Frequently asked
The questions we answer every day
Ordering, checkout trouble, shipping, colour, application and cleaning. If the answer you need is not here, call or text 604-254-3325.
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Ordering online How to place an order Checkout trouble Login, password, browser Have us place it Order form Shipping and pickup Canada, USA, Port Coquitlam Colour and tinting Natural, custom, samples Products and application Coats, prep, topcoat Cleaning and mould Grey wood, stains Returns and claims 30 days, 48 hoursOrdering online
Online is the fastest route into production
Orders placed on the site go straight to production. There is no quote step and no waiting on a reply.
STEP 1
Pick the product
Open the product page for the finish you need. If you are not sure which one, run Find your finish or the Coverage calculator first.
STEP 2
Pick the colour and size
Choose your colour from the dropdown and the container size. Every pail is tinted to order.
STEP 3
Check out
Pay by credit card, or sign in and place it on account if you have approved credit terms with us.
STEP 4
Watch for the notification
You will get a shipment or ready for pickup email. Do not come for a pickup before that email arrives.
Can I pay by credit card?
Yes. Credit card at checkout is the normal way to order online. A 3% fee applies to credit card payments on invoiced accounts, not to standard online checkout.
I have an account with you. Can I order on terms?
Yes, if you have approved credit. Sign in first, then the on account option appears at checkout. Terms are Net 30. If you do not see it, you are either not signed in or the account is not linked to your login, and we can fix that for you.
Do I have to create an account to order?
No. You can check out as a guest. You can also create an account during checkout in the same step, which is worth doing because it keeps your order history and reorders are quick.
Can I order over the phone?
The fastest way is online, because online orders go straight to production. If you would rather not order online, fill in our Place an order form or text 604-254-3325, and we will build the order and send you an invoice.
How much does it cost?
Prices are on each product page, by size.
What sizes do you sell?
SLT, DR, Clarity, Fresh Cut Oil and Check Stop Wax come in quart, 1 gallon and 5 gallon. Most other products come in 1 gallon and 5 gallon. Wood Wash and Wood Bright come in 1 gallon. Samples are pint size. For 2 gallons, order two 1 gallons.
Do you have it in stock?
Every pail is tinted to order after you place your order. Wait for your ready for pickup or shipping email before coming in.
Can I get a copy of an invoice or a past order?
For online orders, sign in to My Account and open Orders. For anything else, text 604-254-3325.
What payment methods do you take for quotes and invoices?
EFT, cheque, credit card, and Interac e-Transfer. For e-Transfer, send to onlinepmt@cbrproducts.com and email broda@cbrproducts.com with the invoice number and company name so it gets applied to the right account.
I have a discount code. Where does it go?
There is a coupon field in the cart and again at checkout. Codes are one use per customer and do not apply to sample sizes. If the code will not take, it is almost always because the cart only contains samples, or the code has already been used on that email address.
How do I order a colour that is not on the website?
Choose Custom Colour in the colour dropdown on the product page, then type the colour name or code in the description field directly underneath it. Do not put it in the order notes at checkout, because the order notes are not attached to the production ticket. Colours like Opal and Coal Harbour can be ordered by name, even though they are not in the online list.
Can I get more or less colour than the standard?
Yes. Any of the 51 colours can be made at any strength you like for a lighter result, or two standard colours can be blended. Ask for it at time of order.
Can I order Wood Wash or Wood Bright online?
Contact us first. Both are Class 8 corrosive dangerous goods and their shipping has to be quoted separately. Text 604-254-3325 or email broda@cbrproducts.com and we will send you a shipping quote. See the shipping section below.
Checkout trouble
If the site will not let you order, start here
Most checkout problems we see come down to one of four things, and all four have a fix that takes under two minutes.
FIX 1
Reset your password
If your login is not being accepted, do not keep retrying it. Go to the account page and use the Lost your password? link under the login box. Enter the email address on the account and you will get a reset link.
- The reset email can take a few minutes. Check junk and spam before asking for another one.
- The link expires. If you sat on it overnight, request a fresh one.
- Use the same email the account was created with. A different address will not receive the link.
- We will never send you a password. Nobody at CBR can see it and nobody will ask for it.
FIX 2
Clear your cache and cookies
An old cached copy of the cart or the checkout page is one of the most common causes of an order that will not go through, a cart that will not empty, or a price that looks wrong.
