The TWP 2019 Spring/Summer Restoration Contest is closed!
Thanks to all the entered this year. Excellent job to all and we appreciate you entering our TWP staining contest for 2019!
We will contact the winners via there orders.
First Place
John Blenkush (Page 2)
First Place = $500 + Weber Grill ($500 Value) + 5 Gallon Pail of TWP Stain
Second Place
Romeo J Vista (Page 3)
Second Place = $350 + 3 Gallons of TWP Stain
Third Place
Bonnie Pollock (Page 4)
Third Place = $200 + 2 Gallons of TWP Stain
Sorry for all that did not win the prizes. We were extremely impressed with all the feedback and entries this year!
Do you think you will have completed the best TWP Wood Deck Restoration for Spring/Summer of the 2019 season?
Take some pride in your hard work and enter the TWP Stain Wood and Deck Restoration Contest for 2019!
The TWP 2019 Contest Details
- All TWP and Prep products must be purchased first from this online retail site (TWPStain.com) between January 1st – Sept. 2nd (Labor Day) 4th, 2019.
- Deadline for entry is Sept. 14th, 2019.
- The winner will be decided by Sept. 30th by our team.
Contestant winners will receive
- First Place = $500 + Weber Grill ($500 Value) + 5 Gallon Pail of TWP Stain of your choice!
- Second Place = $350 + 3 Gallons of TWP Stain of your choice!
- Third Place:= $200 + 2 Gallons of TWP Stain of your choice!
*Total winnings will be $2000 in payouts and prizes.
How To Enter Contest
- Enter by Sept. 14th, 2019.
- In the comment section below, post a short description of your deck/wood staining project, the products used to prep, and the TWP Series and Color used. Example of wood projects that can be entered: Decks, Fences, Wood Side Homes, Log Cabins, etc.
- Add 2 before prepping pictures of the wood that was restored (no more/less). You can still enter if you do not have the before pictures. Decks, wood fences, wood homes, etc are allowed.
- 2 after staining pictures must be included (no more/less).
- If having trouble uploading the pictures, please make your picture(s) size smaller (below 1 MB).
Any questions or issues posting, please ask in the comment area.
We look forward to all entries and wish everyone “Happy TWP Staining”!
*Disclaimer: All products must be purchased from TWPStain.com. The contest is not open to products purchased from other online dealers or from physical retail stores.
What happened to all the nearly 100 other photos? Did we enter too early?
You are asking this question in the 2019 contest, not 2020: https://www.twpstain.com/twp-2020-contest-win-cash-and-twp-stain
This is a 10 year old deck and fence and upper deck stained this year. This is the fourth time I purchased your product and did it with your cleaning-products, both steps. Every time. I A Am a 74 yr old woman, painted the deck myself with a brush, then hired out the fence and the upper deck. I buy 2 -5 gallon buckets each time. I love your product
You posted this in last year’s contest. Please post here: https://www.twpstain.com/twp-2020-contest-win-cash-and-twp-stain
This is a 900 square foot Western Red Cedar deck that is 30 years old and was painted with a failing solid stain. Lots of weathering and much mildew. Most said “tear it down” but I saw it differently.
I first set all nails that were proud to the deck then lightly power washed followed by sanding to bare wood with a 12×18 rental orbital floor sander to a 60 grit finish. Then the Restore A Deck Cleaner/Brightener product was used as directed. After 48 hours of drying, I stained the deck with TWP 100 series Rustic using the wet-on-wet technique.
I couldn’t be happier and impressed with the results. Future maintenance coats will now be a breeze which is the reason I went with this product. Looking forward to this deck’s next 30 years!
You posted this in last year’s contest. Please post here: https://www.twpstain.com/twp-2020-contest-win-cash-and-twp-stain
This is a 900 square foot Western Red Cedar deck that is 30 years old and was painted with a failing solid stain. Lots of weathering and much mildew. Most said “tear it down” but I saw it differently.
I first set all nails that were proud to the deck then lightly power washed followed by sanding to bare wood with a 12×18 rental orbital floor sander to a 60 grit finish. Then the Restore A Deck Cleaner/Brightener product was used as directed. After 48 hours of drying, I stained the deck with TWP 100 series Rustic using the wet-on-wet technique.
I couldn’t be happier and impressed with the results. Future maintenance coats will now be a breeze which is the reason I went with this product. Looking forward to this deck’s next 30 years!
where can i get a wet sample (1/2 pint or less) to try before i buy bulk
color cape cod grey
https://www.twpstain.com/stain-samples
When & where will contest winner be announced?
