Have your your stain and brightener...and ready to go but I put what I thought were stainless hinges on new cedar window frame and when they got wet made a black "iron?"stain will the cleaner brightener remove that???? any suggestions if not they are aabout 2 by 3 inches not solid black but smeary looking. Thanks

If I use wood stripper, should I use wood cleaner first? One year old deck with oil based/acrylic stain in place.

Love our AC deck stain in Sequoia (on redwood). First applied, then easily reapplied 2 years ago. But now the house was painted, and we're wondering if we can change to a different AC stain. Steps?
Thinking Oxford Brown or possibly Walnut.

About to purchase natural tone stain for new cedar sided building. Sided over the winter months on dry days (Oregon weather)and some of the wood is faded (slightly gray) compared to the protected parts of building, I guess it is due to rain splattering up on bottom 3 boards and the eave boards either from sun or water dripping off of the roof. Should I use deck brightener(restore a deck) you sell on the faded boards or just clean with the bleach mixture. No sign of mildew just not as bright reddish as the rest of the building. The splash back on the bottom boards if thats what caused the gray is mostly from gravel around building no obvious mud splatters. Its now been sided and sitting there for about 2 months. Have a power washer if needed. Thanks so much for your help, biggest project I have ever done.

How would you recommend using your product on teak furniture previously treated with teak oil?

I've got a pine board and baton house last stained no less than 15 years ago with an oil stain - blue/grey - the second coat following the original one appied some 10 years before that . It's fading a bit and it seems time to re-stain. even after I've started power washing the stain is holding
1. in addition to cleaning - which I was planning with simply continue powerwashing - is stripper required? if so, is Restore -a - Deck the product of choice? what's the coverage per container of the powder?

I saw the video of a guy using a nice brush head to apply his stain - what kind of brush head is that attached to the pole?

south and east deck very weathered with some newer replacement boards/covered deck have hardly any wear. i used ben/moore arborcoat and last years coating is terrible. i understand from research that i'll have to sand off all in order to use your product??? also, the south logs are very damaged by sun-how much sanding needed??? will a plastic garden pump work for spray application? i'm new to this maintenance in hot sierras--thanks for the help

I have a cedar fence, 7 years old, never stained, looks pretty good yet. I live in western Nevada, fairly dry and sunny. What is the best prep and stain for this fence?

I used Armstrong Clark stain on a new deck two years ago with beautiful results. I am now ready to apply a maintenance coat of the same AC stain on the areas that are most exposed to the direct hot Tennessee sun. I understand that I need to use the RAD Cleaner first, but I am not totally clear as to whether I also should use the Brightener as well prior to restaining......can you please clarify this for me. Any other advice also welcome.... Thank you, i'm a big fan of your products ! Rob J.

just put stripper down on wet deck and waited 1/2 hour and tried pressure washer on it, not taking the old stain off

Regarding my last question w/ the 1 year old deck with the mold:

1) should I use the RAD kit first and then pressure wash, or pressure wash the deck first and then use the RAD kit?

2) what can be done to prevent the mold so I don't have to repeat this process again next spring?

Thank you

1 year old redwood deck was prepped w/ RAD kit at 4 months of age (last Sept) and stained w/ AC natural stain a few weeks later. The deck looked great for a few months - then the mold took over and covered the entire deck after the heavy rainy season in Northern CA this past winter. I plan to pressure wash the deck to remove the mold. I also plan to use RAD kit again before re-staining. I may also re-sand the deck if needed.
1) Does the deck need to be re-sanded?

2) What is the proper sequence for RAD kit, pressure washing, and sanding (if necessary)?

3)How long should I wait after pressure wash/RAD kit/ sanding before staining the deck?
Thank you.

Full sun exposure in Orange County NY. deck is cedar, what is the best staying to use? We are looking at the transparent and semi-transparent

We just bought a house with an Ipe wood deck. It is grey, but in good condition. Can I just pressure wash it to prep for AC stain or do I need to buy a deck cleaner to prep it?

Can I use a borate solution (BoraCare) on my deck prior to staining with AC semi-transparent stain in order to control algae/mildew growth? Thanks

New #1 western cedar deck installed 3 weeks ago. Contractor said cedar has been kept indoors and can be stained now. Do I need to prep or can I just stain? Just ordered 5 gal. of Rustic Brown.

I am installing new hardwood deck, supposedly Ipe but appears more like Garapa, hardwood but less dense. 1. Would sanding with 80 or 100 grit be advisable, or should I just clean it. 2. Do all four sides need to be sealed or just the top surface. 3. Would you advise waiting 2-3 months to seal or do at time of install?