- Chrome: three dots menu, Delete browsing data, tick Cookies and Cached images and files, choose All time, Delete data.
- Safari on Mac: Safari menu, Settings, Privacy, Manage Website Data, Remove All.
- Safari on iPhone: Settings app, Apps, Safari, Clear History and Website Data.
- Edge: three dots menu, Settings, Privacy search and services, Clear browsing data now.
- Firefox: menu, Settings, Privacy and Security, Cookies and Site Data, Clear Data.
Close the browser completely afterwards, then reopen it and go back to the site. A hard refresh on its own is not enough, use Ctrl + Shift + R on Windows or Cmd + Shift + R on a Mac if you want to try that first.
FIX 3
Try a private or incognito window
This is the fastest way to tell whether the problem is your browser or our site. A private window starts a fresh browser session without using your usual saved cookies, cache and many extensions, so if the order goes through in private, the problem was on your machine and Fix 2 will clear it for good.
- Chrome and Edge:
Ctrl+Shift+N, orCmd+Shift+Non a Mac. - Firefox:
Ctrl+Shift+P, orCmd+Shift+Pon a Mac. - Safari: File menu, New Private Window.
- iPhone or Android: open the tabs view and switch to Private or Incognito.
You will have to sign in again in a private window.
FIX 4
Still stuck, try a different browser or device
Ad blockers, corporate firewalls and VPNs block payment scripts more often than people expect, and a locked down work laptop is a common culprit. Switch browsers, turn the ad blocker off for our site, or try it on your phone on cell data instead of office wifi.
- If the card is declined, the decline comes from your bank, not from us. We never see the card number.
- The billing address has to match what your bank has on file, exactly, including the postal code.
- Some banks hold the first charge to a new merchant. A quick call to the number on the back of the card clears it.
If none of that works, we can place the order for you
Fill in the order form with what you need and we will build the order on our end and send you an invoice, or text 604-254-3325 and tell us. Payment on a hand placed order is Interac e-Transfer or cash on pickup, because we have no card terminal. Tell us what went wrong and roughly when, so we can fix it.
The site says my email is already registered but I have never ordered.
If you have ordered from us before and gave us an email address, an account may already be set up under it. Use Lost your password? on that address and you will be back in. If someone else at your company set it up and has since left, text us and we will change the address on the account.
I forgot which email my account is under.
Call or text 604-254-3325 with your name and company and we will look it up.
My cart empties itself.
That is a cookie problem. Clear cache and cookies, or try a private window. If your browser is set to block all cookies, the cart cannot save your items.
The order went through twice.
Send us the two order numbers and we will cancel one and refund it the same day.
I did not get an order confirmation email.
Check junk first. If it is not there, text us the name the order was under and we will confirm it landed and resend the confirmation. Your order may have gone through even if the email did not arrive.
Can I change or cancel an order after placing it?
Tell us immediately. Online orders go straight to production and once a pail is tinted it cannot be untinted or returned. If we catch it before it is mixed, we can change anything you like.
Shipping and pickup
Across Canada and into the USA
Rates are calculated at checkout from your actual address. Two products are the exception and have to be quoted by hand.
Do you ship across Canada?
Yes, coast to coast. Rates are calculated at checkout.
Do you ship to the USA?
Yes. Rates are calculated at checkout the same way.
Can I use my own courier account?
Yes. At checkout choose Collect on Account and enter your carrier name and account number.
Can you ship in winter?
Yes, but these are water-based products and can freeze in transit. In freezing weather we may suggest holding the shipment until it warms up, or picking up instead.
Can I pick up my order?
Yes. We are at #2110 – 1840 Broadway St., Port Coquitlam, BC V3C 2M8. Pickup is Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 4:30pm. Enter off Langan Ave, drive in and go to the back of the building to Shipping and Receiving. Wait for your shipment notification email before you come. Everything is tinted to order, so nothing is sitting on a shelf waiting for you.
Do you have a Vancouver location?
No. Our only location is #2110 – 1840 Broadway St., Port Coquitlam, BC. All pickups are there.
What are your hours?
Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 4:30pm. Closed weekends and statutory holidays.
When is my order ready?
Online orders are typically ready within about an hour. Wait for your ready for pickup email before you come in. For a rush, add a note in the order notes at checkout.
Is the showroom open?
By appointment. Text 604-254-3325 and we will set a time.
Are you open weekends?