Here in the next day or two.
My deck had never been stained and showed it. I sanded the floor and the rails using 80 grit sandpaper and then used Restore A Deck cleaner and brightener on the whole deck. I used TWP 100 series dark oak stain. With such a large deck, it took quite a bit of time, but the results were well worth the effort!
3 projects this summer. 700 Sq Ft deck, 16 x 30 pavilion and patio furniture. Used RAD Stripper, RAD Step 1 and RAD Step 3. 1503 Dark Oak and 1520 Pecan.
Is 1502 Redwood oil based or water base?
Oil.
Used TWP1501 Cedartone stain on all.
We have just completed restoration of our 40 yr. old log home. Replaced railings and rotted logs.
Stripped the whole house using Restore a Deck Stripper, Brightener, Gel & Booster. The results are fabulous. It was quite a project, but I am so HAPPY! Check out the before/after pics. (I hope I have downloaded these correctly-Please advise if not received.)
Last Picture
Additional picture of the Barn
trying to add additional pictures
Another Picture
I recently constructed a 2,200 sq.ft. barn and used rough cut hemlock for board and batten siding. I used TWP 1500, Pecan 1520 for the stain/color. There is still some more work to complete this project, but the stain when on great and looks good! We are very happy with the results and look forward to using TWP products on other projects.
Last one which did not upload. Thank you.
I am resubmitting the previous photos I had submitted on my post since when you click on the photos they are upside down. Thank you.
Brand new cedar deck completed July 2018. Deck cleaned and brightened September 5th and stained with TWP 1500 Pecan on September 8th & 9th 2019.
Originally stained deck in October 2012 with TWP 1500 Redwood in Northeast USA.
Re-stained deck this summer (August 2019) with TWP 1500 Redwood, prepped with Gemini Cleaner/Brightener and pressure washer.
Wood held up phenomenally well in the ~ 7 years since the initial staining in 2012. Only needed to sand the hand rails before staining.
You’d think the deck was brand new again. TWP is hands down the best option for deck stain, especially in the harsh changing seasons of Northeastern USA.
THANK YOU TWP!
One more (sorry!)
Cedar deck/porch prepped with RAD Stripper/Brightener Kit before staining with two coats (wet on wet with pad) of TWP 1500 Rustic. (Thanks for all the tips and quick responses!)
Here are the photos that didn’t upload (I hope! ?)
This is my second finish picture that did not upload on the original post
Hello, Gerald Harris here. I removed a rotted deck surface and rails July of 2018 and replaced with cedar. I let weather till about 2-3 weeks ago as recommended by twpstain.com . I used the Gemini 2 step prep, which worked awesome, as directed. Put the finish redwood stain on this weekend and also worked awesome.
Pictures
In 2017 I applied TWP 1500 -Cedartone (1501) to a 100ft horizontal board cedar wood fence in the northeast. I loved the look but by 2019 it needed to be redone since I didn’t do any maintenance coats on it for 2 years. So in May of 2019 I decided to go with a darker color stain TWP 1500 -Dark Oak (1503) but I had to use the Gemini Restore A Deck 2 step kit(cleaner & wood brightener) prior to applying the darker stain. I wanted a clean slate to make sure the new color stain would be taken in evenly. My wife and I are really happy with this color and finish!
upload problem 2 more pictures
Stained my deck with TWP 1500 series cedartone (1501)and stair railing with TWP black walnut (1504).Pressure washed everything first,let dry a few days and then applied.It came out really nice.The contrast between the bk walnut and cedartone is beautiful on this 23 yr.old pressure treated pine wood.The cedartone has a nice brown tint (not to orange or red).The bk walnut is a rich deep dark brown.
These didn’t upload for some reason so I’m adding them to my post.
My deck was a mess and had not been stained in over 4 years. It had to be chemically cleaned and brightened using the RAD stripper/brightener kit from TWP. I also sanded it with #80 sandpaper before staining to remove tough stains that would not come off with the stripper and to open the pores of the wood for a more even stain appearance. I used TWP 1500 series cedartone (1501) stain. The results are amazing given the condition of this 22 year old cedar wood deck. TWP is the best product I have ever used in the life of my deck and I feel secure knowing that it will have many more years of life to come. Thank you for making such a great product!
Prepped and stained a deck using Restore-A-Deck Cleaner and Brightener system and TWP 1500 series Pecan stain.
