TWPStainHelp.com Tips: TWP Stain Application is Spotty/Shiny and How to Fix
Staining a deck can be a challenge. There are some common mistakes that can occur that may greatly affect the final results. One such common mistake is over applying the stain.
With TWP Stain it is recommended to apply the stain using a brush, roller, or some type of sprayer. If the wood seems very thirsty, you can apply two “wet on wet” coats. TWP is a penetrating stain so you should never apply more stain than the wood can absorb. Once the stain as had 20-40 minutes or so to penetrate into the wood, you should go back and wipe away or back brush any puddles, drips, or runs.
When excess stain (stain that did not soak in) is left on the surface to dry it becomes shiny. This can give the deck an unsightly spotty or blotchy appearance. If you notice your TWP Stain application is spotty/shiny you should know how to fix it.
Once the surface has dried you can see the extent of the spotty or shiny issue from over-applying. To fix it you can lightly wipe your deck with rags and mineral spirits to remove the excess stain that is on top of the wood.
Note: it is very important to saturate all oily rags with water once done. Lay the rags flat on the ground to dry fully.
If you are still having trouble removing the shiny spots, meaning the stain is too thick, you may have to use a stain stripper. You can also try sanding the areas using medium-grit sandpaper. Once the problem areas are cleaned or sanded off, allow the deck to dry before reapplying a light coat of TWP.
Only apply TWP to the areas you cleaned or sanded. Apply as much stain as the wood will absorb but no more. If the stain is not soaking in after 10 minutes wipe the excess away with a clean rag or brush. Try to even out the finish as best as possible without over-applying.
If you have this issue and need help. Please Ask below!
I pressure washed, stripped sanded and brightened my deck, then applied TWP 100 Cedar, 2 coats. I’m almost done but (like many on here) I’m worried about the shiny spots. I’m now 20 hours out. I’ve been searching through advice, and on some posts you say to let it dry more, on others you say to strip or wipe the excess with mineral spirits, or even to strip it in a few years and try again. Would you mind posting example pics of each?
We do not have pictures to post of different variations. If after twenty hours you can wipe down any excess that has not dried or is over-applied.
We hired a contractor to restain our 5-year old deck. The contractor recommended using TWP 1500 stain and we chose “rustic” color. I know he power washed our deck 2 days before staining. I’m pretty sure he didn’t do anything else to prep it. The day after it was stained, It was shiny in spots and dull in others and that has not changed after 3 weeks. I contacted him several times in the days following the stain application regarding the look of the deck. He kept telling me it had not completely dried yet. He didn’t seem to know… Read more »
He didn’t prep correctly and over-applied. You will have to strip it all off and start over to fix this. https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit-detail
It is not possible to match new wood to older wood as the new wood is much less absorbent and therefore will be lighter in color the first time staining. In a couple of years, it will blend.
Thank you for replying so quickly and giving us a solution. We will have to find someone else to do the work, but we don’t want to rush into it. If we can’t find someone this year, will it be okay to wait till next spring?
Yes, and easier to fix it then as well.
That’s great. But I’m curious – why will it be easier to fix?
Weathering makes it easier to strip.
Is there a clear TWP sealer. After deck treatment a segment that had more exposure to sun looks different (duller) than rest of deck. Can something be done without sanding it all down
You cannot add a clear to enhance the area so it evens out. Post a picture or two.
I had a little dent on my stained table and I fixed it but than I wiped it several times and the spot I was doing came to shine how can I get rid of the shine my table is Matt finish
This website is for help related to TWP exterior wood stains. We are not experts or have any experience with indoor wood table.
I stained the deck 4 years ago. I cleaned and prepped the deck on Tuesday, stained Saturday. I had some shiny spots where the deck doesn’t get a lot of use. I used mineral spirits on them, hoping that works. Do I need do anything to the deck where I used mineral spirits? My problem is that the deck is still tacky. I’m a little over 24 hours out. I’m wondering when it will cure. When can I let my dog into the deck and when am I able to put my deck furniture back on it? I used TWP… Read more »
No need to do anything. Just wait until it fully cures and is not sticky before dog/furniture is on the deck. Could be a few days.
Thank you. It is pouring here in Michigan tonight. The deck looks good today. Water is beading up nicely on the deck, except where I used the mineral spirits. Do I need to do anything to it?
No, just leave as is.
Our deck: New wood, #2 cedar, weathered 4 months, no graying…. I saw a Youtube video that refers to a TWP product called Gemini Wood Prep to use on new wood. Is that product still available, or do you just recommend the Gemini Restore-A-Deck cleaner/brightener for all prep situations?