No. We are closed weekends and all statutory holidays.
Why can I not just order Wood Wash or Wood Bright online?
Both are classified UN3264, Corrosive liquid, acidic inorganic, n.o.s., Class 8, Packing Group III. They need dangerous goods packaging, Class 8 labels and a shipper’s declaration, and carriers charge a handling surcharge of roughly $100 on top of freight. The rate the website calculates does not include any of that, so we quote these two by hand. Text 604-254-3325 or email broda@cbrproducts.com before you order.
Can I pick up Wood Wash or Wood Bright instead?
Yes, and it avoids the dangerous goods surcharge entirely.
Do you have a dealer near me?
We have stores through BC, Alberta, Quebec and the USA. Some keep BRODA on hand, and any of them can bring it in on special order. Text us your town and we will tell you the closest one and give you their number so you can call them directly.
Colour and tinting
Every pail is mixed for your order
Nothing is pre-tinted and nothing sits in stock in a colour. That is why samples matter and why tinted product cannot come back.
Natural is a colour, not a clear coat
This is the most common mix-up. Natural and Natural Lite are tinted colours. They contain pigment and they will change the colour of your wood. They are not the clear finish.
The clear product is called Clear Top Coat, sold as SLT Clear Top Coat, DR Clear Top Coat and Clarity Clear Top Coat depending on which system you are using. That is the one that goes on last, over your tinted coats. If you want no colour change at all, you want the Clear Top Coat, not anything with the word Natural in its name.
There is also Clear Tint Base, the untinted base we add pigment to. It is what our dealers use when they are tinting on site. Like everything in the line, the base it is made from contains UV blockers. It is not a topcoat, so it does not replace Clear Top Coat as the last coat.
Which colour gives the best protection?
The darker and more pigmented one. Pigment is what blocks UV, so a deep colour will hold up longer and go further between maintenance coats than a light one or a clear. If longevity matters more than showing the grain, go darker.
Will it look like the chip?
Close, not identical. Our chips and reference photos are shot on Western Red Cedar. On fir, pine, hemlock or anything exotic the same formula will read differently, because a penetrating oil takes its final colour partly from the wood. Species, age, grain and prep all move it. Always sample on your actual material.
How do I get a sample?
Order sample sizes through the samples page. Brush it on an offcut of your own wood, let it dry fully, and look at it outdoors in daylight. A wet sample and a dry sample are two different colours.
Can you match a colour I already have?
We do not offer custom colour matching. We do hold formulas for a number of Sikkens and Sansin colours, so send us the colour name and we will tell you if we have it.
Can I add tint to the clear top coat?
Yes. Adding a small amount of a tinted product to a Clear Top Coat can give your project the boost you may want during your maintenance cycles.
How many colours are there?
The printed card shows the core range. Beyond that we tint to custom formulas, so the practical answer is that if you can name it or send it to us, we can usually make it.
What sheens do you have?
SLT and DR soak into the wood rather than forming a film on top of it. Clarity comes in flat, satin and gloss.
Products and application
Getting it right on the wood
When a finish does not hold up, it usually traces back to prep or to a coat that got missed. The steps below cover the ones that matter most.
Choosing the product
SLT or DR, which do I need?
SLT is for vertical and semi-exposed wood: siding, sidewall shingles, soffits, logs and timbers. DR is for horizontal and fully exposed wood: decks, railings, fences, docks, doors, window trim, fascia boards and high exposure siding. They are compatible systems, so you can use SLT on the log wall and DR on the deck of the same house.
What is the standard system?
Two tinted coats, then one Clear Top Coat. Same structure for SLT and for DR. Clarity is two tinted coats then Clarity Clear Top Coat.
When would I use Clarity instead?
Clarity is a film-forming acrylic rather than a penetrating oil. It is the choice for interior wood, mass timber, millwork, ceiling and wall panelling, and exterior siding where you want a film and a sheen. It comes in gloss, satin and flat. It is not for horizontal surfaces that get foot traffic, indoors or out.
Is DR an oil-based product?
No. DR is a water-borne natural oil finish. Water-borne, low VOC, soap and water cleanup. It contains oil, but water is the base.
Check Stop Wax or Fresh Cut Oil?
Check Stop Wax is for freshly cut timber that is still drying, to stop end checks and splits as it goes. Fresh Cut Oil is a penetrating end grain sealer for siding and deck board end cuts, log ends, timber framing and joinery cuts. It protects from water damage, mould and decay and reduces checks, splits, warping and cupping.