I’ve been researching TWP and other companies, their response and your before and after pictures have sealed the deal!
I started my project three years ago – to chemically and mechanically strip SuperDeck Log Home Oil Finish from our log-sided garage and our 3000 sq. ft log home and restore our 1500 sq. ft of redwood deck – completion in August of 2019. Given the square feet, it was an enormous task, made less challenging by breaking it down into manageable projects.
For the past ten years, I’ve chased deterioration of the SuperDeck, which required spot removal – most-times entire walls – annually, as it discolors and blackens within a season. Given that SuperDeck is a film and is only “formulated to resist growth of mildew and algae on the coating’s surface,” this chore required both chemical (stripper) and mechanical (rotary sander) removal. Continuing this annual maintenance cycle was not an option, as it was leading to distortion of the log surface, not to mention the wear and tear on this old body.
Texas A&M University conducted extensive tests on wood finishes. They found that most finishes failed between 7 and 18 months of exposure. Of over 200 products tested, only three finishes offered a natural look for 2 to 5 years before refinishing became necessary; TWP®, Sikkens, and Seal Treat II. Seal Treat II is no longer available, leaving Sikkens and TWP. Since Sikkens is a film builder designed for adhesion to the wood – like SuperDeck – it offers little or no protection to the wood below the surface. (Credit to Jim Renfroe)
As I found out the hard way, films act like a greenhouse, incubating fungus and trapping water inside the logs, causing rot and premature discoloration. I found as long as the ‘film’ is out of the weather – under eaves for an example – they retained their viability. However, place them in direct sunlight and rain, and they break down – quickly. SuperDeck claims their Log Home Oil Finish is “Specially Formulated for Extreme Climates.” But ten years of my experience with the product – on a brand-new log home – proves otherwise.
The garage is in its third season, the front of the log home in its second, (Honeytone 1500) and they look as good as the day I applied TWP. What a relief! To not have to spend my summers chasing discoloration. Can’t thank-you enough for putting out a superior product!
This deck was and was more a turkey roost than anything in else. When I started the deck was scratched and dirty. When I finished the whole house looked new again. I used the 1500 series natural color.
One of my friends used the twp 100 cedar tone on his house and he recommended the brand. I preferred something a bit darker and more reddish brown. So I got the 200 series, russet brown. I dipped 10 bundles of cedar shakes and I stained my milled cedar posts (8) and beams (7) and railings (4) all with a 5 gallon bucket. I have about 3 cups left. The 200 series is thicker and works well to coat exterior wood and does require a bit of stirring to get the particles on the bottom mixed in. I had to apply 2-3 coats on my posts to get the desired rich brown I wanted. It did develop a film every time after I used it which gummed up the end of the pail but I simply strained it all out and it was fine. Also, the 200 series is not as well stocked as the 100 or 1500 so if you need more you’re having to pay for shipping or getting another 5 gallon pail. That being said, I would definitely recommend this stain. It’s beautiful!
My husband designed and build this trellis. Since it is a major feature in our front yard and we want it to last, he stained it with TWP 1500 Series in Dark Oak. The trellis was made from pressure treated lumber. He stained it a couple weeks after building it. The stain made the wood look much richer. We had used the same color stain on a pergola built several years ago and we liked the way the stain had mellowed. We have been very happy with this stain.
Here is the fourth picture
My wife and I completed the staining of our wrap around porch. The project included staining 1,640 sq ft of decking boards, not including all the posts, header beams, railings, stairs, ceiling and wainscoting. I conducted extensive research of many different stain brands and obtained samples from TWP and several other companies. TWP was the winner!!! The reason we chose TWP was because if we ever want to stain the deck again in the future there will be minimal prep work, just clean surfaces and reapply stain.
The wood was close to 2 1/2 years old and once we used the Gemini Cleaner/Restorer the wood looked very bright and accepted stain very well. I did a test sample on a piece of wood, one without the cleaner and restorer and one using the cleaner, restorer and light pressure washing. There was a big difference in the end results. We highly recommend using the Gemini Cleaner/Restorer and light pressure washing to achieve best results. This project used 40 gallons of TWP 1500 series. We ordered dark oak (1503) and rustic oak (1516) and mixed the two together 1 to 1. We nicked named our custom color after the road we live on “Coxey Brown”
Applying the stain was very easy. We used the (Wooster 4” pro stain brush) for all the flooring, we simply unscrewed the small handle from the brush and screwed in an adjustable paint stick handle. For all other surfaces we used a 32 oz all-purpose plastic hand held sprayer purchased at Home Depot for $3.00. We actually utilized 17 bottles for the entire project. We found that the bottles were only good for about 2 days, so we just pitched it and used a new one each time.
