Last Updated on January 25, 2024 by Defy Help
Defy Exterior Wood Stains
2024 Update on Defy Application Instructions
Defy Application Instructions Defy Stains? We love hearing from our customers who have used the Defy 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.
It is important to follow proper application instructions to ensure Defy Wood Stain will perform as expected. Defy Wood Stains have excellent wood penetrating properties that dive deep into the wood to block out water and provide lasting weather protection. The Defy product’s excellent penetration also helps eliminate surface buildup and the risk of peeling.
Do not apply Defy Wood Stain over preexisting stains or paints. Use Defy Wood Stain Stripper or Defy Wood Cleaner to remove all contaminants from the wood surface prior to staining.
Stir or shake the contents prior to opening. Do not thin the product. Defy Stains should be applied at air temperature between 45-95 degrees and should not be applied in direct sunlight.
Protect all non-target areas such as siding, concrete, plants, etc. from runs or overspray with a drop cloth or plastic. Use a high-quality polyester or nylon brush, roller, stain pad, pump sprayer, or airless sprayer to apply. When using a sprayer to apply Defy Wood Stains be sure to back brush for an even finish.
Start on the bottom of vertical surfaces first such as deck railings and work up. Do not over apply Defy Deck Stain which can lead to peeling. Work out any drips, runs, or puddles that may occur before they dry. Do not stop staining in the middle of a board. Stopping can cause color variations and lap marks. Stain an entire board or section from end to end. If lap marks do occur, use a brush to feather and blend them to a more even appearance.
Defy Wood Stain can be applied in two coats for maximum protection. Wait for a minimum of 20 minutes between the first and second coat. Do not allow the first coat to dry, the stain coats should be “wet on wet” for best results.
Coverage: For two coats, Defy Deck Stains will cover approximately 100-150 sq. ft. per one gallon depending on wood type, texture, and porosity.
Clean-Up: Clean all stain tools and equipment immediately with soapy water.
Dry Time: To touch 2-4 hours. For heavy traffic allow 24 hours. Dry times may vary depending on weather and humidity.
Maintenance: Defy Wood Stain maintenance can consist of occasional cleanings using a mild detergent and water. For maximum protection, a light coat of Defy Stain is recommended once the wood begins to fade. Defy Extreme Wood Stain should be recoated
do I need to strip and condition a deck that was stained with Defy stain 3 years ago. the areas that are exposed to the sun have faded.
Reply back with some pics in the comments.
I have a dock over salt water. Do I need to do anything before using the cleaner?
No.
Should you apply a sealer coat on top? My contractor wants to apply 2 coats of sealer after 2 coats of Defy Extreme. Advice?
No, you cannot do this. It will peel if you do.
Hello, I’ve stained our deck with Defy stain and it worked well and looks great!
I didn’t however stain the ends of the wood planks.
1) Do I need to stain them also?
2) If so, do I use the same Defy stain or is there a particular product for the ends?
Thank you!
1. No need.
What do you when the first coat seems to have dried before the 20 min since applying the first coat have past.
In other words, what takes priority: waiting for at least 20 min before applying the second coat or making sure that the first coat is still somewhat wet when applying the second coat even if the 20 min aren’t over yet?
Thank you!
Anytime between 20-60 minutes is okay and it is fine if it dries slightly. You just do not want a full cure.
Thank you!
I misread the part about applying the second coat while the first is still wet. I applied the first coat probably 16 hours ago. Is it too late for the second? Will it matter if I apply to coats to the rest of the shutters that aren’t finished?
It will not take another coat now since it has fully cured.
Do I just wait until it starts showing wear to redo it?
You can clean and recoat in 9-12 months or longer.
how to apply 2nd coat when first is still wet? won’t you get foot prints in the stain?
No, it will not.
We applied the stain to pine 1 year ago and it looked great. Now it looks like it needs a recoat in spots. Is it OK to give it an additional coat or just touch up the bad spots
You cannot spot treat. Clean and apply a light coat to all the flooring.
Can i spray on defy
Yes.
Can i use a defy solid stain over a defy water based stain and any prior sanding involved?
Yes. No need to sand. Pressure wash with the Deck Cleaner for prep.
How long after using defy cleaner and brightener and thoroughly rinsing to wait before applying defy extreme semi-transparent stain to my deck?
48 Hours.
I just stain my deck … I was only able to get on one coat… can I apply a second coat this year? If I want to re-coat the deck next year, what is the procedure ?
You cannot apply another coat now since the first has been cured. You can next year. Prep first with the Defy Wood Cleaner.
I made a few mistakes when applying and have lap marks, will they go away over time and be fixed with a new coat after 6-12 months or any other way to fix now?