Hello. I wanted to slap some AC on the worn spots on my cedar deck, which was stripped and treated with AC four years ago and touched up once since then. Is it too late now that we are into shorter days, damp nights? I'm not sure it's 100% dry.

I plan to use the RAD Cleaner & Brightner before staining my new KDAT deck floor. Can the prepping be done at one time, or does wood need to dry between the clean & brighten steps?
I read that only 1 coat of AC stain is recommended for KDAT wood, but read in AC Staining Instructions that if stain "penetrates within 30 minutes, another coat can be applied for added protection". Should I use 1 or 2 coats on new KDAT wood, in a full sun area?

We stripped and brightened our ipe deck with RAD 5 days ago. Stained with AC mahogany stain 3 days ago (no precip between). There wasn't any pooling but the area exposed to sun is still slightly oily and the area that is covered still has a thick oily residue. We didn't wipe because it didn't pool but it's still wet. Took one step onto covered deck and left shoe print so we wiped that area with a dry cloth and left a (barely) noticable lighter area. There will be 100 people on this deck in 7 days for a wedding. What do you suggest? Wipe with oil soaked rags? Thanks for any help

Hi, about those white and fuzzy patches after using the RAD kit- I'm wondering if sanding those spots down would be helpful before staining? I don't want to wet the wood as we want to stain tomorrow. What do you think?
Thanks! -Rose

I just used the RAD cleaner and brightener last night on our (new but 4 months seasoned) red cedar deck. Now in the bright sunlight I see patches that appear white and other areas that are fuzzy. Are these normal or did I do something wrong. We hope to stain in another 36 hrs while we have a run of dry sunny weather. Thanks!

Hello. We have a new deck which was installed 4 months ago. I have never sealed a deck before so doing my homework prior to prepping and staining. A couple of questions below - your response is appreciated.

1. Do you recommend sanding first, then applying the RAD wood cleaner? If so, how long do we wait after sanding until we can apply the wood cleaner? Note that we have a lot of "splinters" sticking out.

2. Do I only need 1 wood cleaner kit? I am assuming it depends on the size of the deck, but I have not seen specification on your website. Not sure if a kit will work on our 14x16 deck with stairs and railing.

Thanks!!

The interior of the contemporary house is entirely clear heart redwood. Built in 1980 it appears to have never finished with any products. The wood has faded in many areas and has become very dry everywhere but overall has retained very good color and has never grayed. It has been stained lightly in some areas from general household effects. We would like to apply transparent finish. What prep steps and product do you suggest? We will be tinting the floor to ceiling windows so I am not concerned about UV protection level of the stain, I really want to retain the natural aged redwood color.

Are the instructions for prepping new deck wood also applicable to a new (fully exposed on one side) Glulam?
I have a Glulam beam, and two beam ends exposed to weather - is your transparent stain enough to protect them over the long term (repeated applications are expected over time)?

We are re-staining our deck that I stained last August in transparent grey. Have addend new boards 6 months ago and want to have all blend in. Plan on using the clean kit before applying stain. How dry does the deck need to be before re-staining as rain in the afternoon is common in Atlanta this time of year.

I live in CA. I have a new redwood deck (1 month old). I lightly sanded the deck today to remove several paint stains left behind by careless painters. I am interested in your transparent redwood stain product. How long do you recommend that I wait (minimum wait time and optimum wait time) before prepping and staining the deck? Thank you

I see different recommendation for the waiting period before applying the stain on new red cedar. Some say to apply it right away, other recommend 2-3 months before doing anything, other one year. Was is the good waiting period for a cedar deck in full sun with AC stains?

Thanks

Eric

I used your product to stain my PT pine deck in 2010. I am going to stain again using your product in 2016. Question is: do I strip or simply clean as indicated above? I live in New England and my PT deck sees all types of weather. Thus, I am not sure if there is a lot of stain remaining on the surface. Any suggestions are appreciated. Also,many downsides to using one of your darker hardwood stains on my PT deck? My wife likes the colors. My original stain from 2010 was semitransparent. Thanks!

I just finished staining my deck with Mountain Cedar semi solid with very good results. I should have gotten a color sample however because it just isn't what I was going for. Could I use a different color semi solid such as Oxford Brown as a "maintenance coat" in a year or two without a huge color variance?

I have a 10 year old pine boat dock deck. It was treated with Thompson's Sealer about 5 years ago but it has almost completely worn off. What products do I need to re-store and re-finish this deck.

