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Parent Category: Defy Stain Reviews, Articles, How-To Tips

Need Help applying or prepping for your Defy Stains?

DEFY wood and deck stain products are formulated with premium quality synthetic resins that resist mold and mildew growth, are easy to apply and are environmentally friendly.

We are here to help you achieve the best possible results with these Defy Stains:

  • Defy Extreme Stain (Most Popular Defy Stain)
  • Defy Epoxy Stain (Second Most Popular)
  • Defy Stains for Hardwood Decking such as IPE and Mahogany
  • Defy Original Synthetic Wood Finish

 

To help us give you some advice, please answer these stain application questions

  1. info buttonFinal color desired?
  2. What kind of wood do you have?
  3. New wood or old wood?
  4. Smooth wood or roughsawn?
  5. Has the wood been stained prior?
  6. Additional info?

 

In addition please ask any questions you may have on prepping for Defy Stains:

  • Defy Wood Cleaner
  • Defy Stain Stripper - When to use this over the cleaner?
  • Defy Wood Brightener

Answer Questions in Comment Area Below

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  • We will reply to your comment shortly.
    Whit · 01/19/2019
    What is the annual recommended maintenance of a properly stain deck?
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    Bill · 07/09/2018
    I have Defy semi transparent stain that I bought awhile ago. I have a 7 year old pressure treated smooth cedar fence that I want to use the stain on. The fence was never previously stained and has weathered accordingly. How many times do I apply your wood cleaner and how many times do I apply the brighener before applying the stain?
    • We will reply to your comment shortly.
      thesealerstore · 07/10/2018
      Just once each. Apply the cleaner and pressure wash off. Once done, apply the brightener and rinse this after 15 minutes.
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    Margie · 05/07/2018
    Then can we use butternut on the IPE?
    • We will reply to your comment shortly.
      thesealerstore · 05/07/2018
      That only comes in the Extreme version and that is not suggested for IPE wood.
  • We will reply to your comment shortly.
    Margie · 05/07/2018
    We’ve got an IPE deck that was stained with the hardwood Defy year before last. Now have an adjoining pressure treated deck that’s aged six months. Plan to use butternut color. Can we use the hardwood stain on the pressure treated? It would be easier to get the five gallon. Thanks.
    • We will reply to your comment shortly.
      opwdecks · 05/07/2018
      Yes but the Defy Hardwood does not come in Butternut color.
      • We will reply to your comment shortly.
        Margie · 06/05/2018
        The butternut test ended up a bit too red toned. So the light walnut hardwood is going on both. Thanks!
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    thesealerstore · 09/17/2017
    Connie Miller:
    Need to finish new Pine exterior timber frame queen trusses and corbels. Smooth, no prior stain or treatment. Want to keep as natural wood look as possible, What do you recommend? What preliminary steps? What life expectancy in Smoky mountains with significant sun exposure on one side and shade on the other?

    See this about new wood:
    https://www.defystainhelp.com/prep-new-wood-for-defy-stains/

    Use the Defy Extreme Stain:
    https://www.defystain.com/wood-restoration/wood-and-deck-stains/defy-extreme.html
  • We will reply to your comment shortly.
    Connie Miller · 09/17/2017
    Need to finish new Pine exterior timber frame queen trusses and corbels. Smooth, no prior stain or treatment. Want to keep as natural wood look as possible, What do you recommend? What preliminary steps? What life expectancy in Smoky mountains with significant sun exposure on one side and shade on the other?
  • We will reply to your comment shortly.
    opwdecks · 08/02/2017
    skerbow:
    2 years ago, re-stained older pressure treated deck with oil-based Olympic stain. Want to now use water-based Defy Extreme. Will using Defy Wood Cleaner and Brightener be best?

    No. Use Defy Stain Stripper and then the Defy Brightener.
  • We will reply to your comment shortly.
    Steve Kerbow · 08/02/2017
    2 years ago, re-stained older pressure treated deck with oil-based Olympic stain. Want to now use water-based Defy Extreme. Will using Defy Wood Cleaner and Brightener be best?
  • We will reply to your comment shortly.
    thesealerstore · 07/17/2017
    Joe Suing:
    Question about the number of coats. If doing two coats what do you mean by wet ti wet? If that deals with time, what is best?

    See this for tips on wet on wet application:
    https://www.defystainhelp.com/what-is-wet-on-wet-stain-application/
  • We will reply to your comment shortly.
    Joe Suing · 07/17/2017
    Question about the number of coats. If doing two coats what do you mean by wet ti wet? If that deals with time, what is best?
  • We will reply to your comment shortly.
    thesealerstore · 06/29/2017
    Gerry Catry:
    Water was beading well on the deck boards the next day in bright sun.