We live near the top of a mountain in Maryland and the weather is un predictable. Using the spray bottle was the best way we found to control the stain during days with a light breeze. After spraying the surface we then followed up with a (Wooster 4” pro stain brush) to even out the stain. We only used 2 brushes for the entire project. There is no need to clean the brush, just leave the brush submerged in the sealed bucket of stain then remove from the bucket and wipe off and your ready to go. The first coat was time consuming but the second coat and third coats went very quick. We applied the stain on hotter days (90’s) which allowed us to put the first coat on day one and followed up with the second and third coats on the next day. It wasn’t quiet considered wet on wet but when we applied the coats on the second day it actually adhered very well. The second and third coat seemed to bring the first coat back to a tacky state allowing the second and third coats to combine with the first coat. If applied correctly this stain will not leave any brush strokes. It is best to practice on a piece of wood that is the same as your project.
This was a very large project that took my wife and I about 83 hours to complete over the last 6 months. We are very please with all the products we purchased from TWP. We achieved excellent results!!! We have had many people drive by our home and slow down to look at our porch. Several people have stopped by to ask us what color and type of stain we used on our porch. It makes us very proud that people we don’t even know stop by to recognize our beautiful porch. Thank you TWP for providing excellent quality products that are easy to apply.
oops, the fourth picture didn’t attach to the orginal post for some reason.
This Log cabin was originally stained with TWP 5 years ago. Obviously it was time for a good cleaning and new coat. Homeowner was more than happy to reuse the same product. First we used the Gemini Cleaner and brighter kit, followed by TWP 100 series Rustic Oak. We ended up purchasing 25 Gallons (i’ll explain later) We did a combination of spraying then brushing in the stain. Definitely learned a bit of a lesson when it comes to spraying overhangs, ceilings, porches like the ones on this cabin. We wasted alot of stain from dripping after we sprayed it on. Yes, we were also brushing it in as soon as we sprayed. Maybe since the cabin had been previously stained it wasn’t soaking in as fast as it would if it had not been stained, this could definitely be the case under the porch ceiling where there is no exposure to sunlight or rain, original stain seemed to still look great; this is where we lost most of the stain; I know it should’ve been common sense. I know there is a percentage of stain you lose when spraying verses brushing but didn’t expect it to be this bad. Although it does make sense now, when we stain a fence we spray enough on for it to run so I shouldn’t have expected anything different from a overhang. I’m sure this was a lesson 101 but I like the old fashion way of learning how to do things correctly (learn the hard way). After we completed the front porch, which is where we wasted most of the stain. we started spraying a little less at a time and focused more on brushing, this should’ve been our strategy from the start. My concern was getting a brush to easily maneuver around the logs to ensure a smooth finish. I found a soft bristle brush that worked wonders with the TWP stain, actually since this job I’ve started using the same brush head for all of my stain projects. It helps by ensuring a much smoother finish and keeps the stain from drying unevenly. We don’t get too many calls for houses or cabins (this was the first one) We had to rent some scaffolding to reach the spots at the top. This job is located in Hardin, Texas which is about an hour and half East of Houston. When I first took this phone call the customer mentioned they needed a log cabin stained. My first reaction was great, I know a great product that we can use. Then the customer continues to qualify the lead by telling me they originally stained with TWP 5 years ago. That’s a smart customer and I made sure to complement them. The finished pictures didn’t come out so great due to the sun already setting. I didn’t realize this until after we made it back home. I probably should invest in a actual camera for good quality photos instead of relying on my phone. I would like some tips on how to effectively use the Gemini Cleaner and restore kit, we followed the instructions step by step but I felt like it should’ve worked better with brightening some of the darker spots. Thanks for reading my story, hopefully it can help in one way or another.
TWP Contest – Started my fence project April 2018 by hand with a pad and brush! Due to being busy, weather in Chicagoland, my fence being mostly a shadow box fence, having to do both sides being my fence on a corner lot, I finally finished this month. Almost a year and a half later! After power washing with two of the TWP cleaner, I used two TWP brighteners and 15 gallons of TWP 1500 California Redwood Stain for the job. My fence looks amazing and being on a corner lot at the entrance of a subdivision, I get asked a lot what stain I used. Happy to recommend TWP. Thank you TWP. Very happy with the results!
