View Previous TWP Restoration Contests
The TWP 2021 Spring/Summer Restoration Contest is closed!
Thanks to all the entries this year. Excellent job to all and we appreciate you entering our TWP staining contest for 2021!
We will contact the winners via their orders.
First Place
Ray (Page 2)
First Place = $500 + 5 Gallon Pail of TWP Stain
Second Place
Bob Hanes (Page 2)
Second Place = $350 + 3 Gallons of TWP Stain
Third Place
Dino Bortolotto (Page 1)
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!
The TWP 2021 Contest Details
- All TWP and Prep products must be purchased first from this online retail site (TWPStain.com) between January 1st – Sept 6th, 2021.
- The deadline for entry is Sept. 19th, 2021.
- The winner will be decided by Sept. 30th by our team.
Contestant winners will receive
- First Place = $500 + 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!
How To Enter Contest
- Enter by Sept. 19th, 2021.
- 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. Examples 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.
You will need to remove the Thompsons first. Use this kit while pressure washing: https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit-detail
When will the TWP 2021 Contest winners be announced? As stated on this web page, the winners were supposed be announced by September 30, 2021.
The article above shows the winners.
We used the Dark Oak TWP 1500 on our South Florida home Fencing almost three years ago. The coloring has held up beautifully. We also prepped with Gemmi wood cleaner brighter which really helped revitalize the old grey look of a faded fence by Florida sun.
My husband and I tackled the project of stripping and staining our old cypress doors on our front porch. Years and years of stain over stain left the beauty of the natural wood masked under many layers. We began by using Restore-A-Deck Stain Stripper, followed by the Neutralizer/Brightener. Days of sanding led us to our last step, in which we applied TWP 115 Honeytone. We have used TWP stain for years and would never use any other product. The end result is always great. Thanks for making quality products!
My husband and I tackled the project of stripping and staining our old cypress doors on our front porch. Years and years of stain over stain left the beauty of the natural wood masked under many layers. We began by using Restore-A-Deck Stain Stripper, followed by the Neutralizer/Brightener. Days of sanding led us to our last step, in which we applied TWP 115 Honeytone. We have used TWP stain for years and would never use any other product. The end result is always great. Thanks for making quality products!
Adding pictures that did not post with the original upload.
500 feet of fence, prepped with bleach and a power washer, stained with TWP 100 series in Cedartone 101. Very pleased with how easy this was to apply.
After receiving multiple quotes for staining our redwood parking deck that exceeded our budget, we decided to investigate a DIY route. The TWP site and their responses in the comments demystified the process enough for us to take a chance. We purchased the 1500 Series in California Redwood 1511 with the Gemini Cleaner/Brightener Kit. My wife and I followed the instructions with no issues in the prepping or application. After the dry time our deck looks fantastic! The compliments from the neighbors are just a bonus.
TWP saved us $$$ by doing it ourselves. It was an excellent project for these long-time apartment dwellers and first-time homeowners.
My summer project was to stain my porch along with the front staircase and the back staircase. Both sets of stairs, along with the porch, used a mixture of TWP 1500 series Rustic 1516 and California Red 1511 stain. I first prepped the wood using Restore-a Deck-products. I then let the wood dry for one week and then applied the TWP 1500-series stain using both a lint-free cloth and a natural-bristle brush.
The project was my son and daughter in law’s house in Indianapolis, IN. When they purchased the house, the deck had been previously stained with both solid and semi-transparent stain. The previous owner had attempted to remove the stain but never finished the job. I purchased 3 RAD Stripper / RAD Brightener Kits, along with RAD Thickening Gel and Rad Strip Booster. I had never used the gel or booster before on other jobs but I thought it couldn’t hurt considering the wear patterns and number of railing spindles on the deck. The stain used was TWP 1500, Dark Oak 1503. In total, 45 gallons of stripper, brightener and stain were used (15 of each). They are beyond pleased with the stain project and get the frequent question from guests, ‘what did you use’ to get these results!
We live on a island on the Mississippi River and have been flooded during warm weather every year for about the last 10 years and it has really made it difficult to get work done on the exterior of the house. We had the house professionally stained in 2018 and contractor talked me into using a Sherwin Williams solid stain. After 2 years it was flaking and peeling from house and decks. With our environment on the river and the several years of wet flooding we finally have a season of no flooding and went to work powerwashing, stripping and sanding the house and deck to get the solid stain off and have a clean fresh surface to restain. It has been a huge undertaking we have done ourselves over the summer. We chose the Pro Series Semi Solid in Charcoal for the siding and the TWP 101 in Cedartone for the decks, steps, railings and trim. Thank you for the awesome products, this was a huge transformation that we have been super stoked with.
Had used the Bher stain only a few years ago and of course started peeling. (wish I had known that before!)
