Last Updated on January 25, 2024 by Defy Help
How to Apply Defy Extreme 2024
How to Apply Defy Extreme Stains? We love hearing from our customers who have used the Defy Extreme Stains or have questions. We appreciate your input, so feel free to leave a comment below and pictures of your completed projects if you have them.
Defy Extreme Wood Stain is a long-lasting synthetic resin, semi-transparent wood finish that helps shield against fungi, water, an
Defy Extreme Stain 1 Gallon
d UV damage. Its VOC compliant water-based formula contains “oxide” based Nano Particles. Over 30 trillion particles per square inch provide outstanding protection.
Defy Extreme Stain Uses
Defy Extreme Wood and Deck Stain is used for interior and exterior wood surfaces such as wood siding, log homes, decks, fences, gazebos, wood shakes, and outdoor furniture. Good on pressure treated and all other natural wood surfaces.
Defy Extreme Surface Preparation
Allow pressure treated lumber to dry out for 3-6 months prior to application. Do not apply Defy Extreme Exterior Wood Stain over existing stains or paints. Strip any old stains with Defy Exterior Wood Stain Stripper. Clean wood surfaces using Defy Wood Cleaner when no old stain is present to remove any mill glaze, dirt, soils, mildew, and graying.
Apply either Defy Stain Stripper or Defy Wood Cleaner using a pump-up sprayer. Clean the wood surface with a brush or lightly wash with a pressure washer. Rinse the surface well. The wood will appear dark as a result of cleaning. To brighten the wood and open the wood pores for better stain penetration, apply Defy Wood Brightener while the surface is still wet again using a pump sprayer. Rinse well.
Permit the wood to dry for approximately 48 hours before continuing. Do an absorption test on the wood by sprinkling a few drops of water on the surface. The wood should absorb the drops immediately if not, do not apply the stain. The wood may not be dry or porous enough to accept the stain correctly. Test a small area before staining to assure desired results.
Defy Extreme Application
Stir or shake contents prior and occasionally during use. Do not thin Defy Extreme Stain. Surface and air temperatures should be between 45-95 degrees for staining. Avoid applying Defy Extreme in direct sunlight. Cover non-targeted surfaces such as plants, siding, concrete, windows, etc using plastic, tarps, or drop cloths.
Use only high-quality polyester or nylon brushes. You can also use rollers, stain pads, pump up, or airless sprayer for application. Back brush when spraying to ensure a more even appearance.
Start on deck railings first. Do not over apply Defy Extreme Deck Stain. Work out excess drips, runs, or puddles before the stain is allowed to dry. Start on the bottom of vertical surfaces and work up. Do not stop staining in the middle of a board or this may cause color variations and lap marks. Stain the entire board from end to end or to a natural break in the surface before stopping.
On porous and pressure-treated woods two coats of Defy Extreme Stain can be applied. Best to wait for a minimum of 20 minutes between coats and do not allow the first coat to dry before a second coat application. Avoid an unwanted shiny appearance and peeling issues by only applying as much Deft Extreme Deck Stain as the wood can absorb.
Coverage: When applying two coats, Defy Extreme will cover 100-150 sq. ft. per gallon depending on wood texture and porosity.
Clean-Up: Clean tools and equipment directly after use with soap and water.
Dry Time: 2-4 hours to touch and 24 hours before use. Drying times will vary depending on temperature and humidity.
Maintenance: Occasional cleaning with mild detergent and water is recommended. Defy Extreme Wood Stain should be recoated within 24 months, or when graying begins to appear. Brighten with Defy Wood Brightener after washing and before recoating with Defy Extreme Stain.
So I’m using some of my leftover extreme semi transparent wood stain for a bench I’m going to use in house (not outside) by my bar. It should be ok to put polyurethane over it since it’s staying inside and not exposed to UV and elements, correct?
Not sure if it will adhere or not. This is really more of a question for the poly brand and if their coating will work correctly over an exterior deck stain, but for interior use.
After using defy extreme stain do I use a clear coat to protect?
No, you cannot top coat over deck stains.
Do I apply a wood preservative over defy stain
No, you cannot do that nor is there any need.
I have a redwood gazebo that is 12 years old and has been stained one time right after it was installed. Can Defy Extreme be used on the gazebo to refinish it now after a light power wash and dry is done?
You need to make sure the prior coating is fully removed first. For prep tips and what to used, prela reply back with some pics.
What if I put too much on and it is tacky?
Let it cure out. Might take a week or two.
