I just completed the two step RAD process on my front and rear decks. They are almost 3 years old and have never been stained so they were quite grey prior to RAD. I stained the front one with TWP today and the color turned out much darker than what we saw on a test board (that was not treated with RAD). I forgot how much fun it is to try to keep a wet edge with this product (I have a really long run of nearly 40t.) I'm not looking forward to doing the rear deck with this product because I don't know how I will keep both sides of the railings with a wet edge on a deck that is 10ft off the ground. The other reason I'm not looking foward to it is that the memory of spending my entire Memorial Day weekend cleaning decks is quite fresh. I'm considering using a solid deck stain on the rear deck in hopes that I won't have to do it as often as the transparent products. I had Cabot's solid on my last house but I suspect it failed after two years because it was only 18" off the ground and didn't have good ventaltion. Am I misguided to think I can get 2x the time out of Solid that I can transparent?

Because of the waxes in many Thompson's products, you'll have to remove it ALL, to have any chance of subsequent products holding!!! >>> That means SANDING IT ALL OUT. On my 15 y/o Construction-Heart Redwood deck (can't even buy that stuff anymore!!) I've sanded my floor twice, & removed/sanded my steps 3 times. Just got done with a "Step-renewal" because I discovered some dry-rot on a stringer. Soooo...off came the steps, had a new stringer cut, etc..... Used a wood-petrifier on the tops of the other stringers just to be safe. Sanded the inside of the existing 2x12 Redwood skirt-board too. Final result?! "New AGAIN" steps! Bottom-line.... * Going from solid to S/T means sanding-out ALL previous product. I went thru more than 2 sheets of paper LOL!! * On a sanded surface, all previous degraded wood is now GONE. * Subsequent S/T stains will now penetrate and look the same....EVERYWHERE. * Start with a few backer-pads, and 40-grit sanding sheets. * Final passes with 60-grit. * Sweep off dust periodically as you go, vacuum with Shop-Vac bristle-tip, then wipe all wood down with paint-thinner rags, and toss in a water-bucket. * Now your woods' back to NEW again, and your S/T stain will look GORGEOUS. (I'm getting good at this kind of rehab, and I recommend it to our stores' clients if their deck meets certain criteria....age, wear, etc.) Faron

Hi MaryMary. I guess this would be considered a transparent GOG. It was a coffee table top that I did that I have decided to frame for a window hanging instead (haven't gotten around to doing that yet.) In the photo it is not quite done, it is now but don't have a newer pic of it. It is done with crash glass, and you CAN still see through it up close. No reason why you couldn't do the same thing with other kinds of clear glass, just be sure the silicone is solid underneath so it is see-through, if that's what you want.

That's not a true statement, zzackey. There are species of beneficial and plant parasitic nematodes that are visible to the naked eye, especially when they're out of the soil. Difficult, yes, but not invisible. These creatures certainly fit the definition of nematodes and match the description. I used to teach a soil science course and showing students the living contents in a soil sample was always entertaining. There were always a few that could be seen wiggling around once the soil was filtered away. Microscopes made it a LOT more interesting, though!