I have a home in Denver, Colorado that my Dad and I sided with cedar in 2000.  I do my own carpentry, electrical, dry wall & plumbing.  I also am employed full time as a field Molecular (DNA) Biologist (Scientist).  Before I stained my new cedar home, I called penofin's manufacturer "Performance Coatings" (technical service department) several times in Ukiah, CA to see about how it worked, how much to apply and how to apply it.  Spoke with their "specialists" and wrote down all their instructions to the finest detail.  Then applied it just as I was instructed.  (To work as a Molecular scientist, I have to be detail oriented.)  This product was the worse thing I have ever seen.  The Rosewood Oil in the product, immediately turned my house brown.  Then because it did nothing to protect it against the sun's UV's, it turned my house dark brown to black within months.  Furthermore, I called Performance Coatings soon after the first application, but for three years, their technical service dept. kept assuring me that the house would lighten up with repeated sun exposure.  But it only got darker.  Their technical service department and marketing dept. do a good job of trying to con the consumer.  I've gotten nothing but a run around this year from their clueless marketing clowns, Donna Ebert and Joan Griswold.  
     Finally, I started taking matters into my own hands instead of believing the lies that Performance Coatings was telling me.  I met several log and cedar home owners at several large Home Shows who had experienced the exact same outcome as I did with penofin.  And it didn't matter if they hired "wood specialists" to apply the product or the home owner did it themselves.  (Remember, penofin is sold at Home Depot where 80% of their business is to home owners!)  Also met and talked to several wood specialists who claim that they would lose significant business if it wasn't for the requests that they get from the plethora number of dissatisfied penofin customers who ask them to strip penofin off of their cedar or log homes and replace it with their own proven product.  There is an entire subdivision of cedar homes in the area that a contractor put in and had stained with penofin.  These are all entirely solid black now.  A friend of mine's father, retired but formerly a reknown cardiologist, has a cedar home in penofin, and it's entirely black.  Penofin's excuse is that we didn't apply it properly.  I am a scientist and the other home owners hired professionals.  If we can't do it right, then this product shouldn't be sold period.  Home Depot has now recognized this product as a problem.  I sent a letter to them, with pictures, receipts etc., and they admitted that there was a problem.  But I do give them credit.  Unlike Performance Coatings who live in denial, Home Depot reimbursed me for the entire purchase of this product with an apology.  But that's the difference between a good business (Home Depot) and an extremely poor one (Performance Coatings).   
    After talking to many a cedar and log home owners, I ultimately hired a "Wood Iron" specialist to strip off the Penofin and replace it with "Wood Iron".  I am EXTRMELY pleased with the results.  My home has a beautiful light maple coloring to it that I had always tried to achieve.  "Wood Iron" is sold nationally and their specialists are listed in the Yellow Pages under "Wood Finishing & Restoration".  I was convinced that it was the real deal after talking to a log home manufacturer himself, whose office was a 2 story log home structure.  Their log building is right next to a major expressway and thus exposed to large amounts of dirt & salt (in the winter) etc.  Yet, even after four years, it looked absolutely beautiful.  I was so impressed with what the owner told me, on how well the product (Wood Iron) performed etc., that I knew it would work.  And it has.  Now, my neighbors are so impressed with how my home looks with penofin forever gone and Wood Iron in it's full glory.  I have even gotten compliments from the neighborhood children!  
     I'd highly recommend not walking away from penofin but running away, in fact, run as fast as you can!  Remember, always do your homework before you do anything!  If they don't offer complete satisfaction or your money back, then, trust me, there's something up with that product!

Did you use "Penofin Performance Oil Finish" on your cedar or log home, deck or fence?  Did this stain turn your wood finish dark brown or black?  Well this is what we've learned you can do!!

#1.)  Register your complaint with www.ripoffreport.com  This is a free, excellent, well resourced worldwide consumer website.  Is accessed by national media, legal communities and consumer watchdog organizations.  Submit several photos, along with your report, if at all possible.  We learned the hard way about this product after investing much time & money.  We were so extremely deceived and have been ignored by Performance Coatings, Inc. for so long, that we are now rallying other victims to join in a nationwide class action lawsuit against Performance Coatings.  We've done the homework and are garnering legal representation to go after these guys.  Post your story on "ripoffreport.com" and our lawyers will contact the Rip-off Report folks to have you contact us.  