    Lightly swept off the beads and there were white outlined blotches where the beads were sitting.

    In about an hour, the blotches disappeared as the deck dried.

    From one angle I can still see a bit of a white haze around the knots.

    Almost 48 hours since staining and it looks great.

    Very happy the blotches cleared up - to say the least!

    Any idea what the white haze around the knots would be?

    Thank you!

    Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

    On Tue, Jun 27, 2017 at 6:28 AM, www.defystain.com
    wrote:
    # RE: Defy Staining Tips and Advice — thesealerstore — June 27, 2017 06:28AM
    Quoting Gerry Catry:
    Two coats on cedar deck, wet on wet. Beautiful day, light breeze. Stain has only been on for 7 hours and unexpected rain is now threatening. Any chance it damages the

    Knots can stain lighter in color. This is due to the density of the wood there.
  • We will reply to your comment shortly.
    Gerry Catry · 06/28/2017
    Water was beading well on the deck boards the next day in bright sun.

    Lightly swept off the beads and there were white outlined blotches where the beads were sitting.

    In about an hour, the blotches disappeared as the deck dried.

    From one angle I can still see a bit of a white haze around the knots.

    Almost 48 hours since staining and it looks great.

    Very happy the blotches cleared up - to say the least!

    Any idea what the white haze around the knots would be?

    Thank you!

    Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

    On Tue, Jun 27, 2017 at 6:28 AM, www.defystain.com
    wrote:
    # RE: Defy Staining Tips and Advice — thesealerstore — June 27, 2017 06:28AM
    Quoting Gerry Catry:
    Two coats on cedar deck, wet on wet. Beautiful day, light breeze. Stain has only been on for 7 hours and unexpected rain is now threatening. Any chance it damages the
  • We will reply to your comment shortly.
    thesealerstore · 06/27/2017
    Gerry Catry:
    So the rain did hit early after two coats on cedar deck. If it stays blotchy, what can I do to fix it?

    Strip it all off and start over. Hopefully, it does not dry blotchy.
  • We will reply to your comment shortly.
    Gerry Catry · 06/27/2017
    So the rain did hit early after two coats on cedar deck. If it stays blotchy, what can I do to fix it?
  • We will reply to your comment shortly.
    thesealerstore · 06/27/2017
    Gerry Catry:
    Two coats on cedar deck, wet on wet. Beautiful day, light breeze. Stain has only been on for 7 hours and unexpected rain is now threatening. Any chance it damages the finish?

    Hard to say until the rain water dries. If it looks even and not blotchy, you are okay.
  • We will reply to your comment shortly.
    Gerry Catry · 06/26/2017
    Two coats on cedar deck, wet on wet. Beautiful day, light breeze. Stain has only been on for 7 hours and unexpected rain is now threatening. Any chance it damages the finish?
  • We will reply to your comment shortly.
    thesealerstore · 06/26/2017
    Mike Weis:
    I've got a cedar wood fence. I applied one coat and it looks great. Is it necessary applying the second coat?

    If you do a second coat it has to be applied wet on wet or within 20 minutes of the first coat. If you did not do this, then do not apply a second coat. You should be fine if it looks good.
  • We will reply to your comment shortly.
    Mike Weis · 06/26/2017
    I've got a cedar wood fence. I applied one coat and it looks great. Is it necessary applying the second coat?
  • We will reply to your comment shortly.
    opwdecks · 06/14/2017
    Gerry Catry:
    Stripped and sanded my cedar deck and rails. Used a hose to dampen the wood with step 2 brightener, waited 10-15 minutes then rinsed it off. Once it dried there's no real difference in terms of colour. Should there be?
    Thanks!

    It neutralizes the stripper and lowers the pH balance which in turn does lighten the wood. You may not be seeing this as much since you sanded.
  • We will reply to your comment shortly.
    Gerry Catry · 06/14/2017
    Stripped and sanded my cedar deck and rails. Used a hose to dampen the wood with step 2 brightener, waited 10-15 minutes then rinsed it off. Once it dried there's no real difference in terms of colour. Should there be?
    Thanks!
  • We will reply to your comment shortly.
    thesealerstore · 05/30/2017
    Dawn M.:
    Desired color-butternut. I have both covered porch floor, an exposed deck with railings, and new steps. Porch floor is treated plywood. (Plan to stain both floors the same.) Does porch plywood floors need the deck brightener before stain? Deck has been cleaned with deck cleaner. It is older. Brightener then stain? Does it need pressure wash as well prior to brightener? Do we need to let the steps and rails that are new cure a couple months prior to cleaning & staining? We cannot wait on the older areas. Thank you.