Use the Gemini Restore Kit as it replaced the Wood Prep.
How to remove gloss on new stained doors before varnishing them?
Not sure what you mean? TWP should not be glossy as it is a penetrating stain and TWP should not be top-coated with varnish.
when new doors were stained they appear to be shinny. need to make them appear with a dull finish to add a coat of satin varnish finish. Don’t want a shinny look,the other doors are satin finish not shinny.
I did not know about TWP at the time, so they are stained now and need to get rid of the gloss on the doors.
TWP will not work for the doors nor can TWP be applied with a varnish on top of it. This is a help site for TWP related products, not general staining of doors and varnish.
I have applied the first coat and want to apply a second coat to new 1×12 rough cut siding. I see wet on wet, but what about applying a second coat after the first coat dries???
Not supposed to do this once the first coat has started to cure but it would vary based on if the wood is still porous or not.
I applied 1500 Cedartone wet on wet yesterday to two year old cedar deck after cleaning and brightening. One coat Cedartone last year. The last five boards that were stained 12 hours ago, are much lighter in color. How can I fix this without having to redo the whole deck?
It will most likely not take at this point since it is curing already but you can try. Make sure it is a very light coat.
Thank you. I applied a light coat and it corrected the problem perfectly. The deck looks great. Thank you for your help and for a great product!
Awesome! We would love to see a picture or two.
Here are a couple of pictures. Thanks again!
Looks great!
Your product is amazing!!! We bought a house with nearly-ruined deck. After long search between various products (I was recommended to use a paint, but all of them had not so good opinions) I pressure-washed the deck and used your product. It looks fabulous!!!
Thank you!
I live in Pittsburgh, PA and it rains a lot. We don’t have a full week without rain. My question is if I prep with Gemini
cleaner and brightner I know It has to dry for 48 hours but how long after that do I have before it won’t help the stain?
Also if it rains do I still have to wait 48 hours before I can stain?
Try to stain within 48 hours of the prep. If it rains, you will need to wait 48 hours for the wood to dry.
what happens if it rains next day after I stain
It will be fine.
It’s been 24 hours and the deck is still tacky and sticky. We are sure we put too much stain on. We used twp in years past and this did not happen. What rags can we wipe off excess stain with that won’t leave fabric particles behind? Will wiping the boards off with rags and pure elbow grease (without mineral spirits) work?
It will help. Use old towels or shirts. Note: it is very important to saturate all oil rags with water once done. Lay the rags flat on the ground to dry fully.
Applied 1500 Cedartone to 5 year old cedar deck a few days ago on Friday afternoon / evening after properly cleaning, sanding and dry time. I live on Long Island and it was in the 80’s and moderately humid when applied. Applied lighter 2nd coat wet on wet after waiting 10-15 mins after first coat. 20 hour after applying, about 1/3 of the deck looked shiny and slightly tacky so walked along the deck with a rag under my feet to try and pull up any excess. It’s now 40 hours after application, and about 10% of the deck has… Read more »
1. Do the mineral spirits now.
2. They will most likely not peel.
Thank you! Ok, so the point of using mineral spirits on shiny spots is NOT for functional purposes (to avoid peeling, or any other problem that may occur from slight excess application of the wet on wet second coat), but instead is to help the stain / wood simply LOOK better? If I don’t care about the look of the shiny spots, there’s no need to use mineral spirits? If I do nothing with the shiny spots, will the shiny spots gradually decrease over time and blend in? BTW, it rained 18 hrs ago (about 48 hours after application) and… Read more »
Looks better and speeds up the drying/curing process. If you do not care, just let it dry and cure on its own. It does dull down over time.
Stained a deck a week ago, had great weather, applied according to instructions. My problem is not over applying, it looked great when I finished but now some of the knots in the cedar look like they have no finish at all. what can be done?
That is normal as the density of the knots takes the stain differently on many wood decks. There is not anything you can do.
I am using 101 cedar tone. The deck was finished with twp about 3 years ago. This past week we hired a company who used a stripper and powerwasher, followed by treating with a neutralizer/brightener. It sat for 3 sunny days to dry. Then, to remove burring they used a rubber buffer on the cedar. Then the company applied the stain for me. Now I have quite a few spots that are sort of fuzzy…not shiny. And, it has a bit of a sticky feel to it….well, not sticky but for like fuzzy and I can scrape it off with… Read more »
The furring can happen when stripping and is not an issue overall outside of appearance. The only way to get it off would be to strip it down and then buff off the furring.
Thanks, but I don’t believe it is furring (wood fibers), rather the stain. I can easily scrape it off with my fingernails….I can’t do that with furring.
