When it comes to sealing wooden decks with TWP stain or any other type of stain you may have heard that cleaning and preparing the wood is one of the most important factors in the stain lasting. This is definitely true and will surely determine how well the wood stain holds up. A stain like TWP stain that is applied to unclean wood will not last near as long as stain applied to a clean and properly prepared wood surface. Many people have heard about a neutralizing or brightening process that needs to be done while washing and cleaning a deck but before sealing it. This process can be a little confusing to some. You may have seen a brightener product sold in the big box stores right next to the deck cleaner. Well this process is simple once you understand it. Before applying a stain such as TWP stain the wood is cleaned with a wood cleaner and a pressure washer. The wood cleaner will break up and emulsify any dirt and oily contaminants that would otherwise hinder the new stain results. Most cleaners used are considered to be a caustic cleaner which will leave the wood with a very high pH level and will cause the wood to appear very dark. So after washing a deck a product is applied to neutralize the caustic cleaner. This brightens the wood and lowers the pH level. All wood stains including TWP stain work best when applied to a more acidic wood surface that has been neutralized. So be sure you do not skip this step as it is very important to the life of the stain.