#2.) Make numerous, unrelenting calls (and/or send a letter of complaint) to the makers of "Penofin" i.e. "Performance Coatings".  They know that this product does not live up to it's claims, hence rarely return phone calls.  However, they fear angry consumers who call them directly!  Make sure to let them know exactly what their product did to your home, deck or fence!  Performance Coatings, Inc.; P.O. Box 1569; 360 Lake Mendocino Drive; Ukiah, CA  95482; main #707-462-3023 or #1-800-PENOFIN; Fax #707-462-6139; website www.penofin.com; CEO is Barbara Newell #707-462-7459; VP of Sales & Marketing is Joan Griswold #707-462-3023

#3.)  If you still need to restore your cedar or log home, deck or fence; we can highly recommend using a product called "Wood Iron".  Look in the yellow pages under "Wood Finishing & Restoration" or "Decks-Construction & Maintenance".  Most "Wood Iron" professionals are very well versed in removing penofin, as they receive a plethora number of these requests.  Remember, you and your home are ALWAYS worth it! 

Hell-o, Any one else had nightmares with this penofin product?? I just finished stripping a deck of about 1000sq ft. And almost re- applied this crap until I thought I would look it up. I to was confinced that I had applied it wrong. I am very grateful to the log cam   and to Leeee for ths Info.         Local from Whidbey

I was very interested to read all of this.  I was searching for information on Penofin solvents but stumbled on this discussion. 

I've had blue label cedar color on our fence for 4 years now with good results, and a repeat application. 

It looks like a well educated group, with frequent communication with tech support, so it seems logical that everyone's issues truly weren't application issues like driving water deep into the wood fiber with pressure washing. 

Bummer to hear all the headaches - I'm glad to have been fortunate to miss out on all of that.

I too have had very poor results from using Penofin!  I've used well over 30 gals over 10 years, starting out with Western Cedar on vertically hung channel rustic cedar.  No semblance of desired or advertised color even after the first 3 years.  Instead, as you described: dark brown and black.  It is ugly.  I called and most recently contacted manufacturer by email (their website):  NO RESPONSE!

I doubt that it can be removed as it has been soaked up in the siding.  No remedy in sight except to cover it up with a darker stain/paint, the manufacturer of I will use the recommendation of a well-established paint dealer -- not a chain hardware store.

I am a weekend contractor and a weekday Environmental Physicist that agrees with the posts decrying the Penofin Mold problem. Here is my understanding from personal experience and the application of a little science. The problem with Penofin is the natural rosewood oil which is sustainable, but accordingly does not last and actually becomes a growth medium for mold. This the only product that has received many compliants filed with the California Redwood Association for the dark coloration created by mold growth. Penofin claims to add a "ton" of mildewcide, but this is not sufficient to prevent a mildew party on any horizontal surface that is soaked during the rainy season. Vertical surfaces that do not receive a direct soaking or sunlight are fine. In the last analysis, my local Redwood only supplier in Richmond California recommends TWG, with no problems after 4 years and they no longer sell Penofin just like Home Depot. From my experiences with Penofin, the finish is just fine for 1 year (horizontial surfaces like deck boards) and up to two years on vertical surfaces (like siding) where water does not sit for long. After that, the black sets in reguarless.

Removing Penofin is easy if you just let it weather-off then get at the mildew with bleach:water (3:1) followed by oxalic acid (4oz per gallon water).

One bright spot (no pun intended) is the Penofin Gold label for indoor use without any mildewcide. This stuff is amazing!!, Toughens VG Fir and is easy to apply and maintain, just never apply to exposed construction grade fir beams, without tight grain, or you will be very unhappy with the blochy results, and like me will be faced with a good deal of over the head belt sanding producing oily saw dust. On these beams, a sealer like BONA-X used for hardwood floors is the way to go.

I am surprised of the complaints. We have been selling penofin for many years and rarely have any negative feedback. In our experience wood and deck stains can fail prematurely when one of these instances happen.

• Wood was not prepped properly
• Stain was applied improperly or too thick

The most important thing when refinishing your wood or deck is the preparation of the wood. If you do this correctly then your stain will perform better.

Oil based stains in general can "feed" mold growth. This is not just related to Penofin. Penfoin stains combat this by adding mildewcides into their products.