Can the same stains be used on wood and concrete?
No, TWP is for wood only.
There are 2 pics for before, during and after. The picture with the chairs is a before pic used by the previous owners when selling the home.
Our deck is over 17 years old and was not maintained very well. Roughly 800+ square feet. Made of cedar everywhere except the railings and one set of step boards. Those were built using pressure treated wood which were left bare and weathered for a little over 1 year. The deck was completely power washed 2 times (3 times in some sections) over the period of a few days and then completely sanded. We had originally planned to use TWP 1530 Natural on deck boards and railings then use TWP 1503 Dark Oak on all remaining verticals to have two different tones of stain. With the different types of woods we were able to achieve the same look only using TWP 1530 Natural. We put two coats on everything except the deck boards and used hand brushes everywhere to make sure that every corner, crack and edge were properly covered. My wife and I are extremely happy with the outcome of our project.
Bamboo wood deck. Used restore a deck A/B, light sand and TWP California rewood.
My wife and I were staining a very large dock located in Florida, where the sun and weather can be brutal.
Florida’s weather can be challenging, 95 one day and rain the next. We started the prep work and WOW the dock looked like it was built yesterday…. Can’t say enough about what a great product Gemini Cleaner and Brightener is for prepping old weathered wood back to its original look. Just sprayed it on with my trusty pump sprayer and waited. I had to keep wetting the surface because it said not to let dry and being in Florida with full sun in 90-degree heat, well it was a challenge. Used the pressure washer on the lowest setting and magically a new deck appeared. I have a pic showing a section before and after.
I like many others had trouble remembering that I was staining, not painting. I was obsessed with making the wood soak up more and more stain. We used TWP 100 Cape Cod Gray.
If I can make a few suggestions that I learned:
1. Wet on Wet means just that the wood can only soak up so much stain. I did spray it on sort of heavy, but the wood absorbed it just fine. Then I used a stain pad which worked great and applied another coat on top of that. This is where you need to stop!!! Even if the wood looks like it is still soaking up more stain.
2. When applying the stain with the pad stay with the grain. Don’t go against the grain it will show.
Thanks for a great product! Our dock looks great!
Do a wipe down after 2 hours of applying the sealer. Always do coatings in the shade. Ive done over 2k deck.
Here is the Deck before and after
Before….
Our house was rebuilt strong, better and raised after Super Storm Sandy 2012
We moved back in 1 year ago and have three decks. Waited one year for pressure treated pine to weather. Power washed and lightly sanded 80 grit boards on back deck with stairs(both sides). Applied TWP 1500 in Dark Oak. Could not be happier with results. Front two decks are next
Our deck had been stained with TWP 1500 Series stain color Pecan for the past 5 years. The best stain we ever used. This year my wife decided that the Pecan color was too “dark”, which resulted in me having to strip the old stain off the deck. I pressure washed the deck, and then used RAD stripper and brightner kit. The first pictures I have attached are just as I was as I was beginning the project.
I then applied TWP 1500 Series stain color Natural to the wood. The deck floor is pine while the seating, flower box and railings are cedar. The result is amazing!! See attached pictures of the finished product.
We had a party this past weekend and the compliments on the deck were nonstop. You will be getting quite a few new customers from the Bucks County area.
While the work this year was time consuming, it was well worth the effort. Thanks for the great product.
We have approximately 1200 Sq. feet of deck, consisting of an upper deck, main deck and spa deck. A large 100 year old maple tree makes it difficult to keep the decks clean. Our decking combines areas under roofing, a wet area near the hot tub and other areas that get sun during part of the day. With so much decking we also wanted something that would go on easily. We were looking for a product that would address all these issues and TWP does just that.
We began the project by cleaning the entire deck with Gemini 895 Restore Cleaner and Brightener then brushed on TWP 1500 Natural finish with the wet on wet application. We used 2 kits of Gemini 895 and a 5 gallon drum of TWP 1500 Natural finish.
We refinished our front porch (and two side stairways not pictured) this year with TWP Redwood 102. The original porch was 7 years old, finished with whatever the builder probably figured was cheap. The finish had completely failed, was flaking and was covered in mold and mildew.
We prepped with Restore-A-Deck stripper, then sanded the remaining semi solid stain and mildew penetrated wood off. Then I used Restore-A-Deck brightener and finally the TWP Redwood 102. I found a 4 inch trim roller and a standard brush worked best for this project since we don’t have long stretches of decking.
The result is beautiful and I was surprised at how little stain we needed.