It is furring, not the stain. You are scraping off the wood fibers that are soft. It hardens better once fully cured.
Are there any options other than stripping it and starting over? You said it hardens better once fully cured….could I leave it and then when fully cured sand it? Not sure what you meant.
No other options but to strip. The fuzz should harden. It will not be an issue besides appearance if you want to live with it.
Appiled TWP 1500 24hrs ago to 4 month old redwood, lots of shiny, blotchy spots. I can’t get mineral spirits in CA, what alternative can I use to wipe down the excess stain?
Paint thinner or lacquer thinner.
I spilled some TWP 15002 Redwood stay on my concrete patio. What will remove it?
Try a graffiti remover cleaner and pressure washing.
Hello, applied 1500 yesterday (12 hours ago), still tacky. There are some shiny spots. Should I use mineral spirits now to remove or wait 24 hours? 48 hours? Should it of soaked it by now?
You can do now.
I have stripped, neutralized and sanded my 500 square foot deck. I have read that you should wait a few weeks to allow wood pores to open up before staining. If that is true should I do any prep work before applying TWP 100 series?
What grip of paper did you sand with?
50 and 80
Brightener the deck again and rinse well with water and you should be okay to stain. That will open the grain.
Great, thanks for your quick response.
Stained second half of deck about 20 hours ago, and much of it is still tacky. First half of deck turned out beautiful three days earlier. At what point should I use mineral spirits, or will it dry? Thanks. I do NOT want to strip it again.
By the way, was a stripped and brightened cedar deck
It will dry, just give it more time.
I will be applying TWP 100 Honeytone to ipe decking (after stripping and brightening). True or false: because of the density of ipe, it will most likely only take one coat of TWP.
Thank you
Only 1 coat for IPE.
I have a client that refreshed their deck this year after we had applied the initial coat last year. They definitely over applied. Cedar deck is tacky to the touch and obvious puddles. How would you recommend proceeding from here?
Remove and start over with this: https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit-detail
Any recommendation for my lap marks? Entire deck 60-grit sanded (removed old solid stain), cleaned and brightened with Gemini, two coats wet-on-wet (both old and new boards). My dad and I had to stain in sections and we overlapped that one area in the picture, most likely wet on wet (so that lap probably has four coats). It’s 7 am in North Carolina now, we did this at 3-5pm yesterday afternoon. Still within 24-hour window. Thanks in advance!
No way to really fix this besides taking it off and starting over. Most likely though it will fade and even out some over the next week so it is not as noticeable.
Thanks so much for the quick response . . . and of course, for all of the info on this site.
You are welcome!
We have a mahogany – covered porch – a few years ago we had it sanded down and applied TWP 1500 clear. It lasted 2 years so this year I used your cleaner and brightener on it – and then applied the TWP. Did a wet on wet very carefully. It came out great but it is taking time for certain areas to dry thoroughly – it has been 3 1/2 days now – it has been unseasonably cold here recently – days in the 50’s and nights in the 40’s – colder than it should be for this time… Read more »
You can lightly wipe your deck with rags and mineral spirits to remove the excess stain that is on top of the wood.
Note: it is very important to saturate all oil rags with water once done. Lay the rags flat on the ground to dry fully.
Do you think that is something I have to or should do if I don”t want to wait or do you think that it will dry eventually? As I mentioned above – it was warmer when I applied the stain and then a cold snap came through – looks like it won’t leave for a few more days. Plus since it is a porch – it doesn’t get direct sun. thanks
It will dry. Just give it some time to fully cure.
How long do you think it will take to fully cure? And can I use it while it is curing?
It varies based on weather. Could be a week, maybe longer. If it is sticky, I would stay off it.
Thanks for the quick response – it is not sticky – it is dry there are just areas that are still shiny
You can walk on it then if not sticky. That means it is dry and cured.
Thank you for all of your assistance – the deck came out perfect. The cleaning and brightening worked like a charm – and the wet on wet application- done sparingly – worked out great.
I think I over applied. 2 year old pressure treated pine. Stained with 1 coat last year (1 year old). This year, I cleaned and brightened with restore a deck, then applied 2 coats wet on wet. I think I should have stuck with 1 coat. It’s been 24 hours (50 degrees last night, 70 today), and it still shiny and tacky. It’s not as bad as this morning, but still tacky. Going to try the mineral spirits, and pray that it works. Looking at the pictures, any other thoughts?
Yes, you over applied. It will dry and cure though but it could take a few days or longer. Next time you will need to strip and brighten for the prep.
