Last Updated on January 20, 2022 by Defy Help
Update on Defy Stains for 2022
We love hearing from our customers who have used the Defy Stains or have questions on prepping and application. We appreciate your input, so feel free to leave a comment below and pictures of your completed projects if you have them.
DEFY wood and deck stains contain advanced quality synthetic resins that resist mold and mildew growth, are easy to apply, and environmentally friendly. How your Defy stands up to the elements varies though. A stain’s longevity is directly related to the preparation of the wood and how the stain is applied. At DefyStainHelp.com, we want everyone to have the best possible results when using the products we sell.
Please give us some details about your wood restoration project.
- Structure? Examples: Decking, Fencing, Wood Siding, Dock
- Wood Type? Examples: Redwood, Cedar, Treated Pine, Exotic Hardwood.
- When was Wood Installed?
- The last Brand of Stain used, if any?
- Additional Info if Needed
Please respond to these questions in the comment area below so we may offer some advice and help.
Thanks
TWP Stain Help Staff
I am using Defy wood stripper to remove 6 year old old Behr stain from my dock, then lightly pressure washing, and applying Defy Extreme Semi-Transparent Stain in Cedartone. Thereafter, I plan to restain every 24 months with the same Defy Extreme stain. Will I need to do the stripper each time, or just lightly pressure wash and apply the Defy stain over it every 2 years? I live in central Florida. Thanks
Use the Defy Cleaner and pressure washing when redoing every 2 years.
Pressure treated pine dock ;pressure washed ; used defy cleaner defy brightener then used defy crystal clear after it dried it still has a milky look to the dock it has dried for 2 weeks and did not get rained on for 4 days after clear was applied
There is no color in the clear so it would be the wood itself that was “milky” in color prior to applying the clear.
1. Old douglas fir porch that was sanded a month ago and looks like new: 1 or 2 coats of stain?
2. My store is out of the Defy deck cleaner but has the brightener. Ok to use another brand of cleaner? Thank you.
1. One.
2. No.
How long before we can walk on the stained deck?
4-8 hours.
We have a pressure treated wood deck we are looking to restrain before winter? If we use two coats of the water based stain, do we need to apply a sealer?
No, never apply a sealer over a deck stain.
Can you add texture to defy solid stain for deck around pool
No.
I used DEFY semi transparent stain BUTTERNUT on sanded wood deck 2-coats wet on wet 150sq ft. I decided to remove the stain and do my entire deck and wanted an even look so I used DEFY stain stripper.
I followed instructions to the letter but after power washing the area it looks like nothing came off. it is still the same color! I miss something?
Waited the stated time of over 30mins
Post pictures.
Ok here’s a few photos
No photos.
Can you mix Defy Extreme semi-transparent stain colors? I’m looking for a non-standard color. I just ordered stain samples in Light Walnut, Butternut and Redwood to try out a custom stain color. Thanks,
Jim M.
We do not custom mix but you can mix different colors together.
How long do you wait for first coat to setup to be able to walk on to apply a second coat?
Apply second coat 20-60 minutes after the first coat. No longer.
1. Yes, you need to do one right after the other.
2. No.
3. 55 degrees
can the wood be too wet to apply cleaner and brightener? It has rained lightly for the last 12 hours but stopped now. Pressure treated decking and rail, no previous stain, 14 months since installation, partially cleaned and brightened yesterday.
Wood can be wet when prepping.
I need a sealer for cedar soffits. I tested a cedar tone sample of Defy Extreme and the color is good but the finish is dull and lifeless. I used Defy cleaner and a power washer. Is the Defy stain a sealer or do I need a top coat? Also, do I need two coats?
You cannot sop coat over the Defy for a shine and Defy products do not have a shine. Applying a shiny coating will result in peeling for exterior wood.
I am sanding a painted patio deck and removing them one at a time. should I reinstall the deck to clean, brighten and stain iy?
Yes.
pressure treated pine decking, 2 inches thick, installed August 2021, no stain.
what is the best way to treat with which products? what is the best stain to use? what temperature is necessary to cure?
See here for tips on new wood: https://www.defystainhelp.com/prep-new-wood-for-defy-stains/
Can I apply DEFY EXTREME WOOD STAIN OVER PREVIOUSLY PAINTED DECK?
No, you cannot.