    Yes on brighten all and then stain. Let the new wood weather for 3 months.
  • We will reply to your comment shortly.
    Dawn M. · 05/30/2017
    Desired color-butternut. I have both covered porch floor, an exposed deck with railings, and new steps. Porch floor is treated plywood. (Plan to stain both floors the same.) Does porch plywood floors need the deck brightener before stain? Deck has been cleaned with deck cleaner. It is older. Brightener then stain? Does it need pressure wash as well prior to brightener? Do we need to let the steps and rails that are new cure a couple months prior to cleaning & staining? We cannot wait on the older areas. Thank you.
  • We will reply to your comment shortly.
    opwdecks · 05/13/2017
    Gerry Catry:
    Hi again. Cedar deck in Ottawa, Canada. I've stripped the deck before and everything came off very easily. If all of the old stain comes off with the stripper, is sanding still necessary? If yes, would I sand before or after applying the brightener? And if yes, what grit would you recommend? Thanks!

    No need to sand unless the old stain does not come off all the way. If you sand, sand between stripping and brightening. 60-80 grit.
  • We will reply to your comment shortly.
    Gerry Catry · 05/13/2017
    Hi again. Cedar deck in Ottawa, Canada. I've stripped the deck before and everything came off very easily. If all of the old stain comes off with the stripper, is sanding still necessary? If yes, would I sand before or after applying the brightener? And if yes, what grit would you recommend? Thanks!
  • We will reply to your comment shortly.
    opwdecks · 05/03/2017
    Gerry Catry:
    Hello. I have a three year old cedar deck. I live in Ottawa, Canada. Year one I used Sikkens on the untreated cedar and it was patchy after the winter. Year two I stripped and cleaned the deck and switched to Olympic and it is now peeling badly. The deck takes a lot of summer sun, snow in winter, etc. It is currently stained very dark - like the Defy butternut. I'm guessing I should be using Defy for hardwood and cedar. Does it only come in the three lighter colours? Looking for any advice. Very frustrating to start over each spring. Thanks! Gerry

    Hello, before using the Defy, you will need to remove all the previous coatings by stripping and sanding. The Hardwood only comes in the 3 colors.
  • We will reply to your comment shortly.
    Gerry Catry · 05/02/2017
    Hello. I have a three year old cedar deck. I live in Ottawa, Canada. Year one I used Sikkens on the untreated cedar and it was patchy after the winter. Year two I stripped and cleaned the deck and switched to Olympic and it is now peeling badly. The deck takes a lot of summer sun, snow in winter, etc. It is currently stained very dark - like the Defy butternut. I'm guessing I should be using Defy for hardwood and cedar. Does it only come in the three lighter colours? Looking for any advice. Very frustrating to start over each spring. Thanks! Gerry
  • We will reply to your comment shortly.
    opwdecks · 04/27/2017
    Joe Richert:
    Our pine-sided (smooth) is 16 years old. We first stained it with a linseed oil product. Lots of humidity here in WV and we had lots of mildew. I used Defy stripper, brightener and epoxy stain (cedar tone) 11-12 years ago and it's been great. Did a maintenance coat (after brightening) maybe 7 years ago and now want to do another. After brightening, can I just apply one coat of the Defy Extreme?

    Clean and brighten for the prep and then apply the Extreme.
  • We will reply to your comment shortly.
    Joe Richert · 04/27/2017
    Our pine-sided (smooth) is 16 years old. We first stained it with a linseed oil product. Lots of humidity here in WV and we had lots of mildew. I used Defy stripper, brightener and epoxy stain (cedar tone) 11-12 years ago and it's been great. Did a maintenance coat (after brightening) maybe 7 years ago and now want to do another. After brightening, can I just apply one coat of the Defy Extreme?
  • We will reply to your comment shortly.
    opwdecks · 04/19/2017
    donna schrack:
    I used Deck Stain for Hardwoods last season after several seasons of dissatisfaction with oil based products. The deck looks better this spring than any other post winter, so I want to continue to use the Defy product. Prior ro application last year I totally stripped off the oil stain from the wood then used brightener and applied the stain with a brush. I don't want to strip the wood again (IPE) so I wanted the specific cleaning and application steps that you recommend in my situation...one year post application, maintenance application. Thank you!

    Prep with the Defy Wood Cleaner and a light pressure washing is all you need to do this year. Just one coat of the stain.
  • We will reply to your comment shortly.
    donna schrack · 04/19/2017
    I used Deck Stain for Hardwoods last season after several seasons of dissatisfaction with oil based products. The deck looks better this spring than any other post winter, so I want to continue to use the Defy product. Prior ro application last year I totally stripped off the oil stain from the wood then used brightener and applied the stain with a brush. I don't want to strip the wood again (IPE) so I wanted the specific cleaning and application steps that you recommend in my situation...one year post application, maintenance application. Thank you!