Applied Acrylic Semi-Transparent and Semi-Solid Coatings. To remove these deck and wood stain types, use the RAD Paint & Solid Stain Stripper
the wood exposed to the sun and rain is much worse than under the porch overhang
What was your question?
i have a front deck where i think semi solid stain was applied 3-4 years ago. it is peeling flaking off badly. like it didn’t really adhere. mostly in the area where it gets full sun. will RAD get the rest off? do i pressure wash before i use it or after?
We would need to see pictures to answer this correctly. Please post in the comments.
I redecked my wood dock (over brackish water) last summer. Waited 4 months and then lightly power washed, used the deck brightener followed by the TWP 1500 Series Stain (cedar tone) and it looked great. One year later and it has lightened up considerably and does have areas that are blackened, probably mold. I am going to repeat the process but add the stripper since it now has a stain, but it is disappointing it only lasted a year. Any thoughts before I tackle this job again?
Hello, did you read our article about new wood? It says the first time staining, it will require another coat after 1 year since the wood is not very porous:
https://twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
As for minimizing the mildew/mold in your wet environment, you could try this on top of your TWP after it dries:
https://www.twpstain.com/rad-guard-mildew-cleaner-preventer-1-gallon
Okay, just to be sure, I do or do not need to use restore-a-deck or the brightener, simply clean it with soap and water, then apply the stain?
Use the R-A-D Stripper and Brightener Kit.
Thanks!
I have a log house built in 1993 so this will be all vertical application. Used TWP as original stain. Stayed with this stain until last time I stained about 4 years ago. Used FLOOD brand, still using a semi-transparent stain. It did ok. Wanting to go back to TWP but wondering about the stripper. I have hardishake painted on second floor and painted foundation architectural block exposed below first floor, as it is a full basement house. So, the only logs I have are the exterior walls of the first floor, about 1600sq ft.
Lots of questions, please address all of them.
You should test the spot to make sure there are no reactions on the paint and aluminum. You may need to use the Booster and Thickening Gel additives with the Stripper to remove the Flood since this is vertical wood.
Stripped, brightened, stain my deck 2 years ago (RAD and TWP 100 series). this year I applied the Gemini cleaner, but I’m wondering if I should strip brighten and stain or just clean and stain?
The photo shows a small section where I used Gemini Cleaning product (have not brightened yet).
Strip and brighen would be easier and yield better uniformity when stained.
Started using the stripper /brighter this weekend. Results have been great so far.
However is there any tips to getting the solution off of glasses? In washing everything off there was obviously a lot of splatter and I can barely see through the glasses now.
I’ve tried vinegar, soap and a non abrasive pad with no luck at all.
Thankfully they are an old pair of glasses but would like to keep them for just these types of situations.
No, not really, it should clean off fairly easily if it is just soap residue.
i’m about to start my strip and brightener… anyone have a recommendation over.. #1 Make the stripper mix in 5 gallon bucket….and dip car wash brush into bucket and bascially rub into the boards…. or …. #2 Make the stripper mix in 5 gallon bucket…. add to my pump sprayer.. spray on deck.. let sit for 15mins and then powerwash off…. Deck is in good shape.. had TWP semi transparent before and no pealing.. only faded..
#2 Make the stripper mix in 5 gallon bucket…. add to my pump sprayer.. spray on deck.. let sit for 15mins and then powerwash off.
thank you!
Did the stripper and brightener Monday afternoon (approx 42 hours ago). came out great.. no rain since then… Thinking about staining this afternoon.. next forecasted rain is Friday late afternoon… what ya think?
Good to go.👍
I’m sitting here irritated that somehow I have to remove my twp100 and now start using 1500 series. I have 2 large elevated decks and a pergola. I have concrete surfaces, vertical painted surfaces and tons of vegetation surrounding and below these areas and a lake in front. How do you propose I safely power wash my existing twp100 off without doing severe damage?
You will not damage anything. It does not harm paint or concrete. To prevent overspray while working, cover vegetation with a plastic tarp. It is very easy to strip TWP. 😀
I finished stripping the deck late last night. Weather is good today, but will turn tomorrow and I won’t be able to stain until next week. Should I brighten now or wait until just before we stain?
Now.
Hello, we plan on using the kit but the deck we are stripping/brightening is near a neighbors fence that is also stained. If I wet down their fence before using the stripper how careful do I have to be to avoid the stripper making contact, like some splashing or small overspray? Not sure if I should be putting poly sheeting on the fence or any other painted surface in case there is a small amount of over spray.