Have applied Defy Extreme Semi Transparent in Driftwood Gray to old Pressure Treated deck. (No previous stain or paint) 2 wet coats and I don’t feel like it’s gray enough. Is it possible to tint this product slightly?
It is not possible to tint and you cannot add more stain as additional coatings will not take.
Can I add “M-1Advanced Mildewcide Liquid Paint Additive” to Defy Extreme wood stain for added protection against dry rot?
Yes.
I am applying Defy Extreme Wood Stain to the structure underneath a Trex deck (you can walk under the deck). The wood looks as if it has never been stained and there is some dry rot in a few places. After pressure washing, all of the visible white fungus is gone. It was suggested to me to use a household bleach solution on the bad spots before staining. Can I apply the stain over the bleach washed spots? I am not concerned with how it looks as it is under the deck and out of sight.
As long as you rinse well after. you are okay.
I have a new redwood pergola that I would like to stain with the goal to maintain the natural redwood color (and not turn gray) over time. Should I use the redwood color or the clear tone? What are the pros and cons for each?
The tinted colors will last 3 times longer than the clear when it comes to UV protection. The lightest tinted color would be the Natural Pine. You can use any color that you like.
applied defy wood cleaner and defy brightened several weeks ago. Can I still apply cedar tone stain
Redo prep if it has been more than 2 weeks.
I am applying on a new treated pine dock. Do I apply two coats since it is new wood, or just one coat and apply another coat 6-12 months later?
Two coats are okay now.
Am reapplying the same Defy Extreme wood stain on shaded deck railings after 4 years. Is anything more than washing required for prep?
Use the Defy Wood Cleaner and then the Defy Brightener.
I just cleaned my deck using the Defy cleaner. It has kicked up a bunch of small wood “fuzz”. Should I sand this off before staining. Seems like it will give me a better finish but I also don’t want to sand away the open wood pores that comes with the cleaning/bleaching process
You can sand this off if you like using 60-80 grit. No finer.
efficiently. Am at a loss on how to deal with green algae stains. Some came off with cleaner, pressure washing but some just sits there, looking sunk deeper into wood, giving a green patina. Particularly obvious around post columns at the base. I went ahead and stained anyways after brightening, even though algae shows through, but winter is around the corner and had to finish before temps drop. What can I do in the future?
If the green is deep in the wood grain then it is part of your wood and will not come out.
My deck is 20+ years old. Last spring I used a liquid stripper to remove multiple layers of stain on it; I followed up by sanding the entire deck in order to remove residual stain that remained. Yesterday, I cleaned the deck using the Defy oxygenated-bleach wood cleaner. The bare wood currently has chalky white spots and streaks (see photos). The white sections first appeared after I used the liquid stripper, and more appeared after I used the Defy wood cleaner. My question: Is there anything that I can/should do before using the Defy deck brightener, followed by the Defy Extreme semi-transparent stain (butternut color)?
Thank you.
No need. Just brighten and then stain.
Do you have a product that can be used on an interior wood?
We do not carry anything for the interior.
Is there anyway to fix this?
The uneven application? No, unless you want to remove and start over.
Not just that but there are splotches of stain sitting on the surface
That happens due to over-applying and not applying evenly. Basically too much stain was applied and it could not soak into the wood grain.
Is there any way to get off the excess stain? If I did decide I wanted to redo it what should I do?
You would have to remove all and start over. Not possible to spot fix.
Use the Gemini Restore Kit that we sell.
We have completed our stain project. The stain is dark the way we wanted it. Do you have any suggestions on what to use for just cleaning the dust and dirt that shows up. Can i use a wood floor cleaner like Johnson and Johnson for wood floors? Thank you.
No, just use water to lightly clean to remove dirt.
After waiting several months over the winter in the rainy PNW, we used Defy this spring for our new cedar fence once things dried out. We followed the instructions with cleaner, brightener, and used the Cedar Tone Extreme Semi-Transparent Wood Stain. Loved it and got lots of comments from neighbors. However, we noticed some fading and lightening already. I thought about using a power washer to lightly wash down the boards and then applying a light coat of the stain to boost/restore the original look. I am getting mixed messages about whether I need to do the whole clean/brighten/stain process over, or just rinse/let dry/apply additional touch-up coat. Two local stores gave me differning instructions, and I see nothing on your website about ‘touch up’ application. Can you get back to me before our fall rains hit? I have a small window. One of my neighbors shrugged and said it looked fine to him, but I have noticed fading/bleaching and want to make sure it is protected and stays looking nice. Last winter the new wood got dark and it was difficult to clean/brighten….I want to prevent that from happening.