Thank you! I wiped it down with mineral spirits while it was still tacky and it took a lot off. I’m hoping I didn’t mess it up more. Since it took so much off, I’m a little worried about the integrity of what’s left. Should I just bite the bullet and strip and start over or do you think it will be fine?
You will be fine as you were just removing the excess stain that did not soak in. Leave it alone for now. Strip it in a year or two.
What color did you use? Looks very nice.
Pecan
What color did you use? It’s really nice.
Pecan
Has the stain formula changed in the last few months? I build 30 decks a year and only use 1500 series. Having problems on the last few jobs with stain not soaking in kiln dried pine. If we wipe it off, the stain color is way to light. Never had to wipe it before, it always soaked in…
No. No changes in formulations in 10 plus years. Your issues would be more related to the wood or temperature.
I just stained my deck and two areas of side skirting with 1501. I think I over-applied in places. The side skirting looks honey brown (real nice), but the deck and banisters are much redder and darker. I really saturated the deck…went over it twice with application pad, and had to go in a few other hard to get places. It soaked in so fast that I wanted to go in a third time, but stopped myself and wiped any excess with an old cloth. It looks good, just very dark. I used about 3-3.5 gallons for a two year… Read more »
It will be fine but does look very rich in color. Leave it alone. It will cure and lighten some over the next month.
Ok. Thanks. I’ll take it easier on the next deck. Less is more. Lol
You suggest removing excess stain that is not soaking in. If the spot is where you started how can you walk over what you just stained to get to that area? How can you walk on a deck that is wet. Won’t it leave footprints.
Yes, just make sure that when you back off the deck, that you wipe any footprints as well.
The workers only applied 1 coat, if they wait for 4 days to apply a second Coat. Will it be too late. As the stain will cure?
Yes, it will be too late. Has to be applied wet on wet.
Deck has been stained for 24 hours with 101 cedartone. Wet on wet application with all correct preparation before hand. There is still some glossy spots on the knots and some boards. I tried to wipe some of it up with mineral spirits but did not have much luck. Will these spots completely harden and become less glossy?
Yes, and it has only been 24 hours. It looks very good in the pictures.
Ok thank you
I re-stained my deck with TWP over existing TWP stain and a few areas had worn thru the old layer of stain. the new application didn’t coat/stain the same and i can still see the cedar wood with only a slight stain coverage. is there a fix or do i need to sand these areas back down.
Best to remove and start over. Easily done with this: https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit-detail
If I have sticky spots after 48 hours should I wipe with mineral spirits
Yes.
I stained my deck last weekend (5 days ago) with the 1500 series. There are several spots where it’s still tacky and slightly shiny (especially in the deeper groves), but the stain is not coming off on my feet or shoes. Personally, I think it looks totally fine and don’t mind the shiny and tacky spots. What will happen if I don’t try and fix it with mineral spirts and a rag? After it rains, will I get those white spots that I’ve read about? Thank you very much in advance!
The shine will dull down and it will be fine. As long as it is dry then you do not have to wipe with mineral spirits.
Can a gallon of twp116 rustic oak be used if it was from year before? Will the solvents in stain still be good or should a little mineral spirits be added to make sure it drys properly?
You cannot add mineral spirits to it and hard to say if good or not. Depends on if opened and if stored correctly: https://www.twpstainhelp.com/shelf-life-of-twp/
I am building a house and have beams to stain. They are Doug fir and have been weathering for 4 months. I sanded everything with 100 and then cleaned with the restore a deck kit and rinsed with a water hose. I let dry for 2 days before staining and found sap oozing from many parts of the beams. I haven’t applied the stain yet due to the sap. What do I do?
Unfortunately, there is no way to prevent sap from oozing out. Best to leave for a week or two and see if it stops.
What do I clean the sap with?
Not sure. Maybe lacquer thinner or Murphy’s oil soap. Sap issues are a paint to deal with and leech out from wood.
What can I do to avoid a white chalky residue from forming on my PT pine deck? I’ve used TWP 100 in the past but both times this has been the result – like a cloudy, chalky residue that’s noticeable when the deck is try. If I spray it down it looks perfect, but once it dries, it’s like someone has dusted the deck with a thin coat of flour.
Any ideas of what could be the culprit?
Nothing to do with the TWP stain. Most likely pollen from trees or minerals drying on top of the stain from the rain. It should wipe off with a wet rag.
It might be oxidized wood particles. You can sand them off before staining. I had them and didn’t and they affected my stain absorption. I have to either strip and redo or wait a year and fix it.
I have a Tell City end table. I’m trying to stain the wood top and it has turned out spotty and is having trouble drying. What can I do. Don’t know if there is a verneer top on or not?
Hello, TWP is not designed for this type of surface. You will need to remove and try something else.
