Armstrong-Clark’s stain offers two colors for long lasting life on exotic hardwoods. Note: There are not two different versions of Amber, Mahogany, and Black Walnut Colors. Same version and they can be used on all wood types, but these colors were designed for exotic wood like Ipe and Mahogany.
- Armstrong-Clark stain is tested by professionals and outperforms all other brands on exotic woods like Ipe, Mahogany, and Cumaru.
- Drying oils lock in conditioning oils while pigments and water repellents protect against moisture and UV damage.
- Armstrong-Clark covers 300-400 sq ft per gallon on IPE and Extotic Hardwoods, though actual coverage varies depending on wood porosity.
Tested by professionals, Armstrong Clark outperforms all other brands on exotic wood such as:
- IPE
- Mahogany
- Cumaru
- Tigerwood
- All Brazilian Exotic Woods
Key Features of Armstrong Clark Hardwood Colors:
- Application can be done in direct sunlight and on hot days.
- Applies easily by roller, brush, or airless sprayer. During spraying – going back over with a brush or roller will help give a more even appearance. After 24 hours any remaining puddles or glossy spots can be removed using a dry rag.
- Older wood is reconditioned by deep penetrating nondrying oils.
- Drying oils lock in the conditioning oils while pigments and water repellents lock out moisture and UV damage.
- Armstrong wood stain is compliant with all environmental standards.
- Does not contain any offensive odors.
Available Hardwood Colors
Amber, Mahogany, Semi-Trans Black Walnut
Coverage
Armstrong-Clark Deck and Siding Stain applies at 300-400 sq ft per gallon. Depending on wood porosity, actual coverage will vary.
Important
*We do not guarantee stain colors as they will vary widely depending on the wood type, age of wood, prepping of wood, and application. Small samples are available at top
Note: There are not two different versions of Amber and Mahogany Colors. Same version and they can be used on all wood types.
I have 1400 ft.² ipe deck that I have sanded down. It’s about seven years old. I used a sheet rock sander to take off the oxidation on the surface. I’ve got it down to Bearwood, but I have about four days until it stops raining every other day. Is it OK to wait that long before I put the stain down? I intend to power wash off of the dust before I do that and let it dry for a few few days. The second question I have is if I need to walk on parts of it while it’s still drying, is that OK? Should I use socks or how does that work?
You should clean and brighten the wood after power-sanding to open the pores. Stain within two weeks of prep.
We have Cumaru accent walls. Armstrong Clark Hardwood/Ipe Stain Amber. Sky lights do let light in on the wood. So, what kind of maintenance do you recommend?
Clean and recoat as needed when or if the stain fades.
What’s the best stain / sealer to maintain the natural color of IPE?
Not necessarily looking to stain as much as seal.
Is there a recommended option for just a sealer?
How well does this product do in direct Southern Coastal / Saltwater regions?
Is there a recommendation for one vs the other?
You must use one of the AC tinted stain colors for UV protection. Using a sealer will not prevent UV so the wood will gray in months.
I have been using your product for a few years. I need to recoat my IPE each year.
I have been cleaning and brightening each time. If I’m doing this annually can I just recoat without the cleaner and brightener every time?
No, you must always use the prep when recoating.
How long does it take to absorb into IPE wood. I usually wipe any excess off the IPE boards after about 20 minutes. Is that too soon and should I leave the stain longer to absorb into the wood?
With AC, you cannot back wipe after 20 minutes, as that means you will be removing the curing oils before it has a chance to dry. Wait a few hours, and if needed, back wipe any excess then.
I have Ipe wood deck that needs to be refinished with a semi transparent stain. Is your product water or oil based?
Does cleaner and brightener harm the wood in any way? Does it need to be used?
Lastly, can a light pressure washer be used on this IPE deck. I was quoted by a company that they clean, brighten and light pressure wash. They also recommended your product.
How long does the stain hold. We live in Portland OR weather in summer 80-90s w occassional 100 days and winter low 30s. Lots of rain in fall-spring
Oil-based. You do need to prep. How and which prep products depend on the current condition and if stained prior?
IPE wood requires annual reapplication. Clean and recoat.
I stained this deck to months ago. The client is asking for a second coat. Is it safe to apply it?
Hard to say, as more is not always better. You need to make sure it fully soaks into the wood and does not dry on top of the woo. Prep by lightly cleaning off any dirt, etc.
I have a IPE deck and used the stripper and stained my deck with the Amber stain. I live at the beach where it rains a lot and on a fresh water canal . Do I need to or can I seal the the Deck? The deck is about 1800SF.