So as a result I had a huge project on my hands now…!! Had to strip the whole deck and gazebo, inside and out with Restore A Deck Stripper
• Scrubbed on the stripper
• Then Power washed to remove stripper completely
• Then sanded everything with sander or by hand.
• Then brightened with the whole thing with Restore A Deck Brightener.
Then used following for Gazebo and Decking:
• TWP 200 Series: Cedar Gold 203
• For some of the Trim used: TWP 200 Series: Redwood 202
Love it, looks fantastic…will definitely use it again.I’m in Ontario, Canada so I had to pay for it all to be shipped to me, but worth it.!
Took forever to do but not much else to do during pandemic so was best time for me to do it.(Unfortunately I don’t have too many before pictures)
My sister’s deck. I used the Gemini cleaner/brightener kit and 1500 Series Pecan, the water beads up nicely now..
I gave our home a fresh coat of stain. Our 30 year old Lindal cedar home hadn’t been stained for years, since before we bought it and the cedar siding and trim was really dark and grey. What a difference! I used restore-a-deck stripper and brightener with a pressure washer. Then one good coat of TWP 1520 Pecan stain.
My deck was an eyesore after years of battling the elements but the cost of hiring a professional to restore it had kept me from doing so. Until I came across TWP in my online research and it gave me the courage to do it myself. I used TWP Restore-A-Deck Stripper followed by TWP Restore-A-Deck Wood Brightener for prepping. Just followed the instructions, let it dry for one day and used the TWP1520 Pecan sem- transparent stain. I was glad I conquered my fears and did it. I am a 63 yr old woman and I am proud of what I have accomplished. Even the neighbors loved it.
Just completed my fence and deck with two 100 cedar tone. Been using this for years and works and looks great with superior protection.
The Fort Kent Historical Society is restoring an 1840 National Historic Registry Dwelling in Fort Kent Maine. A double roof and asphalt shingles have been removed and replaced with eastern white cedar shingles. We recently purchased 3-5 gallon pails of TWP series 200 preservative which will be sprayed on 2200 square feet of roof as soon as we receive the product. Are we still eligible for this promotion if the application goes beyond your Sept 19 deadline? Below are two photos
Contest ends Spet 19th and cannot be extended nor can you enter if after.
Here us a second picture with the new eastern white cedar shingles
Last year in 2020 during quarantine my wife and I decided to power wash and stain our deck. We live in Oklahoma and our deck gets about 1/2 day sun. We used what we thought was a good stain/seal combo, Bher Premium Semi-Transparent Stain and Sealer, and it was AWFUL! After a few months there was noticeable spots of wear, and by this summer it was peeling everywhere.
This August, just like last year, we power washed with water/Dawn mix and let it dry for a few days.
But this time we did better research and discovered TWP. We bought TWP 100 Series in Dark Oak color and applied 2 coats wet back-to-back as instructed. It looks great!
Below are additional pictures that go with my post below
2021 July Back Deck Restore – Hot Texas Sun
The deck is 25 years old and have used TWP 100. I prep the deck, rent a sander from Home Depot and then use a deck pad and good stain brush. The results are fabulous.
Here is my 4th pic, to go with the 3 posted below.
Restrained boat dock after a competitors “10 year penetrating sealer” failed in 1 year leaving a mess. Used the Striper combo with the booster additive followed by pressure washing. Use the Redwood in the original formula + bug juice and its holding up great throughout our harsh TN summer.
Thanks for all of your online help–as well as personally replying to my questions the same day! We recently purchased a home with a 15′ x 32′ deck, as well as a lower stone patio with wood railing. After coming across your website while searching for deck stain rankings I purchased your TWP 100 Combo Kit in redwood. I applied the cleaner (and booster additive) with a pump sprayer per directions, sprayed with a pressure washer, then repeated with the brightener and a thorough rinsing. After drying for a few days, I applied the TWP 100 wet on wet as instructed. I am quite pleased with the results–as are my friends and neighbors!
One of my before pictures did not post.
We’d never used TWP before and were NOT happy with the samples we’d tried from the big box store. We read about TWP online and decided to give it a shot. Initially was just pressure spraying for prep and decided to give in and try the Gemini restore a deck prep products that all the advice pushes so hard. I wish I’d have bought them sooner! They made prep so much easier.
We recently purchased a new home, and the timber landscaping beds had really been let go. My mother and mother in law both said it looked like a haunted house! Looking much better with some TWP and TLC!
For some reason the before pictures are one at each end and the after pictures are in the middle. I have no idea why it did this.
This is our first time using TWP stain. While doing our research for a good stain, we seen that TWP had good reviews and was now shipping to Canada. We decided to try it since our winters are very cold and get a lot of snow. As per the tips from TWP, we first had to sand everything as the stain that was there had to be completely taken off. We then washed and brightened the wood using RAD brighter then finally applied the TWP Cedartone 201. We are very pleased with the end result and I am posting before and after pictures to show the outstanding results.