I did heart redwood deck the wood is new when I appliqued the twp the first coat leave me to much shiny spots I put second coat and I to shiny now my question is the excess of the twp will be resisted to walk over
Roger, you cannot stain new wood right away. See this article: https://www.twpstainhelp.com/prepping-new-wood-for-twp-stains/
To fix the shiny spots, you will need to strip it all off and start over.
I stripped, sanded, and cleaned my treated pine deck to the point that it looked like brand new wood. I may have over applied. I will try the the remedies noted here and give it some time to cure and dry. If it is not resolved and I need to strip and start over. Will RAD be able to remove all stain and color on such a fresh application of stain?
Yes it should remove it. You may need to strip more than once as it depends how much it as was over applied.
FYI, sanding can reduce the stain’s ability to soak in. Sanding is not suggested and should only be done if needed.
I just stained my deck with 1500 series and some areas are still sticky after 32 hours. I guess I over applied stain. I’m not concerned about shiny spots I’m more concerned if the sticky spots will dry up if I wait longer or do I have to wipe them off?
The stain will fully cure and dry. Just leave alone and the sticky spots will harden shortly.
I recently purchased TWP 1504 Black Walnut stain. I hired a local painting company to apply the stain on my deck after it I cleaned with restore kit and brighten which was done on a Sunday and allowed several days to dry. The painters came back and stained the deck on Thursday and Friday. The company did a good job with vertical surfaces as they applied 2 coats of the stain wet on wet. The problem I am having is that there are areas on the deck that are glossy. Mainly on the floors which are horizontal surfaces. Other than… Read more »
Best to use the method as suggested above to remove the excess stain now.
Is it best to apply the stain…let sit for 10 minutes and then wipe it away with a cloth regardless of if I think I over applied or not? I want to make sure not to leave any shiny spots. Should I just use a rag to apply the stain or a staining pad.
Use a stain pad to apply. You can remove excess after 20-30 minutes.
If I used mineral spirits do I need to sand before appling a lite coat of TWP? The mineral spirits have made grey spots on the deck boards.
Clean and brighten the wood for the final prep. Use the Gemini Restore Kit.
We had our new (Feb 2017) pine decks professionally stained using TWP 100 Dark Oak. They brushed the edges and they seem fine. They saturated the center and left it to soak in. Now, one week later, we have a very dark large area (everything but the edges) that have glossy areas and are sticky. Obviously they did not follow the application instructions but what do we insist they do to remedy the situation? They want to wash it and it doesn’t sound like that’s going to help!
You will need to strip it off to fix and start over.
What’s with all the “Guest” replies? I have no idea who those folks are or if they know what they are talking about. Only TWP Help replies are valid to me unless “guest” wants to include credentials!! I am frustrated with TWP that even while careful to not overapply, I end up with shiny spots on the floor. And the reply is to wash it off with mineral spirits and reapply? Somehow I worry it will not blend well with the rest of the stain. About ready to paint the deck…I have been working on this cedar deck for 6… Read more »
The “Guests” are questions.
Wipe down any shiny spots with rags and mineral spirits. You do not have to reapply.
I’m not sure which TWO I used (pic included). I applied 2 wet on wet coats. 1/3rd of it is darker and shinier than the rest. I used a flat brush after each app to make sure there was no puddles. Can I apply a 3rd coat on the lighter side to darken it up? Deck is dry
That would not be a good idea as the stain will dry on top of the wood, resulting in over application.
Have 3 gal left from a 5 gal can there’s a thick skin on top can I use the remainder? It’s clear stain?
It has gone bad.
I just over stained my cedar deck 24 hrs ago. It has shiny spots every where. I used twp1500. I tried using mineral spirits but it wasn’t helping. What do I need to do next? Sanding, stripping (if so what kind of stripper)?
Stripping with this: https://www.twpstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper-brightener-kit-detail
Have a new heart of redwood deck. Contractors sanded quite well and left for 3 hours to return and stain with clear stain. Still very dry and hot sun (high altitude in CO) when they applied stain later in the afternoonn. Most of wood that was exposed to the sun is now spotted as if it had sprinkled all over except for the 120 square feet under cover which is perfect. What happened and how is it fixed? The spots are quite unsightly. Thanks.
Not sure what they did wrong. Post a picture please.
Applied TWP 100 to about 600sq ft of deck this weekend. Obviously used too much, whole thing is shiny and tacky. I’ve read about wiping it with mineral spirit to fix. Does waiting a few days matter? This is a covered deck.
FYI. Stripping and starting over is not a good thing to tell me right now.
It will dry so waiting will help.