Use Defy Cleaner and pressure washing. Brightener after to neutralize.
Rats! More work. 🙂 Thanks for the quick response…especially on a holiday!!
Will a heavy dew affect the stain? Or should we try to apply earlier in the morning so it has time to dry more before the dew comes?
it has to be fully dry when applying from any dew.
I finished applying defy extreme semi transparent at 7:30 last night. It looked great. Today around 4 we got a sun shower snd I have rain spots on several boards. What should I do snd curious why this happened. Used defy stripper snd bright and let dry before I stained.
Post a picture or two.
How do you clean knotty cedar which has had a DEFY treatment a few years ago?
Use the Defy Wood cleaner and then recoat.
Should I apply 1 or 2 coats of the Defy Stain to my vertical posts and spindles on my deck? Thanks
One will suffice.
Regarding cleaning Defy stain off window glass: I have a light mist of defy stain that has been on some windows for 20 years since I first applied the original product. now I would like to clean the windows better than they have been cleaned in the past. These are basement windows inside window wells. I have tried a razor blade, mineral spirits, alcohol, lacquer thinner, and even gasoline. Nothing seems to be working. The razor blades are having a hard time touching the stuff. I’m thinking trying ammonia or Naptha next. Help. Now I have cleaner streaky windows.
Try a graffiti remover like goof off. For additional help, contact the manufacturer directly as we are dealer for them only.
I have several 5 gal buckets of Extreme wood sealer. A client wants a little more brown vs the golden yellow color it normally has for the PTYP deck we finished earlier this year. Can I add color to it?
You cannot.
I have a new cedar deck. It has taken 2 summers to build it. Stairs and railings were this summer. All wood weathered. I was planning to use Sherman Williams stain but found yours. I have used Sherman Williams revive and all gray is gone and wood is much more porous and light. Do I need to use your brightener before staining? I’m hoping not because I’m running out of time and don’t have any
Post pictures of your prep so far here in the comments.
Hi. I have a new deck consisting of Alaskan yellow cedar deck boards, hemlock rafters and pine ceiling boards. The deck is a screened porch and much of the wood doesn’t get direct sun. Can I use the Hardwood Stain for all surfaces or do I need to use the regular Extreme stain for the pine (not pressure-treated)? Thanks.
You can use the Hardwood for all.
Thanks!
Hello,
I have a client that has 900 square feet of teak deck at their residence. Decking is 15 to 20 years old and has a great gray patina. The client wants the deck cleaned and sealed. Does defy have any products made to clean and seal a teak deck? On line search returns show products made for marine or boat use and teak furniture. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Tom
Use this for prep: https://www.defystain.com/wood-restoration/defy-wood-cleaner.html
Use this for the stain: https://www.defystain.com/defy-hardwood-stain.html
Is there a maximum waiting period between applying the Wood Cleaner and Brightener to the deck and applying the Stain? With the limited time I have available to work on the deck each day, it may take several weeks before I’m able to complete the entire project. Thanks!
Stain within 2 weeks of the prep.
Can this b used on “artificial wood”decking
Not plastic decks.
Just applied 7gallons of defy extreme water baced cedar stain on a 1year old pressure treated surface. My helper who was on the opposite side of the house applied the product very sparingly while I did the opposite. Now I have two obviously different surfaces. This being my first experience with using your product I found no instruction on a redcoat procedure once the product is cured. What process do I use to blend the two surfaces now. In addition how are redcoats done in the future as this account, I am a contractor, has requested I add on to the deck next year. So the customer is concerned about having a uniform match. Thank you!
You cannot recoat once cured as second coats must be applied wet on wet. The soonest you can recoat is 6-12 months later after prep of the Defy Wood Cleaner. That is the same whenever you need to reapply.
I have a 30 year old deck, probably fir, with arbour coat semi transparent redwood stain on it. Although semitransparent, it looked like a solid stain when I stained it 3 summers ago. Now it is badly peeling and has some mildew, but the periphery is still quite solid. How should I go about prepping the wood for staining with defy extreme semi transparent redwood?