Need to keep it off the fence 100%. Blue plastic tarps work well. Just drape over the fence.
Thank you
After applying the RAD stripper and brightener – what is the maximum amount of time I can wait before staining? Can I wait a month or so?
2 weeks after prep is max.
If I strip the deck and don’t want to stain it for a month or so… can I wait and apply the brightener after stripping and then again before staining? Trying to figure out if there’s a way to strip it and then delay staining. Thanks!
Yes, you can do that.
I have a deck that is about 9 years old. We have stained it with twp 4 times. A painter just power washed it and made the deck very uneven. We also have some areas that it appears much darker against the house where the deck had a mat at the door so received little sun. He used a little bleach but mostly just water. what product should we use before staining? Here are four views- The first picture shows where the mat was and is darker right at the door. The 2nd picture looks more grey than it really appears. The third picture shows more of an overview and the variation. The fourth view shows where we test a board with two coats of 1520 to see how it would hide the variation. We used pecan 1520 last time. Thank you.
Time to strip and brighten this deck so the wood is free of all coatings and can be reapplied evenly. Use the Restore A Deck Stripper/Brightener Kit.
thank you – that is what I thought. we do have a rough sawed pergola made out of cedar. it has been washed – it looks in good shape – should we brighten it?
Yes.
Used the RAD cleaner and brightener along with cedar tone TWP 100 on my cedar log sided cabin. Amazing!! The cleaner/brightener removed the gray from the wood and the stain was easy to apply wet on wet.
My question now is my house has cedar siding finished about 8-9 years ago with Flood CWF penetrating oil stain, which is needing to be redone. Will the RAD cleaner and brightener work to prepare the cedar siding so I can stain with TWP?
You will need to fully remove the CWF. Post some pics of the siding in the comments to so we can offer advice.
This is east side, that gets most of the sun
You will need the Stripper and Brightener kits for prep. Not Cleaner.
Was planning to strip and brighten Monday. Morning rain is now forecast Tuesday and Wednesday. Should I wait and strip after the rain passes? Or can I strip and wait to stain 48 hours after rain.
You can strip and wait to stain 48 hours after rain.
I used the Restore-a-deck stripper and brightener on my red balau gates. Worked well. Followed up (on your recommendation with the TWP 1500 stain (in walnut). Happy with the color. Do I need to seal or am I done? Hopefully I’m done. Boy, do I hate painting/staining. Thanks.
You are done and cannot apply a sealer over the TWP.
I first stained my deck with TWP100 in 2017 and have been applying a maintenance coat every other year since then…so in 2019 and then 2021. Between maintenance coats I have also applied the Gemini restorer and brightener.
This year I had planned to apply another maintenance coat but my question is at what point do I need to strip the old stain and start fresh? How many years should I continue to do maintenance coats?
Post some pics in the comments for prep tips.
Here are some pics of the deck before any cleaning.
We would strip and brighten this time for prep. Use this kit with both additives:
https://www.twpstain.com/wood-stain-strippers/rad-stripper-additives
OK, thank you. It looks like both additives are added to the stain stripper and not done in stages. Also, I assume I can use a sprayer for application the the stripper/additives and removal using a power washer on a low setting?
Yes, correct.
Can I ask what color this is? Thanks!
Pecan 120
I had planned to use the Restore A Deck Stripper & Brightner today, but overnight we had quite a lot of rain (there was standing water on some of the deck boards). Do I need to let the deck dry before using the stripper & brightener? If so, how long should I wait for the deck to dry?
You can apply them to a damp deck but not soaking wet.
How long can you wait to stain after the stripper / brightener process? I know instructions say to wait 48 hours after brightening but can it wait a few weeks? And undergo rains without reducing the effects of the brightener as long as it is allowed to dry out again before applying stain?
Stain within 2 weeks of prep for best results. Rain does not harm the prep.
It will prematurely fail causing it to be prepped and restained next Spring.
If I don’t stain it now, won’t I have to prep it next spring anyway? Or just pressure wash it?
Yes, but it may never get a chance to properly season.
Will the Restore-A-Deck Stain Stripper work to remove Behr semi transparent Deck and Siding stain that was used on a deck about 8 years ago. I want to use the TWP 1500 stain it now.
Post some pics as Behr can “lie” about their stain’s opacity.
Deck board pics and stain last used
Use both additives for the stripper:
https://www.twpstain.com/wood-stain-strippers/rad-stripper-additives
Let dwell for 30-45 minutes and pressure wash off. Keep from drying out by misting if needed while dwelling.