You cannot apply a sealer over the top of a deck stain. There’s no need as well.
I have a job on a log cabin starting and I usually want to use semi transparent..but the cedar semi transparent is darker than they want…the Amber for hardwoods is more the color there looking for but I am concerned that it’s more of a transparent stain that has less pigment than the semi transparent…is the hardwood colors just as good as semi transparent?
Yes, they are.
Hello. I bought this stain in 2020 for my redwood gates. It’s still looking beautiful. I wish to buy more for my new 12Lx10w x9 foot tall redwood pergola. Is this the same product that is sold now with the IPE/Hardwood label in amber? Also, how much would I need? And how long should I wait before staining it. I live in California. Temps have been around 97°-99°. They are expected to drop to mid 80s soon. If it us not the same product, can I still get the one I used?
Thank you
Hi, there is only one Amber color, and it can be used on hardwood decking or any regular softwood decking like redwood.
As for the amount needed, we would need the total square footage of all sides that will be stained added up, not the dimensions of the pergola.
Since it is new, wait until spring to prep and stain:
https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/new-decking-and-armstrong-clark-stain
Hello. We live in Nova Scotia. Stained our Eastern white cedar deck (seasoned for a year) in sunny 15C temp. Covered it as rain was forecast. It didn’t rain. 36 hours later I removed the tarp as rain wasn’t forecasted. It was wrong. We got a couple of hours of light mist on and off. There was a light oil slick that developed on each board.
What does this mean? Has the application been compromised? Thanks.
Let it dry and cure out over the next week or two and hopefully all is good. You cannot cover it, it needs airflow and UV to cure.
Hello. Does the AC Hardwood/Ipe stain in Amber color offer any UV protection on Atlantic white cedar used on decking? Thanks
Yes, it is tinted and offers UV protection from graying.
Cool. Thanks again.
No meed to sand. Try the Amber color for this. It will look like a clean wet look.
I used the Restore-a=deck (cleaner, neutralizer) as usual on my IPE deck. It was not supposed to rain for 2-3 days, so i could then apply the stain (per usual). But forecast changed and it rained! Do I have to wait another 2 days? Also, how long after applying the hardwood/PE stain should deck be without rain? I’ve read as little as 2-3 hours or as long as 2 days. If I have to wait til it’s no rainy for that long, it may take weeks to put on the stain. Thanks much – GMS
Yes, wait 48 hours after rain or prep. It can take rain typically 6-12 hours after applying for IPE wood.
Why is my IPE deck continuing to sweat this Black Walnut stain out in numerous spots 72 hours after the staining is completed?
Possibly due to over-applying and not fully curing yet. Wipe down the excess stain with rags to see if that helps. Make sure to saturate any oil rags in water when down and lay flat to dry outside.
Need help double checking quantities. Massarandubba decking. 60 x 16 with another 7 x 10 section; plus 10 36” steps. Going with mahogany (if that matters)
One coat is all you need. About 5-6 gallons total.
what color is most often used with massaranduba decks?
Amber.
I do have ipe wood deck which is exposed and temperature goes up to 48 degree. We had done some staining and applied top coat but in few weeks time topcoat started peeling off. Any suggestions will help
You can not topcoat over a deck stain as it will peel. You will have to power sand off all your coatings fully. Then you can apply one coat of the AC stains.
I have a pressure treated lumber deck and am going to purchase your semi transparent Amber deck stain. While it’s the same price, is there a difference between getting the regular Amber deck stain and the Hardwood/IPE stain that states it can also be used on all woods?
There are not two different versions. One version that is a hardwood color but can also be used for other wood types.
I had my cedar fence sealed with semi-transparent sealant and unfortunately some overspray got on my truck. What can I use to get this off of my truck body and windows? Thanks.
We would suggest taking it to a car detail shop to get is properly cleaned as we are not sure what chemicals would remove the stain and not have adverse reactions with your car paint.
what stain is the best for tigerwood
You will need one of the 3 hardwood colors: Amber, Mahogany, or Black Walnut. Most use Amber for Tigerwood.
Do you have just a ‘clear’ stain. I am going to use this on a cedar deck which has never been treated.
No, and a clear will offer no protection from UV graying. Must be tinted.
Hi- yesterday I applied a sample of the amber on my mahogany deck. I stripped and brightened the deck five days earlier. The result looks much darker than expected, almost like black walnut (about 18 hours after application). The amber is the darkest of the samples in the photo, top left (the others are Restore A Deck samples). Could this be a prep or application issue? I love the look of amber on other people’s mahogany decks and want to figure out how to get that look.