Do you sell paint?
No. We make penetrating stains, clear finishes and cleaners for wood, plus sealers for concrete.
Do you have products for concrete?
Yes. CMC Sealer and CMC Glaze seal concrete, and CSC Concrete Surface Cleaner cleans it first.
Do you sell the wood too?
Yes. Our sister company Crisp Wood Co. supplies architectural wood, factory finished and ready to install.
Do any of your products protect against insects?
No. Nothing in the line is formulated for insect protection.
Prep
How do I know the wood is ready?
The water drop test. Drop water on the surface. If it soaks in, the wood is open and ready. If it beads, the pores are closed and you need to sand with 60 to 80 grit first. Do this every time, on every job, before every coat of a penetrating product.
Can I apply over an existing finish?
It depends on the existing finish, and we cannot confirm compatibility with another manufacturer’s product. Protektor SLT, Protektor DR and Wood Tech are penetrating stains, so they have to get into the wood to work. A water drop test will tell you a lot. Put a few drops of water on the existing finish and watch what happens. If the water beads and sits on the surface, our stain will not penetrate either. If it soaks in, the wood is open. Either way, testing your own sample area first is strongly advised.
Can I put Clarity over SLT or DR?
Yes. Not the other way around: SLT and DR need bare wood, so they cannot go over Clarity.
I sanded. How many coats now?
Minimum two coats of tinted product. Sanding opens the wood, so it needs at least two coats. Apply both before judging the result.
Do I need Wood Bright after sanding?
Not usually. Wood Bright is for wood that looks grey, weathered or dull, or has tannin, rust or mildew staining. It is not a routine step after sanding.
Should I coat all four sides before installing?
Yes, on all exterior wood, unless it is pressure treated. Coating the back and the edges before install is the cheapest thing you will ever do for the life of that wood.
Can I coat pressure treated wood?
Let it weather at least a year first. New pressure treated wood is too wet and too full of treatment chemistry to take a penetrating finish.
Applying
Brush, roller or sprayer?
Any of the three. If you roll or spray, you must back-brush. Rolling and spraying lay the product on the surface, back-brushing is what drives it into the wood.
What does flood to saturation mean?
Keep the surface wet with product until the wood stops taking it, then even out what is left so nothing pools. This applies to DR, SLT and Wood Tech. It does not apply to Clarity, which is a film and will run and sag if you flood it.
The sun came out mid-job and it is hot now.
Stop and wait until the surface is out of direct sun. Before the first coat only, dampen the wood if it is warm to the touch. Hot dry wood dries the water off before the oil can soak in, and you end up with product sitting on top instead of in.
Can I apply it when rain is coming?
Only under cover. A sheltered soffit is fine, an exposed deck face is not. Protect SLT and DR from rain and standing water for 2 to 5 days, and Clarity from water for 48 hours.
What weather do I need?
Between 5C and 25C, ideally around 21C, with no rain or frost expected. Do not apply to wood in direct sun or warm to the touch. Temperatures should stay above 1C for 48 hours after.
How long between coats?
It depends on temperature. DR and SLT: 12 hours at 20C, 24 hours at 12C, 48 hours at 5C. Clarity: dry to touch in 30 minutes, 4 to 6 hours between coats. Cooler and damper means longer.
Why is my finish not shiny?
Because a penetrating product is not supposed to be. SLT and DR soak into the wood rather than sitting on top of it. If you want sheen, that is Clarity or a clear top coat, not the tinted coats.
The sheen is patchy.
Patchy sheen on SLT usually means one of three things: product pooled somewhere and dried on the surface, the prep was uneven so some areas absorbed and some did not, or there is an existing coating in the shiny spots blocking penetration. Send photos and we will tell you which.
Can I use these indoors?
Yes. Low odour, water-borne, low VOC, non-flammable. Clarity is rated for interior and exterior use, and SLT is regularly used indoors.
Living with it
How long will it last?
Indefinitely, if it is maintained. Vertical surfaces typically go one to four years between maintenance coats depending on exposure and how dark the colour is. Horizontal and fully exposed surfaces are shorter.
What does maintenance involve?
Wash it, let it dry, water drop test it, and put a coat of clear over it. No stripping, no sanding back to bare. That is the whole point of a penetrating system.