After using TWP 100 Cape Cod Grey, I wanted to try the new 200 series, using Slate Gray on my new wood gate. I liked it so much I am going to restore the other fence and gate!
This is my 3rd time staining my decks with TWP 100 Rustic and I love it! Wood stays in great condition and I do it every 2-3 years. I’m always so happy with the way they look with a fresh coat. I prep with the Gemini cleaner and ph balancer kit which also works very well.
This is the 2nd BEFORE PHOTO for my prior posting. Had trouble uploading this with the first 3 photos.
Restored a large wraparound cedar deck with stairs to lower level and underlying support structure. Prep was done with the Restore-A-Deck Stripper/Brightener Kit, along with their Booster Additive and Thickening Gel Additive. Stain was TWP 100 Series (Cedartone 101).
Restoration of a cedar balcony deck and pergola. Deck was stained seven (7) years ago with TWP Series 100 (Cedartone 101). Leftover cleaner and brightener (from seven years ago) was used to prep the cedar wood. TWP Semi-Solid Pro Series, cedar mulch color was applied.
I order a new pavilion for on my patio. I decided to go with Honeytone for the ceiling and the DarkOak for the structure. I think it looks great! The structure is new white pine.
Great results using the Gemini Restore-A-Deck kit to clean my treated decks and cedar siding, soffit and fascia. We used the Semi-Solid Pro Series in 2 colors: Heartwood for the siding and Cabin Fever for the deck, railing, soffit and fascia. Restore-A-Deck cleaner did amazing things, had already tried cleaning the house with a big box brand cleaner which did not do nearly as well, then re-cleaned a week later with an incredible difference using Restore-A-Deck. I was very impressed with how quickly TWP was able to send the stain as well after we had tried some samples to find what we liked. The super fast turnaround was amazing!
I sanded my old pressure treated deck down to bear wood about two years ago. I used your stain and was very happy with the results. I would like to now do a little refresh. I power washed it just to clean it up a bit and just because the application was so easy I want to add another coat. Do I need to do any special prep or can I just apply the next coat?
Best to use the Gemini Restore Kit when reapplying.
4th pic… In progress pic of the stain going on.
I finally got my project done and the results are wonderful, which has led me to decide to do the inside of the building as soon as all the hay is out of it, I am posting the outside pictures today.
We are in the process of restoring our old barn from the effects of weather and age. The barn had been originally painted red, then sprayed a tan color over the red. It was in desperate need of some kind of protection from the elements or the wood would just continue to disintegrate. We removed each batten and then had to screw down each of the face boards because they were curled out like a potato chip from the weather. Once they were flattened down, we used a rotary tool with 6 blades that easily and quickly stripped off the top surface of the boards, leaving them paint-free and ready to seal. We could have painted it, but I love the look of the old tobacco barns of the south with their dark rich hues. I was trying to replicate that look in stain. I tried many different samples and brands and researched many different options. I had actually purchased a 5-gallon pail of a competitor brand of stain, got it home and saw its horrible reviews of color fading and immediately took it back and bought the TWP 100 stain. I was so glad I did. We used the dark oak and it brought out the grain and age of the wood exactly as I wanted. We are now working on side 2 of the barn, and am so glad I went with TWP stain.
Resubmitting with all pics……
My pressure treated deck stained about 15yrs ago. I pressure washed with Restore A Deck stripper but it just didn’t seem like it was completely removing the old stain. So I bought the booster additive and another Restore A Deck kit and did it a 2nd time. The before pics are from the 2nd time, as you can see it is becoming ALOT cleaner. Did the Brightener then waited 48hrs and started the staining. I used 1501 Cedartone mixed with 1503 Dark Oak at (3.5:1) I bought many samples and tried a lot of mixes and like this the best. The hard part about the mix was getting the color to look the same(or as close to it) on the pressure treated wood and the cedar fence. Even just using a single color it never matched on the different woods. I had to replace some of the deck rails so I stripped & brightened the old boards and used them to test with. I bought a few extra pickets as well for the same thing.
How did this hold up? I’m about to restain my deck and love the color you got out of mixing the cedar and dark oak
My pressure treated deck stained about 15yrs ago. I pressure washed with Restore A Deck stripper but it just didn’t seem like it was completely removing the old stain. So I bought the booster additive and another Restore A Deck kit and did it a 2nd time. The before pics are from the 2nd time, as you can see it is becoming ALOT cleaner. Did the Brightener then waited 48hrs and started the staining. I used 1501 Cedartone mixed with 1503 Dark Oak at (3.5:1) I bought many samples and tried a lot of mixes and like this the best. The hard part about the mix was getting the color to look the same(or as close to it) on the pressure treated wood and the cedar fence. Even just using a single color it never matched on the different woods. I had to replace some of the deck rails so I stripped & brightened the old boards and used them to test with. I bought a few extra pickets as well for the same thing.