Brighten all once stripping is done.
The description above says in one place that the RAD stain stripper removes only transparent and semi-transparent stains but in another place it says it also removes semi-solid stains. There seems to be an inconsistency in the description. I have SuperDeck oil based semi-solid stain on my redwood siding. Will the RAD remove it? Also, is this product for decks only or can it be used on redwood siding?
I can remove semi-solid oil-based stains like the TWP Semi-solid but it may not remove semi-solid water-based stains as those are actually can be fully opaque like a solid stain. Best to post some pics for advice on what to use. It can be used on siding.
Outdoor steps. Never stained or painted. Looking pretty rough. Going to power wash and then was going to use TWP 101 to protect. Should I do anything else before staining. They don’t have to be pretty I just want them to last.
Use this kit while pressure washing: https://www.twpstain.com/gemini-s-restore-a-deck-cleaner-and-brightener-kit
I am going to begin stripping my deck soon. After stripping how long do I need to wait before brightening? How long do I need to wait until staining? Thank yall!
You brighten right after stripping. Let dry for 48 hours before staining.
After RAD stripper & brightener I am now sanding my deck (cedar). Question: do I have to use brightener again after a thorough sanding or can I proceed with stain?
Brighten after to open up the wood grain for the stain.
Thank you for the reply
I have an Ipe deck that has never been stained with anything. Was built 3 yrs ago and is now greyed. If I want to bring it back to original and oil it, should I use stripper/brightener or is there a cleaner/brightener that would be better? Do you have a product recommended for oiling the ipe after cleaning? I don’t want to add any color, I like the natural color of the ipe.
Thanks,
Clean and brighten for the prep. You must have color for UV protection from graying. Clear will gray naturally in months.
The stripper is a caustic so it should be avoided over water.
Use this kit for removal: https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit-detail
I have sanded my deck using 80 grit. Do I need to strip or can I just apply brightener?
If you removed all of the old stain, then just use the brightener:
https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-wood-brightener-detail
I have a 600 square foot redwood deck that was stained using TWP about 8 to 10 years ago… Its time to restain the deck. Should I get a kit with both Stripper and brightener and then stain it? Here’s the condition of the deck right now.
Yes, that would work for prep.
Thanks for the quick response. Also, we just painted the under framing of the deck with white latex paint. Will either of these products harm that paint?
It shouldn’t.
Hi, I stained my cedar deck with TWP 101 cedartone two years ago but haven’t done anything since (it was brand new then). I would like restain it this spring as there are a few spots that lost their stain and I have a few grease spots from a grill and smoker on the deck. Do I need to use the stripper/brightener kit or can I just start with the Gemini Restore-A-Deck kit. I will also be restaining some cedar trim on the house that is next to Diamond-Kote LP Smartsiding. Will either one of these kits cause issues with this painted LP Smartsiding? Thanks!
The best would be the Stripper/Brightener Kit so you have a nice even surface to apply to. They do not remove paint.
Do I need to use the Restore-A-Deck kit after the stripper/brightener kit or just go directly to staining? Final question: my balusters are a white powder coated aluminum baluster from DekPro…will either one of these kits cause issues with those? Thanks!
No need for the cleaner of stripping.
Hard to say about the balusters but typically not an issue. Test spot first.
on my deck I have cape code gray which is pretty worn in places but under the roof looks pretty solid can I just use restore and brighten kit on it before I re stain it with one of your other stains. Thanks
No, you will need to strip and brighten. Use both stripper additives as well:
https://www.twpstain.com/wood-stain-strippers/rad-stripper-additives
Will this remove mccloskey marine spar varnish on porch/steps?
A deck stain stripper will not remove a varnish. You will need to sand it off.
I have a painted deck. Want to refinish it to ultimately apply a TWP 1500 series (Black Walnut) or TWP Semi-Solid Stain (Earth). What would be the best process? RAD? pressure wash and sander before applying stain?
You will need to power sand off a paint if you want to go to a semi-transparent TWP coating. This article has some sanding tips: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/how-to-sand-your-wood-deck/
I also have a painted deck and am planning to refinish with TWP 1500 series. After power washing and sanding the old paint off, can I go straight to the RAD brightener before applying new stain or do I need to use the stripper and brightener kit?
As long as you full remove the old paint you can just clean and brighen after. Do not sand finer than 80 grit.
what is the process of stripping using RAD. after applying stripper, is it then scraped or power washed?
