Total Wood Preservative (TWP)

We use Total Wood Preservative (TWP) transparent stains for most of our work on decks, wood shingle and natural wood houses. TWP is a deep penetrating pigmented oil preservative. As discussed in the "Wood Facts" page; products that form a protective barrier on top of the wood may look good initially, but are of little value, since they easily wear off (usually in less than a year). Far superior, are products like TWP that protect by being absorbed into the wood fibers themselves, replenishing the natural oils depleted by the elements.

Two reasons we prefer TWP: They use clean, high grade, deep penetrating paraffin and citrol oils, which penetrate deeply into the wood, protecting the wood from inside rather than depending on surface film build up. TWP uses automotive grade transoxide pigments. These pigments are much finer than the bulky organic pigments used in other products. The end result is a more natural looking color that highlights the existing grain pattern with amazing clarity and warmth. TWP protective qualities are two-fold: After TWP is applied, the oils penetrate deeply into the wood grain leaving the pigment/color on the surface. The penetrating oils and resins rehydrate the wood and create a waterproof seal. The pigment enhances your wood’s natural beauty and creates a protective shield against the sun’s damaging ultra-violet rays. The TWP colors are Cedartone, Redwood, California Redwood, Dark Oak, Black Walnut, Cape Cod Gray and Prairie Gray.

Our blending philosophy
We use two of the TWP products, TWP 500 series and TWP 200 series. The 500 series is used primarily on decks and new wood siding and contains 65 percent solids. The 200 series contains 95 percent solids; and is applied to wood homes and is sometimes added to the 500 series when treating older wood decks that can absorb the extra solids. Solids refer to pigments, oils and resins that block the sun ’s rays. The 200 series is a heavier material and takes significantly longer to absorb into your wood leaving more solids on the surface. On homes we generally recommend anywhere from a 25% to 75% 200 series / 500 series blend to using a 100% 200 series solution. We've found that using at least 50 percent 200 series gives a better appearance and longer protection.