Well, I tried to resubmit
Resubmit
Thirty year old house with cedar shakes that had never been stained before. Cleaned and restained with your great stain and cleaner. Deck cleaned and stained as well. TWP Stain #101 Cedar Tone. Also used Gemini Restore A Deck Kit. Have used your deck stain for years on a newer deck was great but on this 30 year old house even better than I expected. Thank you TWP. 615-347-4094
Deck…Prepped with RAD stripper and brightener. 1504 Black Walnut…
We built our cedar deck 6 years ago and for various reasons never got around to staining the darn thing. The deck itself is 5/4″ cedar (mostly 4″ with 6″ around the perimeter) with 2×4 for the railings. All of the posts are treated 4×4 that are wrapped in 5/4″ cedar. The pergola is primarily 2×12 rough cut cedar with 2×2’s as a topper. After spending more time than I care to admit researching stain, we landed on TWP semi-solid pro-series for the task. We utilized the R-A-D products prior to staining, and they worked quite well. Unfortunately, I forgot to take any ‘before” photos – guess we were just too excited about finally getting it stained to think about it. As you can see, it a two-tone job. The darker color on the perimeter, railings, steps, and pergola is “Cabin Fever”, and the lighter color in the field is “Earth”. The product was very easy to apply (all by brush), and we couldn’t be more thrilled with the results. Thank you TWP for making a quality product. (Hopefully the photos post correctly)
We really like the colors you choose. Could you post a few more photos?
Thank you. Here’s a couple more photos (hopefully – I tried to attach 4 total pics with my original post, but only the 2 posted).
I am in the process of stripping old stain and sealers from my log home. After years of using stains and sealers from big box stores, the pine logs and cedar siding on my log home had turned dark. I began using Restore-A-Deck Stain Stripper and Wood Brightner along with my pressure washer to remove the old stuff. It is a slow process but the end result really cleans up the wood. I have stained some of the cedar siding and logs with Cedartone 101 which really look great. I still have to strip off some of the upper areas which will require renting a lift and I still have to apply the Cedartone 101 stain on the remainder. I have been doing this on the weekend by myself when I have some time, so it has been a slow process but I am getting there. Many thanks to TWP Stain for answering my questions and helping me restore my log home to its original beauty.
Not up to the contest rules but I thought I would share some photo’s of TWP101 Cedartone in action. This is split rail fence we replaced this spring and are very happy with the color and ease of application.
We have a pool deck that is 10 plus years old and we added a new deck between the house and pool last year. We stained the pool deck last year with TWP 100 cedartone and before we had tried several stains and sealers that did not work. With two coats on pool deck last year and the wood as old as it is really sucked up the stain and started fading this year. Plus having a saltwater pool with grandkids did not help the deck either. So we decided to do both decks this year. I purchased the restore a deck and used it on both decks with good results, the before pictures. Then we stained both decks, the pool deck only took one coat but the new deck required two because it sucked up the stain and needed a 2nd coat. The treated wood that we buy now is not as good as it use to be. The after pictures are about a week later after it had rained. The decks turned out great beading water and color is pretty close even with the age difference in the decks. I am very satisfied with the results. Thanks TWP!
In May, I used about 8 gallons of TWP 1500 rustic 1516 stain to restore my cedar deck and trellis. Lots of work to scrub and rinse clean, then hand apply the stain with brush, pad, or roller. The end result is a great finish and beautiful deck to enjoy. I have been very happy with the TWP 1500 stain and have referred a few admirers already.
My custom built pergola was neglected for years and was either painted or had a sold stain. Sanding was the only choice due to the extreme weathering and splintering. Lots of work with a 18V rotating/vibrating sander, but it turned out well. The first pic shows before any work, followed by one pic after sanding, but before using Gemini Brightener application (second pic) and then two pics showing after application of TWP 1502 Redwood stain. Turned out well, should last quite a while and thanks to using TWP products, easier to redo in a few years. Awesome TWP products!
Tackled the deck after refinishing it less than two years ago with an inferior water based stain. This time I stripped it with TWP cleaner brightener followed by a good sanding and another cleaning. Then one good coat of russett, using a foam brush around the edges, followed up with an application with a applicator pad.
Most of my deck is 8+years old and built by previous owners. We have changed aging boards and last year finished the porch around our pool. We were concerned that even though we seasoned the new wood, it would be obvious where new boards were. We pressure washed, sanded, and used TWP Cedartone. I am in love! The color is amazing and the way it stained the new and old boards were both amazing! We love it!
Deck turned out great. Even left theb5 gallon bucket pose for the camera.