I feel like there are mixed answers about how to prep for restaining a deck using the same color. I applied two coats last summer, but it needs to be stained again (no fault of the stain, it was how it was applied). Can I just use the cleaner or must I also use the brightener? Or do I have to use a stripper first?
Just the cleaner will work.
I stained my deck last summer but the deck boards need to be stained again (no fault of the stain itself). I will be using the same color. What do I need to do to prep beforehand?
Use the Defy Wood Cleaner for prep to recoat.
I’ve used the Defy cleaner and then the Brightener strictly according to instructions on a new one-year-old pressure treated deck not previously stained. I used a deck brush to scrub. The deck is now drying and I’m seeing a lot of raised wood fibres, which I didn’t expect. Does this mean I now have to sand the deck before staining it?
That happens from oxidation removal. See this for tips: https://www.deckstainhelp.com/wood-fuzzies-furring-on-deck/
I used TWP 2 years ago. The deck is panoramic south facing. It.gets a lot of East Bay, CA full day exposure to sun, so I’m switching to DEFY.
Painters recommend I powerwash all old stain, dry 48 hours, spray apply DEFY
Roller in on the flat areas with two coats
Is this procedure OK?
No, you need to strip and brighten for prep while pressure washing.
I am refurbishing my Mothers pressure treated wood deck. It was almost black and had not been attended to in about 5 years. I followed all your directions on prep. I stripped, cleaned, brightened and sanded the entire 16’ x 30’ deck, railings, balusters and stairs. I used your coverage calculator to figure out how much stain I needed. I plugged in everything it asked. The result was 16 gallons. It sounded like a lot to me. I purchased 3 5 gallon pails. I have barely dented the first pail and all I have left is the decking boards. Everything else has had 2 coats with a wait time of 20-30 minutes between coats. It looks beautiful. I was very conscious of cleaning drips and not putting on too much. The water beads on what I have done. If the decking takes up stain like the rest, I am concerned I will have 10 gallons left over. Does this sound right. I don’t know how the calculator could be so far off. Thoughts?
The calculator would not be off but how you entered the numbers could be. 1 of the 5-gallons would be correct for two coats applied wet on wet to a deck around 500 sq feet.
I have a 2 year old PT deck that has never been sealed or stained. It has scratches from my dogs that I need to sand off before staining. Should I sand those spots before applying the cleaner and brightner?
If you spot sand then the stain will take unevenly in those areas so it is not suggested. We would just skip it and go to the prep.
I followed all steps and have the first coat down on my mahogany Deck. It looks good but a bit dry.
How long before I can brighten and recoat the deck ?
6-12 months. More is not better and the Defy is not supposed to look “shiny”.
Very good, Thanks!
I will stain a just-sanded cedar deck with Defy extreme cedar tone. Should I use 1 or 2 coats?
One coat.
Well, as it happens, I did the work 2 days ago. I tested a 2nd coat, wet-on-wet, and the boards seemed to absorb it well. I put on a 2nd coat with a car wash brush and used rags to wipe off any excess. The deck has dried well, so we’ll see.
It should be fine as long as the stain soaked in fully.
Curious why you recommend one coat on cedar, which is a light, porous wood?
Cedar is oil-rich and can repel stains sometimes. Not as porous as you may think. More stain is not always better.
I have 6×6 douglas fir porch columns that I recently coated with BoraCare termite treatment. The columns had been untreated and unstained or sealed for almost 15 years. BoraCare recommends a sealant be used after the termite treatment. I pressure washed the columns prior to using the termite treatment. Can I use Defy semi-transparent pine stain after the BoraCare? If so, do I need to do any additional steps beforehand?
As long as the surface is clean and porous, then yes, you can use the Defy.
Our deck sits above our new porcelain paver patio, the Defy stain was sprayed on the deck boards but the overspray made it onto the pavers below which unfortunately were only partially covered. We have tried commercial strength good off and stain stripper that we found at Lowe’s. Neither products did anything to get rid of the stain. What do you recommend to get the product off.
Try a deck stain stripper and pressure washing to see if that will get it out.
Applying a second coat of stain after 20 minutes implies that you can walk on the newly stained wood? Otherwise how do you physically do it?
You can walk on the first coat.
https://www.deckstain.com/what-is-wet-on-wet-stain-application/
thanks
I restrained a deck with Defy Extreme and the results were quite good. There are a few areas where we either applied too much stain and after 4 days in dry warm weather, the areas are a little sticky. Should we use mineral spirits to thin out the overstained areas?
