Proper surface preparation is the key to any successful wood deck restoration project. Wood decks, fences and natural wood siding all require three basic steps for complete restoration and preservation.  If you think you would be more comfortable having a qualified wood restoration professional take care of your wood please contact us.  We can provide you with contact information for a professional in your area today.

The first step is to clean or strip the wood to remove any existing failed wood stain or sealer, dirt, mold and mildew. HD-80 and EFC-38 were both designed to assist you in this first step. Both products were designed for use on all exterior wood surfaces like: Decks, fences, wood siding and logs.

Product	Effectively Removes	Key Advantages	Additional Notes
EFC-38 Environmentally Friendly Cleaner/Stripper	Oil based finishes like: TWP® Ready Seal® Wolmans F&P®	Will not strip fresh paint. Requires less masking. Very gentle on wood.	Safe for use around plants & animals. Effectively cleans most surfaces.
HD-80 Heavy-Duty Wood Stripper	Hard to strip finishes like: CWF-UV® Behr Solids® Sikkens® Cabbot®	Strips virtually all finishes. Highly concentrated.  Down stream injectable.	Can be diluted for easy to remove finishes. Works great on concrete cleaning.

STEP2

The second step is to brighten and neutralize the wood prior to staining. Citralic Brightener/Neutralizer will brighten the wood to a like new condition and prepare it for finishing. This is the step that makes old decks, fences and wood siding look like new.

Product	Features	Key Advantages	Additional Notes
Oxalic Acid Wood Bleach	Available in Bulk	Will remove natural oils and sugars for wood matching	Opens the wood requiring more stain.
Citralic Brightener/Neutralizer	Perfect balance of citric and oxalic acids.  Buffered for safety	Creates perfect pH for finishing. Will not harm the natural sugars and oils.	Does not "bleach" wood like straight oxalic acid. Results are a rich natural color.

Step 3

The third and final step is finishing. Finishing the wood protects it from the damaging effects of weathering. The three main areas of defense are against moisture, mold/mildew and UV damage from the sun. Moisture, mold and mildew all lead to rot while UV exposure leads to graying or fading of the wood’s surface. A good finish must actively protect against all three. We offer four unique products perfectly suited for decks, fences, wood siding and log cabins.

Product	Description	Coverage	Ideal Application
Woodrich Brand® Stain and Seal	Penetrating oil/resin blend. High in pigment and biocide Easy to use, multi purpose. Excellent for contractors who run multiple crews.	200 –250 SqFt/Gal	Decks, Fences, Gazebos and wood siding.
Woodrich Brand® Timber Oil Stain	Penetrating oil based non/drying stain. High in pigment and biocide. Dives extremely well. Will not overlap or run.	100 – 200 SqFt/Gal	Replenishing old dry wood. Dipping operations and new construction
Woodrich Brand® Hardwood Formula Wiping Stain	Proprietary oil/resin blend. Extremely high pigment to binder ratio. Formulated for very dense wood. Long lasting results when penetration is limited.	250 – 400 SqFt/Gal	Exotic hardwoods like: Ipe, Cambera, Larch, Purpleheart, Teak etc.
Wood-Tux WET Advanced Formula Stain & Seal	Proprietary oil/resin blend. Extremely high pigment to binder ratio. Can be applied to wet or dry wood. Excellent for wood sided homes and log cabins.	200 – 300 SqFt/Gal	Wood sided homes & Log cabins. Excellent long lasting deck finish.

Product Comparison

Product	Comments / Ease of Use   (1 – beginner 5 – Expert)	Service Life*
Woodrich Brand® Stain and Seal	Excellent all-around product. Easy to apply, with lasting results. Looks great well into its service life. Overcoats easily making it ideal for maintenance contracts.            Ease of Use (2)	3 – 4 years (H) 5 – 7 years (V)
Woodrich Brand® Timber Oil Stain	Extremely easy to apply. Even first time users can expect perfect results. Absolutely will not overlap, run or leave drip marks. Great for homeowners and new contractors.       Ease of Use (1)	2 – 3 years (H) 3 – 5 years (V)
Woodrich Brand® Hardwood Formula Wiping Stain	Goes on rich to soak into dense exotic woods. Wipe with a dry rag to reveal a beautiful furniture quality finish that will hold up to the rugged outdoors. Formulated to last on hardwoods.       Ease of Use (3)	1 – 2 years (H) 3 – 5 years (V)** Hardwoods
Wood-Tux WET Advanced Formula Stain & Seal	Stay on schedule and maximize your profitability. Stop losing money to rain days. Goes on damp or wet wood with beautiful lasting results. Available only to professional contractors.      Ease of Use (3)	3 – 5 years (H) 6 – 9 years (V)