Prep and recoat in 6-12 months and it should blend then.
I am using Defy Ultra semi-transparent Light Walnut on my deck. Doing 2 coats. How do I do this on the walking surface to apply wet to wet? How do I walk on it to do second coat?
https://www.deckstain.com/what-is-wet-on-wet-stain-application/
Did not read closely enough about wet on wet 2nd coat. I understand I will need to wait 6-12 months. What prep needs to happen then so that I can add another coat? I don’t have to sand it or strip it at that time do I? What does “lightly prep” mean? Thank you!
Use the Defy Wood Cleaner and then lightly pressure wash off.
I have a deck that is 300 square feet. How much extreme stain do I need to do the two coats?
2-3 gallons.
How long should we wait between using the stripper (and then brightener) and applying the stain?
Stripper and brightener are done the same day. 48 hours after to stain.
I applied Defy solid white on my pool deck railings last September, one coat. Also my deck floor with gray, one coat at same time. How long should I wait to put second coat on? Also should I use cleaner before applying or will soap and water work?
You can coat now. Use the Cleaner first.
Yesterday our contractor applied Defy Extreme Stain on our new pressure-treated pine 5 months after installation with uneven, sloppy results. He used a roller instead of a brush, creating lap marks. Also, there are drips down the side of the facia boards. Can anything be done now to fix these issues other than sanding entire boards? Would it be best to simply wait until late next year or the spring of 2024 and reapply on the entire flooring? Even then, will it make the lap marks minimal or even disappear? I’m afraid sanding now will affect the shade of the boards, so the flooring will not look uniform. Also, I’m afraid sanding will negatively affect the adhesion/absorption of the product.
You will have to remove down to the bare wood to fix. Adding more on top will not fix it.
Can you use carwash brush to apply solid stain
No.
Do you wet the wood before applying the stain stripper ?
Yes.
My husband decided to do one coat and ran out of time. The first coat dried. Are we doomed?
You cannot apply the second coat after the first has dried. Needs to be wet on wet. You can lightly prep and reapply in 6-12 months or as needed.
Have been using Armstrong oil on Ipe for 5 years. I just sand each year because it so easy(76 sq ‘ walkway). The smell is horrendous for weeks and I would like to try a water based product. Will your Extreme product last a full season and can I go over the old oil ( next year) if I sand to bare wood again. Thanks Terry
You need the Defy Hardwood Stain for IPE. It will last a year. You will have to strip off the Armstrong first. You can clean and recoat with Defy down the road.
https://www.deckstain.com/defy-hardwood-stain.html
Last fall (2020) I applied 2 coats to new deck of pressure treated lumber that had aged for 4-5 months. Perfect. Now I’d like apply a refresh coat as some areas look faded and dried – a little blotchy. Aside from washing and rinsing, do I need any prep?
Same with cedar log siding, except it was 2 summers ago and some areas look a bit faded and dried out.
Use the Defy Wood Cleaner for the prep.
Thank you!
temp at application time preferred is?
50-90 degrees.
Can I put a 3rd coat of defy within 24 hrs of the first two? Temps are in the mid 70’s and low humidity.
No, it will not take or dry correctly into the wood grain.
Hi, Regarding second coating and walking on:
– My 15’×15′ deck has access from middle on end side of planks. How to stain first and second coat without interruption?
– What happens if small leaves falls during process?
Thanks
See here for wet on wet tips: https://www.deckstain.com/what-is-wet-on-wet-stain-application/
The leaves will not harm the stain.
What effect does waiting too long for second coat due to the finish?
It may not adhere and cure corectly. Needs to be applied wet on wet.
Thank you. So if I applied during a hot 80 degree day and in about 1/2 hr it dried (over 30 min wait time). – there is no opportunity for a second coat. This difficult to time. Any suggestions for application of a second coat? Or am I stuck now with one coat?
The second can go on between 20-60 minutes of the first coat regardless of temp. If you do not do this, then you will need to wait 6-12 months to prep and recoat.
How long after using cleaner and brightener can you apply stain? I was hoping to stain about 2 weeks after using cleaner and brightener…. is this too long of a time to use the stain? Will it affect how good the stain will penetrate the wood?
Stain within two weeks of prep is okay.
How do apply wet on wet defy stain and not walk on the wet coat?
See here. You can walk on the first coat: https://www.deckstain.com/what-is-wet-on-wet-stain-application/
What is the best way to remove dried drips of Defy?
Depends on the surface it has dried on? Pictures would help. Thanks
This is one area. It’s on my deck. I’ll have to take a picture of the other areas.
This is another picture of some of the drips.
You cannot spot fix this, you would have to sand the entire boards and then reapply.