You can try and see if that helps.
What is minimum time after applying if rain is expected?
4-8 hours.
What should I use 1st on a deck that has previously been treated with a transparent Thompson’s water seal.
Defy Stain Stripper and then the Defy Brightener.
Thanks!!
One other question, how long do I leave the brightener on the wood before rinsing?
Thanks
About 10-20 minutes.
Can I stain my deck with Defy if it is supposed to rain in 10 hours? I could cover it with a tarp or heavy plastic. Our temperature is supposed to drop tomorrow evening.
You cannot cover after applying as it needs airflow to cure correctly. It can take a rain in 12 hours after applying.
I’m planning on using my airless to stain the underside of my wood patio cover which is smooth T&G with exposed rough sawn joists. Are there any tips I should be aware of? Is it as simple as two coats and back brush?
Probably just need one coat and then back brush.
Sanding washing then brightening my deck. Is it necessary to remove all traces of old stain.
There are still old traces here and there of old stain because the deck has grooves and such. Will the deck cleaner take care of that.
You have to remove all and a deck cleaner will not remove all old stain.
Can I leave Brightener mixed to use again later
Yes.
I want to use your product to stain/seal to prevent mold/mildew/algae from growing on the horizontal support beams (not posts) underneath my composite deck(live on a pond). Planning on using weathered gray- would love to do a color similar to dark chocolate or charcoal gray- if you have one.
I am in the process of power washing with a Simple Green product to clean beams- want to avoid harsh chemicals. Should I be concerned if not all the algae/mold/mildew is removed?
It appears the wood is “stained” in some areas. There is tinge of green that remains in some small places.
What Is your recommendation? Also do I need to do any other prep work before staining? If so, what & is there a time frame before staining?
This is NEW territory for me… any help is greatly appreciated.
Post pictures.
Thank you… I will once done cleaning.
After, I posted inquiry, I noticed your deck cleaner is also safe for environment. Need more cleaner so thinking of order it. I also see you carry a composite deck cleaner. I read the description on this & says it also works on wood. What is the difference between the two? Would it be better to use the composite cleaner in case it gets on my composite boards when cleaning the support beams?
I already cleaned my composite deck. Would this be something I would use to clean it in the future if not applying a sealer to composite deck? If so, would it affect the beams I would plan to stain?
Thank you for your help!
Just use the regular deck cleaner, it works on composite as well. It should not harm the stained beams.
WOW!! You guys are FAST!! THANK YOU!
Welcome!
So just received my wood cleaner. Wondering if I should use it on my Azeri composite deck first since it it safe to use before doing the beams underneath. Do I have to follow up with any other product to neutralize like I would with wood beams.
A couple more ?s
Is there a time frame between applying products to wood beams?
-between wood cleaner & wood brightened?
-between wood brightener & stain?
It is a big project for me & doing myself- want to make sure doing it correct. I have decided to use the Defy Extreme Solid Stain on the beams. Attached is a pic of power washed beams after using Simply Green. There are many spots where algae & black mold did not come off -doesn’t show in pic.
Do top first and then under. Clean and brighten the wood under the deck. Apply brightener as soon as you are done with cleaner.
I did an area with the wood cleaner- read & followed directions. It appears to have a film on it now… will not spray off- using your defy brush to apply & power sprayer to rinse. PLEASE HELP!!
Also wondering if you can suggest how to get rid of these white spots. Thinking they were caused by sun for some reason- maybe reflection off of windows.
You apply with a pump sprayer and then pressure wash off, not the brush. The cleaner does not leave a film but you could have soap residue from applying with the brush. You should give it a thorough wash with the pressure wash, not just a rinse.
As for the white spots, sorry but no idea as to what caused them or if they can come off or not.
I do not have a pump sprayer… I attached the directions. They say pump sprayer, brush or mop.
What do I use to “wash” the residue? I thought this is a cleaner. I really went over it with the power washer when rinsing like the directions state.
Do the composite & wood cleaners have the same ingredients?
Exact same ingredients. After applying a cleaner you have to pressure wash it off, not just rinse.
That is exactly what I did. How do I get the white film off?
Pressure wash it off, not rinse. Basically wash closer to the wood with your tip.
Yes. Exactly what I have done. How do I get the white off?
Just in case you are going to ask, I did not let it dry either while waiting the 10-20 min. I waited 15 min. When noticing it “start” to dry, I kept it wet by applying the solution as per directions.