I see several answers where you say new decking (SPF or cedar) needs to season for 3-4 months, and also be cleaned with RAD Cleaner.

Is this because you are assuming the new wood is >15% moisture content, or are there other reasons the new wood should be seasoned before staining?
In other words, if my new lumber is kiln dried and has moisture content below 15%, and then I "clean" it, am I good to go, or do I still need to let it sit for several months before staining?

First we planed than we sanded with sand paper. The new 2x6s came out great. The new 4x4 posts turned black. The existing 2x12 was planed and then sanded. Looked like new, but it turned black or just real dark. Could it be that by the time we got to the 4x4s and 2x12s we were using the bottom of the stain can?

Just applied Armstrong oil base natural stain on new redwood and the color turned black. Same was true with newly sanded redwood. But, some came out just fine. Can you tell me what I am doing wrong.?

David kraft

I have cedar trim and garage doors on my home in Colorado. They were originally stained with a semi-transparent stain when the house was built 4 yrs.ago. The garage doors and areas facing south or west had to be redone 2 yrs. ago and need to be again. I am thinking of using your semi-transparent stain. What kind of prep will it need and how will it hold up to the elements here.

Thank you

I have a very old 20+ year deck. the contractor came by and wants to sand it all down, and then use Sherwin Williams SuperDeck with a primer, which I am not at all interested in. Based on the reviews, and the fact that I will need a semi solid, Yours is the best choice.

My question is: is sanding an acceptable way to prep the deck with your product? It is old and in bad shape. if so, are there any additional steps prior to staining?

Thanks-
Susan

HI, I saw that you answered this question regarding someone who had kiln-dried red cedar decking and said that there is no need to do the underside or ends of the deck boards. Is this your recommendation for any cedar decking, whether or not kiln-dried?
Thanks!

My wife and I replaced all the 2x6 deck boards on our deck that are pressure treated. They are really wet so I thought I would wait until Sep. to apply your product. Correct tell me if this is the right thing to do. Also will I have to clean the new wood and if so what should I use to do this with?

I will buy the RAD Cleaner to prepare my 10 months new cedar deck. With the RAD Cleaner, do i need to clean with pressure wash? or just apply the RAD Cleaner with water and broom/brush?

I applied your Armstrong Clark transparent redwood stain to my 3 month old redwood deck a little over two years ago with little prep except brushing and hosing it off. The deck is a wrap around almost 750 SF, one area at the porch is covered and still looks great. The rest of the deck is in direct sunlight for more than half of each day and had faded badly by the end of the first summer. By this spring it is blotchy and starting to gray where the stain appears to have come off. We are in East Napa county and the climate is considered Mediterranean. My questions are what would we the best method for prep and what would be the best type of stain for my conditions? Thank you in advance, Justin!

We had the mahogany stain applied to our IPE deck last year. I think they didn't follow the instructions because the color was very uneven. I'm going to put another coat on this spring. Do I need to use a special cleaner, or can I just use some soap and water before applying another coat?

How long do you need to wait before you stain a new cedar fence?

6 year old ipe deck. Used Cabot timber oil in Jaffa brown first year then 2 years later used low voc Cabot timber oil in mahogany flame as Jaffa brown no longer available. Do I need to strip deck prior to applying your mahogany product? If so, must I apply with pressure washer or can I use scrub brush with high pressure garden hose? Weather is unseasonably warm. Want to get a jump on this project. Thanks!

I bought rough cut oak boards for a new fence. Can I use your product on this project. Can I stain the board before I build the fence. The boards have been in my garage since they were cut 2 months ago.

I'm a little confused. I was told that I do not need to prepare new shingles by a salesman at Armstrong. I am planning to put on Western REd shingles on a house in Maine. Please advise how to prep and the best product to use. I was advised no need for prep and semi-transparent oil would be best.

If I used transparent--what are the pros and cons?

If at some point I wanted to paint over with a primer and paint how would I need to prep and with what?

Thank you,

Jean

Hi there
We paid someone to stain our deck. It is great that they used your products but the deck was wet from rain on the day they applied. And it then rained again within 1-2 hours of the application. They came back to put another coat on; however there were puddles of water formed on the deck and wood appeared wet to me. I let them know I was concerned that the first coat did not cure properly. They assured me there was nothing to worry about.
Can you please advise about this?
Do you think we should put another coat on in the Spring?