Also, if I place an order today, how long will it take before I receive the delivery in Ontario Canada? (With all the Covid delays we hear about, I’m just wondering what shipping is like.) Thx!
You will need to fully remove the Arborcoat and that will require heavy sanding. Shipping takes about 2-5 days to Ontario.
Thanks for your quick reply. So is sanding enough? Do I need to follow sanding with cleaner? brightener?
Clean and brighten with the Defy prep after the power sanding.
I really appreciate your expert advice. I have yet another question.
My 30-year-old deck has a few PT boards on it where I replaced rotting boards 3 years ago. They were left to dry for a few months before staining. They were never sanded and the Arborcoat semi-transparent went on thick but peeled off. The old stain that is left on them did not come completely off with a pressure wash. Should I use stripper for these boards, or should they be sanded? (I will be sanding the rest of the deck).
Hello-
i just got done staining my new pressure treated deck (1 year old). I used the Defy extreme butternut. The railing and post looks great but I ran out of stain on the deck boards and you can see the transition from one stain to the next half way across my deck. I only did one coat on the deck boards. This has now dried for 3 days. Can I apply a second coat?
No, second coats have to be applied wet on wet. You can remove and start over or wait until next Spring to clean and recoat.
What would happen if I apply another coat now? Also, what is the process of restraining next time my deck needs it? Do I have to sand everything off if I’m using the same stain?
The first coat has already cured so the second may not adhere and or soak in, resulting in possible premature failure. When redoing in a year or longer, just clean and recoat.
What would happen if I don’t wait to apply another coat? What’s the process of restraining the deck when the time comes? Do I have to sand everything down if I use the same stain?
We already responded to this above.
what tool is best to apply your composite sealer~~roller, brush, spray, pad applicator?????
Stain pad applicator or brush.
Previously used Defy Wood Stripper. Wood has dried after that process. Planning on using Defy Wood Cleaner and then Brightner next. Should the Wood Cleaner be applied to pre-wetted wood or dry? Label says to wet surface – video on youtube shows it being applied to dry wood.
Pre-wet the wood first.
We applied the semi transparent deck stain, two coats a few days apart. Since then we have had a lot of rain and have had puddles of water in the deck. In a few spots it seems to have left marks. Should we remove the excess water after big rains?
You should not have to but you did not apply the second coat correctly. It has to be applied wet on wet, not days apart. This could lead to issues down the road.
Hey,
I am going to add kiln dried boards for my porch skirting. Will I be able to stain right away?
Pressure wash, clean then brighten with wet on wet?
I am sending pictures of the completed stained porch. I know we made some mistakes but will do better next time! I am still pleased. Thank You.
Wait 1-2 months and then prep the skirting with the Defy Wood Cleaner. The porch looks great.
We live in Northern AZ and our TREX deck is exposed to snow, ice and 100+degree heat. It has been down for seven years. In the last two years it has developed a white haze on the surface. It has not occurred in places where the deck is protected by something sitting in one place on it. I contacted TREX and they agreed that there is problem from the pictures I sent them. Would your cleaner and composite deck treatment help us get rid of the white haze? TREX stated that it occurs in some parts of the country but offered no good reason for it nor any process to restore the deck to it’s original color.I have attached a couple of pictures to illustrate the problem. One picture shows the door mat moved over and the other was when I power washed the deck. The circled area is where a mat sits in the summer and the surrounding area did not change appearance durring the washing and powerwash rinse. I have more pictures if they would help.
You cannot fix this, It is permanent and needs to be replaced.
Looking for a concrete sealer / paint, I have a sidewalk that was patched several years ago. Due to portions that were crumbling. The newer portion is a different color than the older section even after power washing. Do you have any products that would color it all back to one color and then seal it?
We do not.
We applied wet on wet to 10 month old new redwood.
Deck wood is splotchy after 2weeks. Wood did not take Defy Redwood Stain evenly.
Suggestion???
Do you have pictures?
Pictures.
I sent photos last week. But I’ve not heard back??
Your photos were never uploaded as you can see above. They have to be smaller than 3MB.
Is there a “shelf life” or a “best used before” date on your stain? I have run into project delays and in a worse case scenario the project could be delayed as much as a year. The stain was purchased in the spring. Is this an issue?
It will be fine for 2-3 years, do not let it freeze.
Good News! Thank you!!