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 oil 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 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.
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.
I have applied a coat to epe wood and after 12 hours it is sticky feeling. How do I fix this. Does it need more time
Let it fully dry buy IPE can take a few days as it is a very dense wood.
I can mineral spirits tone the color down on a oil based stained deck (new)by wiping down
No that will not work.
after I used Gemini pre clean treatment and brightner my deck looks almost scally in spots and had a lot of white in it, it is a cedar deck with one year wait. I sanded it last night and want to apply stain today as the weather looks good for a couple of days. Am I ok to do this without applying Gemini cleaner and brightner on it again and getting it wet.
You should be good to proceed, but feel free to send a picture if you would like.
Using 101 30 year old pressure treated deck. 2 years ago I went with a solid stain, the weather and sun have removed slot of the pigment, so I’m redueing it with TWP. 1) finally found a product I’m happy with (only took 30 years) but had to drive 300 miles to get it cuz not allowed in NY. And now I need more! So first question is how does your NY product compare to 101 and will I like it as much? 2) I don’t think I can wait two years, maybe end of summer next year before re… Read more »
1. The TWP 1530 Natural is closest to the TWP 101 Cedartone in color. Performance is about the same between the series.
2. For stripping the TWP 101, the Restore A Deck stripper works best. Neutralize with the Restore a Deck Brightener.
I’m getting ready to re-stain my deck, after 3 years, with TWP100. While 95% of the horizontal surface has faded from the sun and appears very porous, I have a small area where I had a rug and where my picnic table was that didn’t get any sun and have a very slight ‘shiny’ surface. I’m afraid those areas will not accept stain well. Can I eliminate the small shiny areas by cleaning? Any advice would be appreciated. I really don’t want to completely strip it if possible.
Cleaning will not remove the stain or shiny areas. If you strip you would have to strip all to ensure an even appearance. It would be the best way to go.
If I have a shiny area, can I use a pressure washer to remove it?
You cannot spot remove a shiny area with a pressure washer.
You would have to strip all and start over. You cannot spot strip and try to blend. It will look bad.
I’m getting mixed info on how to correct/address over application of TWP100. Applied 2 coats yesterday on a 1 year old treated pine deck (should have applied 1 if read this post first :-/ ) Today, it is still tacky with some shine. Do I rinse with Dawn dish soap or try removing with rag & mineral spirits. Not clear. I want to correct before sets too long. Thanks!
Use the rags and mineral spirits. Saturate oil rags in water and lay flat to dry outdoors.
I stained my deck several weeks back using 1504 Black Walnut and now I have these white blotchy areas around the knots of the wood…any clues?
That is sap bleeding from the wood.
is there anything I can do to fix this?
No you cannot stop sap from coming out of the wood grain.
I followed all if the instructions on this website (thankyou!) in deck prep for TWP100. I got great cleaning/stripping results and then i applied too much stain in quite a few areas. I stained 24 hours ago and just tried mineral spirits and a rag. It didnt phase it. How long should i wait to try and spot wash the shiny areas? Sooner the better? Should i mix cleaner in a bucket and spot brush and rinse? Thank you in advance.
If the stain has fully dried then spot washing while not remove the shiny spots. If still tacky and oily then lightly washing with dawn dish soap and water may remove some of the excess stain.
Yes you should redo if you did not remove all of the gray or oxidized wood cells.
I prepped my cedar deck (both new addition and old stripped section) with the Gemini steps 1 & 2 two days ago. The new cedar has some splotchy areas where it looks like the weathered and/or mill glaze was not completely removed. Should I apply another Gemini cleaning steps 1 & 2 before staining?
I stained a house with TWP Redwood. the customer had a previous contractor stain with latex stain without pressure washing first and the job failed within one year and he hired me. I pressure washed (stripped) and sanded much of the house and decks. After staining the customer repeatedly requested more stain here, more stain there, this “definitely needs another coat” he wanted me to keep applying stain to get the most uniform match from the previous improper job etc., so I did, used about 50 gallons of stain altogether on house, multiple decks and fencing. now he is happy… Read more »
It was over applied. TWP is not supposed to be shiny and more is not better. Since it is vertical wood it probably will not peel though.
Try to wipe down the shiny spots with some rags and mineral spirits. Saturate any oily rags with water when done to avoid accidental spontaneous combustion.
see picture
hello – I stained my deck with TWP 1500 color pecan – its been about 72 hours and there are some areas that are still VERY shiny. What would I wash the deck with to help remove the shine? and would I use a power washer for that? Thanks
See picture.
I stained my deck yesterday and now it looks spotty. See picture. It’s 1 year old, never been stained and I cleaned and brightened before applying 1 coat. Should I sand the whole deck or clean it? I really don’t want to strip it.
Are you talking about the darker black spot in the middle of the deck? It is hard to tell if that is a shadow or something under the stain. The boards closest look fine.
Yea the splotchy spots in the middle. When I look at the deck from the side view some boards look shiny/spotty.
I would leave it alone as it will settle in and look more even as it fully cures in 1-2 weeks. If you wanted to remove then you would have to strip and start over.
Not if you do a very light concentration of the cleaner. Try 2-4 oz per gallon of water and lightly rinse the wood.
Redwood deck stained with TWP 100 4 days ago Some shiny spots, but not too bad. If I rewash the entire deck lightly with restore a deck cleaner, will I have to restain?
This is a result of improper prep and or over application as TWP is not supposed to be shiny. The only way to fix this is to strip it all off and start over. This is not easy when newly applied and when it is over applied. You can use the Restore a Deck Stripper and pressure wash. You may need to strip it a few times to get all of it off the wood. After full removal you will need to neutralize with the Restore A Deck Brightener.
Redwood deck, power washed clean, dried 2 days then applied 1502 redwood stain – didn’t read the small print and left a heavy coat thinking the wood would soak it up. 5 days layer and the entire front (shaded) deck has a thick layer of shiney varnish covering it. This is not satisfactory – what is the best solution? Is there a quick fix to remove the varnish without removing the stain underneath or does this call for a redo? Its too big of an area to spot treat with mineral spirits – would it be OK to power wash… Read more »
My house was previously stained with TWP 100. The painter I hired to restore the finish prepped the cedar siding on my house with Gemini Restore as directed (or at least he says so) then let it dry several days. He stained one wall with TWP 1500 Pecan and it looks great. Next he did part of a 2nd wall and the color is much darker than the first (almost a walnut color) even though it is from the same 5 gallon pail. He came back a few days later when I was out of town to stain more of… Read more »
Sounds like it was not mixed well and not applied correctly. You would need to remove the TWP and start over to fix.
Wipe down shine and excess stain with rags and mineral spirits or lacquer thinner.
You will be fine for a year or two.