Pressue wash off. https://www.twpstain.com/wood-and-deck-stripping
Does this stripper affect shingles if it gets on them?
It should not.
Two questions – will this stain vinyl siding if it splashes on, and do I really need to hose off the deck after stripping for a full 15 minutes? It is a 15×5 farmers porch.
No, it should not harm vinyl. You pressure wash off the stripper, not hose it off.
I can not find RAD stripper anywhere to purchase. I live in Seattle. Suggestions?
Right on our website for purchase and delivery to you. Takes about 2-3 days.
Using the Stripper/Brightener on our pergola that is attached to our house. So I need to hang plastic to protect the house from these chemicals? House is painted with Sherwin Williams exterior paint 4 years ago. Don’t want to have to repaint the house.
The stripper does not remove paint. Prewet and rinse over spray should be suffcient.
My log cabin was originally treated with Outlast Q8 and I want to use your 1500 series product. I have a green standing seam metal roof. Will your cleaner/brightly harm the metal roof as it’s rinsed off?
It should not but always test spot first.
I used 1516 Rustic stain about three years ago and have a half-gallon left. Is there a shelf-life to worry about? Can I mix and use it with a new gallon of 1516?
It has most likely gone bad as the shelf life is about 12 months after being opened.
We have wrought iron balusters. Do I need to do anything to protect them when using the RAD stripper and brightener on the railings?
We would keep the products off them or at least test spot first to make sure there is not a reaction.
I want to strip the coating of cedartone on my dock and restain. Is the stripper/brighter eco friendly enough to use over a fresh water lake?
Yes.
My dogs pee on my cedar deck that I have stained with your 1500 product. I am about to strip and re-stain. Do you have any products or tips to protect against urine eating through the stain/finish?
No, that is not possible.
First – love TWP. I stripped sanded brightened my Deck railings and very happy with result. Builder used some terrible product that was a pain to get the thick peeling railing down to bare wood. Now maintenance should be easy. See first Picture. Thank you for all the useful posts.
Second- my house was built and stained in 2017. The areas exposed to the elements need redo as it has weathered and is dry. Unfortunately, i do not know the product used. I believe the siding is pine and rough cut. I DREAD the process of strip and brighten ( sanding out of the question). Any suggestions would be helpful and appreciated. See pictures of weathered front and o e in a protected portion of house. Thanks again
Yes, you will have to strip it using this kit while pressure washing: https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit-detail
Also, use both stripper additives: https://www.twpstain.com/wood-stain-strippers/rad-stripper-additives
Is it possible to use the RAD stripper and brightener while raining?
Light rain, yes. Not pouring rain.
My deck is right on the size limit of what this product will treat. Is there one of the items I am likely to need more of? Stripper? Brightener? This is an old deck with your stain on it and we are going to restain. 🙂
What is the sq footage and can you post pictures of the deck here in the comments?
I am getting ready to use Restore a Deck cleaner, then brightener. The instructions seem to imply that once the cleaner is applied, then the brightener should be applied immediately afterward while it is still wet from the previous rinse. My question is can I clean one day, then brighten the next? How much time can elapse between applying the two products?
Brighten the same day for best results.
I want to work on my deck in stages, doing vertical surfaces first and horizontal surfaces later. Can I mix a portion of the stripper/brightener and gel packages, and do you provide ratios for partial mixes? Alternatively, how long can mixed solutions be stored, and what would the container and temp requirements be for storage?
You can mix smaller batches of the stripper and brightener. It is on the containers as far as how to mix 1 gallon at a time. For the stripper and the brighener, they do not go bad or have a shelf life. The Cleaner does. Do not allow it to freeze.
Hi, we used the Restore-A-Deck stripper and brightener on our wood porch to remove TWP #101. There is a big spot at the top that didn’t fully strip. Do we need to redo the process again? Or can we start staining with TWP semi solid cabin fever?
You should be okay to apply over it.
I’m now leaning towards TWP semi transparent dark walnut. Do you think that will cover it too?
Yes.
Similar to the previous question, I used 1500 clear on my new cedar deck last year. The deck itself is pretty dirty but still beads when rained upon. Would just the brightener/cleaner be enough as a pretreatment before resealing this year with 1500 clear again?
Correct.
Going to stain my deck again with TWP 1500. Can the stripper be used as a replacement to your cleaner when restraining my deck or do I have to clean then strip? The exposed areas have standard dirt and grime from rain, snow, and general use but no solid stains.
You use either stripper of cleaner, not both. The stripper should only be used if you are stripping a stain.