There is nothing in the cleaner besides soap and if you have a “white film” on the composite after then you did not fully wash it off after applying. The only way to remove would be to wash it off again at more pressure. You might want to contact SaverSystems directly for help. Their number is on the container.
I applied defy stain last year to me deck and i think I need another this year.I plan on applying the brighter then stain, as the deck looks good, no great differences in color and no mold. Rain and scheduling is my current issue. How long can I wait after using the Brightner to apply the stain ( a week, more?) Also how long should I wait after a rain to apply the stain and how long should I plan for rain after applying the stain
Use the Defy Celaern for prep, not the Brightener. Stain withing 2 weeks of prep. 48 hours after rain or prep. No rain for 6-12 hours after applying.
I purchased your Exterior Wood Stain Stripper to remove the stain and underlying mildew from my cedar siding. The directions state to use Defy Wood Brightener immediately after or within one day of using the Stripper. I already (and apparently inappropriately) used your Wood Cleaner on one quarter of the house. Do I need to start over and use the stripper, brightener, cleaner and then stain the house? Four separate steps seems like a lot to do, but I want to do what’s right. And how necessary is it to apply the brightener IMMEDIATELY after the stripper? Thank you
You brighten right away after using the Stripper. No need for the Cleaner if using the Stripper.
I sanded my entire deck. Then used 4 to 1 ratio water to stripper to clean it and then used Defy brightener. Then did 2 coats wet on wet. Looked great initially. Now about 2 weeks later, looks like stain absorbed more in certain areas of the wood so looks like it wasn’t stained in those areas. Any suggestions?
I am stripping a fence. Home location is 4 blocks from beach. Power washed which removed almost all old stain and then sanded w 60 grit to remove any remaining stain. Do I need to use the cleaner or can i just brighten before applying stain. Also, what is your applicator recommendation to apply stain to fence? Brush, pump sprayer and back brush, stain pad and back brush? Thank you
Best to clean and brighener. Spray first coat back brush second.
Deck is 9 mo the old. First time staining. I cleaned and brightened the wood. Got a lot of furring so I sanded off with 220 grit paper. Should I clean and brighten again before applying stain? Wood seems to be nice and dry and soaks up water just fine.
Yes, as you over sanded. 60-80 grit is suggested.
Thank you. Since I did over sand the wood, would another weathering period be advisable?
Month or two at most should be okay.
Hi, I plan to stain this afternoon, but there’s a 20% chance in the AM tomorrow (8 am). But if Defy semi transparent dries in 2-4 hours, can I still stain today?
It says dry time 2-4 hours to touch and 24 hours to use. is the 2-4 hour time sufficient that it could handle a light rain without damage?
More like 4-6 hours before it can rain on the wood.
Is it more important to have 20 minutes between coats or to apply wet and wet between coats? I found that the stain dried quickly so I had to apply the second coat within a few minutes. Thank you
The second coat can be applied 20-60 minutes after the first coat
But if it dries in 10 minutes, do I wait 20 minutes and apply on dry or do I apply in 10 minutes for wet on wet application?
It can be dry to the touch but it cannot be fully cured. That is why you have 20-60 minutes.
I just applied defy extreme to my deck and while the handrails look great, the deck wood didnt accept the stain despite using the cleaner and brightener beforehand as directed. The only difference was that I used a deck roller instead of the paint brush for the deck boards. What should I do? How long do I wait for another coat? Thank you
If the stain did not soak in but dried on top of the wood, then you should remove the Defy with the Stripper and then the Brightener. Apply another coat with a stain brush or stain pad.
Okay thank you. And one more thing, between stain coats, is it more important to allow 20 minutes between stains or apply wet on wet? I found that it dried very quickly within minutes.
I applied the stain to my deck, and unfortunately it started raining about 20 min after I finished. Do you think that will hurt the finish?
Probably as 20 minutes is not enough time to dry. You may need to remove and start over.
Do I have to start over if it rains between the brightener and staining step?
No.
How long should I wait if it rains to apply the stain?
48 hours.
Is there a good way to remove the extreme stain (butternut) from concrete deiveway? Thanks!
Use a graffiti remover type cleaner and pressure washing.
After stripping and brightening my pressure treated pine deck I noticed one of the pine knots is weeping a black sticky tarry substance. It’s been a week since the stripper/brightener was done. The deck is about 15 years old. Any idea what to do with it? I’m afraid to stain over it for fear of smearing it further.