Did you stir/shake the amber sample before applying? Can you send a picture of the Amber in the container? It should not be so dark like this.
I did shake well before applying. Here is a photo of the open sample can.
We will check with AC directly and get back to you.
It may cure and lighten after 72 hours, but we are going to ship you another sample on Monday.
That’s great. Thanks.
I did shake well before brushing on the sample. Here is a photo of the open can.
I was hoping to be able to stain a mahogany deck on Saturday, and there’s rain expected on Sunday. I’m reading that as long as the stain can dry for 4 hrs before it rains, I should be fine. But in one of the comments, you had told someone that for IPE, it was best to let the deck dry for 12 hrs. Would that apply to mahogany wood as well?
You should be fine if you stain Saturday, and it rains Sunday.
Posting a picture of what the stain looked like on the wood when fresh (really nice, super rich color), and one once it all dried. The dried photo shows the color is more faded, and you can see the imperfections in the wood more, but otherwise, this looks fine? No need for a second coat?
No need.
Is this the amber color, on mahogany? Looks good!
Yes.
@Sarah Rohrman It’s mahogany color on mahogany. But to be honest, I did end up doing a second coat and only because it became quite obvious that the heavy rain we had the day after I stained washed off a lot of the stain to the point where things looked more pale (and some of the stain had even splashed onto the spindles/railings with the rain). So I redid it when I knew I could have a full day after with no rain. Attached are the results now. Super happy with the color overall.
Refinished ipe deck using AC Amber. Will want to darken it next time, using AC Mahogany. Will I need to strip the AC Amber? Or can I just clean and apply AC Mahogany over AC Amber?
Clean and brighten would work.
Can I mix a Semi-Solid Armstrong Clark stain with Semi-Transparent Hardwood/Softwood Armstrong Clark stain to achieve a color in-between?
Yes, you can do this.
I’m planning on staining a newly installed a new IPE deck with AC Hardwood Stain, Mahogany. I want to use an airless sprayer. What’s the recommended tip size?
The tip size does not matter.
Have Balua deck installed on new house 12 months ago. It was stained with cabots australian timber oil mahogany flame which has failed. What prep needs to be done in order to switch to
Armstrong-Clark hardwood/Ipe stain? Should I sand to bare wood then apply stain? Pressure wash then use your restore a deck kit? Or both?
Will the stain allow the grain to come through? Which color is recommended on balua?
Strip and brighten for prep: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper
Do not sand. Use Amber. One coat.
Hi, I have one section of new mahogany deck that I let weather over winter. It has never been stained and I plan on using the AC Amber.
I also have another deck that has previously been stained with Cabot Amber Wood.
What prep should I do on the new unstained deck vs the old previously stained deck.
Thanks!
Strip and brighten for the older deck: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper
Clean and brighten for the new deck: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/restore-a-deck-kit
For the AC hardwood stain on a outdoor mahogany deck installed 2 years ago and not refinished last year is it advised to dilute the first coat of stain have it soak in better? Then use full strength on second coat? Is there any benefit to have a third coat?
No, you cannot dilute. Just one coat for Mahogany wood.
Ipe deck approx 700 sq ft of surface area about 200sq ft of siding has not been stained in 5 years. Previous stain was the DuckBack SuperDeck. Should I switch to AC and if so what kind of prep is required?
Prep with this and then you can: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/restore-a-deck-stripper
Trying to pick between amber and mahagany for an IPE deck. Used clear pennofine in the past and seems that deck was a reddish brown using clear. How red will mahagany make it and what do you recommend.
Best to look at our photo album: https://www.armstrongclarkstain.com/armstrong-clark-photo-album
If there is rain in the forecast, how long should we allow the satin to dry. For example… If it is going to rain Monday, can I lay the stain on Saturday?
Yes, AC can take a rain 4-8 hours after applying in most scenarios.
Hi, how long after pressure washing should I wait to start applying the Amber stain?
At least two days of drying after prep.
I have an IPE deck which has been previously treated with Mesmer’s Hardwood Oil. If I utilize Armstrong Clark stain, will the deck need to be stripped each yearly treatment or stain re-applied?
You will have to strip off the Messmers first which is very easy. When reapplying the AC in the future, just use the cleaner for prep.
I have a red balau hardwood front porch that was installed one year ago. I am ready to stain it now and have a question…if we sand it first, do we still need to clean and brighten? Or can we stain after sanding?
Clean and brighten after sanding.
How long it going take ship 5 gal. to Toronto Canada.
2-3 business days is normal.