Our Cumaru decking was installed 11/2014; the contractor used Ipe oil on it. We're at a lake in N C and get a lot of sun. It has greyed since then. I understand that you suggest RAD wood cleaner and brightened.

Do we need to use a stripper to remove the Ipe oil? What happens if we don't?

Thank you.

I recently added an treated syp extension to both sides of my existing syp treated deck and I sanded the one year old paint from the existing deck. What do I use to prep it for staining and will the stain color be uniform because I'm combining 2 year old sanded wood with 6 month old new wood

Hi, we just had a new redwood deck installed end of July in Eastern Washington State. Just 160 sq. ft. It faces south and will get a lot of sun. Seems like we should use a semi-solid stain for best UV protection? Which colors would you recommend for use on redwood to still enjoy the wood appearance? Also, timing -- our best calendar opportunity to apply a finish is mid-late September i.e. 6 weeks from now. (Work/seasonal issues.) Is that a long enough period to wait? Should we still use the cleaner first? Many thanks for your help!

Hi, I've used Armstrong semi transparent redwood color stain twice on our redwood deck. We love the color and the look, however on both occasions when someone sits on the wood the color of the stain comes off on their clothes. The first time I used the stain the problem didn't start for nearly 2yrs so I figured it was time to refinish. I did and this time it happened only 6mo. later. I've stripped and "revived" the deck using Superdeck products. The deck is 20yrs old and in great shape as I've refinished it every 2yrs or so. What am I doing wrong now?Thanks, Howie Hall

If I sanded an old deck to remove all old paint etc do I still need 1 -to use a stripper and neutralizer on it or
2-do I use a cleaner and neutralizer???

Not sure what y next step is?
Its old cedar with new replacements mixed in…I sanded it all…..

We have a two year old cedar deck (near Toronto). Last summer I used the RAD two-step cleaning system on the un-stained cedar and sanded the deck before applying two coats of the A&C Sierra Red Wood stain. This gave a pretty rich dark red wood colour. This summer, the deck was looking like it needed a cleaning and a maintenance coat (some of the stain was wearing thin). So I used the RAD cleaner and to my surprise a significant amount of stain came off the deck - it acted almost like a stripper. Any thoughts on why this may have occurred? Can I apply a maintenance coat of the same stain or should I be doing something else beforehand?

I have an old weathered deck with some grease stains from a grill and bird suet. What is the best way to prep the deck before staining? Will the RAD Stripper remove the grease?

Do you sell restore a deck products at your retail stores?

I have applied a water proofing to deck. can I now apply the stain

Quoting anand.a.deshpande:

Hi,
Yesterday we applied a semi-solid stain to our house (exterior). The tone is too dark. I tried with sample earlier which were semi-transperant . We used (80% red-wood 20% cedar) together. Is there a way to tone the shade down?

Sorry but you cannot lighten or tone down a color. You can remove it and start over.

When prepping a deck with worn out semi transparent stain that will need stripping do I use the deck wash then the stripper and brightener or strip and brighten and then wash or skip the wash altogether if I'm stripping and brightening? Confused

curious…my Behr stain has chipped off after a couple of months…can i just sand the finish completely off…and then use your stain…i have available messmer's wood and deck cleaner as well as their brightener. however i am thinking i should use that after using your product when i want to maintain the deck down the line. I am thinking that your product will not make it so i will need to sand my deck again and that i will just maintain it by cleaning it and adding another coat of your product..is this correct?

installed pressure treated pine decking. how long before staining??

thanks

Have applied a semi- transparent sample stain to an area of about 4x4. Should I use your stain stripper on it before applying one of your semi-transparent stains on the deck?

I'm in the process of re-staining my pressure treated deck. I've applied the RAD stripper, used a pressure washer to remove the old stain and used the brightener. However, I could not completely remove all of the old stain. How critical is it to remove 100% of the old stain? The old stain is SW Deckscapes oil based stain. The color I plan on using is similar, but different enough. I'm worried that the old stain may show through it some areas. After doing the 2-step prep process, the deck absorbs water even where there is some old stain. Do I still need to sand off the old remaining stain? If so, what method do you recommend for sanding?

Thanks

I just finished staining my new redwood deck with A/C transparent redwood stain by mistake. I meant to use A/C semi-sierra redwood. It gets a lot of sun and faces West. What is the best option for re-staining? Can I apply the Sierra semi-redwood over the existing transparent redwood, or should I strip the transparent redwood and start over with the semi-sierra redwood? Alternatively, I could wait 12 months when it is time to reapply and start over. Any help is greatly appreciated.