I finished applying the stain at 9pm friday night, it was in the shade and went quite well. It started raining at 9am the next day-12 hrs later apx. Was that too soon. It was deffinately dry by the time it started raining, but now its done being wet and it looks kind of faded, did it mess it up or is that how it looks?
it is fine.
My deck was last treated with Defy Extreme about 3 years ago. We are now re-staining and I was curious if we need to do two coats?
Depends on how you prep and if the old stain comes of fully or if left with a base coat? Fully would be two coats. If you have a base coat after prep, then just one coat.
I bought 5 gal defy extreme 8 months ago, can I still use it?
Yes, it is still good.
I bought 5 gal extreme 8 months ago.
Can I still use it?
How long must the temperature be between 45-95 degrees? Just while applying the stain or how long after application must the temperature stay within this range? I will be using Defy Extreme for Hardwoods on an older cedar deck after stripping and Brightening it a couple of days before.
Also, do you recommend 2 coats or is 1 coat enough?
2 coats wet on wet. Needs to stay above 45 while applying and drying. Cannot drop below freezing the first night after applying.
Do I apply 2 coats on siding? And if so how long in between?
Yes, wet on wet: https://www.deckstain.com/what-is-wet-on-wet-stain-application/
How long after application till you can use your new stained deck
24 hours.
can I apply another layer of stain
24 hours later
No. When doing a second coat it needs to be applied wet on wet.
Temp is 70 degrees with humidity at 58, can I still stain with rain predicted in 12 hours?
Yes.
I’m having difficulty timing my Defy stain application when the deck isn’t in direct sunlight. Living in Texas, every morning there is dew buildup on the unfinished deck areas so by the time it dries, it’s 85 degrees and in direct sunlight. When I wait for the evening hours to stain I have about an hour of shade then dew sets in again 3-4 hours later, soaking the newly stained wood. Your thoughts? Can I stain this PT KDAT pine if it has dew accumulation on it in the morning? I’m at a loss on this one. Thanks
Can you tarp it the night before and then remove in the am to stain?
Great idea! Yes I should be able to do that
If a little bit of dew gets on the wood around the edges, you should still be okay.
I completed my stain job on my deck, but have some thick areas where I splashed and dripped. Can I use a thinner or sand them down?
It is very hard to spot fix this so it blends. Might be best to just leave as is.
I just appled Defy extreme over a pressure treated deck. The deck boards were all absorbing water droplets before application. The color turned out really splotchy, with some areas soaking in and some not. I think the areas that didn’t soak in were where the sun came out and helped cure it. You can actually see where a shadow from the railing was. What are my options now? Can I apply a third coat over the cured stain to even it out?
No I third coat will not adhere or penetrate. You can wait 9-12 months and apply a light coat then or you can strip it all off and start over.
Can I apply the extreme on Saturday morning if it supposed to rain early Sunday morning? Thanks.
John, that will be fine.
I stripped a deck 2-3 years ago of old non-Defy stain and applied Defy Extreme. It has worked well, but I need to clean and re-coat it. Can I simply wash with detergent and re-apply Defy or do I need to strip it again? Even if I don’t have to strip it, should I use anything other than detergent to prepare it(a brightener etc)?
Prep with the Defy Wood Cleaner before reapplication with the Defy.
Thanks!
I stained my deck with Defy 4 years ago and it worked much better than Home Depot stain I used before. However, the color started to fade and I want to re-apply the stain. Here are my questions:
1. How many SF/Gallon it takes for re-staining?
2. I don’t remember what type of stain I’ve used (extreme, epoxy…). Is there a problem with putting one type on the top of another?
Thank you
Jacob, what is the sq. footage? You can use the Extreme on top of the Epoxy.
Hello a few questions:
1.) I have a pine pressure treated wood deck on a seasonal cabin – northern Wisconsin that is probably 25 yrs old, wood is still solid but definitely weathered, how does extreme stain work on weathered horizontal deck – not much foot traffic, deck is used about 12- 15 weekends a year.
2.) What would coverage be per gallon 100 – 150 sq. ft./gallon?
3.) If I order a 5 gallon pail on Monday morning May 20 – cedartone, will it get delivered to Minneapolis by Thursday?
Thanks,
Dave
Dave R,
1. If you prep correctly the Extreme will work
2. 100 sq, feet for the 2 coats.
3. Most likely.
can I apply 3 coats?
No as it will not properly penetrate.
how long should i wait after a rain storm before applying defy extreme semi transparent.? Today is Friday and it is going to rain very hard all day. If both Sat and Sun are sunny,could i start applying it on Sunday? Thank You
At least 48 hours after heavy rain.