I have a mahogany wood deck that I stained with AC Amber, one coat.
Can I go over it with the AC mahogany?
Do I need to strip it first ?
Strip it first.
i have an IPE/tigerwood deck that needs to be restained. it was suggested that i use Restore a Deck stripper and brightner. As opposed to their cleaner and brightner. it was last stained over 2 years ago using AC mahogany. i also have a wolmanized deck that is attached below my hardwood deck. it will be contracted out to be cleaned and stained with AC mahogany also. i need to strip the upper tigerwood deck first prior to lower deck being refinished. Question is, how long can i leave the tigerwood deck unfinished. And, any further prep work need to be done prior to staining the tigerwood deck.
Thanks
After the prep of the stripper and brightener, you should stain the wood within a couple of weeks. No other prep is needed.
Can the black walnut IPE stain be used on pressure treated decking? If it could, will this stain protect the wood as much as the semi-transparent stain?
Yes, the Black Walnut color can be used for all wood types. It is a semi-transparent color.
What color looks makes IPE deck look closer to natural: amber or mahogany?
Thanks
Amber.
Used Mesmers on my IPE deck 2 years in a row, does not last! In direct sunlight is this product gonna last?
With IPE wood, you will need to redo every year with the AC.
[quote name=”Anthony tambasco”]I am interested in purchasing a 5 Gallon container of – Armstrong Clark Hardwood / Ipe Stain. It usually takes 1.5 gallons to stain my deck(which includes the railings). My question is the shelf life or storage requirements on the remaining product. I typically stain my deck on a yearly basis. Will the opened container store for 2-3 years? Obviously, there is some savings by purchasing in bulk.[/quote]
If opened the shelf life is about 1 year. It could last longer but that depends on how well you close the container and if stored correctly in a temperature controlled room. It cannot freeze or have any evaporation of the solvents. If it does, it will go bad.
[quote name=”Anthony tambasco”]I am interested in purchasing a 5 Gallon container of – Armstrong Clark Hardwood / Ipe Stain. It usually takes 1.5 gallons to stain my deck(which includes the railings). My question is the shelf life or storage requirements on the remaining product. I typically stain my deck on a yearly basis. Will the opened container store for 2-3 years? Obviously, there is some savings by purchasing in bulk.[/quote]
If opened the shelf life is about 1 year. It could last longer but that depends on how well you close the container and if stored correctly in a temperature controlled room. It cannot freeze or have any evaporation of the solvents. If it does, it will go bad.
I am interested in purchasing a 5 Gallon container of – Armstrong Clark Hardwood / Ipe Stain. It usually takes 1.5 gallons to stain my deck(which includes the railings). My question is the shelf life or storage requirements on the remaining product. I typically stain my deck on a yearly basis. Will the opened container store for 2-3 years? Obviously, there is some savings by purchasing in bulk.
I am interested in purchasing a 5 Gallon container of – Armstrong Clark Hardwood / Ipe Stain. It usually takes 1.5 gallons to stain my deck(which includes the railings). My question is the shelf life or storage requirements on the remaining product. I typically stain my deck on a yearly basis. Will the opened container store for 2-3 years? Obviously, there is some savings by purchasing in bulk.
[quote name=”Gary Rodrigues”]I have a deck heavily shaded by live oak trees. I have applied AC Amber on stripped and brightened ipe. I wiped off the excess with towels after 24 hours as per directions. A few days later it is still not dry. How long does it take to dry?[/quote]
Temperature and exposer to sun have direct role in drying. It will dry but it just takes time. Rinsing the deck with water will not remove the stain that has already penetrated the IPE and may help to remove some of the excess off the top. Just use a garden hose with a nozzle.
[quote name=”Gary Rodrigues”]I have a deck heavily shaded by live oak trees. I have applied AC Amber on stripped and brightened ipe. I wiped off the excess with towels after 24 hours as per directions. A few days later it is still not dry. How long does it take to dry?[/quote]
Temperature and exposer to sun have direct role in drying. It will dry but it just takes time. Rinsing the deck with water will not remove the stain that has already penetrated the IPE and may help to remove some of the excess off the top. Just use a garden hose with a nozzle.
I have a deck heavily shaded by live oak trees. I have applied AC Amber on stripped and brightened ipe. I wiped off the excess with towels after 24 hours as per directions. A few days later it is still not dry. How long does it take to dry?
I have a deck heavily shaded by live oak trees. I have applied AC Amber on stripped and brightened ipe. I wiped off the excess with towels after 24 hours as per directions. A few days later it is still not dry. How long does it take to dry?