My finish is peeling or fading early. Why?
DR and SLT soak in and do not form a film, so peeling usually points to prep, such as an old coating left on or wood that was not absorbing. Sun, salt air and clear finishes also shorten the time between maintenance. Send us photos and we will take a look.
Will the wood keep getting darker each time?
Not if you maintain with clear. The oil and pigment penetrate together on the original coats, and the clear top coat protects that colour without adding more pigment. Maintain with clear and the colour holds where you put it.
Why does the clear top coat matter so much?
Every product in the line is built on the same base, so the UV inhibitors are in the tinted coats as well. What the Clear Top Coat does is take the surface wear. It also makes maintenance far easier down the road, because you are putting a clear coat back on rather than trying to match a tinted coat that may have worn differently in different spots.
How long does an unopened pail last?
Check the shelf life on the product page for the specific product, because it varies across the line. Store it between 10C and 30C and never let it freeze. If a pail has been sitting a while, stir it thoroughly and look at it before you commit it to a job.
Cleaning, grey wood and staining
Getting wood back before you finish it
Grey, black and blue are three different problems with three different answers.
My wood has gone grey. Can it come back?
Usually yes. Grey is UV damage on the surface, often with dirt and light surface staining in it. Wood Bright is the product for that. It also lifts tannin and iron staining and neutralises stripper residue.
What is the black stuff on my wood?
Surface staining, most commonly. It sits on top and cleans off. Wood Wash is formulated for that kind of surface cleaning along with dirt and pollen.
What is fungal staining and can I clean it off?
Fungal staining is a blue or black discolouration that grows through the sapwood rather than sitting on it. Wood Bright removes fungi stains from wood surfaces. Test on an inconspicuous area first. It is a cosmetic issue, not a structural one. If you cannot live with it, a more opaque colour will cover it.
Wood Wash or Wood Bright, what is the difference?
Wood Wash is for routine cleaning of exterior wood, mixed 10 to 1. Wood Bright is a wood brightener for wood that has gone grey or weathered, mixed 4 to 1, or 1 to 1 on stubborn staining. It brings weathered wood back to a bright, fresh look.
Wood Wash or ASC?
Wood Wash for exterior wood that needs real cleaning. ASC All Surface Cleaner for general cleaning, including mould and algae at 1:4, and for the general cleanup jobs: tools, engines, grills, concrete, countertops. ASC is not a dangerous good and ships normally.
How do I get motor oil off wood?
ASC All Surface Cleaner first, then rinse. Follow with Wood Bright diluted 4:1, or 1:1 for stubborn staining, then rinse thoroughly. Do not let either product dry on the wood, mist it with water to keep it working.
How often should I wash it?
Once a year for a light clean. Dirt and spores that sit on a finish are what eventually get established in it, and a wash every spring is far cheaper than a restoration.
Do I need to neutralise after cleaning?
Rinse thoroughly and let the wood dry fully, then water drop test before you coat. Both cleaners are acidic and both need to be off the wood and the wood dry before finish goes on.
What about my plants and my metal railings?
Shield vegetation, and keep Wood Bright and Wood Wash off metal, fabric, floor coverings and furniture. Wet everything down around the work area before you start and rinse it after.
Returns and claims
The short version
The full policy, including the photos we need for a damage claim, is on the returns page.
Can I return tinted product?
No. Tinted, custom and special order product is final sale, because it was mixed for your order and cannot go back into stock. This is why we recommend samples.
Can I return untinted product?
Unopened, unused and in original condition, within 30 days, with a 20% restocking fee. Contact customer service to start it.
Something arrived damaged or short.
If something arrives damaged or short, please let us know within 48 hours of delivery and send us a few photos. Front and back of the pail, the damage itself, the contents with the lid off after a fresh stir, and the shipping paperwork. Full list on the returns page.
Is the product under warranty?
All sales are subject to the manufacturer’s limited warranty. You are responsible for confirming the product suits your wood and conditions, so test a sample first.
Still stuck
Call or text us. We are happy to help.
If your question is not here, or the website is giving you trouble, talk to us. We answer texts fastest.
Pickup and showroom
Port Coquitlam
#2110 – 1840 Broadway St. Mon to Fri, 7:30 to 4:30. Showroom by appointment.
We are closed weekends and statutory holidays. Orders placed online still go through, they just move on the next business day.