Probably sap leeching out. No way to stop or prevent it.
We have a 12 yo deck that we originally used defy redwood on and it lasted great for 4-5 years. We had someone else apply ~ 3 years ago but they did not apply 2 coats and it has worn off in many places and very uneven. We intend to restain very soon need to know if we must strip all of existing product off? Use stripper and brightener? Please advise.
We also had a front porch stained in the driftwood gray but again it was not done with 2 coats and worn uneven. We want to restain that as well.
Best to strip and brighten for this.
If I apply a wet on wet coat of the stain won’t it cause marks on the stain of the deck if I walk on it?
No, it will not cause marks. See this for tips: https://www.deckstain.com/what-is-wet-on-wet-stain-application/
Hello, I just recently applied the Defy extreme redwood semi transparent stain to my redwood deck. I did the steps of stripping the oil based stain off and brightening and cleaning, and it was really nice to work with the product but it came out much more orange colored than I was expecting from my test sample. I am curious if I were to apply some cedar colored semi transparent stain over top if you think that that will knock the orange tone down some and make a pleasant color, or if that’s just a terrible idea? Maybe I just need to wait till next year and try again with the cedar color? Thanks!!
No, you cannot tone this down by adding a stain on top. It does fade some as it fully cures.
Ok, thanks for the reply!
It is recommended that decks stained with DEFY EXTREME WOOD STAIN be occasionally cleaned with mild detergent and water as needed. Can you please elaborate further (e.g. which “mild detergents” are acceptable to use; should the detergent be agitated with brush to clean deck; can pressure washer on low setting be used to rinse, etc)? I apologize if the answers seem obvious, but I am new to deck care & maintenance.
Dish soap and warm water. Use a car wash brush to lightly wash it down.
I’m using this to redo wood deck chairs. I’ve sanded them down to the natural oak wood. Do I need to use a cleaner or wood conditioner before applying the stain? Also, since the chairs will be in south-facing direct hot sun at 8,000 feet in Colorado, should I put a coat of polyurethane over the stain to protect it further? Thank you.
Yes on cleaner and brightener for the prep before applying. You cannot apply a poly over the Defy. The polyurethane would peel.
I stripped Behr solid stain from my 7 year old redwood deck with your stripper. A lot of paint remains so I’ve had to sand. Do I need to reapply the brightener before applying the stain? Should I use two coats of stain wet on wet on redwood? If it rains before I get the stain on do I need to take additional steps? Thanks.
Yes, apply the brightener after all of the Behr is removed. Apply the two coats wet on wet. Rain will not harm the prep, just let the wood dry before staining.
I applied Defy clear stain a year ago to new deck after aging 3 months, cleaning and brightening. Just cleaned and brightened again, and will stain again. After the year there was greying (full sun), most of which is netter after cleaning. Will the greying get less over time as I restain with clear each year? (Also, I didn’t strip before this year’s coat – that okay?)
The Clear requires annual cleaning and resealing. It does not lessen the graying with repeated applications.
I used Defy stain on the cedar siding of my house. Some stain got under the tarps and on some of my windows. Any suggestions for a product to remove the stain from glass? Window cleaner is not working.
A water-based graffiti remover should work. You can get them in the paint aisle.
I am about to clean, brighten and stain my 12’x75’ deck. During this time we are having a new dock installed. That wood is treated lumber designed for docks. I would like to stain it to match my deck, after it has weathered. Can you use Defy stain on dock wood? Thanks!
Yes. See this about new wood: https://www.twpstainhelp.com/kdat-and-twp-wait-period-for-new-wood/
Going to use Defy Extreme to stain a new redwood deck. What is the recommended waiting time to let the wood age before staining? Will use your brand cleaner and then brightener before staining. Then one coat or two for the first staining? Thanks!
See this article: https://www.deckstain.com/prep-new-wood-for-defy-stains/
I have a composite deck that is 5 years old. We have pressure washed it every year and is now looking faded and worn. Can I use Defy Extreme on my composite deck?
The Defy Extreme Stain is not designed for composite decking.
I didn’t know how to edit my previous question, but I wanted you to know that I power washed the deck and then applied your brightner.
I am going to stain a 7 month old deck tomorrow, I have EMT conduit in the railing, should I mask this all? Will it get discolored?
Also, what size tip should I use with an airless sprayer?
Thank you.
Best to mask fully first or wipe off any stain immediately if it gets on it. Sorry but not sure on the tip size. Wider fans tips are easier.